Bench Warmers
Pt. 1 - What Are You Waiting For?
I. Introduction
We all love the superstar! The super talented athlete who dominates the field or the court. It is their jerseys that sell out. It is their highlights that are played nonstop on the sports shows. It is their name that garners millions in endorsement deals. But what about the guys and girls who are usually on the sidelines. They are the ones riding the pine. Bench warmers. Unknown. Unnoticed. And often under-appreciated. There are more of these than there are superstars. Did you know that on average there are 460,000 NCAA athletes competing in sports each school year but less than 2% make it to the pros in the respective sport? That is less than 9,000 gifted, skilled athletes who make it to the big dance. Benchwarmers are common. You can certainly find them in scripture. I want us to examine a well know but often misunderstood story of benchwarmer in the Old Testament. His story can certainly challenge us!
Text: Jonah 1:1-5, 12-17 (TLT)
The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish. But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold.
“Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.” Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. “O Lord,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.” Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him. Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.
I want you to notice that nowhere in this account does it ever say that Jonah was not gifted or anointed. In fact, the account indicates that Jonah was called, commissioned by God with a life-or-death message. So, Jonah didn't ride the pine because He wasn't able or due to lack of ability. Jonah's issue is the exact same issue that most of us who have never seen the field, stand on the sidelines and remain in the stands . . .
Benchwarmers are often reluctant!
Jonah was reluctant for several reasons that we will look at in the coming weeks. However, for now let me just tell you that the reasons that so many are reluctance are numerous.
- We are reluctant to respond because we underestimate our own call or gift.
- We are reluctant because we know our own story and our own heart too well and we disqualify ourselves without ever even consulting God to find out if He still has a place on the field for us. We allow our mistakes to anchor us to the bench.
- We listen to someone else's opinion about us and therefore we allow their voice to become louder than God's voice in our life. We become like the star in college that hears the pro scouts saying he doesn't have the arm. He doesn't have the speed. He has made too many mistakes for God to use them. She made one too many bad decisions for God to use her. And so, we hesitate.
- We become trapped by the schedule of our own making until we no longer have the time or energy to fulfill the call of God on our lives and so when the opportunity to serve comes, we refuse to give up our warm, safe, comfortable, scheduled seat on the sidelines.
Why are you hesitating? Why are you so reluctant to respond?
The reasons for reluctance are numerous. The implications of reluctance are disastrous.
Reluctance will destroy you personally!
Even though no one else noticed Jonah God noticed. Even though no one else perceived Jonah's reluctance God pinpointed it. The sailors had no idea, but God knew. The Lord will call you up and if we are reluctant, He will call you out!
The personal implication for Jonah is that he goes from sleep to storm. When God calls you and you are reluctant you might as well get ready you won't be able to sleep. The implication for Jonah is that his plans get swallowed. You thought God's plans for you were rough try being thrown overboard in the middle of a storm. He tries to escape and instead he is trapped by a fish.
Listen . . . God knows. You can't escape His call. The call of God is without repentance. You can run but you can't hide. David accurately assesses the ability of God to track us down when in Psalm 139 he asks, "Where can I flee from your presence?" Then he answers what we must know, "If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there."
You can be reluctant but rest assured God is relentless and your reluctance can get you in some fishy situations!
Reluctance will destroy those around you!
I think it is crucial to remember that there were some severe implications of Jonah's reluctance to serve for some other people in the story. The guy responsible for saving an entire city preferred the sidelines.
I have a question for you . . . if Jonah's reluctance had been ignored and accepted how many souls would have been lost? You must fast forward to Chapter 4 and to the very last verse of this entire story and you discover that Jonah's reluctance put over 120,000 lives and souls at risk. Stop for just a minute and let that sink in . . . 120,000 men, women, boys, girls were at risk due to Jonah's reluctance. An entire city would have been wiped off the face of the planet!
Reluctance can destroy those around you! Other people's lives are at stake!
How many souls are at risk if you hesitate? How many family members would have gotten involved in church if you would have stuck it out? How many friends would have seen your life turn around and then choose the same course you made because if you can change surely, they can change? How many people are at risk when you are reluctant? Don't underestimate the power of your voice! Don't underestimate the power of your serve! Get in the game and turn the tide. Fight through the doubt. Fight through the shame. Fight through the fear. Jonah's gift mattered. Your gift matters!
This isn't just about you it is about them! Them that would be lost if you don't serve. Them that would be lost if you don't change. Them that will be destroyed if you don't submit! Maybe it isn't 120,000 souls at risk but isn't 1 soul lost by our reluctance too great, too high of a price?
The truth today is . . .
You must understand that you may be reluctant, but you are not replaceable.
There is no indication that God had a plan b if Jonah refuses to go. He didn't have a substitute in the wings. You are HIS plan! We need you in the game. Some of you have thought well He can use someone else. Someone else will step up and step in and the gap remains! There is a hole in the line.
You have waited and resisted long enough. You have hesitated long enough. You have felt the person pain of refusing. Your life has gone overboard. Your dreams have been swallowed up. You have put countless others at risk. So why don't you surrender to the call, the tap today.
_____________________ THE Coach is calling for you.
___________________ THE Coach has tapped you.
___________________ THE Coach wants to insert you into the lineup!
Come on _______________ get in there.
Come on _________________ take the field.
Come on _______________ we need you in the rotation!
What are you waiting for?
