The Big Game of life?
Thesis: To win the big game of eternal life will need to have right priorities, preparation, prayer and perseverance.
Video Clip from Illustrate: Clip on David Carr NFL quarterback for Houston Texans.
David Carr was the first pick in the 2002 draft. He immediately became the starting quarterback for the Houston Texans. He uses his faith as a testimony to what really brings fulfillment and contentment in life. He strives to be a Christian witness for Jesus on the field, off the field, before the public and in private. His message to the church today on the day of the Big Game is that we need to use our lives to glorify God not ourselves.
Hands on Illustration: Have a football – tell the audience to be ready to catch this ball at any moment because you never know when God may call on you to do a miracle play for Him in the Big Game of life.
Humor Illustration:
There was a person who knew nothing about football and he was taken by a friend to a college football game. The friend explained the game as clearly as possible before they arrived. As the officials met with the captains of both teams for the coin toss, the football fan was asked by the clueless friend what was happening. The fan explained that a quarter was tossed in the air and the visitors got to call "heads or tails." If the visitors called correctly they got to pick whether or not they wanted the ball first or not.
Well the game got underway and it was a thrilling game. It was back and forth. First the home team would get ahead and then the visitors would gain and regain the lead.
Finally the game was done and the stands began to empty. As they left the stadium, the fan asked his friend what he thought about the game. A quizzical look came over the friends face. "It’s all about money." "What?" was the shocked reply, "Yeah, all night I long I thought to myself, ’Why is everybody yelling, "Get the quarter back, get the quarter back."
Contributed to Sermon Central by: Jim Kane
Introduction:
Super Bowl Statistics:
Today is the day of the “Big Game” Super Bowl 39 one of the most watched programs in the world. An estimated 89.6 million people in the U.S. last year watched the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl victory over the Carolina Panthers, it was a slight increase from 2003’s game. You could say that it is one of the biggest idols in our society today. Why do I say that? Here is why, listen to some statistics about Super Bowl Sunday in comparison to real life statistics.
Let’s start with how many watched the Super Bowl last year 89.9 million people.
In comparison the number of Americans who regularly attend church on Sunday is 80 million people 2000 census. Calculated from Barna research and current population.
The cost of a commercial for the Super Bowl this year is $2.4 million per 30-second commercial.
In comparison $28 a month sponsors a child for a month in a third world country. It feeds them, clothes them and educates them.
The cost for Super Bowl tickets this year range from $2,450-$3,925.
In comparison the average person gave to non-profits (including the church) in 2003 $1,079. From Barna research.
How idolized is this game? One person in Philadelphia re-mortgaged his house to buy tickets for the Big Game.
Off course one of the big honors in this game is who is voted the MVP of the day. Here are all of the Most Valuable Players for the Super Bowls:
Super Bowl I QB Bart Starr Green Bay
Super Bowl II QB Bart Starr Green Bay
Super Bowl III QB Joe Namath
N.Y. Jets
Super Bowl IV QB Len Dawson Kansas City
Super Bowl V LB Chuck Howley Dallas
Super Bowl VI QB Roger Staubach Dallas
Super Bowl VII S Jake Scott Miami
Super Bowl VIII RB Larry Csonka Miami
Super Bowl IX RB Franco Harris Pittsburgh
Super Bowl X WR Lynn Swann Pittsburgh
Super Bowl XI WR Fred Biletnikoff Oakland
Super Bowl XII DT
DE Randy White
Harvey Martin Dallas
Dallas
Super Bowl XIII QB Terry Bradshaw
Pittsburgh
Super Bowl XIV QB Terry Bradshaw
Pittsburgh
Super Bowl XV QB Jim Plunkett Oakland
Super Bowl XVI QB Joe Montana
San Francisco
Super Bowl XVII RB John Riggins Washington
Super Bowl XVIII RB Marcus Allen L.A. Raiders
Super Bowl XIX QB Joe Montana
San Francisco
Super Bowl XX DE Richard Dent Chicago
Super Bowl XXI QB Phil Simms NY Giants
Super Bowl XXII QB Doug Williams Washington
Super Bowl XXIII WR Jerry Rice
San Francisco
Super Bowl XXIV QB Joe Montana
