Surge Lesson Notes

The Climb Part Two: "Sold Out" Climbers
 

What does it mean to be “sold out”?  Something that is sold out, is no longer available, it has been purchased and there is none remaining for others to purchase. 

A sold out climber is someone who has sold out their life to climbing.  Their life is “sold!” Climbing is their passion and that is their choice of pursuits in life.  Few people ever reach this stage and the ones who become "Sold Out" go on to be the professionals and world class athletes we admire. 

Spectator or Player?  I once heard a story about Gary player, a professional golf player who was hitting golf balls at a driving range one day and some spectators gathered to watch.  Gary was having a particularly bad day and he overheard someone say “I’d do anything to hit a ball like that” Gary, clearly frustrated, said “if you really mean that how come I don't  see you up at 5:00am hitting thousands and thousands of golf balls in practice like me."  The obvious problem was that the Gary was "Sold Out" to golf while the spectator was not.  Often in life we are spectator Christians watching the "Sold Out" for God do all the ministry and spread the Kingdom.  Don't be satisfied as a spectator, get in the game! 

The opposite of being "Sold Out" is being a "Sell Out"!  A "Sell Out" is someone who has weak commitment or who has done something that a dedicated person in their position would not do. It is a shift in allegiances, and while no where near as severe, is somewhat traitorous to those concerned.  The following is an example from my life.

When I was in high school snowboarding was just becoming popular but some mountains were still not letting snowboarders join in the fun.  Because of this there was a rivalry between snowboarders and skiers that created a lot of problems.  Skiers didn't think snowboarders belonged on the hill and snowboarders didn't want to be associated with the preppy ski community either.  So a simple understanding of a "Sell Out" would be if I happened to go to my favorite mountain and hire a pair of ski's and start skiing instead of snowboarding.  Anyone who did that would be quickly labeled a "sell out" and their commitment to snowboarding would be obvious to all!  Needless to say, I never skied again after I started snowboarding.  I was "Sold Out" to it and there was no way I was going to "Sell Out"

If I wanted to be a “sold out” climber!
I would dedicate myself to learning the skills and techniques to climbing.  Climbing is a strenuous physical activity that requires dedication and a high level of physical fitness to succeed.  Anyone can climb but the more fit you are the easier and more skillfully you can climb, the more you will improve, and the better climber you will eventually become. 

• I would find the best place to climb in the world and I would move there creating an environment that supports my commitment and provided opportunities!

• I would find the best book in the world on climbing and study it thoroughly!

• I would find the best climbing instructors in the world and I would hire them!

• I would surround myself with other climbers better than me so I could observe and be challenged by them and imitate their proven skills!

• I would pass on my love and passion for the sport to others in hopes to increase interest and passion for the sport!

• I would train physically in ways that would aid me as a climber! (reducing weight, strengthening muscles, developing flexibility etc...)

• I would buy the best gear in the world!

• I would give my heart, soul, mind and strength to climbing.

• I would spend all my time and energy on the pursuit of becoming the best climber I could possibly be.

But we’re not here to talk about climbing.  I love climbing but that is not what I am "sold out" to.  We are talking about your commitment to reaching the highest goal and honouring the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

I am not a "sold out" climber!  And I will never be the best climber I can possibly be!  Why?  Because I’m "sold out" to something else that takes priority in my life! I’m a "sold out" worshiper of Jesus Christ.

• I did not move to the best place in the world to climb, I moved to the best place I could do the most for my God!  I moved where He could use me best!

• I have read some books on climbing but God’s Word is the book I trust my life to!
  2 Tim. 3[16] All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, [17] so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

• I went to the best college in order to train with the best leaders in ministry and I still try to learn constantly.
  1 Tim.4 7b train yourself to be godly. [8] For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

• I surround myself with the best Christians I can and observe them and am challenged by them. (Rev. Richard Waugh)

• I pass on my love and passion for serving God as often as I can, telling others about this great life we have in Christ Jesus!

• I try to continually improve my fitness in Bible knowledge and continuously try to remove the weak areas of my life that hold me back.

• I pour my finances into things that improve my ministry and God’s work!

• I give my heart, soul, mind and strength to God. 

