Get In The Game | Pastor Joshua Gay

[SPEAKER_00]: High praise podcasts.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hey everybody, this is Pastor Josh.

[SPEAKER_00]: We'll leave Pastor here at High praise and I want to thank you for downloading today's podcast.

[SPEAKER_00]: We know that this message is going to encourage and bless you.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I want you to open up your heart and receive with the Lord as for you today.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hey man, grab your Bible, go to Colossians chapter three, Colossians chapter three,

[SPEAKER_00]: really excited about this word today, believe it's going to encourage you build you up, challenge you a little bit, and hopefully motivate you to get in the game.

[SPEAKER_00]: Colossians chapter three, verse twenty three, it says this, and whatever you do, say whatever you do, whatever you do, do it hardly as to the Lord and not to mend knowing that from who

[SPEAKER_00]: From who?

[SPEAKER_00]: From the Lord, you will receive the reward of the inheritance for you serve the Lord Christ.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let's pray today.

[SPEAKER_00]: Father, thank you for this word.

[SPEAKER_00]: I thank you for something good to say to each and every single one of us in this room.

[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you, Father God, you're going to build us up today.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're going to encourage us.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're going to challenge us this morning.

[SPEAKER_00]: I thank you today.

[SPEAKER_00]: You will know it.

[SPEAKER_00]: My tongue is out of a ready and skillful writer to speak forth your words of life, excertation, edification, and comfort to your people.

[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for all of us in this room.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, our ears to hear our hearts to receive, our spirits to respond to what you're saying to us.

[SPEAKER_00]: And everybody says, Amen.

[SPEAKER_00]: Amen.

[SPEAKER_00]: As you probably look around as you probably noticed today, it is football season, college football season is upon us.

[SPEAKER_00]: How many of you excited?

[SPEAKER_00]: Amen.

[SPEAKER_00]: How many nervous?

[SPEAKER_00]: That's the real question.

[SPEAKER_00]: Praise God.

[SPEAKER_00]: Praise God.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm gonna live my hand and say amen to that after last year.

[SPEAKER_00]: I noticed this morning on the front line like everyone was wearing garnet and gold.

[SPEAKER_00]: That was not planned.

[SPEAKER_00]: I have nothing to do with the scheduling as Pastor Castle.

[SPEAKER_00]: I do not schedule anybody had nothing to do with it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Football season's upon us games actually started yesterday.

[SPEAKER_00]: Anybody watching the games yesterday games have actually started and over the next week a lot of games are going to be played and some teams are going to win.

[SPEAKER_00]: Some teams are going to lose, half the teams are going to win, half the teams are going to lose.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's the way it works, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: Half the teams will win, half the teams will lose.

[SPEAKER_00]: And in those games, the teams that win will win because of the players that are on the field.

[SPEAKER_00]: They will not win because of the fans that are in the stands.

[SPEAKER_00]: But they will win because of the players that actually get on the field.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know we all like to use this language like we won.

[SPEAKER_00]: Right?

[SPEAKER_00]: We won yesterday.

[SPEAKER_00]: You didn't win anything.

[SPEAKER_00]: The team that you cheer for won, maybe.

[SPEAKER_00]: But you didn't win anything.

[SPEAKER_00]: The team that you like won.

[SPEAKER_00]: But you didn't win because you did not go put on the pads.

[SPEAKER_00]: Line up, hit somebody, run the touchdown, block whatever it is.

[SPEAKER_00]: You didn't win nothing.

[SPEAKER_00]: The good news is also you didn't lose anything, but you didn't win anything.

[SPEAKER_00]: Your team won, but you didn't win.

[SPEAKER_00]: I believe, I'm going to start with all this, I believe that we are in a season as a church body, as God is doing something great and powerful and mighty in this church where there are our, as Dad mentioned, there's miracles we're seeing signs, wonders, seeing God do incredible things.

[SPEAKER_00]: We are in a season, I believe, where God is calling for all of us to get out of the stands,

[SPEAKER_00]: and get on to the field.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you want to win with this church body, you've got to get off of the stands, and you've got to get on to the field.

[SPEAKER_00]: You've got to get out of the lazy boy, you've got to get off of the couch, and you've got to get on to the field, because that's what we as the church are called to do.

