Being on the Right Team
Heb 10:14, John 19:34, Heb 9:22, Heb 9:11 - 15, Heb 10:10, John 4:14, John 7:38-39
Phil 2:12-13, John 1:29,
March 17, 2003
I. This week I am going to borrow from Max Lucado again. He has some interests that I don’t, that make good illustrations.
A. This week I am going to be talking about Golf, and how that relates to our relationship to God.
B. The problem with that is, what I know about golf you could put in a thimble. I have hit a golf ball only a few times in my life and I have never played a real game of golf.
C. I am however the family champion at putt putt, but no serious golfer would be that impressed with that.
D. Max Lucado was asked to play in the PGA Texas Open Pro-Am tournament. Now for those of you who know as much about golf as I do, Pro-Am means that one Professional player, plays with three amateurs.
E. They all play all the holes but only the best score is recorded. So even on the holes where three of the players really mess it up, if one of them makes a good score they do good on that hole.
F. Say for instance, if I was playing with them and on a hole where you were suppose to be able to get the ball in the hole in three shots it took me fifteen, but it only took one of the other guys two then we would write down his score and forget mine.
G. Me thinks this would be a good way for me to play golf, because I would get the credit for what the other guys who knew what they were doing did.
H. Now the way that all this applies to our relationship with God, is, that is basically what Jesus did for us.
I. Because of what Jesus did for you, you get a perfect score even if you score a fifteen, when you should have scored a two, as long as you are on his team..
J. It doesn’t matter if you hit the ball into the trees every time, and by the way when those guys on TV hit the ball into the trees and get so upset I figure that a good chain saw would make that a lot easier to deal with. And, I don’t know why they haven’t thought of it.
K. But the most important thing in the Pro-Am and in how you get to heaven, is that you show up, and you get on the right team. And, in the case of those who have accepted Jesus as their savior, they’re on the dream team.
L. Our team consists of us, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
M. Now although I am not into golf I do have a favorite golf joke. Moses and Jesus are standing on a golf course in heaven talking and waiting for the next player to take their shot. Moses has just hit the ball toward a hole that is surrounded by water, and he hit it right at the water, but right when the ball gets to the water, the water parts and the ball rolls up to within a foot of the hole.
N. Jesus had hit the ball and it went toward the water and then rolled across top of the water to within 6 inches of the hole, about that time they hear fooooour, and the ball heads for the water, but right as it gets there, as fish jumps out of the water, and grabs the golf ball in its mouth, and then an eagle swoops down and grabs the fish and starts flying off, but when it gets right over the hole the fish spits out the ball and it falls into the hole for a hole in one, and Moses turns to Jesus and says I don’t like playing Golf with you dad.
O. The moral of the story is that a better team doesn’t exist than the one that we Christians are on. We get credit for the work of others who are better at the game of life than we are.
II. There is a big theological explanation for this, its called positional sanctification.
A. If you boil all that down to a simple English it means that you are given a prize not because of what you do, but because of who you know.
B. There is another big term that applies too, and it is progressive sanctification.
C. Now in the story that Max Lucado tells about his experience in the Pro-Am tournament, on the very last hole he made the best score, and on that hole his score was the one that was recorded.
D. It was only on one out of eighteen holes that he was able to contribute to the team, and the only reason that he was able to do that was because the other members of the team were helping him improve as they played the game.
E. He said that he kept getting better and better as they went on until finally he was able to contribute to the over all success of the team.
F. He got progressively better. The prize came because of the Pro’s score, and the improvement came because of the Pro’s help.
G. Positional sanctification comes because of Jesus’ work for us, and Progressive sanctification comes because of Jesus’ work in us. And both are gifts from God!
H. Hebrews 10:14 puts all this into perspective. (Heb 10:14 NIV) because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
I. When I went to Seminary I got all educated and learned the tenses of verbs. I had never understood English until I took Greek. I kinda learn backwards I guess.
