MVP (Week 2)

And multiply.

What's up?

How am I feeling this morning?

How about you?

Alright, all at once.

Okay.

How many of you guys have good day?

Uh last last Sunday, uh, just out of curiosity, uh, how many of you were pulling for the Chiefs?

Anybody pulling for the Chiefs last Sunday?

One, one brave, brave person.

Okay, that's awesome.

Uh, we got one happy person.

How many of you are pulling for the Eagles?

Anybody pulling for the Eagles?

Alright, I got you.

Got some sad people in the house.

Hey, I just wanted to get us all good and mad at each other before we started this morning.

So that's that's the only reason I did that.

Hey, I hope you had a great Super Bowl.

Uh, even if your team won or didn't win, I hope you guys could do something fun.

Um, I love football.

Uh I love um college football.

I love the NFL.

I actually uh actually played football uh in middle school.

Uh that always kind of shocks people when I say that.

Um but all I'll tell you is that um I was the exact same size in eighth grade that I am now.

Um there's not a whole lot that's changed with whatever this is.

So um but yeah, and I played football and I I loved it, but really I just enjoyed playing.

I loved being on the team.

I loved like the camaraderie, I loved like the smell of the grass and the practices and the and the road trips and the bus rides, the whole nine yards.

And and and usually um as far as position, I played I played um safety on defense, which those of you who are football fans kind of know what that is.

And um and I played backup wide receiver uh on offense.

Now, here's the thing when I when I say backup wide receiver, what I mean is never played.

Okay, like I I our offense was just like really, really good.

We had some really athletic kids on the team.

We actually never lost a game, which is awesome.

Like I've never lost a football game in my life, like, and I quit before I did.

And uh I was just focused in practice.

Uh we didn't even throw the ball that much, so I just kind of always focused in practice on like defensive formations and just different stuff like that because I was actually going to play defense.

I knew there was like absolutely no chance that I was ever gonna get in the game at wide receiver on offense.

Until this one game, and um it was halftime, and our team was up 42 to 0.

And just as our team is making our way uh back out onto the field, we're leaving the locker room, our coach turns around almost like he forgot and says, Oh, hey, Hall, you're in at wide out whole second half.

And I'll be honest with you, most kids uh were a little bit jealous.

Like a lot of kids really wanted the opportunity to go out there and play wide receiver, and it's a good chance to get some catches, maybe get your stats up a little bit.

But me knowing that I hadn't paid attention in practice to offense all year, uh didn't know 90% of our offensive plays, I almost immediately felt like I'd just been hit in the stomach.

Like I could not have been more nervous as I walked out on the field.

And so as our team takes the field for a first set of downs, I get in the huddle with everybody else, we we call play.

Uh I run out to my side of the field, and just to give you an idea of how little I knew about the wide receiver position, I didn't know that when you're playing wide receiver, apparently to line up on the line of scrimmage with everybody else, you're supposed to um go to the line judge, the official, uh, the referee, and ask him if you're on the ball or off the ball.

And so me uh having never played it and not really knowing that, I just kind of eyeballed it and lined up like ridiculously offsides, got a penalty our first drive.

Um so that was fun.

And get back to the pedal.

Then the the next play, um, I I really, for whatever reason, I thought it was a pass.

And so uh instead of blocking the corner like I was supposed to, I just like ran down the field full speed.

I was thinking it was gonna be like a wide open score.

I I brushed past the corner.

He whizzed right by me and sacked our running back for a loss of yardage.

And so um so by this point, uh, as I go back to the huddle, it's clear uh by the look on everyone else's face that this little substitution that coach made at halftime isn't going well.

Okay, and they said some things that I can't repeat for you.

And so uh my best friend, his name was Josh.

Uh he was by far the best player on our team.

He was the quarterback.

Uh, it's clear by the look on his face that he knew that I didn't know any of the place.

Okay.

Uh but he knew I could catch.

Okay.

He knew he knew that much about me.

And so he says, hey, Connor, run a go route and just be ready.

And I was like, oh, okay, like awesome.

Like, I know what that is.

That's great.

And so uh so we we line up uh as soon as the ball snap, I I whiz past the corner, I beat him past the jump, I fly down the field, I'm wide open.

I turn to look over my shoulder to catch.

Uh and I'm just thinking, this is gonna be a wide open touchdown.