[SPEAKER_00]: Our foundational scripture that we just read today says, whatever we do,

[SPEAKER_00]: We should do it as to the Lord.

[SPEAKER_00]: We should do it with a heart for God, not for people.

[SPEAKER_00]: One of my favorite things people say all the time is like, I'm just, I'm kind of tired of the church because of the people that have hurt me and this, that and I've gone through this and that and the other, I don't want you to hear the way I say this.

[SPEAKER_00]: We don't serve God because of the way people act.

[SPEAKER_00]: We serve God because of who He is and because of what He's done for us.

[SPEAKER_00]: We don't serve the church because the church is perfect.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know if you realize this, the church is made up of imperfect people.

[SPEAKER_00]: High praise as awesome as it is and as much as I love this place.

[SPEAKER_00]: It is not perfect.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know why?

[SPEAKER_00]: Because you're here.

[SPEAKER_00]: because none of us have arrived yet.

[SPEAKER_00]: We are pressing toward the mark of the price of the high calling that is in Christ Jesus, but we haven't reached it yet.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're trying to look more like Jesus, but I don't know about you, but there's some moments when I look in the mirror and I go, you ain't there yet.

[SPEAKER_00]: You ever looked at the mirror and said, you ain't there yet?

[SPEAKER_00]: If you haven't done that, we probably need to be delivered of pride.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, praise God, don't shout me down this morning.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you remember like, I think I'm there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Think I made it.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think God has worked out all of the flesh in me and I think I'm in a place of complete exaltation.

[SPEAKER_00]: You probably need to get the, probably, you need to get the pride out of your life.

[SPEAKER_00]: None of us are perfect.

[SPEAKER_00]: We don't serve the church because it's a perfect place.

[SPEAKER_00]: We serve a church because we are serving the Lord.

[SPEAKER_00]: And as we serve the church, we are not just serving people.

[SPEAKER_00]: We are serving God.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's also amazing to me.

[SPEAKER_00]: We never use this excuse for anything else.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't gotta church because I've been hurt.

[SPEAKER_00]: People get hurt at work all the time.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you're still gonna go clock in.

[SPEAKER_00]: Your kids have been bullied or made fun of or had a teacher be mean to them.

[SPEAKER_00]: Got dressed coded.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're just gonna keep on going.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was gonna keep on going.

[SPEAKER_00]: And tomorrow morning, you know what you're gonna do?

[SPEAKER_00]: You're gonna send them to school.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're not gonna go to the school system hurt you.

[SPEAKER_00]: So we're dropping out praise God.

[SPEAKER_00]: The church is one of the only things we do this with.

[SPEAKER_00]: I've been hurt, so I'm gonna stay home.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't like that one song they sang this Sunday.

[SPEAKER_00]: Ain't my flavor.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm gonna stay home.

[SPEAKER_00]: It is the only thing we do that with.

[SPEAKER_00]: We don't do it with anything else, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: How many ever gone to like your favorite restaurant and got bad service?

[SPEAKER_00]: And you know what you did a couple weeks later?

[SPEAKER_00]: You went back.

[SPEAKER_00]: The church is the only thing we do this with.

[SPEAKER_00]: I was hurt.

[SPEAKER_00]: Somebody was mean to me.

[SPEAKER_00]: Somebody didn't say hi to me.

[SPEAKER_00]: Pastor Walt Wright passed me.

[SPEAKER_00]: He saw me at Walmart.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know we did, and he didn't say wave.

[SPEAKER_00]: Of course, we didn't also say anything, but the illness is completely on them.

[SPEAKER_00]: The only thing we do that with.

[SPEAKER_00]: You are not called to sit on the bench.

[SPEAKER_00]: or to sit in the stands or to simply sit at home because things aren't perfect.

[SPEAKER_00]: We do this.

[SPEAKER_00]: We make Christianity some side part of our lives.

[SPEAKER_00]: We make it the least important.

[SPEAKER_00]: We make church the least important thing in our lives.

[SPEAKER_00]: We will show up on Sunday as long as it isn't raining.

[SPEAKER_00]: Or as long as it's not too nice outside.

[SPEAKER_00]: If it's too nice outside, we're going to the beach.