J. And to this day when Donna hears me make a statement about grammatical terms she tells me I ought to leave Mrs. Wallace alone, because Mrs. Wallace was our Highschool English teacher and Donna says that she rolls over in her grave every time I make a statement like that.
K. But this is important so we will have to bother Mrs. Wallace for a minute. In Hebrews 10:14 there is a blending of verb tenses that makes and important point.
L. It says, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever, Now, that is past tense, that means it has already happened. We have been made perfect by Jesus’ work on the cross the minute that we accept his salvation, and that is done and done forever.
M. But then it goes on because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those WHO ARE BEING MADE HOLY.
N. Now, the next part of that statement is not in past tense.
O. That means that it is not finished yet. There is still something going on. Even though we are made perfect in the eyes of God through what Jesus did, there is a still a process of perfection going on.
P. Does that mean that our actions determine whether or not we go to heaven?..NO
Q. It means that though we are made perfect in the eyes of God and we will one day be able to go to heaven, Because God sees us as sinless because of what Jesus did, there are still imperfections in our lives that need work even though we are not going to be held accountable for them in terms of whether or not we go to heaven.
R. Positional sanctification and Progressives sanctification are God’s work for us, and God’s work in us.
S. The one thing is finished, and determines where we spend eternity, the other is still going on and determines the closeness of our relationship with God.
III. Both of theses things are essential, and both can be seen in the fact that the dirt at the foot of the Cross was moist. I see the looks that say you want to know how I am going make that statement make sense, so I will just press on.
(John 19:34 NIV) Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.
A. Most every body that has ever been to church or read the bible knows that there is a connection between blood and mercy.
B. As far back as Abel some how those who worshiped God knew that there was a connection between blood and forgiveness.
C. Hebrews 9:22 states it plainly (Heb 9:22 NIV) In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
D. How Abel, the son of Adam, knew this is only something we can guess at, because there is no clear cut answer to how he came to know that, unless it was because when Adam and Eve sinned animals had to die, because it says in Genesis that God made them clothes of skin, and animals rarely give up their skin without dying, but somehow Abel knew.
E. He somehow knew that blood had to be shed to cover sin, and through out the bible we see that, that was the case.
F. Jacob built and altar, Solomon built a temple, Aaron was the beginning of the priesthood, Haggai and Zechariah rebuilt the temple, and all those things were related to a man knowing that blood had to be shed to take away the effects of sin.
G. But, all that ended at the Cross. What started with Abel in a field God ended on a Cross. What Abel tried to accomplish with a animal, God did accomplish with His son. The effects of sin were removed .
(Heb 9:11 - 15 NIV) When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
H. What that means is that when the blood of Jesus was shed there was a better way. There is a New Covenant or agreement between God and Mankind.
I. When Jesus died, the blood of animals was not spilled to remove sin, the blood of the Son of God was, and after his sacrifice there would be no need for it anymore. It was something that was done, finished, and forever settled.
J. When the Son of God became the Lamb of God by dying on a Cross, that Cross became an altar, and listen to this verse. (Heb 10:10 NIV) And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
K. Read that again And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Let those last three words soak into your mind and stay there forever, no matter what else your hear. ONCE FOR ALL!
L. That means that when Jesus said on the Cross it is finished It was finished!
M. If God says that the sacrifice has been offered once and for all time, does it need to be offered again? NO WAY!
N. You are positionally Sanctified Just like the accomplishments of the team in the Pro-Am golf tournament are credited to all the players no matter how they performed, the accomplishment of Jesus on the Cross is credited to you regardless of how you perform, what matters is that you make the choice to be on the right team.
IV. But that doesn’t mean that you are not to try to perform to the best of you ability, because even though you are not holy, but seen by God as Holy, you are still to be in the process of being made holier.
