Are you a people pleaser?

Pastor Bob Alderman

First Baptist Church

How much time do you spend trying to impress somebody that you don’t even like? I think that one of the things that separates us from the critters is our desire to please people we may not even know. We spend countless dollars, hours and energy trying to impress people, gain their favor or just make them like us.

I have some good news for you today! Here are 4 realities we could all gain by knowing:

Reality Number one: You cannot please everybody. Jesus is the only person to walk the pathways of this earth that truly loved everyone, had compassion for everyone and never violated any part of God’s Word, and even He could not please everyone! Everyone from politicians to preachers despised Him and plotted His demise. Neither can God please everybody today! We pray for the Rattlers to win and our opponents pray that their team will win; so half will be disappointed. On any given weekend ranchers may be praying for rain while beachgoers are praying for bright sunshine. Even God cannot please everyone! Why would we believe we can do what even God cannot? You cannot please everyone; so stop trying.

Reality Number Two: You are not required to please everybody! There is no rule, law or moral imperative to please everybody you meet. We are commanded by God to love them just as we love ourselves; but we do not have to please them! This is really good news since we have already discovered that we cannot please everybody.

Reality Number Three: Being rejected by others will happen and it’s OK! Sure, rejection hurts and it usually causes us to wonder where we failed, but if we remember the first two realities we can move forward with peace. There are many, many people that we will never be best friends with, or even friendly acquaintances. Rejection may not be fun, but sometimes it is for the best! There are people out there who can quickly become destructive influences in our lives and being rejected is a very good thing for us. Quit trying to please everybody! Remember that nobody can make you feel rejected or hurt unless you give them permission to hurt you! This means we can believe this: “God likes me, and that is good enough! I like who God is forming me into and I am not going to worry about everyone else. I like who I am and if you don’t like me, then that’s your issue, not mine.”

Reality Number 4: There is only One you need to worry about pleasing! God. Galatians 1:10 “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” ESV Paul knew the secret of these four realities! Paul sought only to please God in all things. Paul, like David, had a heart for God. We can all learn that our goal should be to make God smile as we grow into the Christian He created us to become.

Who are you striving to please? Review your checkbook, your calendar and your lifestyle and figure out who is most important in your life. Once you make this determination, make the changes necessary to please God. These four realities also mean that you can RELAX and be the person God has created you to be and not be drowned by the desires of everyone around you! Remember that God loves you….and so do I.

 

Gatians Series # 3

A Peace worth Preserving

Galatians 1:3 – 10

Galatians series # 3

Peace exists not in the absence of danger or conflict,  but in the presence of God.   – Unknown

I rest beneath the Almighty’s shade, My griefs expire, my troubles cease; Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stayed, Wilt keep me still in perfect peace.

- Charles Wesley.

1. Peace is available to all.
2. Would You:
   1. Trade a billion dollars for 47 cents?
   2. Trade in your new vehicle for a ten year old “clunker” and pay $20,000?
   3. Give up heaven to gain a friend?
   4. Run from the Gospel toward a man made religion?
3. Billions do just this every single day!
4. Millions and Missions of CHRISTIANS are doing this RIGHT NOW!
5. True Peace is only found by those who embrace Jesus Christ
6. Why would anyone who found total peace ever stray away from it?
   1. Peer Pressure
      1. i.     You cannot please everyone
      2. ii.     You do not have to please everyone
      3. iii.     People will reject you/hurt you/banish you
      4. iv.     There is only One you need to please – GOD!
   2. False teachers/preachers
      1. i.     Always confirm what you are taught with the Word of God.
      2. ii.     Never assume that a preacher, teacher or evangelist is correct just because of their title, age or smooth talk
      3. iii.     Sometimes it is easier to go with the lie than the truth
         1. The lie is generally accepted by the world
         2. The Truth is generally rejected by the world
         3. Believing the right thing is not always popular but it is always the right thing to believe!
         4. iv.     Truth is a Person. Truth is Jesus
            1. Make sure you are walking in truth
   3. Choosing humanity instead of Christianity
      1. i.     The world tempts us with human logic and reasoning
      2. ii.     The world tempts our flesh
         1. Hunger for acceptance
         2. Desire to “be fair”
         3. Need for power
         4. Greed
   4. Satan is still about his business to steal, kill and destroy people.
7. Salvation is available to everyone by Grace alone through Faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.
   1. There is no other Gospel
   2. John 3:16, Romans 3:21 – 25, Ephesians 2:8_10 and a host of other scripture will remain true regardless of what the world says about them
   3. Trust God and never stray away from His Divine Truth.

