Battleship Series

Games People Play

Pt. 3 - Battleship

I. Introduction

This game is old. In fact, although the version you and I are probably most familiar with which was released in 1967 by Milton Bradley and included the plastic boards and pegs, it is believed to have been played, in some version, back in 1890 and also by Russian Soldiers before World War 1. It was first commercially released in the US in 1931. This game has been computerized and even spawned a movie in 2012 called "Battleship." For some reason I absolutely loved this game and I loved hearing the famous line when I successfully figured out where the opponents ship was located . . . "you sank my battleship!" Remember the concept. 2 players set where they couldn't see where the opponent’s grid and each person would place their little plastic battleships on the grid. Then each person would take turns calling out a location on the grid to try to hit one of the opposing ships. Once a person's fleet of ships is sunk, they lose.

Remember we said last week that relationship management is life management. Relationships are the single most influencing and impacting factor in our lives. You can't escape them. You must learn to navigate them. So, we have talked about managing access and providing equal love but not equal access. We have talked about maintaining balance between isolation, friends and assignments. We have talked about authenticity . . . being real is essential to having fruitful relationships. Today I want to wrap this up by dealing with a subject that is going to require some maturity on your part. You can't read into what I am saying and come to the conclusion that this applies to every relationship. I am only addressing this because I think too many of us are not equipped in this area and we need some understanding. So, please don't wrap your agenda or your hurt feelings into what I am saying and feel like I am giving you permission to apply this just so you don't have to deal with other people. I am just trying to give you some understanding is special but also common relationship issue.

Text: Genesis 13:1-2, 5-12 (MSG)

So they left Egypt and traveled north into the Negeb—Abram with his wife, and Lot, and all that they owned, for Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.

Lot too was very wealthy, with sheep and cattle and many servants. But the land could not support both Abram and Lot with all their flocks and herds. There were too many animals for the available pasture. So fights broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot, despite the danger they all faced from the tribes of Canaanites and Perizzites present in the land. Then Abram talked it over with Lot. “This fighting between our men has got to stop,” he said. “We can’t afford to let a rift develop between our clans. Close relatives such as we are must present a united front! I’ll tell you what we’ll do. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want that part over there to the east, then I’ll stay here in the western section. Or, if you want the west, then I’ll go over there to the east.” Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan River, well watered everywhere (this was before Jehovah destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah); the whole section was like the Garden of Eden, or like the beautiful countryside around Zoar in Egypt. So that is what Lot chose—the Jordan Valley to the east of them. He went there with his flocks and servants, and thus he and Abram parted company. For Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain, settling at a place near the city of Sodom.

I need to remind you before we break this account down that we have talked on numerous occasions about how we are supposed to make each other stronger. Bear one another's burdens. Carry one another to Jesus. Believe for one another. Rally to one another. However, there are certain relationships that sink us rather than strengthen us. And I want to show you from this account a couple of things that we need to learn to successfully navigate this.

Notice that both Abraham and Lot were being blessed! The text says both were blessed. Both had increase in herds. Increase in wealth. Increase in family. However, we read the statement that says the land couldn't support them both. This town wasn’t big enough for the both of them. The indication that there was a problem was division. Abraham and Lot's men start lobbing bombs at one another. They are in conflict.