A. And, as a side line that does not mean that you are to be made holier than thou.
B. This is where the water comes in. Remember what Jesus said to the woman at the well. (John 4:14 NIV) but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
C. Jesus does not offer us a single drink from the water of life, but he wants us to have that water daily.
D. And the well that He is talking about is not a hole in the ground, but a place in your heart where the Holy Spirit lives.
(John 7:38-39 NIV) Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
E. The reference to water in this verse is talking about the Holy Spirit working in us. The Spirit is not working to make us better so we can be saved, because as we just saw that has been done and done for all time, when we accept Jesus.
F. The Holy Spirit is not working to save us, He is working to change us. Paul says it this way.
(Phil 2:12-13 NIV) Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
G. Now let me translate that into the gospel according to Kent. Do the good things that result from being saved, and obey God with a deep respect, turning from all those things that might displease him. Because God is at work in you, to help you want to obey him, and then to help you do what he wants.
H. If you want it said simpler than that, we love our neighbor, we don’t cheat , and lie and steal, we do everything we can to love those who are hard to love.
I. But we don’t do these things to try to be saved we do them because they are the good things that come from being saved.
J. Now let me ask you a question. The bible describes our salvation in terms of a marriage. Are two people any more married than they are on the first day of marriage?
K. When the vows are said and the certificate is signed can they be any more married?
L. Well, maybe. After fifty years and raising three kids, and going through all the good times and bad times, they start to finish each other’s sentences, and order each other’s food at a restaurant.
M. And they even start to look like each other, which scare’s Donna to death.
N. So wouldn’t they have to be more married after fifty years than one day, but on the other hand how could they be? The marriage certificate hasn’t somehow matured in this process.
O. But something has, and that something is the relationship, and that is the difference.
P. Do you see where I am going with this. Technically they are no more married than the minute they said I DO, but relationally they are completely different.
Q. The Marriage is a done deal and a daily development, it is something they did and something that they do every day.
R. The same thing is true of our relationship with God
S. Can you be more saved than the first day you accept Jesus? No! Can you know God better and grow in your salvation? Absolutely!
T. It is a done deal and a daily walk, and the more you take the daily walk the better it gets, and that thing that pricks your heart when you do those things that you know don’t line up with what pleases God is the Holy Spirt helping you to improve the relationship.
V. The Blood is God’s sacrifice for us, and the water is God’s spirit in us,
A. And we need both, and God was concerned enough that we know both were there, that he had John tell us that they were both there.
B. And it is not enough that we know they came forth, but how they came forth.
C. They came at the same time. There is no more emphasis on one than the other, but we try to look at it that way.
D. We want to be saved, but we struggle against being changed.
E. And then there are some that accept the water, but balk at the blood. They feel that they have to be changed to the extent that they can’t feel at peace with being saved.
F. I have said it many times before and I will say it many times again the best word to describe the Christian life, the way it should be is, balance.
G. Do you lean too far one way or the other?
1. Do you feel so saved that you never serve? Are you so happy with the score of your team that you don’t bother to get out of the Golf cart?
2. If that were the way that God wanted it why does he leave you on the course? Why doesn’t he just take you on up the minute that you are saved? Because he wants you to be a part of the team.
3. Our church more than anything needs people who will step up and be leaders and take responsibility and serve . The reason that we are here is to glorify God by our serving Him, and taking part in the work that he wants done. He wants us to be a part of the team.
H. Or are you just the opposite. Do you serve for fear of not being saved. Maybe you don’t trust your team. You are worried that a secret score card is being kept where your score is being written down, and when the game is finished someone will say April Fool, you really lose.
1. If that is the case then know this. The Blood of Jesus is enough to save you Once and for all!
2. The Blood of Jesus doesn’t hide your sin, postpone your sins, or make you sins smaller, IT TAKES AWAY YOUR SINS!
(John 1:29 NIV) The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who TAKES AWAY the sin of the world!
I. So quit worrying about things that don’t exist, just get on the right team and then get in the game.