Like, I'm already thinking in my head about like my end zone celebration desk, like like do like the Travis Kelsey.

Like, I'm just already excited about scoring my first touchdown.

And as I look up across the field, I see my best friend Josh, the quarterback, running a quarterback sneak around everybody up the other sideline for a touchdown.

And so uh as our team kind of celebrates in high fives, as we uh go back uh to the sideline, I kind of grab Josh and I'm like, hey man, you what gives, dude?

You you told me you told me to go long, to which he smiles and just said, I'm sorry, man, I just really had to get you out of everyone's way.

Okay, and that's a true friend right there.

He knew he knew in that moment that's what uh that's what I needed.

Uh needless to say, uh my days at wide receiver were pretty limited after that game.

Hey, um, hey, I don't know what position you play uh every week.

Um maybe, maybe you you fix cars or uh or you work on machinery or you work in a factory or you teach school or maybe you work in finance or you work as a a paralegal or a receptionist, or maybe, maybe you own your own company, or you sell real estate, or or maybe, maybe just maybe you have a really interesting job, uh, like our friend Tony Domino, we're gonna put his picture on the screen, um, came across an article about this man recently.

Tony uh is 44 years old and loves animals.

And because of his love for animals, uh, he works full-time as what they refer to as a pet food taster.

And the person who writes the article says this uh human testing is needed desperately in the pet industry.

Uh our pets may eat what is in front of them, but they can't give us feedback on taste, texture, or nutritional value of their food.

That's where human consumption comes into play.

And pet food testers personally taste pet food, heading to the market for quality control, safety, and maybe a little honest feedback on the flavor.

So if you've ever wondered if your furry friend is really enjoying those bacon wrap steak flavored doggy bites, give Tony a call.

From teriyaki chicken to salmon and wild rice, he knows exactly what kind of dinner your four-legged friend desires.

And I don't know if you remember this in school, but like when you were growing up, when you wanted to make fun of someone, wasn't like the first thing you told them that they ate dog food?

Well, it backfired on us because apparently they make six figures at it now, okay?

That's all I'm gonna say.

I'll I'll give it, I'll give it a try.

Hey, hey, I don't know what field you're in.

I don't know what position it is that you play week in and week out.

But but whatever it is, I I hope you're good at it.

Like not only because it matters to the people that you're playing for or serving or your teammates, but more importantly because it matters to God.

And this this guy named Paul, this this devoted follower of Jesus who did a lot of work in the early church, he he writes this letter to this little church in a place called Colossae.

And and in an attempt to not only encourage them but but coach them and us, he writes to them to tell them how they should live as Christ's followers each and every day as they do the work that they do.

Colossians chapter three, uh, verse twelve, the Apostle Paul he actually writes this Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.

Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you.

And and over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body, one team, you were called to peace.

And be thankful.

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Uh many of you would recognize the name uh Bill Walton.

Uh he's a sports caster and a former professional basketball player.

He won uh multiple NBA championships.

He won one with uh Larry Byrd and the Boston Celtics, he won another one on his own with the Portland Trailblazers, and uh he's he's been uh selected an NBA most valuable player, and he he's known uh throughout the game as one of the best centers to ever uh play the game of basketball.

But but what many people forget uh is that Bill Walton actually played college ball for UCLA for a man named John Wooden, who's widely recognized as the greatest college basketball coach of all time.

And Wooden won 10 national championships, and he was he was not only an incredible coach, but also uh a devout Christian and an incredible mentor to young men who and he cared a lot more about principles than he did about basketball.

He wanted to prepare young men for life and not just to go out on the court every game.

And and Wooden was known for having like these strict team rules.

Uh one of those rules uh was that his players were to wear uh coats and ties when they were traveling for away games, otherwise, they weren't uh permitted to play.

And so one night as his team um was boarding the bus and headed to the airport for an away uh matchup, um uh he uh he actually noticed Bill Walton get on the bus, and he wasn't not only was he not wearing a coat and tie, but he looked incredibly disheveled and he looked like he basically just rolled out of bed.

And so uh when Wooden confronted him on it, uh Walton, uh keep in mind being the best college athlete uh player at that time, he got angry at Coach Wooden and he snapped on him.

He said, You can't tell me what to wear.

You've got no right to tell me how to dress.

