Introduction: Every now and then I come across something that is so good I need to share it with you. This is the opening week of the College football season. Tennessee won their game with California yesterday, and UK plays Louisville tonight in their opener. So this is for those of you who are football fans. The following football terms that have been applied to the church:
A Benchwarmer- is someone who does not sing, pray, work, or apparently do
anything but sit in the pew.
A Draw Play – is what many children do with the bulletin during worship.
Half-time – is the period between Sunday School and worship when a few people
choose to leave.
Staying in the pocket – What happens to a lot of money that should be given to the
Lord’s work.
The two Minute Warning – The point at which you realize that the sermon is
almost over and begin to gather up your children and belongings.
Instant replay – When the preacher loses his notes and falls back on last week’s
illustrations.
Sudden Death – What happens to the attention span of the congregation when the
preacher goes into ‘overtime.’ (which of course is after 12:00 noon).
An End Run – is when you get out of church quickly, without speaking to anyone.
A Flex Defense –is the ability to allow absolutely nothing that was said during the
sermon to affect your life.
The Halfback Option – The decision of 50 percent or more of the congregation not
to return for the evening service.
Finally, A Blitz: is the rush that takes place following the closing prayer to beat
the crowd to the local restaurants.
Follow along as I read our text, which is found in Mark 2:1-5
Introduction: In 1976 Vince Papale was a 30 year old Substitute teacher and bartender in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. He and his buddies spent most Sunday afternoons in the Fall either playing football at the park or watching the Philadelphia Eagles play on tv. Week after week they had high hopes, but week after week they got beat. (Those of us who are Titans fans can relate to that can’t we.) Then a New Head coach was hired a man by the name of Dick Vermeil, who had led UCLA to a Rose Bowl win the previous year. Vermeil convinced the owner of the Eagles to hold public tryouts, mostly as a publicity stunt to stir up excitement among the fans, who hadn’t had much to cheer about in recent years.
About the same time Vince Papale lost his substitute teaching job and subsequently lost his wife. Vince went to talk to his father and see what he though about Vince trying out for the Eagles. His father advised him not to because as he put it “a man can only take so much failure.” On the other hand all of his football buddies and a few of his co-workers encouraged him to try out for the team.
Most of the people who tried out were out of shape has been’s or wantabees. At the end of the day the only one to be selected was Vince. At the age of 30 he became the oldest rookie in the NFL.
But even though he may have convinced Coach Vermeil that he could play, he still had to prove himself to the rest of his teammates, which he eventually did out of sure determination and hard work. He is named the captain of the special teams unit and became a local hero and fan favorite. Eagles fans were crazy about the idea of a regular working class guy coming down out of the stands and getting into the game.
Well, I think there are a lot of Christians today who need to do what Vince Papale did. They need to get out of the stands and into the game. Some of you here this morning need to stop being ‘benchwarmers’ and get involved in the life and the ministry of this church.
There was a man in a community that had the reputation for always being able to catch fish. Regardless of the time of the year it was, or whether anybody else was catching fish, this man was always managed to come back with a boat load of fish. His brother-in-law, who happened to be a Game Warden had always been amazed at the man’s success. So, one morning the man agreed to take his brother in law fishing with him. They went to a lake that was known for its poor fishing. The game warden watched his brother-in-law take the boat out to the middle of the lake and cut the motor off. The game warden was confused as he noticed that his brother-in-law didn’t worry about finding a ledge or brush-pile, or anything like that. Then instead of getting his rod and reel out, the game warden’s brother-in-law pulled a stick of dynamite out of a sack, lit it, and threw it overboard. A few seconds later, there was a big boom, and almost immediately the surface of the lake was covered with stunned fish. The Game warden couldn’t believe what he had just witnessed. He immediately began reciting the fishing laws and regulations to his brother-in-law. But this didn’t seem to bother his brother in law in the least. He simply reached into the bag for another stick of dynamite, lit it, and tossed it to the game warden and said, "You gonna talk, or you gonna fish?" The game warden noticed the fuse was almost to the end and He quickly decided to fish.
Now that story probably isn’t true, but it’s still a good story. Unfortunately I think God would like to throw some of us a stick of dynamite this morning and say, "Are you gonna talk, or are you going to fish!"
I believe the Lord is asking all of us a question this morning, and that question is this: Are you going to continue sit there like a knot on a log, week after week, or are you going to get out of your padded pew and be fishers of men like Peter, James and John!
So the question I want to ask you this morning is this: Are you going to get involved in what God is doing at Sulphur Spring Baptist Church and allow Him to use you to make a difference in our church and in our community? Or are you going to continue to be a ‘benchwarmer.’
