The Mamba Mentality and Missions

February 9, 2020           NOTES NOT EDITED

The Mamba Mentality and Missions

1Corinthians 9:24-27

SIS— Our passion reveals our purpose and our purpose determines our eternal destiny.

Unless you have been spelunking in some dark cave somewhere for the last two weeks, you have heard of the death of basketball legend, Kobe Bryant. Kobe, along with his daughter and 7 others died in a helicopter crash two weeks ago. It was all over the news all over the world. Coverage has evaporated, at least for now. A memorial at the Staples Center in L.A., where the Lakers play is scheduled for February 24. Once again, Kobe Bryant will be front page news all over the world. Many idolize Kobe Bryant, and sports figures in general, to a degree that is not healthy or Biblically sound. We saw this play out as soon as the news of the crash hit the airwaves. More than a few others, seemed to demonize Bryant, especially for his very well-known moral failure that nearly sank his career a few years ago. It is the reason he changed his jersey number from 8 to 24.

I do not know the heart of Kobe Bryant and would be reluctant to speak ill of the dead. I was brought up differently in that regard. My casual research into his life indicates that while very human with all the flaws that entails, Kobe Bryant appeared to seek success, not at any cost, but with honor. I am neither seeking to idolize him or demonize him. I am using his “Mamba Mentality” this coming Sunday as a foil for discussing what “real winning, eternal winning” looks like. Kobe's philosophy of life has been trademarked as the "Mamba Mentality." His helicopter crashed on its way to a girls’ basketball game, (he coaches his daughter's team), at the Mamba Sports Academy complex in Newbury Park. That is about 10 minutes or less from where our church is located.

The Mamba Mentality can be summed up as a "passionate pursuit for excellence," or a "killer instinct for winning." A Black Mamba is one of the most feared venomous snakes in the world. Kobe Bryant was called, "The Black Mamba" because he played basketball with a killer instinct--a take no prisoners, no holds barred pursuit of basketball excellence.

Suppose every believer in every church applied the "Mamba Mentality to the Mission of their lives?" Our nation would see a revival like the world has never seen before. That’s what I want to explore this morning through our time in the Word of God.

Our text this morning teaches us that true success is more than winning. While winning is important in any contest, including the game of life, the Bible teaches that success without righteousness is not true success. The Bible gives us many lessons on how to gain success without losing our honor.  These lessons are the keys to both success in this life, and the next—that is, “real,” eternal success.  Let’s READ together our text for this morning: 1Cor. 9:24-27.

1.  Lesson One:  Run to Win (v24)

Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.

That’s what separates the top tier athletes, the legends, from others who take to the field or to the court.  It is the essence of the “Mamba Mentality”—a passion to win.  Growing up, I used to hear adults say, “It’s not whether you win or lose that counts, but how you play the game.”  That sounds so honorable, so “Christian.”  I think it is “so wrong.”  In fact, that is usually the speech coaches of the losing team would give.  Never knew a child playing any sport that believed this mantra.  Like most clichés, this one has a note of truth in it, but it takes more than one note to make a symphony.  Something that is partly true is totally “false.”  We will see that it is definitely true that “how one” plays the game of life is extremely important, but not the only consideration.  This is not MY opinion, but Paul’s example.  Let’s read verse 24 again:

Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.

Winning, that is “gaining the prize,” is Paul’s passion.  It is Paul’s objective.  Winning is highly important and highly valued.  So many Christians struggle in life because their faith is based upon “religious clichés” rather than righteous truths.  As a result of such shallow faith, the best most Christians get out of life is a “Participation Trophy.”  Most Christians just don’t “know” what the Bible teaches and their faith is shallow and ineffective.  Ignorance will make a loser out of you faster than about anything in life.  Notice the words in v24,

“Don’t you know . . .”

