More of you Lord in 2002
Thesis: In 2002 we need to actively dispense more of God’s love, God’s grace, and God’s forgiveness to others in the Body of Christ and outside the Body of Christ. Because the more of Him we allow to flow the more power we experience.
Introduction:
I believe this next year will hold some life challenging issues for the USA and the church of Jesus Christ. I firmly believe the church needs to become more Christ like in character if it desires to make the maximum impact on the world. My heart’s cry for New Life over the next year “Is more of God’s grace, love.”
I would like to see New Life Community Church become more like Jesus. The first character trait I ever noticed about Jesus was how he had grace on people. I would like to have New Life become known as a church that dispenses grace. A graceful church is one that loves the outsider and the insider. This leads us to the 2nd quality I would like us to focus on becoming more ready to give offerings to the Lord. Jesus exhorted us to also love one another the 3rd quality we need to develop. Love is who God is and should be a primary character trait of his church. The 4th character trait I would like our church to hone better is the willingness to forgive one another. But we also need to forgive the world.
The 4 character traits we are going to focus on honing and developing better this year spell GOLF. I believe for these traits to become more prominent we need to learn to play GOLF. Not only learn how to play GOLF but actually get out there and play. We need the discipline and the exercise that will come from participating in the tournament for life. I encourage New Life Community Church to take a New Years resolution that we all play more GOLF.
G-Grace
O-Offering
L-Love
F-Forgiveness
To begin the act of Golf we have to learn a few basic instructions about how we should play. In other words we need to have the essential ingredients necessary to win at GOLF? To be a winner in Golf you must start with the right mindset or attitude. This is an essential skill to develop even before you pick up a golf club.
T.S.-Lets explore what type of attitude and mindset is necessary to win at this game of GOLF.
I. Grace is the cornerstone and the starting point to playing Golf God’s way.
a. Grace is the Jesus mindset and attitude you need to have to play golf and win in the spiritual realm.
i. It is a psychological and spiritual mind set that will help you to achieve your goal of winning the game and eventually getting the golf ball into the hole on the green.
1. The golf ball is the primary object that we hit and lets imagine that the golf ball represents your life and the hole on the green represents Heaven.
2. Your task is to get into Heaven-How will you achieve this goal? It first starts with the mindset of grace. An attitude of grace.
ii. It’s imperative in our Christian walk that we understand the importance of having a mindset and a focus on grace. We need to see the field of grace.
1. I Timothy 1:2,12-14
2 To Timothy my true son in the faith:
12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
2. II Timothy 1:2, 8-10
2To Timothy, my dear son:
8So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
a. In these two passages of Scripture the Apostle Paul speaks about grace with great passion and focus. But if you have ever read through the New Testament writings of Paul you see a common theme in his writings to the church and us. He always opens his books talking about God’s grace to you. He always started talking about grace-he focused on grace and he always finished his books referring back to grace.
3. Paul the apostle wanted us to know grace, live grace, experience grace, breath grace, show grace, act grace, and focus on grace.
a. You could say that Paul was obsessed with grace. Have you ever met a person who is obsessed with something?
i. My wife told me this week that I was obsessed looking for my missing cell phone.
ii. I searched everywhere relentlessly and tirelessly but it was gone. I talked about it. Dreamed about it. Wondered about it. Prayed for it to be revealed.
iii. Yes, I was obsessed with the case of the missing cell phone.
iv. I have met many people who are obsessed with golf –golf is their life and focus. They live to golf.
1. There meaning in life is Golf.
2. There dreams center around golf.
3. There house is decorated in Golf stuff.
v. An obsessed person is also like some Green Bay Packer fans.