I personally believe the Bible teaches that we are Saved to Serve, not Saved to Sit! Jesus told his disciples ‘to count the cost of following him’ before becoming his disciples.
This morning I want to spend a few minutes encouraging you to get involved in what God is doing in and through our Church. I believe there are several reasons why it is important for all of us to be involved in the life and ministry of the church.
I. First, of all Being Involved helps us to feel like we belong.
The more involved you are in the life and ministry of the church, the more you will feel like a part of the church. It also helps our brothers and sisters in Christ to know that we care about what is going on and are willing to get involved and do what we can to help out.
Do you remember the story where Jesus fed over 5000 people, with 5 loaves of bread and a couple of fish? Do you think the little boy who gave his lunch to Jesus ever forgot that day? Do you think he ever regretted getting involved? I doubt it!
I doubt very seriously if the four friends of the man that Jesus healed in our Scripture text, ever regretted becoming involved. I’m sure they must have remembered that experience for the rest of their lives.
When we get involved in the life and ministry of the church, we will also have the opportunity to bring people to Jesus? We too can have the privilege of seeing God completely transform the lives of our friends, and I guarantee you when that happens, it’s something that you’ll never forget.
Unfortunately too many people today seem to be content, to just sit on the sidelines and watch, critiquing and sometimes even second guessing those who are doing their best to fulfill the great commission.
Jesus said, “Pray that the Lord of the Harvest will send more workers into the harvest fields,” which is essentially the same thing I’m saying. We need more players and less ‘Monday morning quarterbacks’ and ‘arm chair coaches.’ So why don’t you quit watching from the sidelines, and get into the game. Stop talking about it and start fishing!
II. A Second reason to become involved in the life and ministry of the church is because it deepens your Commitment to Christ.
The church is the body of Christ; It is God’s chosen tool to reach the world for Christ, therefore it is worthy of your love and support. As you work in the church, your love and commitment for Christ will grow. I have never met anyone who has served God faithfully in the church for several years who has said that his or her faith in Christ was weaker because of it. Instead, those who have worked faithfully in the church for years have become what some people refer to as saints.
According to a little boy who had been looking at some beautiful stained glass windows in a church in England, "Saints, are people the light shines through."
Many of you here this morning have served God faithfully in the church, for many years. You have been and continue to be "people that the Light of the World shines through."
But unfortunately we have all known people who could be classified as skyrocket Christians. A skyrocket is pretty to watch but its beauty doesn’t last very long. A skyrocket Christian is a person who gets on fire for God, and jumps in with both feet and begins working in the church. They dazzle our eyes and amaze us with everything that they are able to accomplish for the Lord. But then when things don’t go the way they think they should, or someone says something to hurt their feelings, then they sputter and quickly go out. Their lives and their commitment to the Lord, and His church are short lived and disappointing.
All of you know some people that could be classified as Skyrocket Christians. But you also know people who have faithfully served the Lord for many years. They aren’t just playing church. Their faith in Christ and their commitment to the Church have helped you in your own walk with the Lord, because you know that the relationship they have with Jesus Christ is Real.
I’m sure the four men in our story this morning deepened their relationship and commitment to the Lord as a result of being personally involved in a miracle. Being involved in the life and the ministry of the Church will also deepen your relationship and your commitment to Jesus Christ.
III. A Third reason to be involved in thc church is because when we become involved it enlarges the ministry of the church.
Jennifer had just heard a disturbing report about an increase in the number of women suffering from depression. The report also cited a correlating increase in alcoholism and dependence on prescription drugs.
When she heard this report, Jennifer prayed and essentially asked God what He was going to do about it. But then something happened that she never anticipated. The more she prayed and the more she thought about it, the more she felt that God wanted her to do something about it. But of course all she could see were her own limitations.
To help her think it through, she listed some reasons that were keeping her from becoming involved. She was shy, she didn’t have much time, she wasn’t very self-confident, and perhaps worst of all she was scared to death of failing. Quite a discouraging list, wouldn’t you say. As she finished up her list, she noticed that it was time to go pick up her kids from school. She put on her coat then reached for her gloves because it was cold outside.
At that moment she realized that God didn’t want her to think about her limitations. Instead, He wanted to put His power into her and work through her, just as her gloves became useful when she put her hands into them. In the same way we sometimes feel so inadequate to do the work that God has commanded us to do. But if we will just stop and think about it, we know that He is willing to give us the strength and courage that we need to carry out that task.
The four men in our story this morning didn’t have any reservations about helping their friend. They weren’t afraid to get involved. They saw this as an opportunity to do something to help their friend. In the same way, we as Christians should not be afraid to get involved in what the Lord is doing in and through our church. When we see a need in the church, we should see that need as an opportunity for us to "serve the Lord with gladness."