San Francisco
Super Bowl XXV RB Ottis Anderson NY Giants
Super Bowl XXVI QB Mark Rypien Washington
Super Bowl XXVII QB Troy Aikman
Dallas
Super Bowl XXVIII RB Emmitt Smith
Dallas
Super Bowl XXIX QB Steve Young San Francisco
Super Bowl XXX CB Larry Brown Dallas
Super Bowl XXXI KR Desmond Howard Green Bay
Super Bowl XXXII RB Terrell Davis Denver
Super Bowl XXXIII QB John Elway Denver
Super Bowl XXXIV QB Kurt Warner
St. Louis
Super Bowl XXXV LB Ray Lewis
Baltimore
Super Bowl XXXVI QB Tom Brady
New England
Super Bowl XXXVII S Dexter Jackson Tampa Bay
Super Bowl XXXVIII QB Tom Brady New England Patriots
These individuals gained honor and recognition for there great football plays. But did it make a difference for eternity? Did it save someone’s life? Do you think God has this list posted by His throne? The truth is for many today their priorities are messed up and they don’t understand that God does have a list of MVP’s who play in the game of Life. The Bible tells us they are written in the “Lamb’s Book of Life.” So one of my questions for today is, “Do you want to make the list of the MVP’s in the Big Game of Eternal Life?”
You can think about that for a moment.
Here is some trivia from Last Year’s Super Bowl:
Unsold Spots as of January 19 1
Total Game Time 60 Minutes
Total Commercial Time 30 Minutes
Las Vegas Point Spread AFC’s Baltimore Ravens +3
Super Bowls Won By AFC (Since 1985) 2
New York’s National Media Rank 1
Baltimore’s National Media Rank 24
New York’s Super Bowl Appearances 3
Guacomole Consumed on Super Bowl Sunday 8 Million Pounds
Chips Consumed on Super Bowl Sunday 14,500 Tons
Super Bowl Sunday’s Heavy Food Consumption Rank 2
Increase in Antacid Sales Monday After Super Bowl 20 Percent
Average Number of People at a Super Bowl Party 17
People Who Watch Super Bowl Alone 5 Percent
People Who Call in Sick Monday After Super Bowl 6 Percent
Super Bowls in Top 10 Most-Watched TV Programs 9
Super Bowl XXXIV’s Rank 5
Dot.Coms in Super Bowl XXXIV 17
Things to watch for at today’s Super Bowl:
Emit Smith’s talk about giving God the glory in his retirement speech. Will they play it at the Super Bowl?
The kneel down prayer at the end of the game at the fifty yard line with the Christian players. Will they show any of it on TV?
The point toward Heaven after a touchdown is made. Will it happen?
Who gets the glory in the athlete’s comments today themselves or God?
All these actions will be watched by the Lord in heaven and these are the most important plays of the game for God.
Is there such a thing as Christian football?
Humor Illustration: CHRISTIAN FOOTBALL!!
Quarterback Sneak - Church members quietly leaving during the invitation.
Draw Play - What many children do with the bulletin during worship.
Half-time - The period between Sunday school and worship when many choose to leave.
Benchwarmer - Those who do not sing, pray, work, or apparently do anything but sit.
Backfield-in-Motion - Making a trip to the back (restroom or water fountain) during the service.
Staying in the Pocket - What happens to a lot of money that should be given to the Lord’s work.
Two-minute Warning - The point at which you realize the sermon is almost over and begin to gather up your children and belongings.
Instant Replay - The preacher loses his notes and falls back on last week’s illustrations.
Sudden Death - What happens to the attention span of the congregation if the preacher goes "overtime."
Trap - You’re called on to pray and are asleep.
End Run - Getting out of church quick, without speaking to any guest or fellow member.
Flex Defense - The ability to allow absolutely nothing said during the sermon to affect your life.
Halfback Option - The decision of 50% of the congregation not to return for the evening service.
Blitz - The rush for the restaurants following the closing prayer.
(From Webpage Fortune City)
Scripture Texts for Today:
Luke 12:35-40:
35“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. 39But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
Ephesians 6:10-18: 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Hebrews 12:1-3:1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
2 Timothy 4: 7, 8: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Today’s Scripture verses teach us about the importance of priorities, preparation, prayer and perseverance in the Big Game of Eternal Life. The game that really matters!