[SPEAKER_00]: If it's raining outside, we're going to stay home and bed.

[SPEAKER_00]: If it is the perfect man kind of day, we're going to show up.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know what's going to be?

[SPEAKER_00]: If you wake up tomorrow and it is raining cats and dogs, you know what you're going to do?

[SPEAKER_00]: You're going to get your butt in the car and you're going to go to work.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you're going to make sure your kids get to the bus stop or drop off or whatever you need to do.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you're going to make sure listen.

[SPEAKER_00]: We a bunch of the staff kids go across the street in the Callaway.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I was out of town, but I heard it was just raining one day like bad raining at drop off time.

[SPEAKER_00]: And they didn't go.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right, we're going to just wait and see what happens till this passes over.

[SPEAKER_00]: Those kids are like, all right, it's time for you all to go.

[SPEAKER_00]: I heard Millie came sprinting across the street.

[SPEAKER_00]: So from head to toe, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: But one of them saying that all this is, we make all of these little excuses for church.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm hurt.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's this.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's that.

[SPEAKER_00]: For why we don't show up.

[SPEAKER_00]: But at the end of the day, we've got to lay our excuses down and you've got to simply get in the game.

[SPEAKER_00]: You've got to take yourself off of the bench.

[SPEAKER_00]: The church is one of the only places where we can put ourselves on the bench.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we do it constantly.

[SPEAKER_00]: We so often settle for just at best attending church when we are called to be the church.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're called to be part of the church.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're called to be part of a living organism, not just a spectator in a performance or a show.

[SPEAKER_00]: You didn't come to see a concert and hear a good talk.

[SPEAKER_00]: You came to be part of a living organism called the church that needs you to function and operate.

[SPEAKER_00]: Are you with me?

[SPEAKER_00]: This message is really a rallying cry to get plugged in, to find your role, to get involved, because everybody's got a position to play.

[SPEAKER_00]: I said, everybody has a position to play.

[SPEAKER_00]: There are no bench warmers in the kingdom of God.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're not an accident.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're divinely crafted with purpose.

[SPEAKER_00]: And scripture tells us this, that every believer, say every believer,

[SPEAKER_00]: That means you.

[SPEAKER_00]: Every believer has received a gift from God, and that is meant to be used to serve others.

[SPEAKER_00]: So Peter says in first Peter chapter four, he says, as each one of you has received a gift, minister it to one another.

[SPEAKER_00]: As each one of you has received a gift, minister it to one another.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're not an exception.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're not the person that you say, well, I didn't get a gift.

[SPEAKER_00]: Or well, my gift isn't, my gift is just between me and the Lord.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's not what Scripture says.

[SPEAKER_00]: Scripture says that we are called a minister to one another.

[SPEAKER_00]: You've received a gift and I want you to hear me.

[SPEAKER_00]: You've received a gift and if you aren't using that gift, someone else in the body is suffering because you are not ministering the piece that you're called a minister.

[SPEAKER_00]: We are all called to minister to someone else in the body.

[SPEAKER_00]: We certainly have ministry roles and things we're called to do outside of the body as well.

[SPEAKER_00]: But our first ministry role, outside of your family, your first ministry role is always in the house of the Lord.

[SPEAKER_00]: You do our call to do something in the house of God.

[SPEAKER_00]: We are one body with many parts, with different functions, and the church has many members with different gifts.

[SPEAKER_00]: Your abilities might differ from someone else.

[SPEAKER_00]: So in fact, they are going to differ from somebody else.

[SPEAKER_00]: But it doesn't mean that your gift isn't vital to the team.

[SPEAKER_00]: Everybody's got a gift.

[SPEAKER_00]: Everybody in a football team has a gift.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let me just, I'll use, we'll jump to the pros for a moment.

[SPEAKER_00]: You've got, let's look, let's take like the Bengals for example.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're talking about the NFL.

[SPEAKER_00]: This college color Sunday, y'all just hang with me.

[SPEAKER_00]: And if you don't know football, I apologize.

[SPEAKER_00]: Joe Burrow is the quarterback for the Cincinnati Eagles, paid a lot of money.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's got a receiver named Jamar Chase, who's probably one of if not the best receiver in the NFL, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: You want Jamar Chase playing wide receiver.