This is a phrase Paul uses to introduce a “rhetorical question.”  A rhetorical question does not seek an answer but draws attention to an important fact or issue.  The fact is:  winning is the reason for running in a race.  This is not merely an early morning jog to clear one’s mind.  This is a “stadium” race.  This refers to the Isthmian Games held on the Isthmus (land bridge) of Corinth the year before and the year after the Olympics.  The Isthmian Games were one of four Greek athletic competitions of the ancient world, and ranking second only to the Olympics.  The “foot race” was a leading event.  So, we are talking about an important competition not “casual exercise.”  Without the drive to win natural ability is not enough in a competition of highly skilled athletes.  In fact, the power of the will often overcomes a lesser degree of skill as has been demonstrated many times in athletics over the years.

One of the most successful coaches of all times and a legend in sports was Vince Lombardi. The NFL honored this legendary coach of the Green Bay packers by naming the Super Bowl Trophy after him—it is called, The Lombardi Trophy.  As a NFL coach he never had a losing season.  He was a proven winner.  Lombardi is often quoted as saying, “Winning isn’t everything—it’s the only thing!”  What he actually said was, “Winning isn’t everything, but the will to win is.” 

Clearly, through Paul the Holy Spirit exhorts us to develop a “will to win.”  The moment you become satisfied with life, you begin to slip down into the mire of mediocrity.  Greatness knows nothing of mediocrity.  Success knows nothing of mediocrity.  Victory knows nothing of mediocrity.  Our text instructs us that life is a race and we must be in it to “win it.”  As our text says,  only one receives the prize?

Someone has pointed out, “Dieting is the only game where you win by losing!”  Everywhere else, the prize goes to those with the “will to win.”  Do not twist Paul’s analogy of life as a race beyond that which the Holy Spirit intended.  It is not that only “one Christian” will receive the prize of God’s grace in salvation—of course it cannot mean that.  It means that we must develop a passion to offer nothing but our very best in service to the Lord—obedience is our race and giving glory to God through our lives is the prize.

Now, I said that a cliché always has a note of truth in it.  The “soccer mom motto”: it’s not whether you win or lose but how you play the game,” does offer us another Mamba Mentality Lesson.

2.  (Lesson Two):  Run With Honor (v25, 27)

Notice that after our text exhorts us to pursue the ultimate prize in every competition—winning—it offers a challenging caveat: 

²⁵ Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a crown that will fade away, but we a crown that will never fade away. 

Vince Lombardo was generally right.  Winning is important, but it is not “the only thing.”  Here our text says something more about the “prize” we win when our lives are devoted to God with a passionate focus on bringing Him glory.  It speaks of a “never fading crown.”  This is a reference to the “stephanos,” or woven wreath of olive branches that was placed upon the head of the winner.  Obviously, these “natural crowns” would ultimately fade and decay.  But they were highly valued.

Let me be quick to say that I cannot, and indeed would not even hint nor imply, that if a person devotes himself or herself fully and sacrificially to God in the game of life that one will receive “worldly rewards.”  The prosperity promised by many T.V. preachers is of things that will “fade away”—that is, the fame and fortune of this world.  This is a dangerous, and ultimately disappointing way of looking at the Christian life.  Many more Christians in history have experienced the sword of persecution than have experienced the septer of honor.  A “never fading crown” refers to eternal bliss not material blessings.

This is why it is so important to “seek victory with honor.” Honor requires “self-control.”   Self-control in this text points to sacrifice and discipline.  Verse 27, amplifies what Paul is calling for:

²⁷ Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

The language of this passage, particularly verses 25-27, paint a picture of a “boxer” in training.  The word translated, “discipline,” means, “get a black eye.”  It comes from the root word referring to the area underneath the eye, and by extension, getting a black eye.  In other words, discipline requires the willingness to embrace pain and suffering.  This “boxer” metaphor is used again in verse 26.  It takes an enormous amount of discipline and sacrifice to be a “legend” in any sport.