T.S. - One Super Bowl player shares his view of what really matters in the Big Games of life. He says, “It’s all about priorities!”
I. How important is it to have priorities in this life?
a. How important is winning the big game of football verse the big game of life? Winning a Super Bowl helped Je’Rod Cherry DB and special teams player for the Patriots put his priorities in order. Article from: Fellowship of Christian Athletes - By B. Eric Stark
STV Correspondent
i. "Is that it?" Even as time expired and the most famous field goal in Super Bowl history sailed through the uprights, Je’Rod Cherry knew there must be more to life. All of his life, Cherry had tried to win a championship, any championship. Now, as a member of the New England Patriots, he had realized that goal in the most improbable of seasons, in one of the most exciting Super Bowls in history. But, even as he and his teammates were joyously celebrating their victory on the field, Cherry realized that he needed to reassess his priorities. “There I was,” Cherry says, “where I had always wanted to be, living the dream of every football player, and it was a great feeling! But I realized that even winning the Super Bowl does not completely fulfill you. I became completely aware that there is something bigger than football out there.” That lesson, like most things in his life, did not come easy for Cherry. Growing up near Oakland, in the impoverished section of Berkeley, Calif., the one constant in his life and the person to whom he owes his relationship with God, was his father’s aunt, Geraldine Cumby. He called her “Granny.” “She really gave me my first introduction to doing more than just going to church. She taught me how to pray,” he recalls fondly. Granny taught vacation Bible school in the summer. “We had to come home at noon every day or we would be in big trouble. We would be playing and look at a clock and realize, ‘Oh no! Time to go!’” Cherry took religion and prayer seriously, and Granny responded with encouragement and support. However, as he began to excel at sports and began to notice girls, God began to take a back seat. “Football became my god,” Cherry recalls. “That should never happen, because football is just a game that can be taken away. I don’t think anyone is going to be concerned about playing football in Heaven!” That is a mistake that he regrets today. “Football got me out of the ghetto, and paid for my college and everything I have today, but I need to give God more credit. I do not need football to be successful. Success should be measured by how I live my life and whether I am giving each day to God.” After a stellar college career at the University of California, Cherry was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 1996. Things did not go the way he planned in New Orleans, however, and his playing time was limited. “I beat myself up thinking too much. I would think, ‘I have to make the Pro Bowl,’ ‘I have to make the Hall of Fame,’ or ‘I have to make this play or my kid ain’t going to eat.’ My play was affected by my worrying about how good I needed to be.” Cherry did grow spiritually through those difficult times. “The bad experience I had in New Orleans was my fault because I had the wrong perspective on things. It would not have been that way if football had not been my god, rather than letting God be God. I can pretty much say that about all the mistakes I have made in my life.” After four years with the Saints, Cherry signed with the Raiders. Practically growing up in the shadow of the Oakland Coliseum, he was returning to his hometown and his future never had looked brighter. Working hard in the off-season, he received his Master’s degree in education, bought a house and planned on a long career close to his childhood home. However, he was cut by the Raiders before the season even started. Even though this was a devastating blow to his ego and Cherry was reduced to working out at a nearby high school track and playing catch with the author of this story, he still could not stop trying to control his own life. He would not allow God to be God. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2000 a few games into the season, had a productive year and expected to be with the team the following season. They did not call him back. This time, working out alone in Ohio, Cherry was facing an even more uncertain future. Training camps were starting and he had not been picked up. “This is something I don’t like to admit about my relationship with God,” Cherry says. “When things were bad, I was devout in prayer; but once things got good again I fell back into my old patterns.” Cherry feels this time his relationship with God has changed. “Before (the 2001) season I had a primitive religion,” Cherry confesses. “I would say, ‘Okay God, I need this or that and can you do this for me? If you do, then I will do this for you. I appreciate it. Thank you,’” Cherry admits. This time, however, Cherry recalled the teaching of Granny and began to start truly praying. Soon he was called by the Patriots, and Cherry realized that it was time to “let God be God” and let Him take control of his life. With God in charge, Cherry was able to stop worrying and start enjoying football again. This change in focus even helped him during the Super Bowl. “The week before the Super Bowl I was focused on communicating, focusing and serving God, rather than having God serve me. When God is all that really matters in my life, I get a renewed sense of strength and power. God allows me to recognize what is important and what is insignificant; but that can only be accomplished through prayer. Without prayer, I am just blowing in the wind.”
ii. Cherry learned through the lessons of life what really matters in his life. When he was able to win with his team the Patriots in Super Bowl 36 he said, “Is That It?”
