Can't Stop! Won't Stop!
Why We Can't Stop (Settle) • Sermon • Submitted
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· 113 viewsWe can never settle because of who we are and Who's we are. Go as hard as we can, as long as we can, as smart as we can.
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“Why We Can’t Stop”
“Why We Can’t Stop”
Life is a struggle, brothers. We spoke last week about how now matter the outcome of the day, the test, the play, the game, etc., we must have the attitude of “so what, now what...” We discussed how we were able to to that with proper perspective - “all things work together for the good, to those that love God; to those called according to His purpose.” Coach Kiffin highlighted that last night in reviewing how we wouldn’t have performed last week, if not for the earlier mishaps. Often times, however, there’s a failure to transfer conceptual Biblical truths to practical day-to-day application.
Even if in the midst of the storm, that verse, that understanding, that truth is the very thing I can hold on to in order to traverse this season, what happens when everything is going well? What serves as the impetus to continue the grind? To continue pressing forward?
See, this isn’t just about us, and how winning can lead to complacency only for us. The Bible is full of stories on folks getting too comfortable with their situation. There’s a reason it took 435 years for the Israelites to reach the Promised Land. There’s a reason an eleven day journey took 40 years. Bouts of complacency led them to forget where they came from, and more importantly, Who delivered them. That same complacency allowed them to decide not to go into a land promised to them for fear of the work that would be required (we discussed that before). One could say that same condition befell David - after all, going from a little farmer boy to king (by doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord) quite possibly allowed him to think he was above doing things the right way. Thus Bathsheba - we’ll save that talk for another day.
The point is, it’s easy to forget how/why success comes. How do we ward ourselves from this happening to us? Perspective. Purpose. Planning.
Perspective:
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
This book of Ephesians, where our main text comes from, was written by Paul to the churches around Ephesus (a city in modern day Turkey) really to display the scope of God’s eternal plan for all humanity - Jews and Gentiles alike. It’s a plan of redemption and salvation for all those who believe in Jesus Christ.
I. Who’s We Are ()
I. Who’s We Are ()
We were dead because of our sins
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Paul begins speaking about the condition the people of Ephesus were in. In verse 3, he admits he too was in that same condition
God’s love for us gave us new life
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians
There was a hell the we were rightfully heading to. It’s only because of his love, mercy, and grace, that our eternal destination has a different address.
So, in getting to the point of perspective. Why can’t we stop? Why can we not settle?
We’re His workmanship (masterpiece)
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
He’s designed us to show us off! It’s tough to shine if we’re only giving the same effort as those we compete against. He gave you life, and life eternally. It’s the least we can do. We must shine for Him in all that we do. And God, being the great I Am (meaning His truths and essence are always the same), is consistent in the type of effort we’re to give.
II. Why We Can’t Settle
II. Why We Can’t Settle
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Here’s an OT reference so you don’t think this is only NT philosophy...
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
God told us not to settle more mediocrity
To play a game where we continue to strive for perfection in every phase of the game is what we’re called to do. It’s not a suggestion. If you’re truly a believer, that means you’ve accepted Jesus into your life. That means we’re filled with His spirit, and there’s no way we can’t be changed because of it. It also means we’re diligently working to do what we know pleases Him - as a thank you for saving our lives. That change within should manifest on the outside in the way we play, study, interact socially, lead, coach, mentor. We give it everything because it’s demanded, and because we know it allows Him to show us off as His masterpiece.
It also allows us to glorify Him.
All that we do should be in the name of Jesus – for God’s glory
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
There is a reward at the end, for those that give it their all
rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.
III. How to Finish Our Race
III. How to Finish Our Race
Finally:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
The great cloud of witnesses Paul was referencing were the iconic OT figures of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the Israelites who crossed the Red Sea, those who took down the walls of Jericho after marching, Rahab the prostitute, and so many more.
Some of these faith champions never even saw the things they pushed forward for, but acted on faith nevertheless.
You, too, have a cloud of witnesses; men who paved the way for FAU to be what and where it is today: Trevon Coley, Adarius Glanton, Trey Hendrickson, Rob Housler, Lestar Jean, Randell Johnson, Cre’von LeBlanc, Michael Lockley, Alfred Morris, Sharrod Neasman, Ed Newman, Keith Reaser, Lucky Whitehead, Schnellenberger, Pelini, Partridge, Corey Davis, etc.
God placed each of them here before you to have you here at this time. I remember when this place had no team. Heck, I remember when there was a team that only practiced for a couple years. You guys fly chartered flights, stay at Double Tree hotels, have Adidas sponsored gear, alternate jerseys and helmets.
They paved the way for this football program, and the great cloud of witnesses showed us how to live and act on faith. We can’t stop. We won’t stop, because we believe that what God says is true. That we are His masterpiece, and there’s a reward for those that give it their all.
Get rid of things that’ll slow us down (complacency – 1 conference win doesn’t make a champion!).
Get rid of fear, timidity, outside noise - good and bad, disappointment in previous playing time, whatever! We’re here today. We’ve been given this day, this game, these plays (however many we have) to go out there and live and play for our God, who gave us His son Jesus, “the founder and perfecter of our faith,” who not just died on, but endured the cross and all the shame that came with it. He didn’t have to - I wouldn’t have. But He did. And because His offer was acceptable to God, we now have direct access to the Father. If He did all this for us, the least we could do is go all in for Him.
This is why we can’t stop! This is why won’t settle!
Run this race with endurance (play as hard as you can, for as long as you can, as smart as you can).
To God be the Glory!!!!!