In front of 65,110 screaming fans in Pittsburg, the 2009 NFL season got under way. The Steelers against the Titans, a showdown of powerhouse defenses on display at Heinz Field.
At the end of regulation, the score was a 10-10 tie. As the Steelers were about to get the ball, Ben Roethlisberger, the defending Superbowl champion quarterback, turned to a ball boy and said, “Get me my hat. I’m about to take us down the field for the winning score and I want to cover my sweaty hair when I do the postgame interview with Andrea Kremer.” That play yielded the game-winning drive in overtime.
Now I have to tell you that from age 5 to at least 23, if I wasn’t in class or church I had a baseball cap on. I had dozens of options. I had my St. Louis Cardinal caps, of course, caps of teams I played on, caps bearing the logos of banks, farming equipment and seed companies. I’m not sure why I wore them — security perhaps, or team pride. Or maybe cap-wearing was just a habit that made me feel more like others around me. What I do remember is that I never left home without a cap.
While I never will lead an NFL team or drive for a final score, I have a much larger task: Leading people to heaven. The Bible is quite clear about who will go to heaven. In Acts 4:12, we read: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Research shows that on our current course, America will be less than 14% Christian in the next generation. Christ followers need to be more aggressive in sharing the story of Jesus. After all, the opposite of heaven is hell.
Heaven = In God’s presence, joy, worship, peace, rest, celebration
Hell = Cut off from God, weeping and gnashing of teeth, fire and pain. See Matthew 25
The apostle Paul reminds us that Jesus will be returning soon in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 to 18:
Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.
Are you ready to go?
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:37-38.
- Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior?
- Have you repented (turned from sin)?
- Have your been baptized (buried in water)?
- Have you committed to following Jesus even unto death?
I guess what I’m saying is, get your hat!
1 comment:
WOW! A pastor actually quoting the bible; speaking absolute truths, (including using what seems to be considered by most churches as "THE four letter word" HELL); and asking the audience "IF" they are ready for eternity. HOW WONDERFUL!
Too often in today's churches, pastors teach or educate the audience, yet never get down to the most important aspect of their PURPOSE, which is to Grow The Church (Church being the Bride of Christ, not simply members of a corporate.).
I feel too many pastors are afraid to offend or scare the "potential pew-ploppers" by quoting the realities of the bible, and forget that without giving an invitation (offering Salvation), their message is of NO VALUE to the lost souls. After-all, without Jesus, they can be the best educated soul and still spend eternity in HELL.
Not everyone who is at the church service is saved, yet sometimes pastors act as if there is no NEED to offer an invitation.
Certainly, educating the flock is a Godly responsibility. But it's great to see a pastor taking the time to offer the opportunity of Salvation to the lost.
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