1. Let me share what some may think might happen if you win the Super Bowl:
a. “We won the Super Bowl and the Heavens opened up and they sang praises of glory to us Superstar athletes and fans.”
b. “We are the Champions would start to be sung by the crowd and the entire city that one!”
c. “My life has reached its pinnacle moment and this is it! Nothing gets any better than this!”
d. For those whose team has won, “I am getting drunk and stoned tonight because my team won the Super Bowl!” Life does not get any better than this!
i. Then you wake up the next day and face reality!
2. Truth is winning a Super Bowl will not bring the pinnacle moment of life! It will not bring you personal fulfillment.
a. Learn from Cherry he said he found real life-real contentment-perfect peace and fulfillment in life because of his relationship with Jesus Christ not in winning a Super Bowl.
3. Notice he says, “Without prayer I’m just blowing wind!”
a. Are you just blowing wind?
iii. Cherry has gone on to experience the win of another Super Bowl and finds him self once again going to his 3rd Super Bowl this year.
1. But he still tells everyone that his greatest moment in life was when he discovered Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
2. Playing and even wining in the Super Bowl does not bring fulfillment in life. It only comes from having a personal relationship with Jesus. Cherry’s story teaches us that we must have the right priorities in this life.
3. He teaches us that fulfillment in life comes from making sure our priorities are in the right order. God first then family then your job.
a. When they are not in the right order life has no fulfillment and or peace.
4. Fulfillment in this life comes from prayer and communication between you and the Great Coach of all time – Jesus!
iv. Cherry models for us what plays God is looking for at the Super Bowl. Revelation 12:11a “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”
b. Here is the story of a well known NFL coach who knows how to prioritize his life:
i. Former Green Bay Packers’ [now Seattle Seahawks] head coach Mike Holmgren looks back at a heartbreaking moment, when he was cut from the New York Jets as backup quarterback to Joe Namath, that directed him to a bigger plan.
"I had committed my life to Jesus Christ when I was 11, but in my pursuit to make a name for myself in football, I left God next to my dust-covered Bible. But after getting cut from the Jets, I pulled out my Bible and found comfort in a verse I had memorized in Sunday school: ’Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths’ (Proverbs 3:5-6).
"I asked Jesus Christ to take control again. My priorities in life are faith, family, and football--in that order."
[Confidence in a Crisis, Citation: Men of Integrity, Vol. 1, no. 2.]
Contributed to Sermon Central by: A. Todd Coget
T.S. – We all need to learn to make sure we have our priorities in the right order so that when it’s time for us to play in the Big Game of life we are ready. So are you ready?
II. Are you prepared to play and pray in the Big Game of Eternal Life (Luke 12:35-40)
a. What really matters in this life is your preparedness.
i. I remember from Boy Scouts that we are to be prepared!
ii. So how well are you preparing for the Big Game of Eternal life?
b. The truth is we need to be training so that we can dress for the big game and not disappoint the Coach of Coaches.
i. This means practice and study.
1. We must learn the strategies of the Coach so we can win the game.
2. We must know our opponent so we can counteract his moves.
3. We must be able to recognize his tricks and deceptions in the big game.
4. We must train to be more spiritually fit than our opponent.
ii. NFL players know the importance of studying game film of their opponents so they can learn what to do and not do in the big game.
1. They also come up with game plans against their adversaries by working as a team.
iii. They also know the importance of listening to their coach and obeying their coach when they disagree.
1. Coach Tom Landry once said:
"The job of a football coach is to make men do what they don’t want to do, in order to achieve what they’ve always wanted to be."