[SPEAKER_00]: You do not want Jamar Chase playing quarterback.

[SPEAKER_00]: As great as he is, if he's playing in the wrong spot, it ain't gonna work.

[SPEAKER_00]: And as great as Jamar Chase is, if you have a left tackle trying to throw him the ball,

[SPEAKER_00]: Jamar Chase ain't gonna be that great.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jamar Chase needs Joe Burrow.

[SPEAKER_00]: And Joe Burrow needs Jamar Chase because when they're both playing in the right place, they make each other better.

[SPEAKER_00]: In the body when we are all playing in the right place, when we're lined up at the right position, and when we're running the right play, we make each other better.

[SPEAKER_00]: And no one is called to play one on one in the kingdom.

[SPEAKER_00]: It is a team sport.

[SPEAKER_00]: Y'all with me?

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a team life.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we need each other.

[SPEAKER_00]: Every team needs a QB.

[SPEAKER_00]: But if that QB doesn't have a tackle that's blocking form, he's going to be in trouble.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't care who he is.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's going to be in trouble.

[SPEAKER_00]: And let me tell you what your gift is not.

[SPEAKER_00]: Ben Schwarming.

[SPEAKER_00]: I've been given the gift of doing nothing.

[SPEAKER_00]: No, you haven't.

[SPEAKER_00]: We've all been given a gift, a minister to one another.

[SPEAKER_00]: Bingewarming is not your calling.

[SPEAKER_00]: Observing is not your calling.

[SPEAKER_00]: If God gave you a gift, it's meant to be put to work, not hidden away.

[SPEAKER_00]: One of the worst, there are people with abilities, talents, giftings, annoyance, all kinds of things that never walk into the fullness of it simply because they would rather go bury their talent in the field.

[SPEAKER_00]: then produce with it.

[SPEAKER_00]: And Jesus called that person the wicked and lazy servant.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know it's Sunday morning and praise God and all that.

[SPEAKER_00]: We have way too many lazy people in the kingdom of God.

[SPEAKER_00]: Who it's easier to watch everyone else and actually do anything.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's easier to go bury your talent in the field than actually have to sign up on planning center and show up when you're scheduled.

[SPEAKER_00]: And have somebody go, this is the parameters we're going to serve in.

[SPEAKER_00]: And this is how we're going to operate.

[SPEAKER_00]: Pastor Castle is the most fired up person today.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's the Connect Pastor.

[SPEAKER_00]: He does all the scheduling.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's like, bless God.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to have two hundred new planning center signs up at the end of the day.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's easier to do all of that.

[SPEAKER_00]: then actually be activated and do what you're called to do.

[SPEAKER_00]: It'd be a lot easier to show up and sit and watch, but there is not the reward when you just sit and watch.

[SPEAKER_00]: I remember, and I watched in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in,

[SPEAKER_00]: And when Florida State won that game, it was great.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was wonderful.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was exciting.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know what?

[SPEAKER_00]: I didn't get a reinship to me.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know what?

[SPEAKER_00]: I didn't get the whole, I didn't get the whole the trophy.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know why?

[SPEAKER_00]: Because I didn't play in the game.

[SPEAKER_00]: There is a certain level of reward when you watch.

[SPEAKER_00]: But there is a much greater level of reward when you play.

[SPEAKER_00]: There is a much greater level of reward when you play.

[SPEAKER_00]: I was watching, I don't necessarily recommend you watch this, but I was watching the, that's a great thing to say on Sunday morning.

[SPEAKER_00]: I was watching the Netflix documentary just came out about the Cowboys and Jerry Jones and all that was really interesting.

[SPEAKER_00]: But what I found interesting is Jerry Jones is this, if you don't know who Jerry Jones is, he's the owner of the Cowboys, the Cowboys I believe are still the most valuable franchise.

[SPEAKER_00]: in all of pro sports.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's billions and billions and billions and billions of dollars.

[SPEAKER_00]: And Jerry Jones is a multi multi billionaire.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's seen the Cowboys win Super Bowl, long time ago, but he's seen the Cowboys win Super Bowl.

[SPEAKER_00]: All that good stuff.

[SPEAKER_00]: But it's really interesting.

[SPEAKER_00]: He was talking about about whenever he played at Arkansas in college.