1. Every waking moment is spent talking about them.
2. Their color scheme in the house and on the house reflects their obsession.
b. Well Paul was obsessed with grace in the same way but it was a good thing.
i. Another way to explain Paul’s focus on grace was he was addicted to grace and because it gave him such a great high he pushed grace to others.
c. Paul was addicted to grace because he had been on the receiving end of grace. Paul knew what the action of grace looked liked and felt like. Why do you think he focused on it so much?
i. See I Cor. 15:9-11
9For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
ii. Swindoll states, “Grace made him what he was. Grace gave him courage to be who he was. Grace energized him to accomplish what he did. By realizing that he did not deserve and could never earn the privileges given him…”(206).
iii. Before we become too obsessed in our discussion about grace lets define this term for those who may not understand what this word means.
1. Swindoll defines grace best when he states, “To show grace is to extend favor or kindness to one who does not deserve it and can never earn it.”
2. Barnhouse’s view of grace is, “Love that goes upward is worship; love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace.”
3. Grace is commonly defined by many as condescending favor from one person to another .
4. Philip Yancey defines grace this way, “Grace makes its appearance in so many forms that I have trouble defining it. I am ready, though, to attempt something like a definition of grace in relation to God. Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more-no amount of spiritual calisthenics and renunciations, no amount of knowledge gained from seminaries and divinity schools, no amount of crusading on behalf of righteous causes. And grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less-no amount of racism or pride or pornography or adultery or even murder. Grace means that God already loves us as much as an infinite God can possible love” (70).
5. GRACE has been defined this way also:
a. G = God’s
b. R = Riches
c. A = At
d. C = Christ’s
e. E = Expense
6. I want you to understand that grace is a mindset – an attitude that goes beyond talk and moves into a point of action in our lives.
iv. In the real game of golf your attitude and mindset will make all the difference in the world if you win or lose.
v. You need to have focus on the game and the ball. You have to have the ability to tune out the things that could ruin your game of golf-there are many distractions in golf and the one who masters them is usually the one who wins. So lets learn how to play GOLF from a video clip.
T.S. – The Legend of Bagger Vance video clip. We will learn a few lessons on ho to play golf naturally and then apply the same principles to us spiritually.
II. Lessons learned from The Legend of Bagger Vance and the teachings of Jesus and His word.
a. To play golf in the natural realm we need to learn a few lessons and the first one is focus on the field.
i. To be a better golf player Bagger said you have to focus on the field.
1. You have to see the field. The golfer responded with what he saw in the field he saw the obstacles, the hard shots, the distance and the amount of strokes he was behind in the tournament.
a. When your focus is on the obstacles then the pressure mounts on your mindset and it makes it harder to hit the ball correctly.
b. Mindset has to be right to hit the ball long and straight. If you mind is side tracked you most likely will duff your shot.
b. To play golf for the Lord in the spiritual realm we also have to focus on the field of grace.
i. To be a better golf player in the game of life we need to understand that our focal point is to be on God’s grace.
1. John 3:16 –18
16“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. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
2. John 1:15-17
15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” 16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
3. Jesus taught us much about the field of grace. But Jesus never used the word itself. He in reality birthed the word by the way he role-modeled it and lived his life.
4. The field we need to focus on is grace and Jesus personified grace in the flesh.
a. Remember grace means unmerited love and favour of God toward mankind even though they did not earn it or deserve it.
b. Do you live with a focus on the field of Grace?
5. Reference back to1 Tim and 2 Tim texts.
a. Paul did and it changed his life and his perspective.
6. Friends “How do you view the field?” Seriously how do you look at the game of life?
a. Do you see God’s grace and peace as you look at the field?
b. Or do you see the obstacles, the sand pits, the distance to the goal, the trees blocking your view, the water traps, the flag marking the goal as a dragon?
c. Do you view your life by how many strokes you are behind? An attitude of I can’t win-I cannot reach the goal.
d. Do you feel that God is out there lurking to snatch away your life when you land in an obstacle on the golf course to life?
e. Do you view God as a dragon to overthrow so you can win?
f. Do you view God way out there in the distance who is unreachable and unattainable?
g. How do you view the field?
i. Remember how you view the field determines whether you will be successful or not!
ii. Swindoll asks us the question: “Now that Christ has come into our lives and ripped that heavy pack of sin off our backs, are we now full of grace? Having been graceless for so many years, are we ”grace conscious’” are we” grace aware,” are we experiencing a “grace awakening,” are we truly becoming “grace-full”? Models of grace…”(202).
iii. I add are we seeing the field through the eyes of grace?
c. To play better golf in the natural we also have to learn to practice our swing as if we are in search for something – in reality we are searching for the perfect swing.
i. Bagger Vance informed us that you need to take a practice swing and search for that one shot that is in perfect harmony with the field.