Contributed to Sermon Central by: Joel Smith
2. Tom Landry also tells us this about Discipline, “ Most successful players not only accept rules and limitations, I believe they need them. In fact, I believe players are free to perform at their best only when they know what the expectations are, where the limits stand. I see this as a biblical principle that also applies to life, a principle our society as whole has forgotten: You can’t enjoy freedom without limits. We often resent rules because they limit what we can do. Yet without the rules that define a football game, you can’t play the game, let alone enjoy it. The same thing is true in life” (276).
c. We train and study because we want to play for the coach in the big game and not let Him down.
i. Luke 12:35, 36: “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.”
ii. So my question to you today is, “Do you have your uniform on? Or are you naked sitting on the bench?”
1. Are you suited up or are you sitting on the bench exposed and ashamed?
a. What would happen if a player came to the game without his uniform on?
i. He would get in big trouble if he was suppose to be dressed for the game.
ii. He would jeopardize the chance of his team winning because of his irresponsibility.
b. What would happen if the coach decided to put him in without his uniform on?
i. He would be seriously hurt!
ii. He would be knocked out and not be able to play.
iii. Then he would not be able to help the team win. Instead of being an asset he would become a liability.
2. Do you have your pads on or off today?
a. You better because when you play in the big game for eternal life the opposing team will try to stop you from getting a touch down.
b. They will tackle you and hit you hard.
c. They will be in opposition to you and they will seek to stop you from getting to the goal line.
d. They will hit you, slap you, push you, trip you, knock you down and try to gang tackle you.
3. Are your spikes on and ready to run?
a. Why? So you can run out on the field and catch the ball and run toward the goal and score for the team.
b. Why? So you can make big plays for The Coach of Coaches? And honor Him!
c. Do you think you can make a difference for the team if you are barefoot?
i. Trust me the opposing team players would stomp on your feet with their spikes and take you out of the game. Why? Because they want to win and they want you and your team to lose.
d. So you better have your uniform on for this big game – Ephesians 6:10-18: These verses tell us what our uniform looks like and tells us to make sure we are wearing it daily for the Coach and the team.
i. 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
1. We must put on the uniform provided for us by the owner of the team so we can protect ourselves in the big game.
2. We must put on the uniform and be ready to play in a moments notice. We must be ready to stand our ground and fight for the win.
a. We do this by first putting on the Belt of truth.
i. Truth is the only way we can stand against the onslaughts of the enemy.
ii. Truth is what holds our pants up so that we are not exposed in the big game.
1. We cannot be losing our pants in the big game.
2. Share about the clip you saw on America’s funniest home videos.
b. We also must have our breastplate of righteousness on.
i. This is having our selves in the right position with God. Like what Cherry talked about.
c. We must have our feet ready to move when the coach calls on us?
i. Are ready spiritually to play?
ii. Have you been doing you Holy Spirit wind sprints?
iii. Have you been training in His Word?
iv. Are you willing to be obedient to His leadership- listening and learning what you need to do to be ready?
v. Truth is you can only be ready if you have experienced the Gospel of Peace.
1. Some try to play in the big game without the peace and they get the butterflies and become so scarred they cannot play.
d. Do you have your defense ready to repel and stop the offense of the enemy? This is your shield of faith.
i. It is you defensive weapon against the enemy’s offensive attack.
ii. Faith is trusting in the Lord’s defensive plan to push back the enemy.
iii. It is your defensive weapon of stopping the enemy from gaining any yards on your watch.
iv. It all starts with faith and trust in the coach and His defensive game plan.
1. Are you willing to blitz when He tells you too! So you can sack the enemy quarterback! In other words when it’s time to go do you go?
2. Are you willing to stay back and protect from the pass (the flaming arrows) when you are told too? In other words – do you wait – and look and be patient yet you are ready to spring into action if it comes your way.
a. We must use the shield of faith to deflect the flaming arrows of the enemy!
3. Are you willing to attack the running back and tackle him at full - speed.
a. It may hurt when you hit him but it is necessary if you want to drive him back.
v. We must follow his defensive plan and trust Him because it will stop the enemy’s advance.
e. You must put your helmet of salvation on because this protects you mind and head and lets everyone know who you are playing for.
i. Those who are saved get a helmet with the owners and the team’s logo on it. Ours has a cross on it.
f. You must pick up the sword of the spirit the offense of God and run it at the opposing team.
i. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God and we must pick it up and attack the enemy.
ii. God gave us His Word to use and to run the offense against the opposition .
