Meeting The Challenge
Being a ‘Gamechanger’
2 Chronicles 24:1-14
* At the end of August this year a movie will be premiered which carries the title, “Nick Saban: Gamechanger.” This will be a documentary on the life of the Alabama Football coach. In the trailer for this movie there are several comments made which need to be heard in the family of God today.
* Bill Belichick said, “He’s driven and that’s what you want.”
* Mal Moore said, “This was the most significant hire for Alabama.”
* However, it is Producer Grant Guffin’s written word which brings this movie to the forefront of this message. He writes, “I think what drives him is the understanding that human nature is to be mediocre, not to succeed.”
* Some may ask, “How do these thoughts affect the believers, the church, and the gospel?” Just like Nick Saban came to a University which, although it had a heritage of being successful in football, it was struggling to rediscover those winning ways, so does the local church, while possessing a legacy of changing the culture find itself struggling for identity and success today. If we fail, it’s not simply of matter of losing a ‘football game’ it’s a matter of losing souls for eternity. Some of these may well be our sons, daughters, & grandchildren.
* Every day, we hear the preachers and pundits decrying the melee of a disintegrating and dysfunctional culture. The American society which has enjoyed freedom to a fault is demonstrating that, left to our own devices, we have the natural tendency to take the ‘low road.’ We are losing the game. It is the 4th quarter with under 2 minutes or the 9th inning with 2 outs and the batter has a 3-2 count. If you think I am overstating the issue, check the paper, watch the news, and/or listen to your scanner. In this game of life, we need some ‘Gamechangers.’ That is, one who will step up and step in to meet the challenges we are facing. In fact, God has called us to be this.
* Over the next 4 weeks, we will look into God’s word to gain strength, confidence, and even discover the ‘how to’ become a Gamechanger. We’ll look at 5 or 6 different areas to become Gamechangers in life. These are; finances, facilities, faith, fellowship, followship, & future. Turn to our text.
* King Joash was a ‘Gamechanger.’ He became King as a 7 year old, ruled 40 years, had great a counselor in Jehoiada, and as all young people with great counselors do, he did was what right in the sight of the Lord.
* Verse 4 is a little ambiguous as it simply begins with, “afterwards.” This word could mean many things, certainly it was several years. Obviously, through the mentoring of Jehoiada, Joash grew in his love for the Lord’s house and was dismayed that the finances and the facilities of the Lord were in such disarray so he decided to change the game, and change it - he did.
* Consider the Biblical & Historical examples of Gamechangers in History.
* Jesus came to earth & ‘changed the game.’
* Peter preached at Pentecost to ‘change the game.’
* Paul took at least 3 missionary journeys to ‘change the game.’
* Billy Graham gave his life to ‘changing the game’ in the world.
* Yet, our culture is still in need of Gamechangers, that is, people who will risk and commit.
* For me, I want to be a part of a fellowship who wants to ‘meet the challenge of changing the game in our community.’ Yes, we have ‘church buildings’ on every corner, but we also have people on those same corners who have no faith in Christ, no fellowship with a local church, and honestly, no relationship with God. My understanding of God’s word is that the church should be on the move at all times against the forces of darkness with the focus of retrieving souls from the darkness.
* How do we do it? What would it mean & require?
1. It will require a passion – In verse 4, we read that King Joash ‘took to heart’, he ‘made a decision’, and/or he had a ‘desire’. In the Hebrew we discover a compound word which gives us the idea of “with” and ‘his heart’, his ‘seat of emotions’ and ‘with his entire soul.’ We can get a clear picture of Joash’s passion when we read Deuteronomy 6:5 (quote by Jesus as the Royal Law), “Love the Lord your God WITH ALL your heart, souls mind, and strength.” We understand this means “Love HIM with all that we are.” This is the passion of Joash and it is the passion which is required to be a GAMECHANGER. Joash had a passion for the House of God not because it was a house, but because it was God’s.
* Our passions drive us. Nick Saban has a passion to win football games & because he is passionate about this, it controls his entire life. When I have a passion it does indeed control my life.
* All the great men and women of Christianity possessed a passion for Christ & His church. It was Martin Luther’s passion for these that literally drove Him to nail his 95 Theses on the front door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, in 1517. He began with a written prayer which was, “Out of Love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light.” Reforming a corrupt church was his passion. He loved the local church because he knew that our Lord loves the local church. He also had an understanding that a corrupt church would leave the world corrupt. If there was or is to be a hope for tomorrow, it will come through the heartbeat of Christ. His ‘heart beat’ for His bride, the church.
* To be a game changer in this culture, we must possess a passion for Christ as well as a passion for His church. Candidly today, many are treating the church like an ‘ignored girlfriend’ more than a passion.
