Convenient Faith

Everyone's seen the meme calling the manual transmission a "millennial anti-theft device". That's funny and probably mostly true but it is also quite sad. Because the automatic transmission is just another example of what's wrong with our faith these days.

We are a society of convenience. If it's not convenient for us to do something we just don't want to do it. That goes for driving cars, buying groceries, getting married and having babies. The same thing is true about our relationships, especially our relationship with God.

Everything has to be convenient for us. That's why we have "convenience stores". Why do you think KwikTrip is so popular? It's convenient! Their popularity speaks volumes about our wimpy character.

Our faith should not be convenient but churches have made it that way. Multiple worship times to fit our schedule, bending over backwards to please everybody, they even have drive through confessionals!

Our relationship with Christ cannot be convenient. We can't simply "believe and receive", as the prosperity gospel says, and suddenly be filled with all knowledge. When we first come to believe we soon find out that there's a lot of work to be done. Reading, studying, learning.

Our faith needs to be more like a race car driver than a bus driver. We need to work at it. Not a faith-based works system like some religions have. That's not biblical. What I am talking about it when our prayer life and worship life, our relationships and the way we live our lives all perfectly mesh together into a well-trained athlete or race car driver.

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Grace has been extended to us from God. It is free. But it does come with a training manual. Anyone can go to church. It's just like starting a car. But it's up to us to find a gear for our faith and step on the gas.

Race Car Driver Footwork

Why The Packers Lose

It's always hard to watch when our favorite football teams self-destruct. Missing tackles, fumbling away opportunities to win, it's sad to see. What happened to the once-great Green Bay franchise this year? I have a theory.

Back in 2010, when the Packers won the Superbowl, Greg Jennings was quick to give praise to God during a post-game interview. That was nice to see. The Packers won. They gave the glory to God.

Oh, everyone loved the Packers back then. But then Aaron Rodgers began to stray. God and church were diminished in importance. The good looking quarterback began doing television commercials. He started dating a Hollywood actress who said in an interview, "We have sex as often as we can."

After crediting God early in his career, Rodgers was now placing God in the back seat. That is not a wise thing to do. Just ask God's people, the Israelites.

On the other hand, look at the Philadelphia Eagles, last years Superbowl champs. Nobody picked them to win it all, their starting quarterback was out yet there was "something special" about them. Their head coach, Doug Pederson, an unashamed Christian, was quick to give glory to God during the Superbowl post-game interview.

Did you know that Doug Pederson has a Superbowl ring as a Green Bay Packer quarterback? He backed up Brett Favre when the Packers won Superbowl XXXI.

 "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." - Genesis 12:3

Everybody has a theory as to why the Packers are failing this year. As for me, I feel God is no longer using the Packers to make Himself known. Our focus should be on God, not the Packers.

Aaron Rodgers once said, "I don't think God cares much about football."

You're right Aaron. But God DOES care about those who make much about HIM. And that's the problem, Aaron.

To God Be The Glory - Greg Jennings 2010
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ - Doug Pederson 2018

Run To Win

Two weeks after Vince Lombardi led his Green Bay Packers to a 33-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl II, he retired as head coach of the Packers. He went out on top, winning the first two Super Bowls and three national championships before that.

The leagues championship trophy is named The Lombardi Trophy. Why? Because it epitomizes winning. It's about being the best. Vince Lombardi was all about winning. But not necessarily in the way you might think

Lombardi instilled character in his players. He made them into men. Honorable men.

Do you know that there is a three word phrase inscribed on the Super Bowl II rings? Lombardi had it put there. It is a reference to a Bible verse. Look real close near the bottom of Bart Starr's ring pictured at the right.

"Run To Win"

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win." - 1 Corinthians 9:24

Run To Win.

Why would God want us to run a race to win it? Jesus tells us that "the last will be first" in Matthew 20:16. Let's read a little before and after that "run to win" verse to see if things become clearer.

"19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." - 1 Corinthians 9:19-27

What is the prize we are trying to win? In Paul's case the prize is running his race, his life, in such a way to win the prize - to bring others to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

I have a friend named Mark who led someone to Christ by having a beer with them. Mark doesn't drink but he saw it as a means to an end. Mark's beer drinking bud was so amazed that a "Christian" would drink a beer with him that he listened to Mark and heard the Gospel message. Mark ran in such a way as to win.

Am I running MY race to win? How am I leading others to Christ? Do they even know where the finish line is? Do I? How can I become a better runner? Verse 25 has the answer. Strict Training! Read God's Word, strike up relationships with others so you can earn the right to speak into their lives. We must do whatever needs to be done so we can have the opportunity to share the Gospel with others.

Yes, that can be dangerous. But the alternative of not sharing the Gospel is far worse for the person who does not know Jesus. We are all in a race but most of us aren't even running. Are we running to win?

On your mark, get set, GO!!

Running To Win - Heather Dorniden
Run To Win - CSI Christ Church Youth Fellowship

Eddie

Have you been watching the 2014 Olympic games from Sochi, Russia? I think lots of people have. There have been many interesting stories and some really exciting and close competitions.

Like hockey! I missed watching the hockey game between the United States and Russia but the following day many people were talking about it at work and on the news, just how exciting it was. Overtime! A shoot out!! And we won!!!

Many great stories are coming out of these Olympic games. But there have been many sad stories as well. Unfinished hotel rooms, toilets installed but the actual pipe was missing, drinking water that looked more like a glass of beer than water.

Every Olympic games has its share of happy and sad stories to tell. Stories that inspire and stories that make us wonder. Back in 1972 at the Munich games for example, 11 Israeli athletes and one German police officer were killed by a group of Palestinian activists. A sad story indeed.

This morning I would like to talk to you about a happy story - a story of the Olympic spirit and one former Olympian - a ski jumper named Eddie Edwards. This guy competed back in the 1988 Calgary games. He wasn't very good. As he would say later, he was Great Britain's first, and probably last, Olympic ski jumper.

His story was much like that of the Jamaica bobsled team. Underdogs to say the least. Never expected to win. But everyone seemed to love them anyway and they developed a following. Same with Eddie, who, mockingly, became known as Eddie The Eagle.

When Eddie made a jump the whole crowd cheered, not because he set a record but because he actually survived! Some in the sport actually shunned Eddie because he was detracting from the actual champion ski jumpers. And all he did was believe he could do something and then actually set about doing it.

Eddie's "Olympic Spirit" reminds me of what it's like being a Christian these days. We are persecuted for our faith. Shunned by the secular world and liberal ideology. Yet we continue on worshiping Jesus, despite all the negativism and attacks on our faith.

America loves an underdog and we Christians are definitely that. But unlike Eddie The Eagle, we are not lifted up as heroes by the world in which we live. But we DO get to win in the end. The following is a pep talk of sorts from the apostle Paul to a young Christian named Timothy. It could easily have been read to Eddie Edwards before his first Olympic jump. Each of us should take it to heart when we face persecution in this world that loves to crown champions. The following is a letter to underdogs everywhere.

Final Charge to Timothy

11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.

Grace be with you all." - 1 Timothy 6:11-21

Eddie The Eagle Interview