FOOTBALL TEAM AND THE CHURCH
WHO’S TEAM ARE YOU ON?
TEXT: LUKE 11:14-23 TEXT VS.23
INTRODUCTION: God has a plan, He has a purpose for doing things and he gives us instructions on how to do them, they are found in His Word.
God wants us to be together, on the same page, in one accord.
Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
UNANIMOUSLY! One mind. Or as I’m comparing it to this morning, a well disciplined football team.
Jesus made many comparisons in the Bible.
The Kingdom is like a mustard seed; Matthew 13:31
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
A treasure; Matthew 13:44
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
A merchant; Matthew 13:45
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
A net; Matthew 13:47
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
Compared to children; Matthew 18:2-5
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, [3] And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. [4] Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. [5] And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
Marriage; Matthew 22:1-3
And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, [2] The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, [3] And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
Jesus took what the people could relate to and made His comparisons.
Well, this morning, I want to make a comparison using something that everyone can understand, especially today. The Church and a football team.
I. A FOOTBALL TEAM HAS AN OWNER
He is the one in charge.
1. He makes the rules because he owns the team.
2. He selects the head coach and assistant coaches.
3. He gives them instructions on what he wants the team to accomplish.
4. He supplies the means to accomplish the goals.
5. He expects all coaches and players to give 100% effort.
6. He wants to have a winning team.
A. THE CHURCH HAS AN OWNER ALSO: JESUS CHRIST
He told Peter in;
Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Peter is not the rock Peter’s name means a small stone. When Jesus said this to Peter He was talking about Himself being the Rock.
The church is made up of born again believers. Jesus is our owner.
1 Cor 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1 Cor 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1. He Makes The Rules
The wisest man that ever walked this earth, a man who tried it all, whose name was Solomon had this to say;
Eccl 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
What a powerful verse of Scripture! This is the will of God for every believer’s life in one verse.
We are to obey His rules.
Sometimes we get it backwards, we want to make the rules. “Well God, you know, I just don’t like what you have to say about this.” So What! When you can speak a universe into existence then you can make the rules.
Those who are lost also have this problem. “I just don’t agree with what you say I need to do to get to heaven.” Guess what? He created the way and He created you. You come His way, not yours.
2. He Selects The Pastor & Associate Pastors
Gal 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
God chooses the men that will be the undershepherds of His church.
John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
2 Tim 1:11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
Too many men are mama called and papa sent. Too many men are in it for the money. There are so many charlatans. They were never called by God, they were never selected by Him.
3. He Gives The Pastor Directions On What To Do
1 Cor 7:17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
1 Cor 7:20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
I remember hearing Jimmy Franks of Hope For The World, tell how he felt God wanted them to take the money that his church had been saving for their building fund and give it to a church in South America so they could build their first church.
He went to the deacons in humility and told them what the Lord was laying on his heart. They said, “You are the pastor, if that’s what God is telling you we will back you. They gave it and God gave them back more then they gave.
He is not to be a dictator. He is to humbly listen to the Lord and go to the people with what is laid on his heart.
4. Supplies The Means To Meet His Goals
Phil 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
5. He Expects Us All To Give 100%
The field goal kicker is only on the field a few times a game, yet he is sometimes the reason the team wins and also loses. He has to give 100% in his job because it is important.
We all have jobs to do for the Kingdom. We are to labor together in this church to accomplish the goals Jesus has set for us. And it’s takes everyone giving 100%
1 Cor 3:9 For we are labourers together with God:
1 Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
ALWAYS!
6. He Wants A Winning Team
We are on the winning team! I read the back of the book and we win!
Rev. 19:11-21
Satan has already been defeated so why do we let him win so many battles? Why do we let him have so many victories?
Christians can have such a defeatest attitude. A football team that thinks it is going to lose, will. If you think you are going to be defeated, you will be.
Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
We are on the winning team. We need to act like it.
II. THE PLAY-BOOK
This is where the strategies for the game are written down. There are offence and defensive plays. Games are won or lost based on the player’s abilities to carry out the game plan.
It has instructions for the players. What their job is and how to do it.
It has the dos and don’ts.
The heart and soul of what the team needs to do to accomplish the objectives of the game are written in that book.
And that book must be studied in order to win.