For years Evangelist Billy Graham has shared the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ with millions of people. Billy Graham not only believes the church is the Body of Christ, but He also sees the Church as a Lighthouse, that has the responsibility to expel the darkness that is doing its best to cover our land.
Several years ago, at the close of a Crusade in Dallas, Texas, Billy Graham called on 75,000 people who had attended that particular service to help him illustrate this point. Each of them had been given a match when they entered the stadium that night. They were told to hold onto the match until Graham instructed them to strike it. Dr. Graham stood on the platform and instructed the people to take out the matches they had been given. When they did the lights were turned out, and it became very dark. At that moment Dr. Graham instructed the 75,000 people to strike their matches. Everyone present stood in awe as they experienced the glow and brightness of the light that was shinning around them. Dr. Graham then explained that the darkness they had enveloped them before striking their matches was like the darkness of the world.
But, when each of us allows the Light of the world to shine through us, as Jesus told us that we should do, then the darkness of the world will be expelled, just as the Darkness in that stadium was expelled by 75,000 matches.
So, let’s make a commitment to God and to each other this morning. Let’s get involved in what God is doing around us, and to do our part to expel the darkness in our little corner of the world. If we will simply trust Him, He will give us the strength we need to accomplish the task.
IV. Next, Being involved also, adds an authentic touch to the claims of the Gospel.
Let’s look again at the story of the paralytic. When we read this story we have the tendency to focus on the sick man and the fact that Jesus healed Him, but what about these four men who brought him to Jesus? Who were they and why did they bother getting involved? Well, we don’t know exactly who they. I would say that they were probably either family members or friends. Obviously they were people that cared about him and wanted to do everything they could, including cutting a hole in someone’s roof in order to get him to Jesus. Perhaps, one of them had been healed? Or perhaps they had witnessed Jesus healing someone else? They must have told their crippled friend that Jesus could heal him. But they didn’t stop there. You’ve probably heard the saying “Actions speak louder than words.” Well these four men were willing to get involved – their actions spoke volumes about their faith. Jesus saw that and rewarded their faith by healing their friend.
Being involved in the church, and doing things for people who need help does not go unnoticed. The Lord notices what we do and so do people in the world. When people in the world see that we care and our willing to help those in need it increases the churches influence and respect in the community.
Being involved in the life and ministries of the church adds weight to the gospel message that we proclaim. Jesus said, "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven." Matthew 5:16
So why not sign up to help at the water booth, or get involved in the servant evangelism ministry that we are trying to get organized.
V. But Before I close this morning, I need to remind you that there is a cost to being involved.
I’m quite confident that these four men weren’t the most popular people in town after they cut a whole in the roof, and lowered the crippled man down into the middle of the crowd. I’m sure they must have been ridiculed for their actions. But I’m also sure that if they had it to do over again, that they would!
You know when it comes right down to it, it doesn’t matter what you’re involved in, it is always going to cost you something. Children, if you are involved in soccer or football it requires your time to practice and to play the games. Adults, if you are involved in a club or civic organization they probably require you to pay dues, or to volunteer your time to do something that will benefit the group or organization. In the same way there is a cost, to being involved in the life and the ministries of a church.
Being involved in the church will require you to love people who are difficult to love. Being involved in the church may require you to work with people who are difficult to work with. Being involved in the church, may cost you some of our friends, who don’t see the importance of being actively in a local church. Being involved in the church, may require you to make some sacrafices. You may have to give up some of the other things you have been doing, in order to have the time to do what God wants you to do. Let’s face it, being involved in the life and ministry of the church requires a lot of time and a lot of dedication.
Which reminds me of the story I read the other day about a man who called the pastor of a certain church and told him that he wanted to become a member of his church. But the man went on to tell the past that he would not be at worship ever week, that he was not going to study the Bible, that he had no desire to visit the sick or to serve as a Sunday School teacher or member of any committee in the church.
After hearing what the man had to say the pastor commended him for his desire to be a church member, but told him the church he was looking for was located in another part of town. The man wrote down the address, thanked the pastor and hung up the phone. He then decided to go find the church the minister had told him about. When he arrived at the address, the man came face to face with the result of his own attitude of not wanting to be involved…There standing in front of him was an abandoned church building that was all boarded up and ready to be demolished.
What about you? Are you involved in the life and ministries of Sulphur Spring Baptist Church? Or are you just sitting on the sidelines? I agree with whoever said that "Christianity is not a spectators sport?" God invites us to get involved in what he is doing in the world, and He expects all of us to do our fair share.
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