“March Madness”
Pt. 3 – Timeouts
I. Introduction
March Madness is in full swing. Many of you have begun to fill out your brackets. Who is going to win it this year?
We started this series a couple of weeks ago and we have dealt with the truth that fouls are part of the game. I hope you have accepted the challenge to do you very best to regard people after their spirit rather than their flesh. I also hope that after last week’s message you have been working on the Triple Threat position. What are the three fundamental elements of our Christian walk that Jesus expected us to be involved in on a regular basis? Giving, praying, and fasting!
Today I want to look at another aspect of the game of basketball that has implications for us spiritually.
In 1993, North Carolina, coached by Dean Smith, squared off against Coach Steve Fisher whose Michigan team featured 5 freshmen sensations who called themselves the Fab Five. The most memorable play in the championship game and perhaps one of the most infamous moments in the history of March Madness came in the last seconds of this championship game. Down by only two points and now with an opportunity to either tie up the game or take the lead Michigan’s Chris Webber tried to call a timeout when double-teamed by North Carolina. Michigan had already used all of its timeouts, so Webber’s gaffe resulted in a technical foul. Michigan had no time left to recover and North Carolina ultimately won the national title with a 77–71 victory.
Chris Webber’s panicked mistake brought to glaring light an important truth about basketball . . . Timeouts can play a key role in the winning or losing of a game.
This morning I want to give you some basic information about timeouts and then I want to make some very clear practical application for us. I am going to reference a lot of Scripture today. However, if you need a text then perhaps the best place for me to draw your attention is the beginning. The very beginning of our world and our history is marked by the first recorded called timeout. It is found in Genesis 2:2-3:
2By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Thus instituting what He later uses as the foundation for a command to keep the Sabbath holy.
Let me tell you some things about timeouts.
1. Everyone needs timeouts.
It doesn’t matter how in shape you are or even if you think you are Super Man on the court. Everyone needs to take a time out occasionally. That is the message of Genesis chapter 2. Even God… the One who created the Universe and who we have been told never grows tired, never sleeps, never slumbers and is never out of power takes a day off.
God’s message is plain: “If creation didn’t crash when I rested, it won’t crash when you do.”
God’s own Son took time outs on a regular basis. He would go into a private place. He would separate himself from others for a period of time. He took timeouts. Perhaps Francis Chan said it best when he said:
“We think He’s a great Savior, but not a great role model. The American church has abandoned the most simple and obvious truth of what it means to follow Jesus: You actually follow His pattern of life.”
Jesus knew that timeouts were necessary to provide rest for our soul and our body.
Is it just me, or are we a busy people? For all of our new inventions, all our time-saving tools and toys, for all our shortcuts and overnight deliveries and quick fix solutions and microwave ovens and fast food restaurants we are always in a hurry and almost always running out of time!
We live in a 24/7 culture. We wear cell phones to stay accessible 24/7 (and if you are like me I even wear them on my PJs until I go to bed), we do business over the Internet so we can shop, and organize our lives and make decisions 24/7. We hit the drive-thru window at Wendy’s at midnight and then go to Supermarket at three in the morning.
We push ourselves literally to ragged edge squeezing in every bit of work and effort possible. Somehow, we think by driving ourselves constantly we will wring more out life.
“Warp speed can warp the soul.”
One man asked this question, “How thin can I spread myself before I’m no longer there?”
Listen, God knew that we would need timeouts that is why He modeled that for us!
2. Timeouts can either break momentum or create momentum.
In the game of basketball, if a team is making a run on you a timeout can be used to try to stop that run. Or if you are struggling as a team a timeout can be used to try to spark the team’s effort and create momentum.
Scripturally I was reminded of John Mark who had embarked on a missionary journey with Barnabas and Paul. He called a timeout that broke momentum. However, I also remember that Paul right after he became Saul went on a long timeout in the wilderness that created momentum. Jesus often took timeouts that created momentum! In fact, He took one in the garden that created enough momentum for him to face the cross.
Some of us have been under attack and we need a timeout to break the momentum of our enemy. A few days away could be the difference between victory and defeat. Likewise, some of us have been ineffective, lethargic, and apathetic and we may need a timeout to kick us into gear. We may have been just going through the motions!
3. Timeouts are used for specific purposes.
a. To provide rest.
How many of you have ever taken a timeout only to return to the game more tired than you left? Have you ever made this statement, “I need a vacation after my vacation!”? That is not an effective timeout. We must learn that timeouts should allow us time to rest. In fact, that is the whole concept of the Sabbath. It isn’t so much about the legalistic argument about a certain day is that it is God teaching us that there is a healthy way to work. The Sabbath is how God brings health to my work habits. It is the Sabbath that helps us understand the ebb and flow of the game!
b. To deal with strategy.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus talks about taking timeouts to learn how to live. Listen to this:
28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.’"
Time outs are crucial because it is during them that we learn how to live again. We strategize and come up with plans on how to live freely and lightly.
In fact, if you don’t do this part of it you have wasted the timeout! My concern is that too many times we run from, but give no plan or thought to what we run to! Timeouts aren’t just a chance to veg out! They should be coupled with a strategy on how to best use them and to grow from them. I think too many of us waste our timeouts and just numbly use the time away and have nothing spiritually to show for it when we get back!
c. To reconnect with teammates.
