IntroductionMany people are sedentary, especially in Many people are sedentary, especially in

the winter, when it is cold and rainy. the winter, when it is cold and rainy.

Health experts tell us that we need to Health experts tell us that we need to exercise and there are many benefits. exercise and there are many benefits.

Exercise helps to combat chronic Exercise helps to combat chronic diseases, manage weight, boosts your diseases, manage weight, boosts your energy level, improves your memory, energy level, improves your memory, promotes better sleep, you typically promotes better sleep, you typically

live longer & feel better. live longer & feel better.

While exercising your body yields many While exercising your body yields many positive results there is something positive results there is something

even more important that you need to even more important that you need to realize. realize.

Introduction““Discipline yourself for the purpose of Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable little profit, but godliness is profitable

for all things, since it holds promise for for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to the present life and also for the life to

come.” come.” (1 Timothy 4:7-8)

While physical exercise is very important While physical exercise is very important for us to have good health it is of little for us to have good health it is of little value compared to exercising yourself value compared to exercising yourself

to be godly. to be godly.

This morning we will examine physical This morning we will examine physical exercises that help our bodies and we exercises that help our bodies and we will make spiritual applications so that will make spiritual applications so that

we can receive blessings from God we can receive blessings from God both now and in eternity.both now and in eternity.

WalkingMany studies demonstrate that walking is Many studies demonstrate that walking is

great medicine for living a longer great medicine for living a longer healthier life and can significantly healthier life and can significantly

reduce your chance of a heart attack, reduce your chance of a heart attack, stroke, and cancer. stroke, and cancer.

Why don’t more people do it? Why don’t more people do it?

Because it takes a lot of discipline. Because it takes a lot of discipline.

Most people in the 1Most people in the 1stst century had to walk century had to walk everywhere they went and we don’t everywhere they went and we don’t

have to.have to.

It should be no surprise that the Bible It should be no surprise that the Bible teaches us how we are to walk or live. teaches us how we are to walk or live.

WalkingBefore we can walk, we must be able to Before we can walk, we must be able to

see or we will stumble and fall. see or we will stumble and fall. (John 11:9-10)

The devil blinds people to the fact that Jesus is the light of the world and thus

they stumble and fall into sin. (John 8:12; 2 Cor. 4:4)

But by burying that old man of sin through baptism into Christ, we can be born again to walk in newness of life.

(Romans 6:3)

As a Christian, we are to live our lives by walking in good works rather than fulfulling the lust of the flesh. (Eph.

2:10; Gal. 5:16ff)

RunningRunning is much more strenuous than Running is much more strenuous than

walking but it can help someone to walking but it can help someone to stay in shape, lose weight, and feel stay in shape, lose weight, and feel

good. good.

As Christians we are all running in a race.As Christians we are all running in a race.

How are we to run? The apostle Paul said How are we to run? The apostle Paul said that we must run in such a way that that we must run in such a way that

we might win. we might win. (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)

We must exercise self control over our bodies so that we will not be

disqualified for the eternal prize. (1 Cor. 9:26-27)

RunningA runner will suffer pain through cramps A runner will suffer pain through cramps

or injuries, and the Christian will have or injuries, and the Christian will have to suffer through obstacles. (sins, to suffer through obstacles. (sins,

stumbling blocks, or false teachers) stumbling blocks, or false teachers) Galatians 5:7

If you are growing weary of doing what’s If you are growing weary of doing what’s right, think of being in a stadium with right, think of being in a stadium with people cheering you on people cheering you on to victory who

endure through much suffering but overcame through their faith.

(Hebrews 12:1)

Instead of quitting, fix your eyes on Christ who is our Savior, Lord, Guide, and

strength who finished the race. (Heb. 12:2-3)

Weight TrainingWalking and running help endurance and Walking and running help endurance and

strengthens our heart muscles but the strengthens our heart muscles but the rest of the muscles need to be built up rest of the muscles need to be built up

also. also.

Through resistance training our bodies Through resistance training our bodies are pressed to struggle against weight are pressed to struggle against weight

and therefore the muscles are and therefore the muscles are exercised in strength, tone, and size. exercised in strength, tone, and size.

The rest of our spiritual body needs to be The rest of our spiritual body needs to be strengthened also. strengthened also.

We must do some spiritual lifting as we We must do some spiritual lifting as we must bear His cross daily. must bear His cross daily. (Luke 9:23;

14:27)

Weight TrainingWe must lay aside every weight. We must lay aside every weight. (Heb.

12:1)

The devil and his ministers are trying to The devil and his ministers are trying to pressure Christians to give up the faith pressure Christians to give up the faith through many “weights” (through many “weights” (temptation,

persecution, hardship, worries, etc.) (2 Cor. 11:13-15; Mt. 13:18ff)

When we are weary and heavy laden with burdens we can come to Jesus for rest

for our souls. (Matthew 11:28-30)

The apostle Paul exercised all of his spiritual muscles with the strength of

Christ to overcome his “weights” (Phil. 4:13; 2 Cor. 11:23ff)

and so can you!

ConclusionWith all the health benefits of exercise With all the health benefits of exercise

many people make excuses as to why many people make excuses as to why they cannot do it for even 20 they cannot do it for even 20

minutes/day. minutes/day. (“it’s (“it’s too hard”, “I don’t have timetoo hard”, “I don’t have time”) ”)

Then they suffer the consequences from Then they suffer the consequences from living a couch potato lifestyle and may living a couch potato lifestyle and may say when they’re old, “if I would have say when they’re old, “if I would have known I would live this long I would known I would live this long I would

have taken better care of my body”. have taken better care of my body”.

But even if you have a healthy body from But even if you have a healthy body from walking, running, & weight training walking, running, & weight training

and live a 100 years you are still going and live a 100 years you are still going to die. to die.

ConclusionWith all the benefits of spiritual exercise With all the benefits of spiritual exercise

(all the spiritual blessings in Christ and (all the spiritual blessings in Christ and eternal life in heaven) many people eternal life in heaven) many people

make the same excuses as to why they make the same excuses as to why they aren’t godly. aren’t godly. (“it’s too (“it’s too

hard”, “I don’t have timehard”, “I don’t have time”) ”)

If we say that we don’t have time now, If we say that we don’t have time now, there will be plenty of time in the future there will be plenty of time in the future to regret, bemoan and suffer the eternal to regret, bemoan and suffer the eternal consequences in hell of that decision. consequences in hell of that decision.

We are either walking in the light or We are either walking in the light or darkness. darkness. (1 John 1:5ff)

ConclusionWe are either running the race of faith We are either running the race of faith

fixing our eyes on Jesus or we are fixing our eyes on Jesus or we are quitting. quitting.

We are either training our bodies to be We are either training our bodies to be useful in the Lord’s service or the useful in the Lord’s service or the

devil’s. devil’s. (Rom. 6:16)

Are you spiritually fit in preparation for eternity?

Have you exercised your faith in obedience to the gospel by being baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16) or

do you need to humble yourself in being restored back to the Lord’s service? Do restored back to the Lord’s service? Do

it now!it now!