Sermon for 8/24/2003
Matthew 7:24-27
Practice Makes Perfect
Introduction:
A. I play basketball on Monday nights with Dean. I am not a great player. I do it to keep my figure.
B. This past Monday we started out with 30 guys. Some of them got frustrated and left. We began at 6:45 and at 7:30 we had gotten down to 20. About that time a person came in who we haven’t seen very much. I told him that he would have to wait until 8 pm before he could get a game. He waited and at 8 pm he got to play. He wasn’t very good and he had trouble getting up and down the court. He was short and stocky and played like a point guard. His team passed him the ball a few times and he made bad passes. That game was over and by this time we only had enough for 5 on 5, everyone else had left. We played to 21 whereas most of the time we played to 15. It was the last game of the night.
C. This fellow I have been talking about played the last game. He did worse this time than the game before. His teammates were getting on him about throwing the ball away and passing it to the other team. One of his teammates made it point to holler out that he would not get the ball as long as he wasn’t playing defense. He was guarding me and I hadn’t scored a point. Yes, I was beating him up and down the court but I wasn’t doing anything with it. My team decided to take me off of guarding this guy and instead double teaming a big inside player. His team had decided not to pass him the ball. Toward the end of the game, this fellow was wide open and they did pass him the ball but he traveled with it. This time his team was all over him with words of ridicule. This fellow’s team won the game but I could tell that this man was not feeling a sense of victory.
D. I wanted to go over and tell him to keep trying, keep coming back and he would get better. I felt sorry for him. However, I went over and said, “Good defense. I hope to see you again.” I didn’t feel it would be appropriate to point out how badly he had done.
E. I remember this and tell it to you because it upset me. It upset me because this man’s teammates were not encouraging him to try. This is one of the first times he has been out playing with us and it is implied that he is not good enough to play. How can he get better? By practicing. How can he practice and get into the game if every time he tries he is ridiculed?
F. It upsets me because this fellow reminds me of myself. I remember going to a basketball camp in the 6th grade and being so ridiculed by my peers that I felt like going home. Thankfully, one of the coaches encouraged me to stay. I remember playing basketball on the practice team in college and I was having a rough day and had made some bad shots and plays and my teammates were on my back. We ran down the court and I ran through the front doors. I ran to my car and I went back to my dorm room and said I was never going to do that again. About a week later a friend encouraged me to go again and so I went.
G. The church can be like that. You are new to the system and to the people, but you make a few bad plays and everyone is on your back. Some people get so disgusted that they leave and never come back. They refuse to try because it is so humiliating. But how can they get better?
H. I see obese people running or walking down a street. I want to stop and give them a pat on the back or a standing ovation. They are trying to improve their health. Someone who desperately needs exercise is trying. Do you know what some people do or say to those obese people? Not encouraging them to try.
I. Do you know why obese people don’t go to gyms to work out? They are so self-conscious when they get there and then they get those stares from the gym rats. I think it is wonderful when I see obese people in a gym. They are trying. Practice makes perfect. I saw a news article about an aerobics instructor who was visibly overweight. She was the most popular instructor at that gym.
J. This is what the devil does. He says, “You can’t do that.” The two words I hate to hear from my boys, “I can’t.” Then the devil gets other people to say, “You can’t do that.” He wants us to quit.
WBTU:
A. Amplified Bible- So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock. Those who strive, try, act upon them.
B. New International- Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock
C. We need to practice, practice, and practice. Practice makes perfect. Nothing is perfect so why try? No athlete is perfect so why practice, why even play? Does Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa ever strike out? Does Reggie Miller ever miss a shot? Does Tiger Woods always win the championship?
D. No! To be the best we can be through Jesus’ power. We have something in us that as we practice we will become better.
E. There are some things that I have tried and practiced at that I know I will never be good at? Anything to do with a ski. Artwork.
F. I have no motivation or enjoyment from these things.
G. Jesus gives these verses at the end of a sermon. These are things that as Christian we need to practice, try, practice and try. Our motivation is to be like Christ. As we practice them, we realize that we enjoy them.
H. Last week we talked about how Satan uses different kinds of bait, the bait of temptation, to hook us and reel us in.
I. What kinds of bait do we use? The gospel, yes. As fishers of men, we must use attractive bait. We are the bait. The goodness of the Lord in our lives. Something is different in us that cause people to want to bite.
J. This point reminds me of eating steak in a restaurant. How it is served doesn’t matter? Oh yes it does. If they brought you the best steak in the world on a trash can lid you would have something to say about it.
K. We are presenting the gospel to people. We need to be living it to the best of our abilities through God’s power.
L. We have tracts that you can pass out. If you give a tract to a stranger chances are that they will throw it into the trash can. If you give a tract to a close friend, chances are greater that they will read it. Why? Because they trust you. The presentation is much better.
