Bud Wilkinson, Hall of Fame Football Coach for the University of Oklahoma was once asked; “What contribution does professional sport make to the physical fitness of Americans?” To no one’s surprise he answered, “Very little. A professional football game,” he said, “is a happening where well over fifty thousand spectators, desperately needing exercise, sit in the stands watching twenty-two men on the field, desperately needing rest.” This could be a description of the church in America as well. Lots of spectators, way too few participants!
In front of two thousand students at Baylor University, Legendary Hall of Fame Coach for the Dallas Cowboys Tom Landry was asked why he was so successful. Widely known for his Christian faith he replied, “Early on I did something everyone who has been successful must do, I determined my priorities for my life – God, family……….and then football.”
So today’s message is entitled “I’ll follow the Son” Although the Beatles produced 27 number 1 hits throughout their career; this song somehow was not included on that list. But it was a very poignant and melancholy ballad. “One day, you’ll look, to see I’m gone, but tomorrow may rain so I’ll follow the sun.”
So are we leaders or followers? And if we are leaders or followers for that matter, who is it that we follow, for there is always someone or something?
I choose to follow the Son, the Son of God, and Creator of the Universe. Through sunshine and rain, good times and bad, peaks and valleys, I choose to follow the Son. In the Gospel according to Matthew, found in chapter 16 verses 21-28, we read: “Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised the third day. And then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him saying, ‘Far be it from You Lord, this shall not happen to you.’” Understand that just prior to this Jesus proclaimed to Peter that he was the rock and upon this rock He would build His church, and now Peter is correcting the Lord! Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me Satan! Or “Get Thee behind Me Satan.” You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Jesus knew His purpose for coming to this earth, born in such a way, living out His life according to God’s plan. He clearly knew who He was to follow. And His ultimate purpose was to die on the cross for us all and anyone who would seek to prevent this from happening was doing Satan’s work. I believe Peter was acting out of his love for the Lord, but Jesus knew what must take place. And then Jesus said something to His disciples which was even more profound. “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
The same account is found in the Gospels of Mark and Luke, and in these accounts they mention the word ashamed. Are we ashamed of our relationship with Jesus Christ, or do we stand strong so the world around us will know. As we have said many times before, there is a huge difference between meekness and weakness!
The things of this world, the pleasures we find in the stuff we acquire will not go with us. What will matter most is how we lived our lives, did we follow or Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and what did we do for love’s reward that will stand the test of time?
Wednesday evening in our Bible Study we discussed God’s perfect laws. (Forgive me Bible Study people as we again discuss this, but it will be a good review.) I truly believe that God’s perfection affects us all in how we choose to live our lives and who we choose to follow. God’s perfect laws apply to believers as well as non-believers, but I believe those who know Christ can clearly see these laws - Laws of science, laws of nature, laws of mathematics as well as laws we are still discovering today throughout the universe. (Use the example of water on and around our planet earth.) God’s laws are perfect laws. God’s perfect laws are quite different from some of the laws we have created in our country.
For instance, in Connecticut it is illegal to ride a bike faster than 65 miles per hour. In Florida, if an elephant is left tied to a parking meter, the fee must be paid just as it would for a vehicle. In Indiana, it is illegal to give a lighted cigar to a dog or a cat. In Louisiana it is illegal to rob a bank and then shoot at the bank teller with a water pistol. And in Maine, it is illegal to step out of a plane in flight. Certainly useful laws, don’t you agree?
Back to God’s perfect laws.
And as we follow Christ in our lives, I would like to look at only one law that is applicable to all of us in our daily lives. In reading the Old Testament prophetic book of Jeremiah, we find the prophet spending his life warning the chosen nation of Israel, now only the Israelites in the Southern Kingdom, of what the future will bring. They were facing a brutal captivity by the Babylonian Empire led by King Nebuchadnezzar, yet they didn’t care. They were oblivious, believing they were untouchable because they were God’s chosen. Yet God was willing and ready to forgive His nation if they would repent and turn from their evil ways. What were their evil ways? It came down to idol worship – focusing on other gods to provide for their needs and desires other than God Himself. God asked Jeremiah to find only one in Jerusalem who would follow God and seek the truth, and God would forgive the whole nation. But Jeremiah could not find one, not even one among God’s chosen. Could God find one person in our nation today? Throughout the course of any given week, how are we spending most of our time and who or what are we following? The law that I would like to examine is this:
“Reap What You Sow”
To Reap – To gather or take, to get as a return
To Sow – To scatter, to plant for the purpose of growth
Isn’t this the truth in all areas of our lives, work, school, church, home, activities, and relationships? What do we sow on a daily basis? What we put in is what we’ll get out. High tech computer lingo
“GIGO” – “Garbage in, garbage out.” No more, no less. Do we have eyes that do not see, or ears that do not hear as Jeremiah, Isaiah and Jesus asked?
If we follow or sow God’s Word, we’ll receive or reap the fruits of the Spirit according to Paul in his letter to the Galatians, fruits such as love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience, referring to the ability to endure injuries inflicted by others and the willingness to accept these situations in our lives), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Paul then says, “Against such there is no law” meaning that when a Christian walks by the Spirit and manifests his fruit, he needs no external law to produce the attitudes and behavior that please God. “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another or envying one another.” We reap what we sow.
Paul goes on to write; “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season, we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” We reap what we sow.
One of my favorite quotations that I have mentioned before is from pastor, teacher, author, J. Vernon Magee; “When you pray for a good harvest, God expects you to say Amen with a hoe!”
Another favorite I read just yesterday on a marquee passing a school somewhere in the middle of Mission Viejo; “If you want to leave footprints in the sand, wear work boots!”
We reap what we sow. Where is our focus, whom do we follow? I’ll follow the Son and I pray you will too.
I realized as I looked at these four letters “Reap What You Sow” or “RWYS”, our foundation, the key to life on this earth as well as eternity in Heaven, is found within the same four letters. If we put this into action in our lives, we will reap the fruits of the Spirit, people around us will see Christ modeled in our lives, and God can and will use each of us in powerful ways.
“Remember Who You Serve”
Jesus said; “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”
Early in Jesus’ ministry, while he was being tempted by Satan He quoted from the Old Testament Book of Deuteronomy 6:13 and said; “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.”
As we remember who it is we serve and follow, listen to the words of Jesus found in John’s Gospel chapter 12 verses 26; “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”
And I’ll close with the words of Peter, the rock of the church, “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
