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Athletes from all over the world have converged on Vancouver.

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In antiquity, the Olympics were really a big deal.They were held every four years between 776 BC & AD 393.During the Games, an Olympic Truce was enacted so athletes

could safely travel to Olympia.The prizes were crowns made of olive branches.

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The New Testament takes that imagery of that crown & applies it to the prize Christians shall inherit when this world is over.

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“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable” (1 Cor 9:24-25, ESV).The Greek “prize” in v 24 refers to a baton/wand given as an

award.The Greek “crown” in v 25 refers to the crown given to victors in

the public games.

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1 Cor 9:24-25.“There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the

Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Tim 4:8, ESV).

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1 Cor 9:24-25.2 Tim 4:8.“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when

he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (Js 1:12, ESV).

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1 Cor 9:24-25.2 Tim 4:8.Js 1:12.“When the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the

unfading crown of glory” (1 Pet 5:4, ESV).

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1 Cor 9:24-25.2 Tim 4:8.Js 1:12.1 Pet 5:4.“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life”

(Rev 2:10, ESV).

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1 Cor 9:24-25.2 Tim 4:8.Js 1:12.1 Pet 5:4.Rev 2:10.“Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your

crown” (Rev 3:11, ESV).

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We will look at the medal that shall one day be ours.

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Composition of the Crown

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For athletes competing in the Olympics, the composition of the medal is very important.

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What is the composition of our crown?

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The Greeks used the expression “of such-and-such” to describe the makeup of things.The soldiers placed a “crown of thorns” on Jesus’ head (Mt

27:29).The crown was made up of thorns.

We do the same thing in English.The three little pigs – one made a house of straw, another made a

house of sticks, & another made a house of bricks.“That school has a basketball team of all stars.”

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Our crown is made up of righteousness.“There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness” (2 Tim 4:8,

ESV).It’s vitally important that our crown is righteousness.

There is nothing good within us. “I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have

the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out” (Rom 7:18, ESV).

Do we not all fully understand what Paul says?

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Our crown is made up of righteousness.“There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness” (2 Tim 4:8,

ESV).It’s vitally important that our crown is righteousness.

There is nothing good within us. That sin will prohibit us from entering heaven.

God is holy: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Is 6:3, ESV).

That holy God cannot dwell in the presence of sin: “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you” (Ps 5:4, ESV).

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Our crown is made up of righteousness.“There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness” (2 Tim 4:8,

ESV).It’s vitally important that our crown is righteousness.

There is nothing good within us. That sin will prohibit us from entering heaven.

Therefore, the only way I can enter heaven is to wear a “crown of righteousness.”

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Our crown is made up of life.“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when

he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life” (Js 1:12, ESV).

“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev 2:10, ESV).

It’s wonderful to know that we have a “crown of life,” for we see death all around us.

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After this life, we have the assurance of deep, abiding, & true life.“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me,

though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (Jn 11:25-26, ESV).

In the midst of the Paradise of God, John saw, “on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (Rev 22:2, ESV).

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Our crown is also made of glory.“When the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading

crown of glory” (1 Pet 5:4, ESV).When Jesus comes again, we shall share in his glory.

We are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Rom 8:17, ESV).

“When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Col 3:4, ESV).

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The Continuance of the Crown

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Olympic medals do not last forever.Those who win must compete in four years or be supplanted by

another athlete.Who can name the gold medalist in women’s figure skating from

the 1932 Lake Placid Games?

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Yet, the crown we shall receive shall neither fade nor dull.“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one

receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable” (1 Cor 9:24-25, ESV).

The righteousness, glory, & life we shall receive will last throughout all eternity.

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Everything we experience is temporary. But, the crown we shall receive is eternal.

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Covenant of the Crown

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Olympic athletes understand that if they win according to the rules they will receive a medal.

God has entered into a covenant with us to give us our crown.“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when

he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (Js 1:12, ESV).

We do not need to doubt whether or not we will receive this crown. “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should

change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Num 23:19, ESV).

We can rest assured in the promises of God!

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Conferrer of the Crown

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In both the ancient & modern Olympics, only certain people could distribute medals.In antiquity, a Greek judge would give out the crown after the

victor’s name was announced by a herald.In the modern Games, a member of the International Olympic

Committee distributes the medals.

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In the future, God himself will give us our crown.“There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the

Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day” (2 Tim 4:8, ESV).

“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev 2:10, ESV).

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Therein is a huge difference between an Olympic medal & our crown of victory.In the Olympics, the athlete him/herself has won the medal & its

given by another.With our crown, the Lord who has won the victory gives us the

crown. “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus

Christ” (1 Cor 15:57, ESV). “Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal

procession” (2 Cor 2:14, ESV).

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The Commitment of the CrownIf athletes wish to win the Olympics, they must work tirelessly.

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If we wish to win the crown of life, there is much work to do.“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one

receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified 1 Cor 9:24-27 (ESV). We need to run in such a way that we shall win the crown. Specifically, Paul says that we need to use self-control to win the crown.

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“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev 2:10, ESV).We often read this as “until death.”But, the Greek means “as far as,” “even to,” or “up to the point

of.” That idea greatly fits the context of Revelation. The early Christians were being asked to lay down their lives for the

faith & Jesus says that if they do so, he will greatly reward them.Being faithful until we draw our last breath is in the text, but it

says much, much more.If we are to win the crown of life, nothing can be more important

than that crown.Athletes often sacrifice much to win the Olympics.

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“Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown” (Rev 3:11, ESV).“Hold fast” = “conquer,” “control,” “seize.”We keep a tight rein on what we believe & practice.

Athletes must carefully watch others or they will lose their medal.

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If we allow it, Satan will come & seize our crown.Are you holding fast to your crown tonight?