Goal Line Stands
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
January 22, 2012
One of the most exciting parts of a football game occurs when one team gets the ball near the other teams goal line. Then it becomes time for a goal line stand. The defense digs in to stop the offense, while the offense does everything they can to score that. Players are lined up helmet to helmet. Everyone is cheering, it’s tense, it’s exciting, it’s football!!
As I thought about what I wanted to talk about this week as it pertains to church I wanted to use this goal line stand as a metaphor for the way the church works. To do that I’m going to show a 3:30 video from the 1982 Super Bowl. Anyone know who played and won? It was Super Bowl 16, and it was the San Francisco 49ers against the Cincinnati Bengals. Let me set this up for a moment for you to show you the importance of this situation. The 49ers were winning 20-0 at halftime. Cincinnati took the second half kickoff and drove down field and scored a touchdown. The score was 20-7 and they had the ball again. They got down to the 49ers 3 yard line. It was first down, so they had 4 plays to score a touchdown. If they score, the momentum changes, let’s watch what happens . . .
SHOW VIDEO (from youtube)
Okay, now you’ve got your football fix for the day. After all, the Colts and Bears aren’t playing. So, what do I want us to get from this video and message? Before we jump into dissecting the video, let’s look at some scripture first.
We’re looking at 1 Corinthians 12. It’s a section where Paul is talking about spiritual gifts, and he then begins to talk about the fact that every member is dependant upon the other members. Let me read the passage . . . .
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.
16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?
18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?
20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”
22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
24 But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it,
25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.
26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
So . . . what does all of that mean? Between the scripture and the video. Well, here’s my take on it all. As Paul said, we are a team, we are comprised of many different people, who all look different, who have different personalities, different skills, talents, gifts, and that list goes on and on.
But, we are called to be one team, even though we are all different. We are called to put all of our talents, skills and gifts into one basket . . . the basket called “Christ Follower.” We play in the Christ Follower league, but you are on the FBC Team.
That means we work together for the common good, it means we believe we are vital and necessary to the future of this church. It means that like those players in that game, some of us will make mistakes and we will all commit sins, but when it’s all over and done with we are still on the same team.
That linebacker can’t say, because I’m not a running back, I’m not needed. Now just think what would happen if Jeff Saturday said, I’m not as important as Peyton Manning, so I’m not going to be the center anymore. And in fact, nobody said they could do it. That means there would only be 10 players on the field.
What about the strength and conditioning coach, what about the trainers, what about the people we never see, they are all vitally important to the team. Without them the team does not function as smoothly as it could and should.
Just like a football team that is playing for the championship, we are also a team, a team comprised of many individuals, with many different needs and desires, yet we are a community of faith.
When we have the heart and spirit of Christ, then we have one purpose. And that one purpose is to serve and glorify God. When we do that, when we reach out to one another in support and prayer; when our hearts and spirits combine in purpose we create a wonderful harmony of faith. There is no person who is greater than anyone else. But if we think that way, we are fooling ourselves.
NOBODY, NOBODY, is greater or better than another. Some may be utilizing their spiritual gifts more than others, some may be more active, but that does not make you better. As we serve God, because of our faith in Jesus, we become a community of faith, a team.
God does not throw all of the gifts in a hat, and then randomly pick out a gift and say those are for you. The gifts God gives to us are selected just for you. God has taken the time to choose your gifts. When you go shopping for a special present for someone, you want to select the right present. You won’t settle for second best. You want it to be the best. So you take your time, searching and looking until just the right gift is found. And when you give that gift to someone, you don’t want them to say ‘thanks’ and then put it on a shelf. Yet, that is what happens when Christians don’t use their spiritual gifts, they become rusty and gather dust. God has selected spiritual gifts just for you, and nobody else. You want to use that special gift as soon as you discover what it is.
And you don’t have to be talented to be gifted. The Spirit has given you a gift that you can use to build up others. Maybe it is giving, or teaching or leadership. Using your spiritual gift puts purpose into everything you do. It becomes an act of obedience to God. You’re not just playing the piano, or working in the nursery, or leading a committee, or dropping a few bucks in the plate, you’re ministering to others. You’re doing the work of God. The result is the seemingly mundane details of your life take on a whole new meaning. Suddenly they are overflowing with eternal significance. Discover your spiritual gift and put them to use, it will help make your life a masterpiece.
My hope, prayer and goal for this church is that every believer is involved in something beside worship in a significant way. Every person is expected to be involved in the life of the church. In far too many churches too many Christians are content to sit back and let others do the work.
I recently read this poem - -
There’s a young fellow named Somebody Else-
There’s nothing this fellow can’t do.
He’s busy from morning ‘til night
Just substituting for you.
When asked to do this or that
So often you’re set to reply:
“Get Somebody Else --
He’ll do it much better than I.”
There’s much to do in our church;
And the workers are few.
And Somebody Else gets weary and worn
Just substituting for you.
So next time you’re asked to do something worthwhile
Come up with this reply:
If Somebody Else can give time and support,
So can I. - - - Anonymous
Friends, each of us have been gifted by the Spirit for the common good. Are we using our gifts to build up one another and glorify God?
You are part of the team called First Baptist Church. We have tons of different gifts and talents and desires for this church. But our goal is to serve Jesus, with all that we have. From the least known to the most famous, we are a team! Everyone is significant. . . everyone.
We are in it together, because when you said Jesus is your Savior, and you wanted Jesus to live within you, you became part of the team. There were no tryouts, no extra workouts to make the First Baptist team, instead, the only requirement was and is to say yes to Jesus.
So, how are you going to serve God? Pray about it, think about it, talk to others about it, because just like in that poem,
that somebody else is you.