• Which means I spend my time and energy on the pursuit of becoming the Best Christian I can be!

The point is: Being a Christian IS what life is all about!  When you are "Sold Out" to Christ it defines who you are and goes before every decision you make in life!  It is the purpose and meaning of your life!

I have one question for you? Will you be a “sold out” Christian or will you be a “sell out” Christian?

Read These Two Scriptures:
  Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. [25] For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. [26] What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? [27] For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.

1CO 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. [25] Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. [26] Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. [27] No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (Bold and Underline Mine)

Going into Strict Training:  If you are serious about serving Christ and worshiping Him with your life than you need to take your training seriously.   

Being transformed into Christ likeness can be hard work and will require effort and training on your part.  If you are not committed to this it will show in your lack of fitness mentally and physically!

 The first step to being a “sold out” climber is to:

1. Examine your focus and adjust accordingly!
Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.

Fix your eyes on Jesus
HEB 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. [2] Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [3] Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Wayne Gretzgy (The worlds best hockey player) gave some simple but profound advice about hockey to young players.  He said look at the specific place you want the puck to go as you shoot.  Your body and your hands will follow through in the direction of your focus!

If your focus is on Jesus than your climbing will be efficient!  If you never look up as you climb you will struggle and make very little progress! 

You’ll never be a "Sold Out" climber until your eyes are on Jesus!

2. Examine your motivations and adjust accordingly!
They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Get dedicated: love God!  Mark 12:[30] Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'

What motivates your life?  Why do you do the things you do?  Many people live selfish lives that accomplish very little for eternity.  Yet if we climb for Christ our actions have eternal consequences for the world around us!

Serving God becomes a filter to help us make proper choices with our time and energy!  If your motivations are wrong your choice will be wrong and making poor choices when climbing can be fatal. 

You’ll never be a "Sold Out" climber until it is the driving force of your life!

 3. Examine your commitment and adjust accordingly!
Run in such a way as to get the prize

Get Committed! Titus 3:[14] Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.

Remember Gary Players' story!  You need to be committed to Climbing for Christ Maybe you just haven’t decided to make “The Climb” top priority yet?  If not do it today!

You’ll never be a "Sold Out" climber until it is the most important activity you do.
(Which is why I’ll never be an amazing climber, I only do it for fun!)

4. Examine your physical fitness (spiritual health) and adjust accordingly!
I beat my body and make it my slave

Get Healthy!  Jesus knew that sin was like a disease killing us and he knew that we needed a spiritual healing in order to be fit to climb for him!

Sin weighs us down. Sin Hinders!!! Sin is a "sell out"!  The Bible teaches us to throw it off! Because it hinders us!

HEB 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

You’ll never be a "Sold Out" climber until you throw off the dead weight of sin!
What are you feeding yourself spiritually? Garbage in means garbage out!

5. Examine your skill set (spiritual knowledge) and adjust accordingly!
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.

Get Training! 2 Tim 3:[16] All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, [17] so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work

I come back to the Gary Player illustration again for this point.  It's one thing to be focused on Jesus, and another to be motivated by His sacrifice for you, and to be committed wholeheartedly to putting God's Will first, and you may be spiritually fit, but we still need to renew our mind with the truth of God's Word.

It's a transformation!  Romans 12:1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:1-2 teaches us that it is a process of renewal in which we "reprogram" our mind to the life we have chosen.  Notice that testing and approving what God's will is follows renewing your mind.  We need to be spending our time filling our mind with the truth of God's word and living by it!

It's internalizing not memorizing! John 8:31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Notice that knowing the truth came after obedience or holding to Jesus' teachings!  That is the method we train by!  We train by faith!

• Read God's Word!

• Obey God's Word!

• You will know the truth

• Your mind will be transformed

• You will know the will of God!

It doesn't come easy! It's dedicated hard work that requires focus, motivation, commitment and spiritual fitness but it's worth it!

You’ll never be a "Sold Out" climber until you train hard and learn the skills!

 So I ask you again?

Are you going to be a spectator or a player?

Are you going to be "Sold Out" to Christianity, to Climb for Christ? or are you going to be a "Sell Out" and change your priorities like you change your clothes?  It's up to you!
 

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