And Coach Wooden smiled at Walton, he said, Bill, Bill, Bill, you're right.

I don't have any right to tell any player how to dress.

I just have a right to determine who's gonna play and who isn't, and we're sure gonna miss you.

In other words, we dress as a team.

See, Coach Wooden understood that if he couldn't get his players to do the small things well, he would never be able to get them to do big things with excellence.

Paul points out something really important, not only to the church in Colossi, but to us, and that's that regardless of whatever position you play, whatever job or your occupation is, whether it's blue collar or white collar, there's a certain uniform that every Christ follower should put on, and they should put it on daily.

Saw an article recently about some of the teams that have uh the most iconic team uniforms of all time.

And uh these are teams whose uniforms have held a signature look over the course of decades, and they haven't really changed up their look any.

And among those who made the list were actually several teams that are like really, really successful and have been really successful over the years.

Teams like the the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Los Angeles Lakers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, New York Yankees, uh all of which have held the same signature look for I don't know, like the last hundred years.

But but when you see those colors take the field, you immediately know what team it is.

See what Paul's saying to us isn't that complex.

He's saying when people see you, they should immediately see things like gentleness, kindness, patience, humility, love, goodness, so that instantly they know who it is you're playing for.

See, as believers, it doesn't matter what kind of clothes that we wear to our job, whether it's a suit and tie or coveralls, it doesn't matter.

What matters is that every day you and I go out and put on a jersey with Jesus' name stitched across the chest, and we wear it really, really well.

And we never take it off.

See, regardless of what position you and I play in the workforce, that's what matters most, and that is the most important team that we will ever be on.

It's following Jesus.

Paul actually goes on further to say this in verse 17.

He says, and whatever you do, whether in word or in deed, do it all in the name of Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

And the key word I love in that sentence is simply the word whatever.

Like Paul doesn't narrow it down much for us here or give us any kind of specifics.

Whatever seems like a really vague word to use, especially as it relates to the things that bring glory to God.

And if there's one thing that we like can't stand as Christians, it's whenever the Bible seems vague.

And I I get that.

I understand that tension, I understand that frustration, but but this just isn't one of those moments.

No, no, in fact, the the Greek Paul uses uh it translates to English words that you and I know, like all, whole, everything.

Literally, whatever.

That's what he means.

And that may not seem like a big deal on the surface, but but if we think about it, that's probably not the word that most of us would use.

Many of you in the room today are fathers, and which is awesome.

And some of you happen to be fathers of girls, which is even more awesome.

Hashtag girl dad, that's cool.

Now, now now for those of you with daughters, or maybe those of you who are hoping to have daughters someday, just just humor me for just a second.

Let's say hypothetically, uh, that that little girl one day comes home from college and says, Dad, dad, I've met the man I want to marry, I want to spend the rest of my life with.

And you you smile and say, Well, that's that's great, sweetie.

And and and over the course of conversation, as you're trying to kind of pry and get more information about him, you kind of just off-handedly ask nonchalantly, Hey, by the, by the way, sweetheart, what it, what exactly does he do?

And she responds by saying, Oh, he just kind of does whatever, it's not gonna go well.

And that's not exactly what any dad wants to hear.

I mean, it's gonna it's gonna raise some questions, and rightfully, rightfully so.

But let's be even more honest with ourselves here for a second.

If in response to that question, your daughter told you he was a doctor, an architect, or an engineer, or a coach, or something like that, you there's some of us in the room that might kind of lean forward just a little bit.

But if she were to respond by saying, Daddy, he's the most humble, honest, hardworking man I've ever met.

He works at a grocery store, or he digs ditches, or he's a hotel clerk.

There's several of us that might kind of lean back in our seats and say, huh.

And here's the thing, I don't say that to condemn anyone, because if I were a father, I might even do the same.

I get it.

Plenty of others would as well.

I don't say that to make anyone feel bad.

I say that because we have a heavenly father who doesn't quite see it that way.

See, if we were to like bring God a newspaper paper with like the classified ads and hundreds of different jobs ranging from different salaries to educations to experience levels, and we were to bring that to God and say, hey God, which one of these jobs uh brings you the most honor, the most praise, the most glory, he's he's not likely to pick the one that we think that he would pick.

In fact, he's he's honestly most likely to look at all of them and say, uh, I don't know, whatever.

