Believe It Or Not? Series

Bench Warmers

Pt. 3 – Believe It Or Not?

I. Introduction

Teams with stars win championships. Teams that play their best with the game on the line win championships. But championship teams share another common trait: Often, they have the reserves and bench players that step up at the right time.

It is simply dubbed "The Comeback!" In the last game of the season, Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, suffered strained ligaments in his knee. The Buffalo Bills fell to the Houston Oilers and then had to turn around and face the Oilers again the next week in the Wildcard Game to try to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Oilers dominated the first half and led 28-3. Enter the benchwarmer. On the first drive of the second half a deflection thrown by this benchwarmer ends up as an interception returned for a touchdown. Now down 35-3 the benchwarmer, Frank Reich led the Bills back to tie the Oilers as the clock ticked down to zero. Then in overtime the Bills intercepted a pass, kicked a field goal and won 41-38. The benchwarmer finished the game with 21 of 34 pass completions for 289 yards and 4 touchdowns, with 1 interception. To the present day, it remains the largest comeback in NFL history. All led by a man some call "the greatest backup quarterback in NFL history."

We have been examining the life of one of the greatest benchwarmers in Scripture! We began by talking about the fact that Jonah was a benchwarmer because he was reluctant. Then last week we talked about part of his reluctance was because Jonah was angry with people and with God. That is why some of us remain on the bench. Now I want to look at the second reason that Jonah was reluctant and again I believe a lot of us sit games out and ride the pine for the same reason.

Text: Jonah 4:1-3 (TMB)

Jonah was furious. He lost his temper. He yelled at God, “God! I knew it—when I was back home, I knew this was going to happen! That’s why I ran off to Tarshish! I knew you were sheer grace and mercy, not easily angered, rich in love, and ready at the drop of a hat to turn your plans of punishment into a program of forgiveness! “So, God, if you won’t kill them, kill me! I’m better off dead!”

Benchwarmers stay on the bench because they have become cynical.

Jonah was not only willing to sit out of the game due to his anger, but he also checked out because he was cynical. "I knew it!" I ran because I knew you would offer grace. In other words, I knew you wouldn't do what you said you would do. That is the bottom line of cynicism. We come to this place where in the back of our mind and deep in our heart we don't believe. Jonah was there. God, you said you would destroy them, but I didn't really believe that You would. He was cynical!

Cynicism benches us because . . .

Cynicism impacts belief.

I didn’t really believe you would do what you said you were going to do. Jonah is only one example. Think about all the others. Abraham and Sarah after hearing God's promise that He will give them a son when they are really old. Gideon - I am the least of my tribe you can't use me. Zacharias doubts the angel when the angel tells him his wife Elizabeth will have a baby named John. Remember what he says? Listen for the cynicism . . . God is sovereign. He is free to bestow His blessings on whom He wishes. For some inscrutable reason, He has withheld that blessing from us.” In other words, God is able, but He won't do it for us! Multiple examples of people who allow cynicism to interrupt or impact their level of belief.

I submit to you that one of the greatest cancers in the body of Christ and more importantly in most individuals is cynicism. It is subtle. We hide it. We ignore it. We excuse it. And we are destroyed by it.

We sing lyrics like "Too Good Not to Believe" or "Since when has impossible ever stopped You?" But deep down we stay on the sidelines because, like Jonah, we don't really believe that God will do what He said He will do for us and we don't believe that He can do what He said He could do through us! Cynicism makes us numb. Cynicism kills hope. One man said, " Cynicism is so pervasive that, at times, it feels like a presence. Cynicism is the air we breathe, and it is suffocating our hearts. Weariness and fear leave us feeling overwhelmed, unable to move. Cynicism leaves us doubting, unable to dream. The combination shuts down our hearts, and we just show up for life, going through the motions.”