[SPEAKER_00]: And he won that Pastor Garrett boot.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's from Arkansas, but he's a Texas fan.

[SPEAKER_00]: Figure it out.

[SPEAKER_00]: But he was talking about when he played an Arkansas and won a national title.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you know the thing, Jerry Jones got most emotional about in that entire series.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the thing that he took the most pride in, it wasn't his billions of dollars.

[SPEAKER_00]: It wasn't the championships that he won with Troy Acmon and Michael Irvin and Emmett Smith.

[SPEAKER_00]: He liked got super emotional tiered up crying.

[SPEAKER_00]: When he started talking about winning that championship with Arkansas in the sixties, I think.

[SPEAKER_00]: before college football is what it is today.

[SPEAKER_00]: He won this title, and he still had this incredible pride, you know why?

[SPEAKER_00]: Because even though he owned the team, he didn't play in ninety five, ninety six, whatever year it was, last one they won.

[SPEAKER_00]: He didn't play, but he was on the field whenever Arkansas won that title.

[SPEAKER_00]: and he got to hold the trophy as somebody who made it happen on the field.

[SPEAKER_00]: He still had the ring on from that national championship winning year because there is something that you receive whenever your team wins and you watch it and there is something completely different when they win but you were on the field.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's awesome to see God do great in mighty things from this church whenever you just come and sit and watch.

[SPEAKER_00]: But there's something else whenever you're connected and you're serving and you're on the field and you're involved.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's a different level of blessing that I believe there's a different level that God releases in your life whenever you get off the bench and you get on the field.

[SPEAKER_00]: Somebody say amen.

[SPEAKER_00]: You have to stop doubting whether you're needed and start offering what you have.

[SPEAKER_00]: Some of us have gifts, some of us will be on the platform, be on the say, some people lead worse, some people will preach, some people teach youth and lead in there or kids or greet when you come through the doors.

[SPEAKER_00]: But let me tell you what, and Dad already said it this morning, I was like, stop to preach my message.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I didn't know.

[SPEAKER_00]: But the people, the people that you don't see are just as important as the people that you do see.

[SPEAKER_00]: Dad mentioned it already but there's nursery workers back in nursery right now that are watching kids and they're teaching kids and they are changing diapers and they're doing all of that and I don't know any given Sunday there can be as many as fifty back in the nurseries one we don't have room for fifty babies in here two we don't have the patience for fifty babies in here and the church says

[SPEAKER_00]: And then there's fifty to seventy in kids' church.

[SPEAKER_00]: And that's just in first service.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let me tell my second service.

[SPEAKER_00]: Just in first service over in kids' church right now.

[SPEAKER_00]: I love kids.

[SPEAKER_00]: I've got two kids that are, I probably have four kids over there right now because my big kids are probably over there serving.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I have two kids that are in kids' church.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I love my kids and they're awesome.

[SPEAKER_00]: And they're wonderful.

[SPEAKER_00]: But trust me, my wife is thrilled.

[SPEAKER_00]: That Eva Joy is not sitting on the front right now.

[SPEAKER_00]: pelting her with a hundred and seventy three questions in thirty minutes.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know y'all love your kids but you are so glad that you're able to sit and listen and receive and you're not having to put your kid in the sleeper hold.

[SPEAKER_00]: So you can hear y'all know what I'm talking about.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not don't please no one actually do that.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's just a joke.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right.

[SPEAKER_00]: Those people are just as important as when Pastor Castle was up here.

[SPEAKER_00]: Pastor Miranda was up here or went on the keys or Marcus on the drums.

[SPEAKER_00]: Those people are just as important.

[SPEAKER_00]: Kelly, Henry is back there on media this morning.

[SPEAKER_00]: Kelly is incredibly important.

[SPEAKER_00]: Faithful as the day is long, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: We got Jared and Andre back there on sound.

[SPEAKER_00]: They're important back there, amen?

[SPEAKER_00]: I think it's cam up in the, it's cam up there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Cameron's upstairs directing or producing or doing something.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's important.

[SPEAKER_00]: All these people are incredibly important, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: They aren't the people who's like, well, they just aren't anointed.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's ridiculous.

[SPEAKER_00]: They are annoying to do exactly what they're doing.

