Think about this scenario: A skinny, 9th grade boy goes out for the football team at his school. It’s his first year but he wants to play. The coach tells him, “OK son, on Friday night, you’re going to be on the first team and start the game.” Do you think this little boy is going to be successful against the older, stronger opponent? No! So, what has to happen here? There are several factors that must come into play for this boy to be successful. Let’s look at these and see a comparison at the end..
First of all, the boy has to have determination. He has to want to be on the team and follow the coach’s direction. Since he came out for the team, he already has that determination. Second, it’s going to take time. He’s not going to grow up, get stronger and gain football knowledge in a day or two. It will take time. Third, it will take lots of work. Day after day, exercise and drills on the field which will be hard. Practicing plays, learning his position and how to outplay your opponent. Then there will be workouts in the weight room. It will take a lot of work, hard work.
Fourth, in addition to the physical preparation, there will be team meetings where the coach will go over information on the week’s opponent. He will plan out a strategy to execute in order to be successful and win the game. Fifth, there must be support from the other team members. They will all be in this game and each player will have a job to do. If all the team members do their job and work together, the team will be successful. And sixth, there will be a time of testing, on Friday night when all the time, work, and preparation that he has put in will be tested. Sometimes his team will win and sometimes they will lose. But it’s never over. Win or lose, on Monday, he goes back into training to prepare for the next game.
Now, you probably have already figured out where I’m going with this scenario. Yes, it’s comparable to our Christian life. First, we decide to get saved with the determination to be the best servant we can be. “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13). Second, it will take time to move up. Someone who gets saved will not be elected to be a pastor the next week. “There is a time for everything…under the heavens: (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Third, it’s going to take work. We’re going to have to, “study to show ourselves approved.” (2 Timothy 2:15), by reading our Bible and praying. Paul said, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14). Fourth, we have to attend gatherings of other believers: church, bible studies, and conversations with other believers. “And let us not neglect our meeting together,” (Hebrews 10:25). Fifth, we must do our part in the body of Christ and support other believers. “So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Romans 12:5). Cheer for them when they’re winning and help them when they’re weak. Sixth, there will always be times of testing. We cannot move up in the Kingdom or be promoted if we are not tested. Jesus was tested in the wilderness, (Matthew 4:1-11). “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18). We can’t go from glory to glory if we’re not tested. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus told his disciples they had to “take up their cross”. We have to do that too. “But Jesus, it’s too heavy!” “Don’t worry child, I’m right here, we’ll work on that.” Are we willing?