Like, what?

Sorry, sorry, guys.

Like, what exactly do you mean?

Oh, well, I mean, if if any of these jobs are done in in my name by one of my followers and someone who works hard and gives the job they're all with kindness and gentleness and patience and with a heart to serve others, then it could be any of them.

They're all the same to me, just pick whatever.

Why does God feel that way?

Because in God's eyes, all of what we do that honors Him is ministry.

A few months ago, I did a podcast with a guy named Scott Nickel, and uh he'll he'll actually be here uh to preach for you guys in a few weeks.

But but during the time he was interviewing me, we were talking uh about working in full-time vocational ministry, and he said something that was really, really profound.

He said this we're all a part of the church.

There's not this distinction between professional Christians and non-professional Christians like we tend to believe.

In other words, friends, God doesn't hold what I do up here on Sundays in any higher regard than what you do on Monday.

Like he doesn't look at the select few of us in vocational ministry as starters and everybody else's backups that are never going to get in the game and they only will if something goes horribly, horribly wrong.

No, see, you're nine to five, you're four to twelve, or you're twelve to eight.

It may look different than the person next to you, and guess what?

That's on purpose.

You have giftings the person next to you doesn't have, and vice versa.

This picture is of Robbie Gold.

And uh he plays for the San Francisco 49ers.

He's he's one of the best NFL place kickers in the in the league today.

And he's number nine, he's he's 5'11, 190 pounds, and he just turned 40 years old.

And his job every game is to kick field goals, oftentimes when the game is on the line.

Now, surrounded by him in this photo is his offensive line.

Each one of them stands over 6'5 and weigh in at over 300 pounds.

Their job is to block for him while he does.

Now, if you were to ask Robbie to get on the line and try to block a defensive tackle, he'd most likely get run over pretty quick.

And if you were to ask one of these big brutes of uh offensive linemen to kick a game-winning field goal, it would probably land straight in the cheerleaders.

Like it might not even get off the ground.

One does what the other can't do.

They need each other.

These five or six offensive linemen know if Robbie doesn't make this field goal, we're not gonna win the game.

And Robbie knows if these guys don't block for me, I'm not gonna be able to make this kick.

And some of you football fans, you might already kind of want to argue with me and say, Connor, Connor, an offensive lineman is a far more valuable player than a place kicker, and you might be right.

Let me ask you something.

What about when your team's down by two with two seconds left?

All of a sudden, who becomes the most important person on your team in that moment?

For many of us, we'd say guys like Robbie Gold.

Friends, I've sat in hospital rooms with a dad who was slowly and painfully dying, and in that moment, that night nurse was the most important person that I had.

I've been in crowded airports where the the only reason I even got on a plane that night was because of the grace of a TSA agent or the mercy of a flight attendant.

I've I've come across so many people in my life who have have had average and ordinary jobs, but who have made the decision to do them in special and extraordinary ways.

Not to be noticed, not to get ahead, not to live the American dream, but so that Jesus can be seen.

And so that other people can experience the kind of love that he has in store for them.

Multiple, I just want you to know this morning your position, whatever it is, it matters.

It matters to the people you serve, it matters to the teammates you serve with, and most importantly, it matters to God.

Whatever field you're in, he has you on that field for a reason.

Reason, and that reason is only to glorify him.

Period.

Paul he words it a different way just in a few verses later in verse 23.

He says this Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.

It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as if working for the Lord.

It is the Lord Christ you're serving.

Multiply, I love this church.

Love all of you.

Every time I I walk into this place, it just it just reminds me of the church plant that I was a part of.

I met a couple at the at the banking job that I worked in Nashville, and one day they they asked me to join a launch team, and the rest, as they say, is history.

I would have never worked in full-time ministry if it wasn't for that.

It's been so cool to watch how faithfully so many of you have served this place and have used your gifts and how your church has grown and just continued to grow, and it's it's awesome.

But but here's the reality for most of us in the room today, this isn't the field.

See, as amazing of a church as multiply is the reality, there's a lot of people out there who want nothing to do with him.

That is, until they meet him.

They get to see firsthand what a love like that in their life is like.

You will be the only Bible some people ever read.

See, as followers of Jesus, we dress as a team.

So in whatever you do, whatever field you're in this week, make sure you put on a jersey with his name stitched across the front of it.

