Are You A Fan

I think I will talk a little about sports today, something that I don’t talk about often because it is not something I spend a lot of time on.  But, there is something that you can’t miss about sports and that is this; there are an awful lot of fans at the events.  They are either cheering or booing, happy or sad, depending on the game and especially at the play offs there may be hundreds of fans there.  I have talked in the past about different sports, but just think of the cheering that’s goes on if one of the players gets a touchdown or a home run or the winning basket in the game.  In the game, whatever it might be, there is such enthusiasm going on depending on whose team is winning and the shouting is so loud you could use ear plugs at times.

But, when you are in some of the church congregations, people are so quiet it seems like there are a bunch of church mice in the building.  There are times if you say amen more than once someone might turn around a look at you like there is something wrong with you.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not criticizing the church, but if there is so much enthusiasm in sports why are we so quiet in the pews.  If you believe that you have been saved by our precious Lord and Savior, shouldn’t you be a little more excited about it?

Now think about what it takes to be a fan.  It takes an interest in the sport, or sports, of your choice.  You may wear a hat, a shirt, a coat or something that has your team logo on it.  You may even fly a flag outside your door so that everyone can see and know who your team is and who you will be rooting for.  To be a real fan takes time, energy and a financial commitment.  The problem with most fans is that they aren’t in the game, in other words they are not the players and they are not part of the team.

There are people in the church that are sort of the same way, kind of like fans, they are there but don’t seem to be in the game.  It is much easier to be a fan than an actual player.  When you become a believer, God gives you certain gifts and we should be willing to use them once we realize what they are.  It seems like only about ten percent of the people in the church do most of the work that needs to be done.  The church is made up of many members and not all have the same gifts.

Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-13, “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.”

The church is made up of one body with many parts and many gifts, so if this is true, and it is, then why are there just a few people doing most of the work? Even if you have a handicap that keeps you from doing the work, it seems like you could do something even if it is in your home, unless you are bed ridden and then you could pray which is one of the most important things you can do if it is done with faith, believing that the Lord can and will answer.  Not long ago I heard this statement, “God doesn’t have fans, we are all players.”  I heard another statement a while ago that prayer is the engine that moves the church and I have also heard that it is what moves the hand of God!!  I believe that a prayer-less church will be a very ineffective church.

Jesus taught His disciples how to pray in Luke 11:1-13, “Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

So He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us day by day our daily bread.

And forgive us our sins,

For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.”

And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Witnessing is something else we can and should be doing.  If you have the Holy Spirit you will be empowered to witness.  Enough said have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!