In Baseball there is a play called "the sacrifice." This is when a batter is willing to make a play that will result in him being "put out," in order to help another player get into scoring position. Another play is to "lead off" while base running and one more is to "steal a base," while base running. The cost of each one can result in great benefit, but a poor decision or execution can be catastrophic to the game, to the team and to the player.
SPORTAPHOR (metaphor from sports by Gould)...
THE SACRIFICE... It is commendable and sometimes even heroic to make a sacrifice in life. However, when a sacrifice is made for the wrong reason or when the wrong thing is sacrificed, the heroic thing becomes the horrific things. Do not sacrifice people for things, do not sacrifice people for selfish reasons, do not sacrifice people for misunderstandings. A sacrifice is not a light commitment. A sacrifice is a death.
THE LEAD OFF and THE STEAL... Sometimes we have to take a chance in order to reach a goal. Sometimes the circumstances favor such a "gamble." However, it is possible to "gamble" unnecessarily with opportunities or with relationships. It is possible to "grandstand," "be a hotdog," or be a "glory hog" at the expense of something more important. Sometimes chances are taken when there is no need to jeopardize "the game."
Being a Christian involves more than "being willing," or "making sacrifices" or "taking risks." Being a Christian means being loving, wise, Christ like, Spirit controlled, submissive to God and others.
When a wrong choice or an unworthy play is made, it can affect a game, and even the season can be lost; the team can be undermined, destroyed; the player can ruin his own life.
Guard you relationships with God and others closely and choose your pathway carefully. Be wise in you choices.
MESSAGE...
ELEMENTS OF METAPHOR
The message this morning examined these points in light of their spiritual significance. I explained the meaning of; 1- The Goal, 2- The Nature of a Sacrifice, 3- Right and Wrong Reasons for a Sacrifice, 4- Contrasting the Value of People with, Things and Self Serving Interests and Misunderstandings.
BACON AND EGGS
The pig and chicken considered opening an breakfast cafe. The pig asked what would be on the menu.
"Bacon and Eggs." said the chicken.
"No way." said the pig.
"Why not?" asked the chicken.
"Because it will be a contribution from you, but a total commitment from me." replied the pig.
SACRIFICE IS DEATH
Sacrifice is not a contribution, it is DEATH.
COUNT THE COST
Sometimes the prize is not worth the cost of the sacrifice or the gamble. Sometimes we should accept the status God has given us. Going beyond is sometimes in pursuit of the temporal rather than the eternal. Pride sometimes enters into a person's supposed ministry.
CHRIST LIKENESS GREATER THAN HUMAN ENDEAVOR
True Christianity is not determined by the depth of a person's commitment, sacrifice or risks, but rather by the likeness of Christ in the servants life.
RIPPLE EFFECT
Christian choices affect a plethora of individuals, from the lost, to the Church, to the local body, to the specific person, making the choices.
PERSONAL CHALLENGE
This led to a challenge to Hold Fast That Which Is Good; followed by a list of valuables we should take hold.
HOLD FAST THAT WHICH IS GOOD
1 Thessalonians 5:21
(21) Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
HOLD FAST ETERNAL LIFE
1 Timothy 6:12
(12) Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:19
(19) Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
HOLD FAST SOUND WORDS
2 Timothy 1:13
(13) Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
HOLD FAST CONFIDENCE AND HOPE
Hebrews 3:6
(6) But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
CONFIDENCE
Hebrews 3:14
(14) For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
HOPE
Hebrews 6:18
(18) That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
HOLD FAST PROFESSION OF FAITH
Hebrews 4:14
(14) Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Hebrews 10:23
(23) Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
LAY HOLD, KEEP YOURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD.
Jude 1:20-21
(20) But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
(21) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
I spent the early part of our session relating two Biblical principles to internet usage.
Bad company corrupts good morals (1 Co. 15:33). Obviously we are still in this world, though we are not of it. Therefore we still have relationships with unsaved friends and family. We do not abandon them because we are saved. However, we guard our morals closely by no allowing our unsaved friends and family to have a negative influence or impact on our lives. This is true with our internet activities and relationships as well. The people we meet, fellowship with, learn from and associate with, even on the internet, are going to either enhance our lives or diminish our lives.
Akin to this verse is the Biblical position that we should avoid the appearance of evil (1 Th. 5:22). Our lives are not our own and our moral stature belongs to God. We must be good stewards, so that we might be good ambassadors.