And when you do, friends, please, please wear it proudly.

So that everyone you interact with has the opportunity to see who Jesus is.

Might be the only way they ever see it.

I'll close with this.

Growing up, uh, we had a family uh barber named Tommy Payne, and he was one of the kindest men you'll ever meet.

He gave me and my brother every haircut we'd we'd ever had until we were grown men.

And he and my dad, they had a very special bond.

They would always uh be in the barbershop together, and they would they would quote Andy Griffith lines together.

And he'd be cutting my dad's hair, and my dad would say to Tommy, Now, now Floyd, you're getting a little close around the ears there.

And my dad would say back, Well, now Andy, I'm gonna have to charge you for the witch hazel, and on and on.

And Tommy wasn't only a great barber, he was one of the greatest people my family's ever had the pleasure of knowing.

Still is.

A few years ago, uh my dad started to lose his batter, uh, his battle with with cancer.

Hospice brought my dad home on Thanksgiving night, and all of a sudden my mom and I became full-time caretakers.

We weren't very good at it.

And and for any of you who've been through the process of watching a loved one slowly prepare to die, it's a it's a grueling ordeal.

I mean, doctors and nurses, they'll tell you things like, well, it'll be any day now, but but oftentimes there's just no way to know.

It's just a really sad and long period of waiting for everyone involved.

And as the weeks of him getting weaker and weaker went on, my my dad's beard started to grow out and get mangy and long, and I could I could tell that it itched him, especially down around his neck.

Late one night as I was getting my dad's bed, hospital bed adjusted, there was a knock on the front door, and and in walked Tommy with his clippers, his barber kit.

As he walked over to my dad, he he winked at him, he said, Now, Marshall, you were late for your last appointment.

I'm gonna have to charge you for that.

As my dad lay there with zero strength, unable to speak.

Tommy carefully trimmed his beard and his sidebirds down to a stubble, brushed off all the hair, got out shaving cream, he took a thick lather of it, and he rubbed it all over my dad's face and his neck evenly, and then slowly took a safety razor and he gave my dad the cleanest shade that he's ever had.

He looked like a brand new person, and based on the look of relief on my dad's face, he felt like one too.

Tommy cleaned off his face with a warm washcloth, and he packed up his tools, and he shook my dad's hand one last time the way they always did at the barber shop.

Then he winked at my dad and he whispered, Now, Marshall, I'm gonna have to charge you for the witch hazel.

Based on the look on Tommy and my dad's face, it was clear that they both knew the next time these two friends would see each other would be in heaven.

Then Tommy picked up his bag, he got in his car, and he left.

And a few days later, my dad went and met Jesus with the cleanest shave he's ever had.

Friends, I'd tell you that.

Because it would be really easy to look at someone like Tommy Payne and say that he just cuts hair.

He would probably tell you that.

But with a steady hand and with great care, Tommy gets out of bed every day, goes into work, and he gives people Jesus.

Even people who are just getting ready to meet him.

In whatever you do, do it with all your heart.

As if working for the Lord.

Multiply.

My prayer for you this week is that in whatever you do, whatever field, whatever position, you'll work for the Lord and you will play your position well.

And that you'll play it like Tommy and help someone someday meet Jesus too.

Let's pray.

God, I'm thankful.

Just so thankful for all the gifts and all the talents that you have under this roof.

God, you've you've been so good to all of us.

You've been so intentional with all of us, and you've given us those giftings on purpose and with purpose.

So, God, just pray for every field this weekend, every position.

God, I pray that you would go before us and strengthen us so that we could play the game and play it well, and that none of it this week would be for our own glory, God, but all of us all of it would be for your name.

God, I'm grateful for this church.

I'm grateful that you use people like us to bring people to you.

God, I still can't believe that what you've done in my life and the different places that you've taken me, the different roles that I've played, God, but God, first and foremost, I just I just pray that whatever position I'm in, God, that it would just be a Christ follower first.

God, thank you.

We're so grateful for you.

We're so grateful for this church.

God, this week go before us and help us just to serve people the way that you would want us to serve them.

And in all that we do this week, God, remind us, strengthen us, and help us to know that we are serving your name first.

God, we love you.

We're grateful for you.

I pray for everyone's week this week.

We ask all these things in your name.

Amen.