Verse: Ephesians 2:19
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.
Devotional Thoughts:
So I received a proper scolding this past Sunday at church. Apparently some of you didn’t appreciate that I failed to mention how the game ended between TCA and JCS in the story I wrote for last week’s newsletter.
So let’s pick up where I left off.
To recap, we (TCA) are winning by 4 points. JCS has the ball with 1:00 minute left to play. I was playing defensive end, so my job was to put pressure on the quarterback. JCS begins to methodically move the ball down the field, but they’re also using up a lot of the clock. With the clock ticking, they complete a pass to the 11 yard line, and then hurry to the line to spike it with 5 seconds left. Last play of the game.
For the final play, I tried a different pass rush move. I cut to the inside of the tackle trying to block me. The tactic worked. I was able to knife between the tackle and guard, and grab just enough of the quarterback’s jersey to bring him down. Game over.
That’s how the end of that game went. I guess I didn’t mention it last week because it would’ve either felt boastful if I had or anticlimactic if I’d just said that we won.
But it was really crazy in the minutes following the game. It was a rivalry game, and many of our fans ran out onto the field to celebrate. It was also being broadcasted by a local TV station, and they pulled me aside after the game for an interview and to award me with the Crunch Time Trophy.
But as cool as it was to beat our biggest rivals, and to receive individual acclamation for the part I played in the victory, I would’ve immediately traded it all for a state championship. I wanted to see our team have success.
I want to see Bells First Baptist have success too. I want to see this church reach many unbelievers with the gospel and disciple them into mature believers. I want that for this church. But it’s not contradictory to say that I hope that Alamo First Baptist has success in making disciples too. Or Crossroads. Or ________________________.
Points to Ponder:
I’ve heard a saying thrown around that I really like. The saying goes like this, “For the kingdom, not the castle.”
People in Bells and Crockett County coming to know and love Jesus is a win. A BIG win. But what truly matters is just that – they’re coming to know and love Jesus. I hope that FBC Bells plays a big role in that coming to fruition, and I’m working to that end. But it’s not any less of a win if some of those people choose to make another church their church home.
I guess what I’m trying to say is this – don’t see other churches as competition. It’s way too easy to play the numbers game, and inadvertently begin to see other churches as our competitors, instead of our teammates. But we’re on the same team. And we want our team to win. As much as we all want to see FBC Bells thrive as a church, we should all want to see the Church (as a whole) thrive even more.
So we should respect other churches, pray for other churches, partner with other churches, but we’re not to compete with other churches. We’re for God’s kingdom, not our castle.