 

Galatians 1:3

Peace:

• More than a word
• More than the absence of conflict or war
• More than commitment

The Peace that Paul speaks of here is a peace that lets you KNOW that, regardless of the trouble or circumstances you are in, life will be OK!  You do NOT have to worry about it.

Give it to God.

v We think peace is a feeling

v We think peace is an experience

v We think peace is simple quietness and beauty

v We think peace is contentment

v We think peace is having everything we need or want

v We thing peace is something we fight for

v We think peace is something we deserve because of our goodness

We are wrong.

Peace is a gift of God.

• What is the difference between a rose bush and a thorn bush?
• Some would say marketing.
• Both have thorns that are sharp and painful
• Both have to be handled with gloves
• BUT..The rose bush has found a way to be beautiful despite its thorns.

Jesus gave us His peace..John 14:27

• Jesus knew His Father

• Jesus knew His Mission
• Jesus knows the outcome – the “rest of the story”
• Jesus focused on loving God and loving us and everything worked out just right, even to Calvary’s cruel cross.  Even there Jesus had peace.

• We can know God
• We can know our purpose
• We can know the final outcome
• We just need to focus on loving God and loving others and trust that life here will all work out Ok and that life everlasting will turn out better than we expect….no matter what “in the world” happens.
• We can have peace
• We can have Jesus!

Peace is a gift from God the Fathers given through God the Son and confirmed in us daily through God the Holy Spirit.

Peace is the God given gift that allows us to be serene, calm, content, happy, joyful and even hopeful at all times, even in our darkest and most painful hour.

Peace is being able to walk boldly into the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego with faith and not fear.

Peace is being with Daniel as he is labeled “Lion Food” and tossed into the dark and dingy den of death and having no fear about the outcome.

Peace is being persecuted with Steven because of your faith and praying for the ones who are murdering you as they throw the heavy stones that are striking you.

Peace is not allowing your circumstances to govern your life.

Peace is allowing Jesus to carry you through life’s storms.

True peace comes from being delivered from all evil by Grace alone through Faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.

This is a peace that withstands anything the world, the enemy or we can throw at it.

This is a peace that is totally dependant on Jesus and NOT on our strength, our wisdom, our situation, our abilities, our families, our employers, our bank accounts, our neighbors, our government, our weapons, or any thing else in this world.

“My peace I give you”  – Jesus

 

Series through Galatians #1

Focusing thoughts

Galatians 1:1   “Paul, an apostle— not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—“ ESV

This letter is from Paul and all the brothers with him

1. 1. Paul rarely traveled alone
   2. Paul knew the value of others
      1. i.     Help him do the work
      2. ii.     Encourage him
      3. iii.     Counsel him
         1. We all need counsel from time to time
            1. a. Help me with this
            2. b. What do you think?
            3. c. Bounce this off of you
            4. d. Is this the right thing to do
   3. We need Christian brothers and sisters to travel life’s road with us – lest we may be easily pulled off course by life, the world or satan
      1. i. We need each other
   4. We need a Paul to travel with us to build into our lives
      1. i.     A wise elder, strong person of faith, bold witness and disciple maker
   5. We need a Barnabas to travel with us – a wise contemporary who understand us
      1. i.     A spouse, a coworker, a friend,
      2. ii.     Someone who will tell us when we are doing well
      3. iii.     Someone who is friend enough to tell us when we are not doing so well
   6. We need a Timothy to travel with us – someone whose life we are building into
      1. i.     A child, a friend, a intern of sorts
2. Paul is an Apostle…but he often has to defend his apostleship.
   1. A special messenger of Jesus Christ; a person to whom Jesus delegated authority for certain tasks.
3. Paul was not one for small talk – right to the Gospel of Jesus Christ
   1. This is the part of a letter where we usually write “small talk”…”how are you”  “What are you up to these days”
   2. Not Paul – his heart was the Gospel
   3. Paul shared the Gospel at every opportunity
   4. Never lose a chance to share the Love of God that is found through Christ Jesus
4. Paul took every opportunity to lift up the Name of Jesus Christ and point people to Him and away from Paul,
5. Paul was called by God to his work
   1. Paul was not a hired hand
   2. Paul was not an employee
   3. Paul did not answer to any human supervisor
   4. d. Paul served God
   5. To many leaders today are self called or appointed
   6. Many more are in the positions they have because they cater to the nature of man
      1. i.     Their focus is making a person, or a committee happy
   7. Too many pastors or denominational leaders are in their job for the power, prestige or paycheck
   8. Too many Deacons, Elders, or Pastors think they are the BOSS!  When they are actually SERVANTS!
   9. Not Paul – His only goal was to please God
6. Christians today serve our Living God
   1. Supervisors may change, minds may change, goals may change, men change
   2. God never changes
7. Are you walking God’s road God’s way?
   1. Are you traveling the right way?
   2. Are you traveling with the right people?
   3. Are you carrying the right message?

