This week, one of my favorite golf tournaments is being played - its called the Masters. Its a glorious tournament, filled with tradition and drama. The course is in Augusta Georgia and its a beautiful place, the fairways are lush, it has trees and hills, and the greens are like lightening. Its a very hard tournament and I love to watch it. I sometimes imagine what it would be like to be hitting a golf ball around Amen corner...
But, you know, as much as I like watching golf and the Masters, if you stopped me after church today and said, “I have a tee time, do you want to come play this afternoon.” I’d take you up on that! Because as much as I love the Masters - I’m just a spectator...
We’ve all watched sports. We all I think get a thrill at watching something. I love watching my son play baseball. I am really enjoying watching (and coaching) my other two in soccer. Its fun to see them make a certain play, or do something right... We yell, we encourage, we yell some more...
I think if we are not careful, in matters of a spiritual nature - we can become spectators too. If we are not careful, we can find ourselves out of the game and on the sidelines - but you know, I don’t find that anywhere in Scripture...
In 1 Corinthians 9:24, Paul says, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” Paul uses the image of the stadium, and the games that were popular in his day... He says, look down there - they are all running to win a prize - you run your race to win the prize...
I want you to notice something - it may sound silly at first, but bear with me... Paul does not say, “Cheer them on to win.” Paul does not say, “Cheer in such a way that your team wins” Paul does not even say, “Give enough money that your team wins...” Paul seems to suggest that you and I are in a race - and each of us is supposed to be running - so he says, “run to win!”
One of the things that I love about the apostle Paul is that he is pretty simple to understand. Paul isn’t a very complicated guy... His story is a little unique though, right? he was a jewish leader that persecuted Christians until one day he sees Christ - and everything changes. By the grace of God he is saved - and called - to share the same message that he has come to believe - that though he grace of God, you and I can come to know Christ and be saved...
But deep down, Paul I think saw himself as an athlete... He understood that his heavenly coach was in charge - he understood that he had a task, a mission, or a race if you will... And he knew that if he gave it all he had, then one day he would stand before God and God would award him...
You and I have that same mission. We are God’s ambassadors. we are called to share the truth that by God’s grace we have been saved and others can be too... We are in a race.
Far too many of us though, live as spectators - we would love to see someone come to Christ, we’ll rejoice and encourage - but you aren’t a spectator... You are a runner.
So how do we nurture that? Maybe you admit to having spectator disease, but you are willing to get back in the game...
Make seeing the lost come to Christ your passion (Read 1 Cor. 9:19-21)
Paul says he became a slave to the lost...
You and I need to see our world - see our neighbors - see everyone around us as in two categories - lost or found. Our heart should break when we read the news and we hear the stories of lostness around us...
Spectators only stand back and watch - if you are in the race, you feel it... (read 1 Cor. 9:22-23)
Find common ground
Paul related to everyone - because he looked for common ground...
The area of your greatest impact is where you are passionate. The things that you care about, God can use... Trust me, there is something in your life that you do that puts you into touch with lost people.
If you go out to eat every week to the same places - what about the waitresses and waiters?
if you play dominoes or canasta or bridge - or whatever - do you do it around lost people...
Here’s something I want you to think about - Most of us live our lives for comfort, for ease - for simplicity - but what if you lived your life with the goal of meeting as many lost people as you could... then the neighborhood association meeting isn’t about the neighborhood - its about you meeting lost people
We are good at “inviting” but you know it really takes “investing” in another persons life...
Do everything you can to spread the good news (Read 1 Cor. 9:23, and 26, 27)
What’s your goal...
You say, Pastor, i just can’t do that - “yes” you can...
A few weeks ago, before she broke her hip, Atrelle Wheeler told me a story. Atrelle is a quilter. She’s in several quilting groups, and she teaches quilting - but one thing I love about Atrelle is that she gets this idea of running the race... Atrelle had one friend that was in her quilting club that was not a Christian. Over several years she got burdened for her friend. She prayed for her friend. She even had dinner one evening I believe and tried to share the gospel - but nothing... But she didn’t give up. Another month goes by and her friend was having some health problems, so she snagged Eldon and Joann Sturgeon and asked if they would be willing to go see her friend - would you believe that as they talked, this woman was ready and prayed to receive Christ.
Atreel told me that a week later, her friend died. As she talked to me she was overwhelmed... What if she had not shred Christ with her friend? How glorious that her friend would spend eternity in heaven!
Get out of the stands and get in the game - pray for the lost around you - build some common ground - invest in someone’s life and do everything you can to spread the gospel...
