God has a plan for our lives. We all have a “race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1). We are called to “Get In The Game.” But how can I make sure I am running the race that God has marked out for me? George W. Truett defined true success as “Knowing God’s will and being in the center of it.” That’s what I want us to deal with over the next few Sundays, as we enter this new year.
First, the Bible says God’s will is for all to come to know Him in personal relationship. “(God) desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” - 1 Timothy 2:4 (NASB)
So if I am going to “Get In The Game” and walk in God’s will for my life, I need to be sure I’ve entered into a personal relationship with Him through trusting Christ as my Savior and Lord.
Second, the Bible says God’s will is for all to come to know Him in personal relationship. Once I’ve been saved, I can’t be satisfied with just my knowing Christ. I must seek to make Him known to others. “(God) wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we’ve learned.” - 1 Timothy 2:4 (The Message)
This is why our church has adopted as our mission statement: “To know Christ and make Him known.” God calls His children to give our lives to the spread of the Good News, so that as many others as possible might come to know Christ as their Savior. This is why everything we do at FBC is designed to equip and empower us to better know Christ and make Him known.
We know Christ better through worship, fellowship and discipleship. We make Christ known through ministry and evangelism. That is why the activities of our church are designed around these five purposes: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and evangelism. We want to lead people through Five Circles of Involvement that correspond to these five purposes. The first three correspond to better knowing Christ. These involvements can enable you to be a growing Christian.
1. From the city to the celebration circle through involvement in a Sunday worship service. Primary focus: seeking God’s face together. This promotes growth in worship.
2. From the celebration circle to the community circle through involvement in a Sunday morning Bible Fellowship. The primary focus: studying God’s Word together. This promotes growth in fellowship, which is always centered around God’s truth (Acts 2:42; 1 John 1:3; 7).
3. From the community circle to the commitment circle through involvement in a Growth Group. The primary focus: sharing God’s life together. This promotes growth in discipleship.
The last two Circles of Involvement correspond to making Christ known. These involvements can enable you to be a glowing Christian.
4. From the commitment circle to the communion circle of the church.
“ In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership (Greek – “koinonia” - “fellowship” or “communion”) in the gospel from the first day until now.” – Philippians 1:4-5 (NIV)
The primary focus: serving in God’s work together. This promotes growth in ministry.
5. From the communion circle to the commission circle by joining with other believers in reaching our city for Christ. Primary focus: showing God’s love together. This promotes growth in evangelism.
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Jesus calls us to “Get In The Game,” to be concerned with what God is concerned with: the work of calling a lost world unto Himself. This is the work of the church. Which is why, if we are going to “Get in the game” for God, we will want to be involved in the life of His church.
How about you? As we enter this new year, is it time for you to “step up your game?” As we look to this passage we will consider four things that need to be true of us if we are going to “Get In The Game” for God. We can know we’ve “Got Game” if we: Go for the gold; Aim for excellence; Make the commitment; & Expect God to work.
Let’s talk today about “going for the gold.” In verse 38, Jesus says every believer will account for their life. On that day, some will stand before Him with heads held high and others with their heads hung low.
“Children, stay one in your hearts with Christ. Then when he returns, we will have confidence and won’t have to hide in shame.” - 1 John 2:28 (CEV)
Some believers will be rewarded and some will not. Paul was confident he would be rewarded. He looked forward to “getting the gold!”
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me - the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me
on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return.” - 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NLT)
Paul says those looking forward to Christ’s return can expect to be rewarded. Why? Because they’re living with “their eye on the prize.” Living with such a focus insures that we will “fight the good fight, finish the race, and remain faithful.” That’s why he says:
“Run [your race] that you may lay hold [of the prize] and make it yours.” - 1 Corinthians 9:24 (Amplified)
Are you running your leg of the race in such a way as to win the prize? Are you going for the gold? In 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, Paul talks about the day in which every believer will be called to account.
“For no one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have - Jesus Christ. Now anyone who builds on that foundation may use gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone’s work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builders themselves will be saved, but like someone escaping through a wall of flames.” - 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 (NLT)
There are five thoughts about “Going For The Gold.”
1. We must build our lives on the right foundation. By trusting Christ as Savior, we accept the foundation God has laid upon which we can live a life that is worth living. What remains is for us to engage ourselves in completing the construction.
2. We must build our lives according to the right code. Most cities have a building code and one must follow certain rules when building. God’s “code” is found within the pages of the Bible, His Holy Word.
3. We must build using the best materials. Some materials don’t last while others are eternal. God calls us to build a life today that will shine for eternity. “Only one life, twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
4. We must build according to the direction of the master foreman. God is the One in charge of construction. He is the one whose directions we must follow. Each day, as we report for work, we must be alert to hear His instructions for the day, so that we might accomplish in the time allotted that which He wants accomplished.
5. We are under a time crunch. Jesus said, “All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end.” - John 9:4 (NLT)
Conclusion: Now is the time to “Go For the Gold.” Make sure you know Christ - that you have the foundation. Next, make sure you are helping to make Christ known - living by the right code, using the best you have to give, and following the directions of the Master Foreman. How do you need to “step up your game?”
In the film, Schindler’s List, a true story, Oskar Schindler, is a German industrialist, who uses Jewish slave labor in his factory in Poland. At first, he is concerned only with making money - which he does. At one point, he is shown in the possession of four trunks full of money. But as he watches the atrocities perpetrated upon the Jews, he sees something more important that he needs to give himself to - the deliverance of as many Jews as he possibly can. He moves his business to his hometown in Czechoslovakia to take as many Jews from the local concentration camp as laborers he can. He has to bribe the local commandant and other German officers and officials. At war’s end, he succeeds in rescuing 1,100 Jews from extermination, but he has spent his entire fortune in doing so.
On the last day of the war, Schindler must flee - as a German industrialist, he was wanted by the Allies. Before he leaves, those he rescued by employing in his factory gather to say good-bye. As he says good-bye to his plant manager, he is filled with grief over the thought that he could have saved more people if he had sold his car or his Nazi party pin. He falls to the ground in the presence of those he helped save, weeping over the ones he possibly could have saved if he had been willing to give more!
No matter how well we live for Christ, like Oskar Schindler, we will, nevertheless, realize on that day that we could have done more. This is why, as God ushers in eternity, we are told He will wipe away all tears from our eyes (Revelation 21:4). May we live in such a way today, that we will minimize our regrets on the day we stand before our Lord!