 

Galatians Chapter 1 verse 1

Galatians 1:1   “Paul, an apostle— not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—“ ESV

1.           This letter is from Paul and all the brothers with him

a.                Paul rarely traveled alone

b.               Paul knew the value of others

i.               Help him do the work

ii.               Encourage him

iii.               Counsel him

1.               We all need counsel from time to time

a. Help me with this

b. What do you think?

c. Bounce this off of you

d. Is this the right thing to do

c.                We need Christian brothers and sisters to travel life’s road with us – lest we may be easily pulled off course by life, the world or satan

i. We need each other

d.               We need a Paul to travel with us to build into our lives

i.               A wise elder, strong person of faith, bold witness and disciple maker

e.                We need a Barnabas to travel with us – a wise contemporary who understand us

i.               A spouse, a coworker, a friend,

ii.               Someone who will tell us when we are doing well

iii.               Someone who is friend enough to tell us when we are not doing so well

f.                We need a Timothy to travel with us – someone whose life we are building into

i.               A child, a friend, a intern of sorts

2.           Paul is an Apostle…but he often has to defend his apostleship.

a.                A special messenger of Jesus Christ; a person to whom Jesus delegated authority for certain tasks.

3.           Paul was not one for small talk – right to the Gospel of Jesus Christ

a.                This is the part of a letter where we usually write “small talk”…”how are you”  “What are you up to these days”

b.               Not Paul – his heart was the Gospel

c.                Paul shared the Gospel at every opportunity

d.               Never lose a chance to share the Love of God that is found through Christ Jesus

4.           Paul took every opportunity to lift up the Name of Jesus Christ and point people to Him and away from Paul,

5.           Paul was called by God to his work

a.                Paul was not a hired hand

b.               Paul was not an employee

c.                Paul did not answer to any human supervisor

d. Paul served God

e.                To many leaders today are self called or appointed

f.                Many more are in the positions they have because they cater to the nature of man

i.               Their focus is making a person, or a committee happy

g.               Too many pastors or denominational leaders are in their job for the power, prestige or paycheck

h.               Too many Deacons, Elders, or Pastors think they are the BOSS!  When they are actually SERVANTS!

i.                 Not Paul – His only goal was to please God

6.           Christians today serve our Living God

a.                Supervisors may change, minds may change, goals may change, men change

b.               God never changes

7.           Are you walking God’s road God’s way?

a.                Are you traveling the right way?

b.               Are you traveling with the right people?

c.                Are you carrying the right message?

 

Got it backwards?

Pastor Bob Alderman

First Baptist Church

 

     I grew up in the hills of West Virginia and often heard people call us hillbillies, rednecks or backwards. I really didn’t understand why since we had floors, indoor plumbing, running water, telephones (party line of course) and even television.  Why, we even had sunlight pumped in on even numbered days! I came to see that their view was based on stereotypes and prejudice and began to ignore them. 
     There are many things that Christians have backwards. Backwards, not because of preconceptions, stereotypes or prejudices, but based on the Word of God.
     We go out of our way to please other people, spend billions on cosmetics, clothing and cars to impress people who really don’t care about us.

