Sermon Central
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Get In The Game Series
Contributed by Steven Buhr on Jan 19, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: poeple have different feelings about sports, they either love, hate, don't care, or don't know anything about them. The same can apply to sharing our faith. We need to get in the game, and learn how to be more effective in sahring the Good News.
Get in the game Jan. 9, 2011
• Do you like sports? Are you a sports fanatic? Are you involved in sports?
• Playoff time in NFL – Seattle pulls off great upset against last year’s champion NO Saints. The Jets actually win a game that counts and move on…
• Hockey – great time to be a Canucks fan - # 1 in the league, best power play, best point stretch…fun time to watch the games
• Then there’s NBA, FIFA, NASCAR, MBA, rowing, diving, horse racing, and of course the world rock/paper/scissors association. And my favourite sport…fishing!
• All are fun to watch, but can you see yourself PLAYING these sports, actually being on the field, driving the car, catching the big fish?
• People feel and act differently towards sports.
o Play sports
love to get out and do it
may play one or several different types
are actively involved, and want to be better at what they do
o Watch sports/cheer
have a lot of knowledge about it…but tend to stay on the couch or sidelines
have a strong opinion of what’s right and wrong about a game
will tend to find ways not to actually get out and play
o Dislike sports
Seldom or don’t ever play
Think it’s a waste of time
See those who play or like sports as wasters of life
o Don’t know anything about sports
Have never actually played or even watched a type of sport
Have never really thought if it would be beneficial in any way
Have no real opinion on those who do enjoy sports
• I wonder if God is a sports fan? I wonder if there’s hockey in heaven? Is there a freshwater lake teeming with trophy trout in eternity…is the glassy sea open for fishing?
• I wondered this week about a connection between the love of sports, or any pastime for that matter (could be just about anything from knitting, needlepoint, or collecting stamps) and the purpose of the church and being a Christ-follower?
• So first, I thought of ‘what is the purpose of the church’ and maybe more specifically, what is our purpose as Christians?
• Evangelism – telling people about Jesus Christ. Mathew 28:19 – the Great Commission. Jesus gives us the COMMAND to GO, to MAKE disciples, to BAPTIZE, and to TEACH.
• Within the church, there are those who
o Love to share their faith
love to get out and do it
may play one or several different types
are actively involved, and want to be better at what they do
o Are content to watch and pray for others to do so
have a lot of knowledge about it…but tend to keep their faith to themselves
have a strong opinion of what’s right and wrong about how the church should present itself
will tend to find ways not to be in a situation of talking about Jesus.
o Won’t share their faith
Seldom or have never shared – fear, not their calling, someone else’s job