1. He added, “You have to find that one authentic shot.”
a. You need to be yourself in the field and find your shot.
b. What’s your authentic shot look like in your life?
c. Have you taken it-hit it?
2. He also noted, “The shot is going to choose him…There’s a perfect shot out there for each and everyone of us but we have to get ourselves out of its way.”
a. The biggest hinderance to hitting the perfect shot is not the others around us, not the obstacles out there in the field of play but ourselves.
b. Professional golfers know this is the one that needs to be removed if they are going to play with excellence. If there going to win in the game of GOLF.
d. Jesus also informed us when we are playing in the tournament of life that we need to find our perfect shots and keep ourselves out of the way.
i. The way we find the perfect shot hinges on our willingness to get ourselves out of the way.
1. This occurs through the practice swings of life and learning where our perfect shot comes from.
a. Our source for the perfect swing comes from Jesus
2. Listen to Jesus’ words of wisdom on finding the perfect shot.
a. Jn 11:25,26
25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
b. I Thess 5:10
He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
3. Paul also spoke about this act of getting ourselves out of the way so we can find the perfect shot that is in harmony with the field.
a. I Cor. 15:31
31I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord.
b. Col 3:1-5
1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your£ life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
4. The Bible informs us over and over that if we want to hit the perfect shot the first thing that must happen is we have to get ourselves out of the way.
e. Bagger Vance also informed us that to reach and find that perfect shot –that place where the perfect shot comes from you have to seek it with your soul-your heart! From within not from without!
i. Championship golfers play from the heart from the inside. They don’t play for the outsiders but from the inside.
f. God’s word tells us to seek Him with our whole being to find that place where the perfect shots in life come from.
i. He tells us to seek Him:
1. Matthew 22:37,38
37Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’£ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
2. Hebrews 12:2
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.
3. Psalms 119:9 –11
9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
hat I might not sin against you.
4. Matthew 6:33,34
33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
g. Bagger also informed us that we need to seek the field with our hands and don’t think about it-it will only mess up your swing.
i. You have to feel it to swing right.
ii. If your golfer you know what he means –when you swing you know if the feel is right.
h. The Word tells us the same principle for spiritual golf.
i. You have to feel the field of grace.
ii. You can not think about it rationalize or analyze it you just embrace it and when you do you find the place where the perfect swing comes from and when you swing you feel it-you feel him.
iii. When you do things for the Lord you will feel him in your hands and in your life.
i. Bagger also informed his student that he could not take him to his goal.
i. He stated, “I cannot take you there I can only help you find the way.”
ii. He knew he could not swing for him but he could help him find the way.
iii. I can relate because all I can do as a preacher of the Gospel is give you the directions on how to play golf in this tournament of life. But I cannot take you there.
j. Jesus is the one though that can take us to the goal – the hole on the green that leads to Heaven and eternal life. I cannot take you there but he can!
i. John 14:6
6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Conclusion: All that you are is represented in the goal-that flag marking Heaven-play to get there and play to win. But learn the lessons well of how to win.
*We have to have the right mindset
*Focus on the field of Grace
*Search for the perfect swing and understand that to find it we have to get ourselves out of the way.
*To reach the goal of the flag with the hole you have to seek it with your whole heart, mind and soul and that place where the perfect shot comes from.
*We need to not think about our shot by trying to analyze it we need to feel it as we swing in the tournament of life.
*The last thing to do to play golf for the Lord is we need to understand that no one can take us there but the Lord himself.