     We will not even read a scripture, spend 5 minutes praying or give 1%, much less 10%, to impress or even obey God. We are indeed a backwards people.

     Even the religious are often backwards. We worship a building, a person or a religious system/denomination instead of worshipping the Lord of all creation and religion.

     We point fingers at or laugh at someone in a bad situation, or even chastise them for their problems saying, “It’s their own fault.”  We are so quick to condemn and dismiss them instead of encouraging, loving and helping them.  Backwards.

     We expect to be forgiven for every mistake we make but find it almost impossible to forgive others. We should sin less and forgive more.
    

When life takes a downward plummet, we turn to our cash reserves, the government, our wisdom or abilities, self help books or motivational speakers, drugs, alcohol, medications or any other of the hundreds of ways the world offers us instead of turning to God: The One who created us, knows our needs, has a plan for our lives and loves us completely. Backwards.

Wondering just how much we have backwards. We will go deep into debt for a vehicle, home or toy, but run away from giving God a penny.

     We are living life backwards when we date like we’re married and keep our wedding vows like we’re dating. Something backwards here?

      Why are we so quick to condemn, yet slow to try to understand. 

     Perhaps the reason we have so much stuff backwards is that we are trying to think about stuff from a human perspective and not from God’s.

     Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”  ESV

     We are backwards when we put the ways of man above the ways of God.

     We are backwards when we do what we want and give no thought to God’s perfect plan for our life.

     The really amazing part is that doing things our way rarely works out!  We end up hurting or broken, alienated from others and, unfortunately, very sad.

     That is backwards from the life God wants you to have.

     God desires that you have a life of joy, happiness, laughter and hope.  God wants you to have the life you have always wanted!  Allow Him to “straighten out” the path you are traveling and find what you have been looking for all along!

     A very wise person once told me that it is not the speed that we travel, it is the direction that is important!  Going the wrong way fast is still wrong.

     Going God’s way is not going the wrong way! Stop heading backward and turn towards God.

     Remember that God loves you!…and so do I.

 

Dirty Laundry

Pastor Bob Alderman

First Baptist Church

      Today I was doing laundry and came to a great epiphany: One never gets through doing laundry! If only we could have self cleaning clothing that never needed washing! But, NO! We are addicted to our clothing! We need our clothes, closets full of them! If we have clothes and wear clothes then we must, someday, wash our clothes.

     Adam and Eve didn’t need a washing machine until after they blew it with God, so blame them if you must blame someone for our dirty laundry. Their original sin has been passed down genetically through the ages and affects us to this day. I guess you could say that sin is in our “jeans!”

     Sin in our lives is kinda like laundry, it always seems to be around and if it is not dealt with, sin can pile up pretty high in our lives and make us smell pretty bad.

     We cannot simply ignore sin in our life and expect everything to be “springtime fresh.” First, you must realize that you do sin. Simply stated, sin means that you get in trouble with God. The Bible says that we have all messed up and fall way short of the path God planned for us. We sin.    

     Then, you must understand that your sin carries a terrible cost. Usually we think of this cost as judgments or plagues. While, sometimes we are punished for our sins, just like our parents may spank us or sit us in time out; the worst consequence of our sin is that sin separates us from God.

     The more we sin the further we get from God. The truth is that the more we sin the more separated we become from faith, hope and love. Many, many people are so far from God that they have become cold and hard; there is no love or compassion left in them. But there is hope! God, in His grace and mercy, provided us One Path back to His love, back to His protection; back to Him!

      God sent His Son Jesus Christ to take the punishment that you deserve and that old rugged cross that He died on becomes a bridge for us to travel back to God’s Love. When we turn to God and, by faith, believe in the gift that His Son is for us, God does our dirty laundry. He makes all things clean. We are forgiven. We are cleansed. We are restored to newness of life.

     I would love it if someone would do all of the Alderman’s laundry for us! I think we all would! We do not like to do the hard things of life! Unfortunately, we are the only ones who can deal with the dirty laundry of our souls. No one else can.