A. We Also Have A Play-Book
Written in it are the strategies for life.
There are also offensive and defensive plays.
Battles are won or lost based on our abilities to carry out the plan God has for us.
It contains the dos and don’ts.
And the heart and soul of what God wants us to accomplish is found in this book.
And it must be studied.
Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
2 Tim 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
III. WE ARE ON THE SAME TEAM; TEAMMATES
Football players help each other to do their job. They double team, cover for each other.
They get along with each other. If there is discord between players or coaches there will be trouble on the playing field. They will not be a winning team.
Don’t talk bad about other players or coaches.
These things can be detrimental to a team.
A. The Same Is True Of Us As A Church
1. Help Each Other When In Need
1 John 3:17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
2. Get Along With Each Other; No Strife
1 Cor 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Where did forgiveness go? Why don’t we forgive? Is it because we think that we are perfect and never do anything wrong to anybody else?
Do we think our kids are perfect and not capable of doing bad or lying? I have never understood a parent that believes their kids can do no wrong.
Kids have the same sinful nature that we all have. They will be stingy with their toys, they will hit another kid for no reason, and yes, they will even lie.
No one is perfect, we need to forgive and we need to be forgiving.
Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
3. Talk Bad About Others
James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
James 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
James 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
James 3:9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
James 3:10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
This is the kind of church I want us to be. Forgiving. I am going to make mistakes. I might do something that will make you upset at me. Forgive me when I do. I plan on forgiving you when you do something.
Not a gossiping church.
IV. THERE ARE DIFFERENT POSITIONS ON A FOOTBALL TEAM
Not everyone can be the quarterback.
Not everyone can be a running back.
Not everyone can be the middle linebacker.
Those are the glory positions.
The team needs players in all positions. It needs offensive linemen. Defensive linemen. Special team players.
Every position is vital to the team if it is going to win.
Without an offensive line the defense would smother and kill the quarterback.
Without a defensive line the QB & RB would gain yards at will.
A. We To Have Different Positions, Responsibilities In The Church
Look at I Cor. 12:12-27
V. THE HUDDLE
This is where the play is called. Now people don’t pay $50, $100, $200 to see a huddle.
They want to see what was called in the huddle played out on the field. They want to see if the play that was called in the huddle will work.
A. The Church Is Like A Huddle
This is where we come to get the plays of life called. The preacher (QB) calls the plays from the play-book (Bible) And they are to be studied and lived out in every day life.
Now what if some of the players said, “I don’t like that play. I don’t like that call. I am not going to participate.”? I would be detrimental to the church.
God expects all of us to follow the play-book. The world is looking at us to see if what is called in the huddle (church) will work in the plays of life.
We owe it to them to show them it will. We need to execute the plays and score touchdowns in life.
VI. THERE IS AN OPPONENT
Opponents try to keep you from gaining yardage, scoring touchdowns, and winning games.
They are out to defeat the other team.
A. We Have An Opponent Also; The Devil
2 Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2 Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped;
1 Pet 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Sometimes a team can think that it will beat a team easily. They might be playing the worst team in the league and become apathetic. Watch out when that happens, because many times the weaker team will pull out an upset.
That’s what Peter is saying. Be sober, be vigilant, stay awake and don’t become apathetic.
VII. FOOTBALL PLAYERS WEAR EQUIPMENT
Equipment protects the players from serious injury. The helmet protects the head. If you have watched any football at all you know that this is probably the most important piece of equipment the player has.
You have shoulder pads, chest protectors, spikes, tape, ect.
My second cousin Paul Massey was paralyzed playing football without his equipment on.
The equipment is important.
A. We Too Have Our Equipment
Look at Eph. 6:11-17
CONCLUSION: Just as a football team needs to do all these things that I have mentioned to be successful, so do we as a church.
We are what is known as an expansion team, (our church has been in existence for almost four years) we are new in the league. Many expansion teams have had great success very quickly. Jacksonville in football. Panthers in hockey. Colorado in Baseball. This is because they had an owner who was committed to winning.
With our owner, we should have no trouble building a winning team right here. He will give us everything it takes to be successful. All He expects us to do is execute.
Let’s continue to strive to be a better team week after week until we get to the ultimate Superbowl in the sky.