One of the greatest golfers in history, a legend, is Gary Player, still swinging at the age of 84.  He could hit a golf ball with both power and precision, and it seemed it did it effortlessly.  One time, a person who had just watched Gary Player in a tournament came up to him and said, “I’d give anything to be able to hit a golf ball like you.  The man was a bit surprised by Player’s response.  Player said, “No you don’t. You would want to hit a golf ball like me if it was easy. You know what it takes to hit a golf ball like me? It takes getting up at 5:00am every morning to hit 1000 balls until my hand bleeds, then I go to the club house to bandage my hand then go back and hit another 1000 balls.”

Those that play sports but lack self-control are the ones that tend to “cheat” and look for an easier way to win.  So often, this “lack of honor” from cracks in their character sideline their careers or at the least diminish the results of their careers.  Real winners win with honor that is built on self-control and discipline. 

Verse 25 gives us an interesting picture of what it means to be a legendary athlete, or an extraordinary follower of Jesus.  Paul uses the word translated, “athlete.”  The word translated “athlete” (ESV, “one who competes,” HCSB) comes from a word from which we get the English word, “agony” (agonizomenos).  The body is an athletes most important piece of equipment, regardless of the sport with the mind coming in a close second.  A winning athlete must make many hard choices and face much deprivation in their training.  The essence of winning lies in self-discipline.  An honorable person is willing to “pay the price to receive the prize.” 

Many idolize Kobe Bryant, and sports figures in general, to a degree that is not healthy or Biblically sound.  We saw this play out as soon as the news of the crash hit the airwaves.  People are even getting Kobe Bryant tattoos.  More than a few others, however, seemed to demonize Bryant. He had a very well-known moral failure that nearly sank his career.  It is the reason he changed his jersey number from 8 to 24. I do not know the heart of Kobe Bryant and would be reluctant to speak ill of the dead.  I was brought up differently.  My casual research into his life indicates that while very human with all the flaws that entails, Kobe Bryant appeared to seek success, not at any cost, but with honor.  I am neither seeking to idolize him or demonize him. I am using his “passion for winning” as a foil for discussing what “real winning, eternal winning” looks like.

My purpose in presenting these “Mamba Mentality Lessons,” especially Lesson Two, Winning with honor, is to point out that it does matter whether one plays the game of life according to the rules and decrees of God—or, whether one does not.  Success that ignores the righteous decrees of God is not “real” success.  A victory gained without honor is not a “real” victory.

At the end of verse 27 Paul refers to an athlete being “disqualified.”  This is a rare word, only appears twice in the N.T., and it means, “worthless or rejected.”  It comes from the word mean “tested, or tried.”  In other words, it refers to being rejected for “failing the test.”  Staying with the sports metaphor Paul is using, disqualified refers to “stepping out of bounds or some other penalty or infraction.” 

Winning is important as we learned right out of the gate in this study, but it is extremely important to “win with honor” or win within the rules of the game—spiritually, the dictates of God in the Bible.

Let us go back to the analogy first presented in our text to see what the Holy Spirit says through Paul in regard to “victory with honor,” or “winning in accordance with God’s righteous decrees.”  Look at the word, “prize,” in verse 24.  The original word root for the word we translate “prize,” often referred to an “umpire.”  An umpire would be someone who judged whether a contestant or athlete was competing according to the rules.  In other words, the “umpire” could invalidate the winning performance of a contestant if the umpire determined the contestant did not follow the rules.  In the case of the Scripture, God wrote the rule book and serves as the Umpire in the game of life.  God determines whether or not a person has “won with honor and gained a real victory,” or whether one is disqualified for breaking the rules.   

Scholars point out that the word translated “self-control” (v27, ESV) (CSB, “bring it under strict control) is part of a word group related to the root word meaning, “power or authority.”  This word group can refer also to lordship, as in the Lordship of Christ.  The idea of Lordship or authority reinforces the idea of an “Umpire (brabeus, v24, prize) for the Game of Life”  The implication from the idea of an “Umpire” or “Lord” is that winning with honor means victory that has been gained according to, or abiding by, the rules of righteousness outlined in the Word of God.