* What is in your heart today? What passion do you have? Do you have a passion for Christ, a passion for His church, or do other things have a hold on your passions? To be a spiritual Gamechanger, we must be like Joash.
2. It will require a plan – To continue reading verses 4-5 is to understand that the King’s ‘Plan A’ was to take care of this renovation or restoration project in as normal of manner as possible. There was a plan for supporting the work of the Lord as in taking care of the finance & facilities. May I offer this word to us, today? Our King has a plan for taking care of all the ministry and missions endeavors to which we are called. His plan is for every person to return HIS TITHES and then give THEIR OFFERINGS. We cannot give an offering until we return HIS tithe. All through scripture the first 10% is HIS. What we discover is this; when we are faithful with HIS tithe then HE is faithful with HIS blessings. When these two happen, our hearts because so overwhelmed & overflow that giving above HIS tithe (in what is a ‘free-will’ offering) becomes a privilege instead of a burden.
* Have you considered as to why churches have to do everything on such a ‘shoe string’ budget? Have you considered why the government has taken over many of the very programs which the church should be doing? Have you considered why local churches (by & large) have lost influence in the community? I’ll suggest that it is because we are not working the plan which our Lord has given us. The prophet Malachi tells us to, “Bring the tithes into the storehouse.” Those tithes are HIS and are not to be directed in any manner. God’s plan will work, if we have a passion & will work by it.
* The longstanding plan was King Joash’s first desire, however, what we desire it rarely what we get. The King saw the work was not being done, so He raised the level of awareness & assessment. He didn’t give up on it.
3. It will require a persistence – While we are unsure as to the exact time when the young King determined to repair the House of God (Solomon’s Temple), we do know that it was his 23rd year as King that he made another decision. “Plan A was not working.” (2 Kings 12:4-5) At this point, he took matters into his own hands. He had been the one to notice the conditions of the temple and intended something be done about it. Obviously, Jehoiada along with the other priest had grown accustomed to the sad shape of the temple and wanted to keep putting it off. Probably, the time wasn’t right; the money wasn’t good, or any other of 1000 excuses which are still in use today. So Joash came up with a solution. After an encounter with the priest, he secured or built a chest, cut a hole in the top of it, placed it on the right side, and made a proclamation that the money placed in the Chest would be used to repair the building. Verse 10 is an enlightening part of this story—everybody rejoiced. Also, the chest was filled with money. The rejoicing was found in verse 14.
* For over two years now, the Building & Grounds team has recognized the need to make some repairs, renovations, and even restoration on this building which houses this ‘Family of Faith.’ At first, we believed that we would find a way to do this absent a “Financial Drive” yet, today we still have some needs to take care of. Starting today, we are placing this chest for God’s people to fill it up. We should not view this as an obligation as much as a privilege. Our first project is new lights in the Sanctuary. We do not expect equal gifts, we expect equal sacrifice. For some, it would be an easy thing to give $1000 while for others it will be tough to give $20. God knows your resources and if you and I will pray, He will instruct us. Please hear this, this is our plan but it will never get done, if we have no passion or persistence for the House of God. The next thing is;
4. It will require a partnership – Did you notice those who were rejoicing? It was the leaders and the people. Why? Because they became partners in the Lord’s work. As I began to study for message and series, I read a sermon from this text. That preacher said, “You might be asking, ‘Who does this preacher think he is, telling me that I put my money in the offering plate or this chest?” He continued, “There are 3 responses I’ve come to; 1) it’s not my plate: 2) its not your money, 3) The preacher is supposed to tell us what the Lord says.” Very seldom do I preach on money (or as modern day people like to say, “Stewardship.”), however, Holy Scripture has much to say about it. Of Jesus’ parable, 16 or 29 were about the use of money. In the Synoptic Gospels, one verse in 6 is about money. Jesus talked about money more than He did heaven or hell.
* Joash called on God’s people to be in partnership for God’s work. Partners share expenses. God doesn’t need, want, or recognize silent partners. Are you HIS partner? Remember His investment is the life & death of His only Son. How does your giving measure up?
* If this church is to be a ‘Gamechanging’ church, it will do so because we divest ourselves of our hidden agendas, our multitudes of distractions, and even our selfish, self-centered attitudes, putting on Jesus.
* Turn to Philippians 1: 3-7. The concept of “partnership” is seen twice in these verses. While the KJV renders the word “Fellowship”, other translations use “shared in,” “partnership”, and even “participation in.”
* The story is told of a wealthy man who gave $10,000 to His church for the building. A few years later his business went belly-up and he went bankrupt. An observer said to him, “Don’t you wish you had the money back?” His wise reply was, “Nope. If I still had that money, I would have lost it with all the rest. That was & is my best investment.” Jesus said, “Lay not up treasures on earth, but layup treasures in heaven.” Where are your treasures? What are you treasures? What will you do?
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