The Games We Play
John 19: 16-30 Rev. Ronald. B. Hughes
INTRODUCTION
Entertainment!
* We spend more each year on recreation than education, construction of new
homes or national defense*
Wonderland, Marine Land, Disney Land, Newfoundland ..
African Lion, Mini-golf, Trailers, monopoly, Risk, Nintindo..,
Jays, Leafs, Petes, Raptors, Norwood Hornets ..,
We (I) love games, but there is a time and a place.
When it interferes with responsibility, something’s wrong.
When it interferes with relationship to God, something’s wrong.
Vs. 23,24 ., show us a unique group of people
SCENE: beaten, bleeding, mocked .., only thing left is the clothes on His body.
Soldiers gambled, they played games at the foot of the cross.
1. They Took Their Eyes Off Jesus & Put Them on Other Things.
- easy to do.
- all there for the crucifixion - yet somehow they took their eyes off the central figure
and played amongst themselves.
Heb. 12:2,3 ... fixing our eyes on Jesus ... consider Him ...
Peter in the storm .., took his eyes of Jesus .., played a deadly game & started to sink !
Is your attention easily swayed from the central figure of your Christianity?
What does it cause you to do? ,........
2. They Pursued The Trivial in The Face of The Work of Christ.
- games, lots, things
- The garments of Christ were so insignificant compared to His work on the cross.
* We have to live our lives in the light of eternity.
* The things of this world are trivial compared to the things of eternity.
Prayer is so much more important than TV. (Please someone say Amen!)
We pursue the trivial with our lives & blessings.
- A bigger house is trivial compared to the money for missions so that someone can eat &
hear the Gospel for the first time!!
C.S.Lewis : " Do not let your happiness depend on something (someone) you may lose ., only upon the Beloved who will never pass away."
Are you preparing for eternity or summer holidays?
Related ........
3. They Had Selfish Pursuits in The Face of The Work of Christ.
- It wasn’t that Jesus needed those clothes BUT that the soldiers wanted them!
Attitude: What’s yours is mine & I will take it!
There are many that need clothes!
* Skip the designer clothes & extra twinkies! (By-Way bananza)
- get something to wear - 3 squares & give to those who need it!
Let this mind be in you that was in Jesus .., Humbled Himself!
* Selfishness has no place in the work of Christ!
To follow .., humble themselves .., take up your cross ... follow me !!
- YOU DON’T NEED DESIGNER CLOTHES & MANSION FOR THAT!
It’s too late an hour for selfish pursuits in the Church of Christ!
4. They Took From Jesus & Made it Their Own, Then Played Games With It.
- They missed the responsibility.
- Virtue had flowed from those garments.
- We accept Jesus’ forgiveness & promises yet in the hour of worship we play games.
It wasn’t so much the games they played, it was where.
Jesus said: If any needs your garments, give them, even give the more!
Salvation, the greatest gift. In many cases taken for granted.
Those forgiven much, love much.
*Let’s not "church" ourselves to death!
5. They Missed The Significance of Jesus’ Death Because of Games.
- blood stained garments. They had seen that before.
- Sacrifice meant little. It was common for the soldiers.
* Do you ever find we non-chalently wander into a communion service?
Oh! It’s communion time again.
6. By Playing Games They Ignored Jesus.
- As Jesus looked at them, they missed Him.
- They were the closest of all people, able to touch Him .., Yet they took what they wanted & ignored Him.
- Friends & things had their attention. Is that us tonight?
- Jesus avail when ever we want to talk, share, commune .., Yet we ignore the
opportunity.
Finally.......................
7. It Was Now a Habit For Them.
- It was common to share the garments of the crucified ones.
- now one of the expected purks of the soldiers job.
We can make a habit of spending time with Jesus or not.
We can make a habit of entering into worship of Jesus or not.
We can make a habit of attending church or not.
We can make sinning a habit.
Habits can take you away from the significance of the death of Jesus.
CONCLUSION
There is a key factor here that we don’t want to miss ..,
Jesus didn’t speak to this group
They yelled "God, get our attention!"
Matt.12:38-41 ..., Jesus, show us a sign ....... Only the sign of Jonah!
Mark 15:32 ...come down from the cross, we see, we will believe!
Guards: Loud, rambunctious, laughing , yelling, mine, mine ,mine ......
Jesus: Broken, whipped, stripped, bleeding, nailed, weak .....
* Not about to shout above the noise .., above the games ..,
Important to se the other group tonight: John 19:25-27
Another Group: watching, mourning, waiting, listening, ...... any word, call , command or request ....... Jesus , Anything ... Anything at all ...
When Jesus spoke, they didn’t miss it. They weren’t distracted. Heart after God is difficult to distract. ...., for any circumstance .....
WHICH GROUP ARE YOU? ...Distracted, bored, habits, lost significance? ...toy with sacred? ....... or are you listening, waiting, still small voice, .....Jesus .....Anything....