Winning is an important thing, but it is not everything.  We must win with honor represented by self-control, sacrifice, and the discipline to adhere to the rules.  Another Mamba Mentality Lesson for winning the race of life is that we must:

3.  Lesson Three:  Run With Purpose (vv. 26)

I’ve already touched on this a little when we discovered that the “crown that will not fade” refers to eternal rewards received for living a life devoted to the “purpose for which God created us,” which is to bring Him glory by bringing others to Christ.”

²⁶ Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or

box like one beating the air.

Paul’s life was absolutely “purpose-driven.”  Paul begins with the metaphor of running, and then switches from a running metaphor to a boxing metaphor, another popular event in the pan-hellenistic games, or the precursor to modern Olympics.  We have already mentioned the sport of boxing.  Here, we will concentrate on the mentality of making every punch count.

Let me state this clearly so that we will not miss the import of this lesson on “purpose.”  Paul’s purpose was to glorify God and the means through which he sought to do this was to “preach the good news to others.”  This was Paul’s passion.  This was Paul’s purpose.

Notice verses 19-23:  ¹⁹ Although I am a free man and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people. ²⁰ To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law—though I myself am not under the law —to win those under the law.  ²¹ To those who are without that law,  like one without the law—not being without God’s law but within Christ’s law—to win those without the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.  ²³ Now I do all this because of the gospel, so I may become a partner in its benefits.

I think the logic of Christianity is as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar.  If there is a God Who created us and then sent His Only Son (Son of God, and God, the Son), that is, God Himself, came to earth to die so that all men might be saved, would it not then seem most logical that the most pleasing act God’s children can perform is to “bring others to Him through the preaching of the Word?”

Interestingly, the word for “aimless” not only means without certainty or purpose, but it can also mean “secret.”  Too many Christians are “God’s SECRET agents!”  A Christian’s purpose is the opposite of being “secret.”  It is being loud and proud!

God loves to hear us sing.  He smiles when we bow our hearts and raise our hands in worship.  His heart leaps with joy to see His children loving one another and sharing our lives together.  God loves to talk with us in prayer.  He loves to see us reading His Word and obeying His decrees.

But . . . what brings God the most glory and what causes heaven to rejoice in a heavenly chorus is when we “bring someone to God through the preaching of His Word.”  The Bible says, “the angels in heaven rejoice when a sinner comes to repentance” (Lk. 15:10).

That is the purpose driving the Apostle Paul.  That is the “prize” for which Paul was competing—the salvation of souls.  That should be our purpose also.  Nothing is more precious than a soul and more pleasing to God when we “bring a lost soul home.”

Winners are not determined at the starting line but at the finish line.  We must keep that always in the front of our mind as we run this race of life or we will likely stumble, or even quit, without ever experiencing the “victory with honor” God intends for us.  The problem is, in the long race of life, we cannot always see the “finish line,” and it is easy to get distracted or even discouraged. 

Legendary athletes, like Kobe Bryant, have a laser-focused purpose in life—to be the very best athlete they can be.  That single purpose drives them throughout their careers.  One has to have a narrow, defined purpose to be a winner at anything—and certainly to be a legend!  It is a sense of purpose that pushes an athlete through pain, that navigates him or her around mental obstacles and difficult circumstances.  Purpose is the fuel that launches the rocket of a successful career in any endeavor—including as a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ.

I cannot tell you how many miles it will be before you cross that finish line at the portal of Glory.  I cannot tell you what obstacles, hardship, or uncertainties you may face.  I can tell you that for most of God’s children, there is precious little of material prosperity.  Some have more victories than others in this life.  What I can tell you is what God’s Word says as I sum up this message on a Mamba Mentality and Missions: 

if you run to win—that is, you give God your everything and all with the desire to please him in everything you do—and, you live your life according to the dictates of heaven and the decrees of God’s Word, regardless of whether it brings success in this life or the applause of men, and you resolve to make bringing souls to Christ the driving purpose of your life . . . then, you will experience victory with honor.

So, hears my question—hears what will separate this sermon from a nice lecture to a prophetic message—ask yourself, “Are you applying a Mamba Mentality to the Mission of God?  Are you really giving God all you have?