M. The fish will be attracted to good smelling and good looking bait. We are that bait.
N. This is what Jesus is saying in Matthew 5:13-16. We are the salt of the earth. We are the light of the world. Read vs. 16
Thesis: What are some things that Jesus wants us to put into practice so that we can present attractive bait?
For instances:
1. Bible Study (Matthew 5:17-20)
A. Read Vs. 17-18
B. Jesus is saying that we better know the Bible. The Law will not pass away. Even those portions that we do not think are relevant for today, they are and will be if we study them and apply them to our lives.
C. How much time do we spend on the Word?
1. Compared to sports
2. Compared to TV
3. Compared to the newspaper
4. Compared to our favorite book.
D. The Bible means the Book.
E. How many of us have a regular time and place where we spend just a few minutes a day reading or studying a portion of Scripture.
F. Vs. 20.
1. Righteousness means doing the right things.
2. The lines between right and wrong have become very blurry in our time.
3. However, as we read and study God’s Word, the difference between what is right and wrong become clear.
4. The scribes and Pharisees knew the Law, the Old Testament. They followed it to the letter.
5. It was not written on their hearts. We have it written on our hearts.
6. Hebrews 8:10- I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
7. This is what disturbs me in our culture. Recently, a certain “Christian group” decided to make a person who practices homosexuality their leader. The Old Testament called this an abomination. The New Testament says that this is shameful and against our nature. It says that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.
8. It is not written on their hearts. OH, they know it enough to twist it. We better know it well enough to defend it and live it.
G. Let’s pretend. Let’s pretend that I own a business. I make you the general manger. I work alongside of you for a few years. Then I have to leave for a few months and I place you in charge of everything. I leave and you stay. I mail you letter after letter spelling out all my expectation. Finally, I return. Soon after my arrival I drive down to the office. I am stunned! Grass and weeds have grown up high. A few windows along the street are broken. I walk into the receptionist’s room and she is doing her nails, chewing gum, and listening to her favorite station. I look around and notice the waste baskets are overflowing, the carpet hasn’t been vacuumed for weeks, and nobody seems concerned that I have returned. I ask about you and someone in the crowded lounge area points downs the hall and yells, “I think he’s down there.” Disturbed, I move in that direction and bump into you as you are finishing a board game with our sales manager. I ask you to step into my office and say, “What in the world is going on, man?” “What do ya mean, Davon?” “Well, look at this place! Didn’t you get any of my letters?” “Letters? Oh, yeah, sure, got every one of them. As a matter of fact, Davon, we had letter study every Friday night since you left. We have even divided all the personnel into small groups and discussed many of the things you wrote. Some of those things were really interesting. You’ll be pleased to know that a few of us have actually committed to memory some of your sentences and paragraphs. One or two memorized an entire letter or two! Great stuff in those letters!” “Ok, ok- you got my letters, you studied them and meditated on them, discussed and even memorized them. But what did you do about them?” “Do? Uh- we didn’t do anything about them.”
H. Mark Twain said, “The Scriptures that scare me are not the ones that I do not understand, but the ones that I do understand.”
I. If they are written on our hearts, we cannot help but do them.
J. Practice!
2. Praying (Matthew 5:44; 6:5-18; 7:7-11)
A. When you pray, vs. 5, 6, 7
B. Jesus takes it for granted that we will pray.
C. He tells us what not do in prayer and he tells us how to pray and what to do.
D. Vs. 6 Jesus tells us that we need to have a prayer closet. How many of us have a prayer closet?
E. The most important hour of my day.
F. Prayer does things. Chapter 7: 7-11 talks about how God rewards those who ask, seek and knock. Those who pray.
G. We have not because we ask not.
H. Prayer is just not asking, it is spending time with our Heavenly Father.
I. The average child spends less than 5 minutes a day with their father in conversation. We have a Father who will spend time with us if we seek Him in prayer.
J. I was drawn to Christ. One of the main reasons was that I could have a friend who would never leave me nor forsake me. He walks with me and he talks with me and he tells me I am his own and the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.
K. Psalm 42:1-2- As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirst for God, for the living God.
L. How badly do we long for God?
M. My friends, I have made it a priority in my life to pray. I believe that if I do not pray during the day then it is a day wasted.
N. Here is a kicker. Vs. 16 and 17. When you fast. How many of us fast?
O. It was said of Martin Luther that he would spend an hour in prayer. When he knew that he would have a busy day, he would get up before dark and spend at least 3 hours in prayer.
P. Ben James said that when he fasted and prayed, things happened in his life, in his family and in his church.
Q. 3 hours a day in prayer equals 3 meals.
R. I would love to have prayer vigils. Maybe next year around the National Day of Prayer.
Conclusion:
A. The devil wants to tell you that this is a waste of time, you will never understand, you will never do better. You can’t in these areas.
B. If you get caught praying or reading your Bible, thank God. If they make fun of you and say what a waste of time, thank your Heavenly Father.
C. That guy at basketball. Keep trying, don’t give up!
D. Matthew 7:13-14
E. Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt, fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
