Get in the Game
Intro:
It’s coming…Feb 3rd, 2008
6 days, 5 hrs. 15 minutes and 28 seconds.
Super Bowl Sunday!
LXII or Super bowl 42
New England Patriots and New York Giants.
Even if you don’t like football. Still aware of it.
It gets crazy!
Illustration;
Super bowl party at my house few years ago…
You can still by tickets? ($8500.)
This is a big thing/Big game.
What do you think the coaches are saying to those players?
· Take a couple weeks off.
· Go to Disney Land/Forget about it for a while.
· Find a new hobby.
Nothing of the sort.
He’s preparing team.
He’s encouraging team.
He’s teaching/instructing/advising the team.
Because it makes a difference.
How they play determines where they finish.
First or last.
Winners or losers.
In 6 days,5 hours, 5 minutes, 36 seconds.
When the final whistle blows.
Clock runs out.
Everyone’s off the field.
The final score is final.
That’s why the coach is in their face.
Its an important game.
What about the life.
As you Pastor…
· Excited.
· Encourage.
· Prepare.
· Teach.
· Instruct
· Advise.
Because it makes a difference.
How they play determines where they finish.
First or last.
Winners or losers.
You don’t have 6 days,5 hours, 1 minute 47 seconds.
We do have the Word of God.
Slide:
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
NKJV
You can be taught/reproofed/corrected/instructed or coached…
Today what I want to do is coach you.
· Teach you.
· Show you.
· Correct you.
· Advise.
Because it makes a difference in your eternal life.
If you’re not in the game.
Slide: “Let’s Get in the Game”
If you want in the game, lets follow the “Play Book”
I want to Advise you in five areas of your life. (fill in blank)
1. Instruct you to Respond to the Word of the Lord.
Some of you may not even be in the game.
John Fogerty song, “Put Me in Coach, I’m Ready to Play.
Instruct you to Respond.
Slide:
Acts 18: 24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.
25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John.
NKJV
Apollos born in Alexandria
· Second Largest city in Roman Empire.
· Center of education/philosophy.
· Founded by Alexander the Great.
· Population 600,000.
· Diverse culture (Romans Greeks Jews)
Apollos knew the Old Testament Scriptures well/Pharisee.
Excited to share.
v. 25 fervent in spirit (boiling over) spoke and taught accurately/though he only knew the baptism of John.
What’s the baptism of John.
Slide:
Matthew 3: 1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
NKJV
To “Repent”
Change your ways/Change your mind.
Repent of your sins/Rethink your values.
Apollos was teaching accurately/
Very anemic
Had no power behind it.
(But he was fervent!)
Slide:
Acts 18:26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;
NKJV
Key word;
More accurately.
Goodness will take/long way. (Not heaven)
Aquilla and Priscilla took him aside/explained more accurately…
New way!
Illustration;
Garmin
Highway 54 out east/coming into Wichita/new highway/
Continued to follow old instructions/dead end
When Apollos arrived in Achaia
Share this new found message.
v. 27 he greatly helped those who believed.
They Responded to what they were told.
Slide:
Acts 18:28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
NKJV
That’s what Apollos was so fervent about.
Jesus is the Christ.
· Lamb of God.
· Savior.
· Prince of Peace.
· Redeemer
My coaching/encouragement/ if you “Get in the Game”
1.To Respond to the Word of the Lord.
Yes I accept it as the Word of God.
No I reject it.
2. Encourage you to Repent from your sins.
2 Corinthians 5: 17, You are a new creation in Christ.
Slide:
Acts 19: 1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples
2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
NKJV
They were living Repentant lives.
Through the power of the flesh.
Illustration:
Be good all week/do right thing/Friday gets here. (Fail)
Make New Years resolution/before Januarys over. (Fail)
The flesh is weak.
Missionary to Batak tribesmen.
Studied customs and traditions.
Chief ask what was the difference /Christianity?
“We too have laws against…
· Stealing.
· Talking neighbors wife.
· Don’t bear false witness.
The missionary said, “Your God tells you what laws to follow, my God gives you the power to do it.”
Repentance is empty without Receiving the Holy Spirit.
Paul could see that in their lives.
You want to “Get in the Game”
1. Respond to the Word of God.
2. Repent of your sins.
3. Invite you to Receive the Holy Spirit.
Slide:
Acts 19:3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
NKJV
When they heard this they were baptized in the Spirit.
They received the Holy Spirit.
When you Respond to Gods Word.
You Receive Gods Spirit.
Johns baptism was a looking forward to Christ coming.
Christians baptism is looking back to Christ cross.
When you and I receive the Holy Spirit/Receive the Power that comes with it.
Power to…
· Endure.
· Press on.
· Forgive.
· Understand.
· Believe.
· Overcome.
3. I invite you to Receive the Holy Spirit.
4. Empower you to Rejoice in the Lord. (Get excited! Tell the world!)
Slide:
Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
7 Now the men were about twelve in all.
8 And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God.
NKJV
Maybe you won’t speak in tongues/prophesy
v. they spoke bodily/reasoning/persuading.
Persuading?
How can I persuade someone/I don’t have enough knowledge.
v. 25 Apollos/He instructed in the way of the Lord.
He had knowledge/not the Spirit.
If you have Spirit/you have power!
Rejoice in the Lord.
5. Enlist you to Repay with your life.
Close;
Slide:
Acts 19:9 But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.
10 And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
NKJV
Some were hardened.
· Rejected.
· Spoke evil.
· Made fun of them. (Crazy Christians/cold weather)
Why do you think that some Christians give up Saturday night stand outside.
Because they make a difference!
The power of God changed lives.
What you say to another person/change their life/eternally.
First or last.
Winners or losers.
Heaven or Hell.
In 6 days,4 hours, 15 minutes, 26 seconds.
When the final whistle blows.
Clock runs out.
The final score is final.
The winner get a diamond ring.
You get a Crown of Jewels.
“Lets Get in the Game”