Paul’s communication to believers used the imagery of the world around them. Life revolved around the gods. Holidays, festivals, athletics, travel, and even daily work, all fell under the dominant influence of cultural religion. Towering above everything else in life, the temples of those gods stood as constant reminders of the need to worship the gods. In his letters, Paul uses many illustrations from the world to communicate truth about the Christian life. Four are prominent: Army or the military (“Put on the whole armor of God”), Several times, for example, Christian living is compared to warfare. Paul counsels us to endure hardship “as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3) and to “put on the full armor of God” (Eph. 6:11). Architecture (“You are the temple of God”)ICor.6:19. Agriculture (“What so ever a man sows, that shall he also reap”)in Galatians 6:7. Athletics. In Philippians 3, it is Paul the athlete. Bible students are not agreed as to the exact sport Paul is describing, whether the footrace or the chariot race. Either one will do, but my own preference is the chariot race. The Greek chariot, used in the Olympic Games and other events, was really only a small platform with a wheel on each side. The driver had very little to hold on to as he raced around the course. He had to lean forward and strain every nerve and muscle to maintain balance and control the horses. The verb “reaching forth” in Philippians 3:13 literally means “stretching as in a race.” Often Paul uses his surroundings to frame various messages he sent to the churches in his epistles. He uses the Roman soldiers as a backdrop for spiritual warfare and armor. He uses the athletic games of the NT world to describe--the race, the prize, the crown for the struggle of wrestling, and boxing our body into submission. Can you see Paul leaning against a massive pillar in the Roman Forum, seeing all the swirl of first-century distracted life and then briskly walking back to his quarters to pen these words to the saints at Rome, on Crete in Titus, and at Thessalonica? Look up. Focus above. Long for Christ and His presence, not the earth! Corinth Racetrack: Everything about our daily lives Paul compares to the Ancient Olympic footraces. Here in this clip you can see one of the most complete settings: starting blocks, finish line, the judges seats and the length of the race course. We need the reminder to "run the race" always "looking unto Jesus" as God reminds us in Hebrews 12:1-2. The Race (Gk. station). Paul was particularly fond of the figure of the race. He uses such phrases as “run in a race” (1 Cor. 9:24), “running well” (Gal. 5:7), and “run in vain” (Phil. 2:16). This is also the figure used by the writer in Hebrews 12:1-3. Of the different games, the New Testament mentions three: racing, boxing, and wrestling. "The race" is mentioned most frequently. In each of the three pictures of athletic life as employed in the New Testament, there is a prominent, special viewpoint of spiritual life and effort. UPWARD--The race looks forward to the heavenly goal, to the “high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” to the realm above (Phil. 3:14). This is a graphic picture of Philippians 2:12–13: “Work out your own salvation… for it is God which worketh in you.” Each believer is on the track; each has a special lane in which to run; and each has a goal to achieve. If we reach the goal the way God has planned, then we receive a reward. If we fail, we lose the reward, but we do not lose our citizenship. (Read 1 Cor. 3:11–15 for the same idea, only using architecture as the symbol INWARD--Boxing points to our opposition to the enemy in us. Paul at least so employs it: “so fight (lit. box) I, as not beating the air: but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage” (I Cor. 9:26,27). AROUND--Wrestling refers to our fight with the powers of darkness around and beneath us. Thus Paul says: “Our wrestling (Gk. pale) is against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness: (Eph. 6:12). Paul Explained His Life by Three Pairs of Athletic Metaphors. 2 Timothy 4:7. · “Fought the good fight” that speaks of our relationship to our flesh: We box our own flesh, knocking out each advance it makes. · “Finished my course” that speaks of our relationship to the world: We Finish the race. · “Kept the faith” that speaks of our relationship to our adversary the devil: We Resist him like a wrestler. (Corinth #6 Isthmia; 220807) Join the LAND OF THE BOOK channel to get access to weekly video releases over the next year totaling 50+ EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS that feature weekly in-depth Bible Study lessons with John & Bonnie. Plus all the assigned HOLY LAND STUDY RESOURCES, and John's two most loved books--David's Spiritual Secret & Living Hope for the End of Days at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVK6dN-9kLDnQhYBFuES09A/join https://youtu.be/Vbfq_MV_U60 ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbfq_MV_U60

Wow, they are given a message and told to wait until they are connected with the very intimate, indwelling power source of God's Spirit. Then when they are online, bang, they are to launch out and do what they saw, heard, and learned from the very life and ministry of Jesus. Now turn to the launching pad. It is found in the book of the Acts of the Holy Spirit. That is the sequel to Luke. Luke wrote as the Holy Spirit inspired Him WHAT HAPPENED (that is the content of the Gospels) and then he wrote HOW THEY SHARED WHAT HAPPENED (that is the book of Acts) and then in the Epistles we have WHY ALL THIS HAD TO HAPPEN. That in brief is a summary of the entire New Testament. Now as we turn to Acts we are actually turning on a video that lasts 30 years. What did I just say? Acts is not so much a book on doctrine as it is a divinely recorded and edited video of 30 years of sharing the greatest message ever given, by the greatest witnesses ever chosen. You see, the Holy Spirit empowered the Apostles to go and take the Gospel to the World. And records a news reporter quality full-color videotape of the 30 years from Pentecost to Paul's Imprisonment. The Book of Acts is our most critical insight into how they shared the Gospel! So Acts is a video report of how the Apostles and disciples shared the Gospel message in every possible setting. What we get is to see how the eyewitnesses shared with the world what happened in the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. As we go through all 28 chapters we find that there are 22-recorded events where a Gospel Message is presented. We will start this morning and finish the 22 events tonight. The FIRST Gospel Presentation is in Acts 2. The time has come. After being called to be a fisherman for eternal souls. After being given on-site, hands-on training for three-plus years. After being tutored privately, commissioned publicly, and filled with the very Holy Spirit of God, Peter steps up to the microphone to deliver his first sermon. I'm sure his pulse was throbbing in anticipation, his heart pounding with excitement to at last say what he had been taught, shown, and commanded him, to say. So here it is, here is Gospel Presentation number one in Acts chapter 2. Peter preaches the first sermon after Christ's death, burial, resurrection, and sending the Holy Spirit down to indwell the Church. What does he say? Many things, all important From FTGC-33b, MMG-02, NR1-24, NR6-33, & WWJ-16 - 000604PM - https://youtu.be/cGJdCkgOgOA Join the LAND OF THE BOOK channel to get access to weekly video releases over the next year totaling 50+ EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS that feature weekly in-depth Bible Study lessons with John & Bonnie. Plus all the assigned HOLY LAND STUDY RESOURCES, and John's two most loved books--David's Spiritual Secret & Living Hope for the End of Days at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVK6dN-9kLDnQhYBFuES09A/join Follow Discover the Book Ministries to stay up to date: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/discoverthebook/ DTBM Academy Courses: https://dtbmonline.org/all-video-courses/ Purchase John's Books, Mp3 & DVD resources: E-Books: https://tinyurl.com/y3wbhlxy Here are links to our Amazon Pages-- https://www.amazon.com/shop/dtbm Donate to the ministry: https://discoverthebook.org/donations/partnership/ For more of Dr. John Barnett's Bible teaching messages go to: https://discoverthebook.org/ https://youtu.be/B_0TAc28lWQ ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_0TAc28lWQ