One of the overlooked aspects of time outs is that it allows time for teammates to talk, encourage, confront, challenge and help one another.
One man spoke about this when he said, “The most disturbing result of hurrysickness is that I start to see those around me as obstacles that slow me down. Playing catch in the yard, leisurely walks with my wife, and unstructured evenings at home are viewed as interruptions. Yet scripture instructs me to invest the time required to cultivate rich relationships. (Col 3: 12-17; 1 Pet 1:22)”
“A hurry-sick world accepts shallow relationships as the necessary price of achieving our individual ambitions.”
Sometimes a timeout is essential because it helps to reestablish relationship with those who are in the game with us!
4. Timeouts can be called by the coach or by the player.
I just wanted to mention this because there are times that the players needs a time out, but can’t see it and that is when the coach steps in. This thought brought me back to a familiar passage that I hadn’t really thought of in this light before. Psalms 23:2 says, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures”
There are times when He has to make us lie down. The coach knows what is best (if He is a good coach and we have the best one ever). He sees our need for rest. Have you ever had God call a timeout for you? He hides you. How many of you know if God hides you no one can find you? We don’t like these timeouts most of the time and we try to escape them, but we need to learn that God has our best in mind and He knows when we need the timeout.
Jesus called time outs for the disciples. In Mark 6:31 he said, “‘Let’s get away from the crowds for a while and rest.’”
We need to learn to trust the coach again. If He says timeout we should recognize that we need it rather than get mad that He stopped the game for awhile. It is when we try to keep playing after He has said time out that we get in trouble.
I also believe this is why it is essential to have some assist coaches in our lives who have the right to call timeouts too! God is our head coach, but He wants to position some other coaches (accountability partners, friends, loved ones) who have the right to call a timeout when they see us becoming weary or struggling. In order for this to happen we have to be willing to give them that right and to trust them!
Players can call timeouts too! There are two inherent risks involved in this freedom. The first, and probably most frequently practiced, is that we won’t call one. We think we can handle it, we are strong, we are tough, just drink another Red Bull and try to push through with no rest and we are defeated. The second, I don’t think happens as much, but is perhaps more dangerous is that we call too many timeouts! That was what Chris Webber did and it cost his team the game. Some people never get anything done because they never play the game. They goof off all the time and are not productive. They refuse to play and never participate in the contest. We only have an allotted amount of timeouts and then we have to play! You can run out of timeouts! This thought leads me to a last and similar point.
5. Timeouts end at a specific time.
There are two types of timeouts in basketball. There is the long timeout that lasts for 75 seconds or 1 minute and 15 seconds. Each team gets 4 of these per game. Each team also receives 2 thirty second timeouts per game.
These designated timeouts end at a specific time. The refs make sure that the 75 second timeouts aren’t 6 minute timeouts and that the 30 second timeouts aren’t 3 second timeouts. They end at a specific time.
I mention that because I believe that too many of us call timeout and never come back on the floor. We get hurt, we get mad, we get disappointed, we get burned, we get fouled, or winded, call a timeout or God calls one for us and then we refuse to start the game again. Timeouts were never intended to be permanent. Can you imagine how silly the game of basketball would be if you could call a permanent timeout? The crowd is there watching, cheering, involved and then a player calls a permanent timeout and everyone has to go home! That makes absolutely no sense and neither does you taking a permanent timeout either. I have already said that everyone needs a timeout at some point. However, some of you have been on timeout for way too long. It is time to serve again. It is time to volunteer again. It is time to worship again. It is time to care again. It is time to love again. It is time to fight again. It is time to get back in the game!
There are two types of timeouts. The long ones usually mean getting away for awhile. However, I believe the shorts ones are what our Sunday services are all about. They are 30 second time outs that enable you to receive care, rest, encouragement, meet back up with your teammates, strategize and plan, and then get back into the game. That is what makes our time each week together so important. This isn’t just something we do to do! These are essential, life giving breaks in our lives that enable us to win!
Our tendencies as they relate to timeouts are:
A. We don’t think we need them. So we won’t call one.
B. We call too many or we refuse to answer the whistle when they end and we never get back in the game.
C. We waste them. We veg out; we gain no rest and no strategy.
I want to close by mentioning a passage of Scripture and then rereading a portion of Scripture to you.
Paul must have known we would need timeouts. In Galatians 6:9, he encourages us not to allow ourselves to grow weary in well doing. If he needed to implore us not to grow weary then he must have realized that if we aren’t careful we would! Even playing well is tiring!
Hear Jesus’ invitation to you again this morning in Matthew 11:28-30:
28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Come unto me all who labor and are heavy laden! Come unto me all of you who are weary and burdened, tired and worn out, burned out and hurt and I will call a timeout and get you rest, a strategy and allow you to reconnect to your teammates.
If you are in this condition I am giving you the opportunity to enjoy a short time out now in the altars. Maybe one of the assist coaches that God has assigned to your life needs to come to you right now and minister to you.
