Playing the Game of your Life
“Softball Sunday” August 29, 2004 Pastor Glenn Newton
This morning I want us to read a familiar verse as our Text, the verse may be familiar to you, but the message never gets old, the news is always good, and the offer doesn’t expire until you do…. Look at John 3:16-21
This morning I want to talk to you about Playing the Game of your Life…. In moments like this we always look to great thinkers, great philosophers who might have some wisdom that we can hold onto… listen to this good advice that I found….
THE WISDOM OF BABES
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Out of the mouth of babes?”
For example:
· Patrick, age 10, said, “Never trust a dog to watch your food.”
· Michael, 14, said, “When your dad is mad and asks you, "Do I look stupid?" don’t answer him.”
· Michael, wise man that he was also said, “Never tell your mom her diet’s not working.”
· Randy, 9 years of age said, “Stay away from prunes.” One wonders how he discovered that bit of wisdom.
· Kyoyo, age 9, said, “Never hold a dust buster and a cat at the same time.”
· Naomi, 15 said, “If you want a kitten, start out by asking for a horse.”
· Lauren, age 9 said, “Felt markers are not good to use as lipstick.”
· Joel, 10 years old, said, “Don’t pick on your sister when she’s holding a baseball bat.” and
· Eileen, age 8 said, “Never try to baptize a cat.”
We need to listen to our children, they cut through the fuzziness and just tell the bottom line truth don’t they? That’s also what I like about God’s Word… it’s direct, and it’s the truth.. Amen?
This morning I want to talk to you about Playing the Game of Your Life. Not all of us here this morning are Softball players, but we are all players in the most important game of all… this life that God has given us… if your breathing this morning, your playing, your on the field. How’s your game? Are you playing for all your worth? Are you still trying to figure out the rule book?
Listen to what Zig Ziglar says about this game of life,
"Easily the most puzzling incident in the sports world occurs in baseball when a batter steps up to the plate and lets the pitcher throw three strikes without taking a single cut at the ball. . . . Even more disappointing is to see a person in the ball game of life step up to the plate and never really take a cut at the ball. He is the biggest failure of all because he doesn’t try." --Zig Ziglar
SOURCE: Zig Ziglar Newsletter 30 April 2003
This morning I’m going to Talk to you about this Game we call life using the basic elements of a Softball game.
How many of you had great dreams as a little kid of being a great sports hero? My twin brother and I would literally spend hours in the back yard throwing the football around, playing catch with the baseball, down the street at the school playing basketball. Growing up there was only one thing to do in our spare time, play the game…
In Softball, just like in life there is only one way to win…you have to get up to bat and play the game… if you don’t bat, you don’t score, if you don’t score, you don’t win… pretty basic isn’t it?
I like to think of the batter box as the place where people are trying to figure out truth. People today are searching for truth, that hasn’t changed since day one. We need to know that what we believe in is Truth…. Don’t you?
Do you remember the first time someone told you that Santa Claus wasn’t real?
When your up to bat, it’s kind of like life, you have all these pitches being thrown at you….
… some say we come from monkeys…..I’m sure our daycare workers can understand where they might come up with that idea….
… some say that there is no God…
… some voices tell us that Allah is God, so they strap bombs to their bodies and kill innocent people thinking that this will please Allah and they will receive a reward in the next life… that’s an interesting curve ball isn’t it. Millions of people swing at the pitch.
… some people just decide that they don’t really care, there just going to swing at everything, or maybe nothing, there just going to make it up as they go….
What do you believe this morning? Have you decided what is True. I want you to listen to this Scripture and tell me if the God of the Bible loves people….
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jn. 3:16
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” v. 17
The first step in playing this game, is deciding what pitch you will take and hit it…. Millions of people throughout history have put their faith and their trust in the God of the Bible, and there lives have been changed by God’s forgiveness and His Love. The reason I can stand before you and proclaim this is true is because God has changed my life, and I’ve seen it over and over again, many right here today can testify to the same thing. Amen?
In this Game of Your Life, you must decide what Pitch you will hit.
Can I tell you a truth that you will need to discover for yourself…. There’s only one pitch that you can hit for a Homerun… there’s only one pitch that is strait and down the middle and true.. And it’s the only pitch that you can hit, the rest fall short, or they are out of the strike zone, and they will keep you swinging and missing until the game is over.
Let me share what happens when you decide to hit the right pitch.
When you decide to put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, the Son of God you will reach first base…First Base represents Salvation…. Being Born again is the first step in the game of life, it’s the first step in becoming the person that God has created you to be.
Listen to the words of Jesus as he talks with Nicodemus, one of the teachers of the law, who was searching for the truth himself…
JN 3:3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. "
JN 3:4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!"
JN 3:5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, `You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
Have you reached 1st base, do you know that you have been born again? You can’t score unless you touch all the bases, and if you try to go home without first touching all the bases, you will be called out. Sorry that’s the rule…. This is one rule that will never be broken.
When you choose to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, God because of your faith, He forgives you freely and cleanses you from all unrighteousness, all that sin is gone forever, never to be brought up again.
As you know, the goal in Softball is to move around the bases so that when the time comes, we can go home. Anybody know what comes after First Base…?
Second Base. Now that you are a Christian, and as you learn about this Christian life, you will also learn that God has another Gift that He wants to give to you, it’s the gift of the Holy Spirit. God’s wants all of his team members to filled with the Holy Spirit, because you cannot play this game the way it’s supposed to be played without the Holy Spirit empowering you, teaching you, encouraging you, helping you to accomplish God’s will in your life.
We call this being Entirely Sanctified, church folks call it different names, but it means the same thing… God wants to fill you with His Spirit so that you can life the kind of life that His Word speaks to us about. It’s amazing how God works in our lives….
After you become a Christian, your learning and growing but your still struggling with some things that you know God would have you do away with. You begin to learn that you are not capable of cleaning yourself up… God’s Word says that we are to “Be Holy” as He is Holy.. So we try, we try some more… we comb our hair different, we try all kinds of things thinking that somehow, someway we can do what only God can do.
What’s amazing to me is how God deals with us… He lets us struggle, he gives us room to grow, but also to learn….. As we go through this struggle of wanting to please God, but finding that we really are not strong enough.. Then, and only then He comes and says, “I’ve got what you need, if your ready to give up trying to do it yourself.” You see God wants us to totally give up, and to totally trust Him… when we do, He gives us the great gift of the Holy Spirit who fills us and empowers us for life and for ministry.
Living Life in the Spirit of God is the greatest adventure there is on planet earth. God will begin to unfold His plan for your life, only when you have reached that place of surrender, because you see… he can’t use you until you surrender to Him…. Then He will use you for ministry that makes a difference.
Third Base…. This is where we need our people to be… Third base is Ministry and Service. You see God has placed us here to serve Him, by serving others. God’s plan for you involves building the Kingdom of God in some way, now He will help you to find your place when it’s time, and when you have touched the bases….
What does 3rd Base living look like?
* Total commitment to God
* Total commitment to His People, the church
* Total commitment to winning the Lost- becoming a disciple maker
* 3rd Base living is the most exciting place to live because God will use you in ways you have never dreamed of… and He will continue to develop you and open new areas to you as you grow and learn more about God, and more about yourself….
How about Scoring…..This is our ultimate goal… going home… heaven. Are you working your way around the bases so that you can find heaven? Are you showing the way for your children? Your loved ones, are they on the right path? This game isn’t just about you and what you choose… just as I told the men Wed. night, you influence the people around you everywhere you go… are you taking them the right way?
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jn. 3:16
Is this truth for you? WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE…. When will you start swinging at the right pitch? Today can be that day.