     John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” ESV

     Faith is a personal decision! I cannot believe for you and you cannot believe for me. We cannot be saved by the faith of our priest or pastor; nor can we be saved by the faith of a family member or friend. You must believe! Hear the Words of Jesus Himself, “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26 ESV

     You have dirty laundry in your life that needs to be dealt with before it completely overwhelms you. The question for you is the same one Jesus asked, “Do you believe this?” Remember that Jesus loves you! And so do I.

 

The Rain

Pastor Bob Alderman

First Baptist Church

      What a blessing to have rain!  I have really enjoyed the rain we had in Rio Grande City this weekend!

     Rain can bring such a great change to our lives, even in small amounts.  This rain brought a renewed life to our dry and parched land.

     The trees are a little fuller today and the grass is a little greener.  The crowd at Dairy Queen seemed a little happier today and more people in our community are smiling.  I really believe that even the dogs and cats in our neighborhood are in a better mood today because it rained.

     Yes, rain can make a huge difference in our lives; especially when it has been a very long time since we have experienced any of this life giving moisture.

     We experience drought in our personal lives much easier than we do in our environment.

    There are times when the flow of living water into our lives seems to slow to a mere trickle or stop altogether.  We become dry and the color of our life fades from vibrant to dull.  

     We face many issues in our life that seem to suck the life right out of us.  These experiences leave us feeling desolate and desiccated and feeling as brown as the dried out grass in our backyards.

     We are no strangers to events that bring much heat to bear upon us.  We get burnt by friends or loved ones, experience a person that makes our tempers boil and, ever so often, we feel like we’re toast.

     These events leave our hearts dryer than any desert and our souls drier than sun scorched stones.

     In nature, we trust God to bring the rain, maybe not when we want it, but we know that He will bring the rain in His time.

     But, how do we make it rain on our heart?  How does our very soul get moisture?  Is there any way to bring restoration and hope into a life that is dried out from years of persistent drought?

     We need water that penetrates deeper than mere H2O could ever go; moisture that penetrates not only our skin but also the hardness of our own hearts.

     We need spiritual water that can revive and rejuvenate our spirit and souls.

     We need spiritual water for our drought stricken life; we need living water.  We need Jesus.

     Hear His own words from the book of John Chapter 4 as He ministers to a woman who was no stranger to drought and damage in her life:  “Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?  Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:10-15   ESV

     Jesus encourages us to drink deeply of His Spirit and His love and we will find the Living Water that refreshes our lives forever. This Living Water removes our dryness, rejuvenates our life and becomes a spring flowing from us into the lives of those around us.

      Are you in a personal drought?  Drink in Jesus Christ and experience your life rejuvenating and making a huge difference in the world around you. 

     Remember that God loves you!  And so do I.

 

How backwards are we?

***NOTE:  This is a work in progress, check back often as God develops this thought in me.

I grew up in the hills of West Virginia and often heard people call us hillbillies, rednecks or backwards.  I really didn’t understand why since we had floors, indoor plumbing, running water, telephones (party line of course) and even television.  I came to see that their view was based on stereotypes and prejudice and began to ignore them.

There are many things that Christians have backwards.  Backwards, not because of preconceptions, stereotypes or prejudices, but based on the Word of God.

We go out of our way to please other people, spend billions on cosmetics, clothing and cars to impress people who really don’t care about us.  We will not even read a scripture, spend 5 minutes praying or give 1%, much less 10%, to impress or even obey God.  We are indeed a backwards people.

Even the religious are often backwards.  We worship a building, a person or a religious system/denomination instead of worshipping the Lord of all creation and religion.

We point laugh or fingers at someone in a bad situation, or chastise them for their problems saying, “It’s their own fault,” so quick to condemn and dismiss them instead of encouraging, love and help them.

More we have backwards-we want forgiven for every mistake but find it almost impossible to forgive others. we should sin less-forgive more.

When life takes a downward plummet, we turn to our cash reserves, the government, our wisdom or abilities, self help books or motivational speakers, drugs, alcohol, medications or any other of ways the world has developed to help instead of turning to God: The One who created us, knows our needs, has a plan for our lives and loves us completely.  Backwards.

Wondering just how much we have backwards. We will go deep into debt for a vehicle, home or toy, but run away from giving God a penny.

