Category: Run to Win Staff Guide

Mark these Key Words: Discipleship, Faithful, Multiplication

Matthew 28:19

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

“Famous last words”…history’s most famous last words! Why do you believe Jesus “saved His best for last?”

We learn that the heart of God is directly connected with discipling people not in our name, but in the name of Jesus.

Like an explanation mark at the end of a sentence to provide an enthusiastic conclusion; what does this verse say to you today? 

First = Go! Second = Make!  Third = Doing it in Jesus’ name, not in your name.

Mark these Key Words: Solomon, God

1 Kings 2:1-4

“As David’s time to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son, saying, “I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man. Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His way, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn.”

When you hear David say to Solomon, “Show yourself as a man” – what does that say to you?

A man = keeps charge of God, walks in His ways, keeps His statutes/commands, ordinances, testimonies; this is how you succeed, by being faithful.

How does David’s exhortation truly speak to you?

Men must be initiators!  Talk with the guys about leading by acting first and initiating the ways God calls us to.

Mark these Key Words: Trials, Jesus, (Lord, Christ, Him)

Romans 5:1-5

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulations bring about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Like an automatic transmission shifting gears s needed, Paul speaks in this passage about how hard times shift “through the gears” ultimately to hope. Describe how you have seen this amazing process become a reality in your personal experience with trials and tribulations.

Might have to help people get here. Trials remind us that this is all broken, and God has promised to fix it, and He doesn’t lie.

Mark these Key Words: Ambassador, Disciples, Imitate

2 Corinthians 5:20

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled for Christ.” 

What does it mean to be an ambassador for Christ?

Ambassador: greek: prosbeuo = aged.

Elder, representative, ambassador.  Sounds like being an image bearer (Genesis 1:26-27). 

Being an ambassador is appealing to the world for God.

How does an “ambassador” represent the one he portrays?

According to this verse it starts with being “reconciled to God.”  But an ambassador should accurately portray the full and true picture of who they portray.  Do you do that?

Mark these Key Words: Light, Christ, Letter

REGENERATION (Grace Alone)

Ephesians 2:8 & 9

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

How do you define “grace”? What is one area of your life that God has shown you grace?

Use the Bible to define Grace!  It is not Grace and works, Grace is the gift of undeserving mercy.

TRANSFORMATION (Metamorphosis – true grace transforms)

2 Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

No matter what, you and I mess up. What is one area of your life that you want God to make new?

Remind them that in Christ they are already new!  So they can stop choosing the old self now.  They are free to run away from sin.

Mark these Key Words: Death, Reborn, Renewed, Transform

Just as a caterpillar weaves itself into a cocoon and dies inside his self-made coffin, a truly converted follower dies to his “old self.” Likewise, as the DNA of the caterpillar deteriorates and reconstructs itself into the DNA of a majestic butterfly, so the new believer becomes a brand new creation in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

What is a “new creation”?

New = Christ’s work on your behalf

Old = your sin and life outside of Christ

Compare your personal experience as a “new creation in Christ.”

We should see growth in the life of a new creation in Christ.  We should see growth not just in action, but in belief and knowledge of God.

Mark these Key Words: Gift Death God

Revelation 4:8

“And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.’”

What is the meaning of the term “Holy”?

Set apart from all else! 

Mark these Key Words: Servant, Savior, Divine

2 Peter 1:1-11

“Simon Peter, a bond servant and apostle of Jesus Christ. To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted unto us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who call us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

(Verse 3) What is the “true knowledge of him?”

The answer is in vs. 1-2 = Christ gives us everything pertaining to life and godliness.

(Verse 4) What does it mean to be a “partaker of His divine nature?”

To partake means to live in the design of God.  Fleeing sin, pursuing righteousness, and loving others.

Mark these Key Words: Jesus

Joan of Arc’s dream at age 16 was freedom for her homeland from English dominion. Every great person I’ve ever met, read about in history, lived their dream. They thought about their dream, fought for their dream, and sacrificed greatly for their dream. Jesus’ dream, believe it or not, was a Roman cross and His horrific death there to purchase your pardon.

Paul’s dream was to tell the world about that cross. Moses dream was the Promised Land; Edison was the light bulb and he tried over 700 elements to discover the right one. The Wright brothers’ dream was flight.

One of my heroes, Harriet Tubman, was an 1840’s slave who opened the infamous “Underground Railroad” that led hundreds of fellow slaves to freedom. She was asked, “Why do you risk it?” “Why do you sacrifice so greatly?” In Resolute Focus she said, “I realized either I was going to be free or I was going to die a slave.”

Nehemiah 2:1-9

“And it came about in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, ‘Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers’ tomb, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?’ Then the king said to me, ‘What would you request?’ So I prayed to the God of heaven. I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my father’s tomb, that I may rebuild it.’ Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, ‘How long will your journey be, and when will you return?’ So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time. And I said to the king, ‘If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go.’ And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.”

Nehemiah’s dream began with a broken heart. His longing, yearning heart throb was to rebuild his beloved home city Jerusalem and give up all of his personal luxuries and lifestyle of ease to risk his life day after day to accomplish his dream. Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision, began his great mission to care for the starving of the world by fervently praying, “God, break my heart for what breaks the heart of God.”  

What do you see in your world, your family, your life that breaks your heart and/or breaks God’s heart?

“Personal Answer” (People who are lost and will spend an eternity in Hell if they do not repent and accept the free gift that Jesus offers).