Lessons

The Christian Olympics. From February 8 to 24, 2002, Salt Lake City will have hosted the XIX Olympic Winter Games. With 78 events and nearly 2,400 athletes, it will be the largest Winter Games ever. The Modern (Summer) Olympics have been held every four years since 1896. The last summer games were held in Sydney, Austrailia in 2000. In those games there were 199 NOCs (Nations), 10,651 athletes (4,069 women, 6,582 men), and 300 events. Although the ancient Games were staged in Olympia, Greece, from 776 BC through 393 AD, it took 1503 years for the Olympics to return. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. The Olympics demonstrate many athletes who have dedicated their lives to being “swifter, stronger, faster”. As Christian’s, do we demonstrate the same qualities in our Christian walk? Do we run the race set before us with the determination we should? Do we rejoice as a strong man prepared to run a race? As we run the Christian race, what should our motto be? What is the Christian Charter? What about the Christian Olympic Torch? How about the Christian Olympic Rings? The lesson on 02-24-2002 uses the Olympic analogy to discuss the race that is set before us for Christ. As Hebrews 12:1-4 (KJV) says “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”. Click here to listen to the lesson of the week. Be sure and download the handout to read while you listen.