INTRO.- ILL.- The New York Times reported this story. For Coach, God and Archery Are a Package Deal, Aug. 19, 2008 BEIJING — Two weeks before leaving to compete in the Olympics, the archer Brady Ellison waded into a pool not far from the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., and was baptized in the Christian faith.
In the water with him was Kisik Lee, the head coach of the United States archery team and a Christian who has become a spiritual guide for Ellison, 19, and the larger group of athletes who train and live full time at the Olympic Training Center. He has also served as a sponsor in the baptism of three other resident archers.
During the Olympics, Lee and at least three of the five United States archers who qualified to compete in Beijing met every morning to sing hymns and read from the Bible, and to attend church together in the chapel at the Olympic Village. Lee believes having a strong faith makes for better archers because it helps quiet their minds. To that end, he tailored Ellison’s Olympic schedule to include spiritual and athletic objectives.
“I give him six tasks a day, including reading the Bible and education,” Lee said. “And he’s doing it.”
Lee said coaching was more of a challenge for him when members of the team did not share his beliefs. “I don’t want to have any favorites,” he said. “I would love to be fair for everyone. But sooner or later, if they can see through me God, that’s what I want to try to do. I’m not God, and I can’t drive them to God, but I can pray for them.”
Lee said, "I just want to show them who I am. I’m the witness of Jesus, not just an instructor. So I have to encourage them how, how we can change in Christ.”
That’s good news! The gospel is good news. It’s the best news there is and whenever someone is spreading the gospel that’s good news and should excite us!
It’s always good news when the gospel is being taught, preached, spread and people are responding to it. More people coming to Christ. More praise to God. More glory to God.
Now what about pleasant memories? Do you have any? I hope you do. If you’ve lived a good life in Christ you do have some pleasant memories: at home, in church, with the family, with the family of God.
ILL.- My daughter Holly was 8 years old. It was Sunday night at church and Holly walked forward during our invitation time and I baptized her into Christ. Wow! What an emotional time for daddy! I could hardly keep from crying. And what a pleasant memory today! Praise the Lord for them! Precious and pleasant memories. Thank you, Lord!
Who doesn’t like good news and pleasant memories? I think you’d be crazy not to like these.
PROP.- In our text, Paul speaks of good news and pleasant memories that come from his relationship to his Christian brothers and sisters.
1- Good news and pleasant memories come when faith is working
2- Good news and pleasant memories come when fellowship is enjoyed
3- Good news and pleasant memories come when firmness is evident
I. GOOD NEWS AND PLEASANT MEMORIES COME WHEN FAITH IS WORKING
6But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. 7Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.
James 2:26 "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."
Our good deeds or good works will not save us. They will not save anybody but they must be a part of our lives. They are the evidence of genuine faith. If our faith doesn’t prompt us to do good in this world then our faith is either dead or lacking. Being a sitter or a quitter means nothing.
Many churches used to have revivals but they are fast becoming a thing of the past. People are too busy to attend church more than one time a week. I’m not thrilled about this and I don’t believe it’s a good example of faith, but it’s the truth. Many churches probably need a QUITTIN MEETING.
ILL.- An older lady attended a Quittin meeting one time. The preacher said that the people need to "quit" their evil deeds of drinking whiskey, doing drugs, wild living, etc. At the close of the service that older lady went forward during the time of commitment. The preacher said, "Why did you come forward? Everybody knows that you’ve never done anything wrong?" She said, "That’s just the point. I ain’t been doing nothing and I’m a quittin!" Of course, she meant she’d been nothing for the Lord!
If a person is doing little or nothing for the Lord, for the cause of Christ in this world and for the church, it’s time to get involved and do something.
ILL.- At the recent Olympics in Beijing, China, America did well in some events and in others, they sort of flopped, like in track and field. Both our men’s and women’s 4 by 100 meter relay teams dropped the baton and were disqualified from the race.
Brothers and sister, we must not drop the baton when it comes to living for Christ! We must keep the faith and do the work, keep the ball rolling, keeping the message of Christ out there in front.
ILL.- Bernard Lagat from Kenya became an American citizen in 2005 and ran for the U.S. in the Beijing Olympics. He missed qualifying in the 1500 meter race, which is nearly a mile. He missed it by two-hundredths of a second. Incredible.
Then his next shot was the 5000 meter race on the track, which is 3.1 miles. He finished in 9th place, nearly 30 seconds back. 30 seconds doesn’t sound like much but it is in a race like that.
Lagat just didn’t have it that day. Every athlete and every human person has both good and bad days, physically and otherwise. He said, "This was not my performance. I wanted to do better. Next time, I will not rest until I get something for the United States again." He also said, "We can be a much better team. And we will be."
Brothers and sisters, we, as the church, can be a much better team. Lord willing, we will do better in regard to our faith and works. We must do better!