In our modern world, we must be apply these principles to our online lives as well as our offline lives. Our morals and our witness are both affected by our relationships and activities, both online and offline. The person who does not use wisdom in his online life will find his entire life in a shambles.
SPORTAPHOR (metaphor from sports by Gould)...
THE SACRIFICE... It is commendable and sometimes even heroic to make a sacrifice in life. However, when a sacrifice is made for the wrong reason or when the wrong thing is sacrificed, the heroic thing becomes the horrific things. Do not sacrifice people for things, do not sacrifice people for selfish reasons, do not sacrifice people for misunderstandings. A sacrifice is not a light commitment. A sacrifice is a death.
THE LEAD OFF and THE STEAL... Sometimes we have to take a chance in order to reach a goal. Sometimes the circumstances favor such a "gamble." However, it is possible to "gamble" unnecessarily with opportunities or with relationships. It is possible to "grandstand," "be a hotdog," or be a "glory hog" at the expense of something more important. Sometimes chances are taken when there is no need to jeopardize "the game."
Being a Christian involves more than "being willing," or "making sacrifices" or "taking risks." Being a Christian means being loving, wise, Christ like, Spirit controlled, submissive to God and others.
When a wrong choice or an unworthy play is made, it can affect a game, and even the season can be lost; the team can be undermined, destroyed; the player can ruin his own life.
Guard you relationships with God and others closely and choose your pathway carefully. Be wise in you choices.
MESSAGE...
ELEMENTS OF METAPHOR
The message this morning examined these points in light of their spiritual significance. I explained the meaning of; 1- The Goal, 2- The Nature of a Sacrifice, 3- Right and Wrong Reasons for a Sacrifice, 4- Contrasting the Value of People with, Things and Self Serving Interests and Misunderstandings.
BACON AND EGGS
The pig and chicken considered opening an breakfast cafe. The pig asked what would be on the menu.
"Bacon and Eggs." said the chicken.
"No way." said the pig.
"Why not?" asked the chicken.
"Because it will be a contribution from you, but a total commitment from me." replied the pig.
SACRIFICE IS DEATH
Sacrifice is not a contribution, it is DEATH.
COUNT THE COST
Sometimes the prize is not worth the cost of the sacrifice or the gamble. Sometimes we should accept the status God has given us. Going beyond is sometimes in pursuit of the temporal rather than the eternal. Pride sometimes enters into a person's supposed ministry.
CHRIST LIKENESS GREATER THAN HUMAN ENDEAVOR
True Christianity is not determined by the depth of a person's commitment, sacrifice or risks, but rather by the likeness of Christ in the servants life.
RIPPLE EFFECT
Christian choices affect a plethora of individuals, from the lost, to the Church, to the local body, to the specific person, making the choices.
PERSONAL CHALLENGE
This led to a challenge to Hold Fast That Which Is Good; followed by a list of valuables we should take hold.
HOLD FAST THAT WHICH IS GOOD
1 Thessalonians 5:21
(21) Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
HOLD FAST ETERNAL LIFE
1 Timothy 6:12
(12) Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:19
(19) Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
HOLD FAST SOUND WORDS
2 Timothy 1:13
(13) Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
HOLD FAST CONFIDENCE AND HOPE
Hebrews 3:6
(6) But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
CONFIDENCE
Hebrews 3:14
(14) For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
HOPE
Hebrews 6:18
(18) That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
HOLD FAST PROFESSION OF FAITH
Hebrews 4:14
(14) Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Hebrews 10:23
(23) Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
LAY HOLD, KEEP YOURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD.
Jude 1:20-21
(20) But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
(21) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
I spent the early part of our session relating two Biblical principles to internet usage.
Bad company corrupts good morals (1 Co. 15:33). Obviously we are still in this world, though we are not of it. Therefore we still have relationships with unsaved friends and family. We do not abandon them because we are saved. However, we guard our morals closely by no allowing our unsaved friends and family to have a negative influence or impact on our lives. This is true with our internet activities and relationships as well. The people we meet, fellowship with, learn from and associate with, even on the internet, are going to either enhance our lives or diminish our lives.
Akin to this verse is the Biblical position that we should avoid the appearance of evil (1 Th. 5:22). Our lives are not our own and our moral stature belongs to God. We must be good stewards, so that we might be good ambassadors.
In our modern world, we must be apply these principles to our online lives as well as our offline lives. Our morals and our witness are both affected by our relationships and activities, both online and offline. The person who does not use wisdom in his online life will find his entire life in a shambles.