1. He may tell you at times to hand the ball to Josh for a draw play right up the middle and require others to block for him.
a. This will also require mountain moving prayers.
b. “Lord help us move this mountain!”
2. He may direct us to do quick outs to people like Glen to keep the enemy off balance.
a. This will require the quick prayers of life.
b. Lord – Help Now!
iii. He could call a Hail Mary bomb.
1. It’s a long shot but God loves these types of exciting last minute answers to prayer.
iv. He could call a screen play that requires the skill of letting the enemy through to the quarter back so he can drop the ball behind them and run with blockers out in front.
1. This requires timing skills in prayer and teamwork prayers.
2. We need to be in tune with the Lord when it’s time to hold them of fold them.
g. We not only need to prepare we need to pray during our time of play. Preparation and prayer are essential twins in the training for the big game. You need both!
i. Pray is the key to getting the victory so never forget to talk to the coach for help and insight into how to defeat the enemy even while you are playing in the big game.
ii. We need to do this all as a team and be men and women of Christian character who know the importance of the Holy Huddle.
1. In football they have a huddle, the goal of the huddle is to give you thirty seconds to call the play, that is why they give you a huddle.(At a professional football game there may be ) Sixty thousand people watching you huddle, they don’t mind you taking thirty seconds to call the play. They understand that you have to get organized, you have to know where you are going to go, the ends need to know where they are going to go, the quarterback needs to know where he is going to go, the backs need to know where they are going to go. A huddle is a necessary part of playing the game. But let me inform you if you do not already know, sixty thousand people do not pay $20 a ticket to watch you huddle. See, people don’t come to football games to watch the huddle. They want to see if their team can overcome the opposition who is daring them to snap the ball and move down the field to score. What they want to know is does your practice work? Now what Christians often do is get high on their huddles. We gather together on Sunday morning and Sunday nights and Wednesday nights and we go nuts over the huddle! We say, “Boy did we have a huddle!! My quarterback can call plays better than your quarterback. And boy do we go off on the huddle. But what people don’t seem to understand is, that the huddle is so that we can play the game. The effectiveness of your church cannot be measured by how well you do on Sunday morning. … The test of the church is what it does in the marketplace. What we need today is churches that are representative of Jesus Christ not only when gathered but when disseminated.” (Dr. Tony Evans. “The Power of God’s People.” (Sermon, 1987 – Church Growth Conference, Prestonwood Baptist Church, Dallas, TX)
Contributed to Sermon central by: John Hamby
T. S. – Not only do we need to prepare but we also need to pray and then persevere as we play in the Big Game of Eternal Life.
III. How important is perseverance in the Big Game of eternal life?
a. Hebrews 12:1-3:1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
i. The key in perseverance has to do with understanding who we are to focus on. We are to fix our eyes on the Coach of Coaches Jesus.
1. He was and is the MVP of the Big Game of Life.
2. We need to model his type of play and learn how he defeated the enemy.
3. He endured his mission and came out victorious for all of us. So we ourselves need to see that we need to be determined to never lose heart and quit but to press on.
b. 2 Timothy 4: 7, 8: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
i. We must fight to the end!
ii. We have to finish the game and we should never walk off the field when time is left on the clock.
iii. The truth is there is a Super Bowl Crown of life waiting for those who press on to the end
c. We also need to understand that character counts in the Big Game and character is developed through perseverance and pushing through to the end.
i. Randy Moss has recently been attacked because of his lack of character on the field.
1. Character is the defined by Webster as a pattern of behavior which models moral strength, self-discipline and fortitude.
2. Hebrews 5:1-5: 1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
3. Character is defined as “God expressing himself through man”, in other words, it is letting God have His way with you. Phillip Vollmer.
Conclusion:
To win the big game of eternal life we will need to have right priorities, preparation, prayer and perseverance.
We must be ready to play for the coach of coaches in the big game of life! So we have to have our uniform on at all times. We must be ready to go in at a moments notice to play in a life or death situation? We could be the one who receives an immaculate reception and scores the winning touchdown for the Kingdom of God.