II. GOOD NEWS AND PLEASANT MEMORIES COME WHEN FELLOWSHIP IS ENJOYED
6But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
ILL.- Two strangers attended the same church for several Sundays. No one spoke to them. One said, “I will give this church one more chance. If nobody speaks to me next Sunday, I’ll never go there again.” The other said, “I don’t like this unfriendly church. If no one speaks to me next Sunday, I’ll speak to someone.”
Next Sunday, the usher happened to seat both of these men, one in front of the other. As usual after service, no one greeted the other. The first man rose to stalk out forever. The second man turned, put out his hand and said, “Good morning, sir, I’m glad to see you. Good sermon, wasn’t it?” Both were pleased at having made a friend, and continued to come.
No one likes an unfriendly church. Have you ever been to a church where you didn’t want to go back because of the unfriendliness and obvious lack of warmth?
Pleasant memories comes from a time and period of good fellowship among people who bless and encourage one another.
You always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 10Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
Going back to visit with good Christian friends can be wonderful and encouraging.
ILL.- You’ve heard me speak of Bob Stacy who is the Sr. Minister of the Spring Hill Church of Christ, Middletown, OH, and you’ve read some of his devotional thoughts via email. Bob is a great man of God, very commitment to the Lord, to the church and very encouraging.
Bob was my English teacher at Ozark Bible College in the 1960’s. And Bob was a very good English teacher and very good in his other classes. He has always been well thought of, etc. But I never had much of a relationship to Bob outside the classroom, that is, until now.
It’s strange how we became re-acquainted. A mutual preacher friend brought us together. Don Hunt of the Gateway Singers in Iowa sent Bob one of my sermons. Bob got my email address from Don and wrote. "Is this your sermon? Are you the Steve Shepherd from OBC?" I wrote back, "Yes and yes." And from there we took off. BOB IS SO ENCOURAGING. Our fellowship by email has been so good.
ILL.- Recently, you may read something that Bob about a prayer that I sent out. In the prayer I mentioned "David in the lion’s den." Bob, wrote back quickly and said, "Please get David out of the lion’s den." I knew better but didn’t catch my error. I wrote Bob, "Thanks for proofing my prayer." He wrote back, laughing, "I don’t think I’ve ever proofed anyone’s prayer before." All in good humor and fellowship.
ILL.- Josh Groban’s great song, "You Raise Me Up."
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
And may our fellowship grow in this way!
III. GOOD NEWS AND PLEASANT MEMORIES COME WHEN FIRMNESS IS EVIDENT
8For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?
ILL.- On Dr. Phil’s internet site there is the topic: adult children living at home. People are invited to tell their story. Here’s one.
My sister has adult children living at home that are just too dang lazy to work!!! They want everyone else to take care of them and their children. They would rather sit around all day and watch T.V. and smoke, instead of getting off their lazy (you know what) and going to work! When they need money for gas, cigarettes, food, rent, electricity, what do they do? They run to my parents and put on a sad sob story!
My sister just lost her husband last year, and as soon as he was buried, her grown kids moved in and mooched her dry!!! My sister hasn’t even went to work yet. She stays home and watches her grandchildren so her grown kids can run the roads. How do they run the roads? By begging for money from my parents saying they are looking for a job. This was last year and neither has a job yet!! One is 29 and married with 3 kids. ( her husband is a lazy and doesn’t work). He couldn’t go to work because his lip got sunburned! GOOD GRIEF!! ( just one example of an excuse)
The other daughter is 24 with 3 kids and she feels that if her mom doesn’t work, then she doesn’t have to either because she shouldn’t have to be the one to pay all the bills. Excuse me?? But she has 3 kids to take care of.
I just don’t get it! They want all the good life to live in, but don’t want to work a day for it. They are L-A-Z-Y! It make s me ill! I wish my parents would quit giving them money. ON AND ON THE STORY GOES and others.
Don’t you feel pretty good when your kids get out of school, college, go to work and make a living for themselves? I mean, you feel like you’ve accomplished something as a parent if you raise your kids to be decent, hard working people.
Brothers and sisters, there is something even better! 8For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.
When your kids are not only working hard to make a living but also living the Christian life, going to church, etc. this is as good as it gets!
As a parent I’ve always thought the most important thing of all was for both of my children to become Christians and live the Christian life. I HAVE THAT DREAM FULFILLED. But it hasn’t always been that way and may not be for you.
What if your grown children are not in the Lord or are going to church? What if they are not standing firm in the Lord, what do you do? YOU GIVE THEM THE RIGHT EXAMPLE, LOVE THEM AND PRAY YOUR HEART OUT!
And this is also how we should feel toward other people and not just family members.
One of the saddest things that I hate hear about people in churches where I have served in the past is, "Oh, they don’t go to church." Or "They dropped out of the church for some reason."
That’s bad news but the good news is when people continue to live for Christ and stay in the Lord. MAY IT EVER BE!
CONCLUSION-----------------------
Good news and pleasant memories. These will only happen when we help to make them happen.
I Cor. 15:58 "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
Only one life. Twill soon be past. Only what is done for Christ will last. And only what we do for Christ will produce good news and pleasant memories.