Late night thought: We hurt ourselves when we date like we’re married and keep our wedding vows like we’re dating.  Something backwards here?

Why are we so quick to condemn what we do not understand?  Because it is easier than finding out.  This is the root of racism and something else we have backwards.

We are eager to football games, nap, golf courses and shopping, but how anxious are we to go to God’s House? More stuff we have backwards.

Jude 21 “keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” ESV Good Advice!

Joshua 24:15 “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” ESV Joshua had made his choice, have you?

Proverbs 3:5-8 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.  Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.  It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” ESV

 

“Get in the Game”

Get in the Game

1 Corinthians 12:12- 31

Many people wonder why evil, selfishness, greed, worldliness and sin seems to be winning in the world today.  They say that Christians seem to have lost the “Game of Life.”  We see it in our politics, our workplaces, our youth and our communities.

No, God has not lost!  His plan will prevail.

The problem does not lie with God, it lies with us!…the church.

In a vitally important time of the game, during the last 2 minutes when we should be our most focused and intense; WAY TOO MANY players are sitting on the bench drinking water and chatting.

Workers are needed to bring in the harvest that is simply rotting away in the field.  Our family and friends are dying without Jesus Christ and landing in the “end zone” of hell while we are sitting idly by relaxing.

1 Corinthians 12:27-28 “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” ESV

There are many people who are members of different clubs, groups, civic organizations or similar “teams” in our community.  Christians are a member of something much greater!  We are a member of the body of Christ.  Yes, membership has its privileges; but membership also has its responsibilities.

Every team expects its members to be ready to play.  Every Civic group, sorority, fraternity, club or organization expects its members to serve.  God gives you the tools, passions and energy to “Get in the Game” and expects you to serve faithfully.

What if the entire defensive line of the Dallas Cowboys decided to just “sit this one out?”

• What if the Steelers decided to sit in the stadium and watch instead of getting in the Game?

They would lose!

The would probably even be disqualified.

Some may say they are “IN THE Game” because they come to church on Sunday Morning.

WRONG!

The practice field is where plays are taught

The Game Field is where plays are ran for real – WHERE THEY COUNT!

This is the Locker Room.  A place to be encouraged, coached and challenged TO BE READY to play in the “BIG GAME”

Your COMMUNITY is where the Big Game is played.

Far too many people come to church as spectators.  They have a “crowd” mindset.  They want to be entertained or excited.  They think they are the audience.

WRONG.

If you are content to just SIT and SOAK then SASHE out the door. You need to do a real “GUT CHECK” because you may not really be on the team to begin with and are in real danger of being DISQUALIFIED!

We are THE PLAYERS!

• We have an AUDIENCE of ONE!
• God is the One we play for!

Are you In the Game, or are you still in the locker room?”

Are you a PLAYER or are you a PLOPPER?

• Are you SERVING or are you SITTING?
• Are you WINNING or are you WAFFLING?
• Are you SWEATING or are you SIPPING SWEAT TEA?
• Are you REAPING or are you RESTING?
• Are you WITNESSING or are you WAITING?
• Are you READY TO GET IN THE GAME or are you READY TO FOR ANOTHER WEEK OF WATCHING?

A WINNER wants the ball!  A SERVANT wants to SERVE!

A CHRISTIAN wants to FOLLOW CHRIST!

What are you?

YOU are the Body of Christ!

If  you are not working right – neither is the Body!

ARE YOU READY TO “GET IN THE GAME?”

1. Why Join God’s Team?
   1. Just like in the NFL/NBA/NHL playoffs…in the end there can be only one championship Team.
   2. The Headlines of this epic battle have already been written.  God Wins!
   3. Join the WINNING TEAM
2. How do I join up?
   1. There are no TRY OUT for God’s Team
   2. There are no cuts or preseason
   3. When you Join – YOU GET TO PLAY!
   4. You are know you are a member or you are not
   5. John 1:11-13 “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”  ESV
3. How do I “Get in the Game?”
   1. Like the Nike ad says, “Just do it!”
   2. At the start of every Game, every contest or every race there is an official who starts it.  Maybe they shoot a pistol, blow a horn or simply say “GO”, but they start the contest.
   3. God has already started our Game: Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” ESV