THE BIG-GAME!
I. Today at 6PM EST, the Indianapolis Colts will meet the Chicago Bears on a field of battle in Miami, Florida. They will be contending for a trophy that tells the world that they hold the title of Super Bowl champions. – It is the “big day” for football fans. – We will watch teams who fought their way to the top of the heap, showing that they are the biggest, the baddest, and the best.
A. The guys we’ll watch play today are tough, but let me tell you of some real tough guys, in fact they may well be the toughest football team in American history. - They came from the University of the South, in Sewannee Tennessee.
1) In the last six days of the season, they were scheduled to play five of the most powerful teams in the country. – They closed the season like this:
a] Game #1 was against Texas University, of they smashed 12-0.
The next day, with little rest, they trounced Texas A&M 32-0.
On the following day they played Tulane University, and won 23-0.
The fourth day was Sunday, the team rested and attended church service together.
Day five they faced undefeated Louisiana State University, winning 34-0.
On the sixth and last day, they played Mississippi State and won 12-0.
B. That’s a amazing record for any football team. – What adds to testimony of their might as a team is that these games were played in 1899, and none were home games because Sewannee didn’t have a football field.
1) There was no charter flights to get them to their next game. - They had to leave right after a game and travel by horseback and wagon all night long to get to their next challenge.
a] Add to that, there were only eleven Sewannee players on the team. - They had no substitutes. – I think today, to be a Christian we need to live with that same kind of tenacity.
II. I want to talk to you about “The Big Game,” because football is a perfect example of Christianity and the church. – The only reason you don’t find it in the Bible is because it wasn’t available to be used as an illustration when the Book was written.
A. The parallel can be seen between what a coach wants from his football team, and what God wants from His church team. - With one exception. – We aren’t striving for a trophy that lasts for a year, but for the trophy that will last for eternity.
1) Like the players in this afternoon’s game, the Apostle Paul describes how his life is second to the cause. – It’s the win that will be remembered, not the players.
Acts 20:24 “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”
II. Paul uses the illustration of a race six different times to describe how our walk of faith should be. – I think he would have used football if he had it. – Keep this in mind! - Your in the race. - The moment you accepted Christ into your life, the gun sounded, and the race began. – The kick was made, and your life like the ball is now in play.
A. And sense we’re in it – let’s play to win! – But make sure your trying to win the right thing. - The world would tell you it’s the recognition. - But wither it’s a Super Bowl, Golden Globe, Oscar, or Nobel Prize, - after a while it just sits on a shelf and gathers dust, and in some cases pawned for a little extra cash.
1) Paul is telling us to run with a goal in mind, a target that’s not just used to inspire admiration, or conger up old memories. – But goal that will make a real difference.
a] This afternoon, moving an odd shaped little bag of air about 1/10 of a mile will be more important then the possible consequences of physical harm to those who will play the game.
Psalms 142:4 “Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.”
IV. Have you ever felt like that – you all alone? – I think psalmist is describing how it must feel to have the ball tucked under your arm, and all you can see are a half dozen 300 lb behemoths doing all they can to get at you. - I think I would suddenly feel terribly along.
A. Sometimes our surroundings can intimidate us. - The other team is too big. -The distance to far. - The efforts to hard. – You’re all alone, facing things no one else has ever faced.
1) The Israelites stood at the door of God’s promised land, and all they needed to do is trust Him, but they were frightened of the opposing team, and they felt alone and abandon in the wilderness.
a] But Moses told them to get into the game, that God was calling the plays, and victory would be theirs, only so long as they were willing to go out onto the field.
Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
B. When Woody Hays came to coach football at Ohio State, he had been coaching at Denison University in Ohio, and his new surroundings took him by surprise.
1) He says that when he stood in the 86,000 seat stadium of OSU it shook him. - He brought his young son with him, who was holding his hand and must have felt his Dads reaction.
a] Look up he said, "Daddy, the football fields the same size."
C. You are not alone on the field. – God is there with you, but there will also be those who wear a different uniform, play the game in a different direction. - They will try to dog your efforts, try to pull you down.
1) They may take a stand against you, speak words of discouragement. - They will attempt to steal from you what you hold so tightly in your heart - your faith.
a] But take heart - you have a Owner, a Manager, and a Coach who has played the game before and won.
John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
V. What a thrill it must be to be in that Super Bowl Stadium, have the ball tucking tightly under your arm, dig your cleats into the turf, lean forward for momentum, look toward the goal, and see that your lineman have opened up a hole the size of a 62 Cadillac.
A. But to get to that point you must listen to the directions the coach. – You must trust in the wisdom of the manager. – And you must recognize the authority of the Owner . – You can’t just run your own plays.
B. Bobby Dodd, athletic director for Georgia Tech tells of a time when his team was leading 7 to 6. - In the last minute of play he carefully instructed his Quarterback not to pass the ball under any condition. - But when the ball got within the ten-yard line, the Quarterback was overcome with temptation.
1) He called the play, stepped back and passed, right into the arms of the rival team’s fastest back, who then broke into open field and raced toward the goal. - He was leaving everyone in the dust, heading for a touch down that would give them the win.
a] When out of nowhere, the Quarterback who had thrown the pass, caught him and tacked him.
2) After the game the coach of the losing team asked Dodd, "I’ll never understand how your boy overtook my fastest back."
a] "Will I’ll tell you," Dodd replied, "Your back was running for a touchdown - my Quarterback was running for his life."
b] We’re running for our lives too, but more importantly, we may be running for someone else’s.
IV. There’s going to be a lot of parts played in today’s game, but the focus will be on the 22 men on the field. - Behind them is a lineup of replacement players, and specialty team members.
1) There is the coach and his support staff, the manager, the owner, a flock of technicians, statistician, and people to analysis everything from the injuries to the weather.
a] There is wide variety of workers who make sure the team has all the tools needed to do the job. - Everything from cortisone shots to shoe laces.
B. There are those who are responsible for the stadium, the condition of the field, the sale of tickets, the broadcasting of TV and radio coverage, and the making sure the popcorn is hot.
1) The list goes on and on - but there is one part that must be played, or there will be no reason for anyone to play at all. - The Fans!
a] Remove the fans, and you remove the soul reason for the game. – Unfortunately the church today sees themselves as season tick holders rather then players.
James 2:14 “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?”
V. The church is leaving the game play to the pastors, missionaries and ministers. - The majority of Christians believe that they bought their season ticket to all the home games by accepting Christ. – Their done!
A. If they win, they walk out patting ourselves on the back and proclaiming victory. - If they loss, they point out the errors, weaknesses, and faults that lead to the needless defeat.
1) And if the team doesn’t play well enough, isn’t challenging or entertaining enough, or if the score is a bit lopsided, we leave the stands early.
a] The Bible tells us that the church was never intended to be in the bleachers. We are to be players on the field.
IV. The effort by the church today is a valiant one, but the players are few. - We haven’t lost the game - but we aren’t rushing like we should. - We spend a lot of time defending our goal rather then taking new ground.
A. Remember the question that James asked? - What good is it, if you claim to have faith, but you’ve done nothing to show for it. - Does a faith like that save you?
1) By the mere fact the question was asked, requires us to search our hearts to see if we are playing the game as we should.
a] Have you run a good race? Have you been running to win?