[SPEAKER_00]: They are gifted to serve in those ways and the entire church benefits because they have a good attitude and are willing to serve in even the areas that other people might look at and go, well that's not that important.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's so important.

[SPEAKER_00]: I can't even begin to articulate how important those roles are.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we are so thankful to stop sitting on the bench and get in the game.

[SPEAKER_00]: Whatever you're gifting is, God is inviting you today to jump in and contribute.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hear me, serving is so much better than being a critic.

[SPEAKER_00]: Being in the game is so much better than being in the Monday morning quarterback.

[SPEAKER_00]: Come on, let's just be honest, man, we're all gonna do this at some point this year.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're gonna be watching our team play, and there's gonna be a play that doesn't go our way, and what we're gonna do is go, if they just would have done this, it's an easy touchdown.

[SPEAKER_00]: All these gotta do is catch the ball.

[SPEAKER_00]: If he just would have not thrown that ball, three yards farther, touchdown, baby.

[SPEAKER_00]: What's so hard about this?

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm probably going to sit and watch the Florida State Game on Saturday while they're getting killed, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: Somebody asked Pastor Casey why he didn't come dressed in Alabama gear today goes, I did come dressed in funeral attire for the dynasty.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's an Alabama fan.

[SPEAKER_00]: He can say that, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: But there is probably, at some point, I'm going to see a game.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to see a play that's going to happen.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm going to go, why didn't they just do die?

[SPEAKER_00]: Right?

[SPEAKER_00]: Like I am as qualified as they are.

[SPEAKER_00]: If he just would have made the tackle,

[SPEAKER_00]: It ain't that hard.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know there's a guy who's six, three, two, twenty running at him at four, two speed.

[SPEAKER_00]: But if he just would have just wrapped up, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: And we do this all the time, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: But people do the same thing in church.

[SPEAKER_00]: People who don't control, I'm getting y'all.

[SPEAKER_00]: People who do the least have the most to say, well, why don't they just do this?

[SPEAKER_00]: And it's like, well,

[SPEAKER_00]: We could do that if you would get off the bench and get in the game.

[SPEAKER_00]: Then maybe you might realize it's really easy to sit on the lazy boy and tell the coach what he should have done.

[SPEAKER_00]: It is real easy to sit back and begin to tell them if you just do this, it would be a problem.

[SPEAKER_00]: It is real easy, praise God, amen.

[SPEAKER_00]: It is real easy to take this approach.

[SPEAKER_00]: If they just fix this and if they just fix that, then it's all going to be, if they would just fix these problems, we wouldn't have this issue in the church.

[SPEAKER_00]: Y'all win me?

[SPEAKER_00]: It's really easy to take that approach, but at the end of the day, you don't know the variables.

[SPEAKER_00]: You don't know the situation.

[SPEAKER_00]: You don't know what's going on.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's really easy.

[SPEAKER_00]: Why did they call that play?

[SPEAKER_00]: I know that they're running a spread offense, but if they would run the wing T, like we ran back in nineteen sixty two.

[SPEAKER_00]: No problem.

[SPEAKER_00]: Right?

[SPEAKER_00]: We have to be people who stop complaining and we start getting involved and we start making it happen.

[SPEAKER_00]: Don't be a critic, be a contributor.

[SPEAKER_00]: The church gains nothing from criticism.

[SPEAKER_00]: But it grows strong when every member does their part.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you see a need be a part of the solution rather than just talking about it.

[SPEAKER_00]: I've heard my grandpa say this, I've heard my dad say this for years and I say it now.

[SPEAKER_00]: It doesn't take a rocket scientist to identify a problem.

[SPEAKER_00]: It doesn't take a smart person to go, this is an issue that they need to fix.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's not difficult to do that.

[SPEAKER_00]: It takes a little more fortitude to be part of the solution.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let's go, well, there's a problem there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, thanks.

[SPEAKER_00]: Everybody can see that problem.

[SPEAKER_00]: But can you be a part of the solution?

[SPEAKER_00]: Instead of saying somebody should do something, realize that the someone that can do something and God can use is you.

[SPEAKER_00]: Trade your complaints for commitment.

[SPEAKER_00]: When you get involved and when you serve you shift for being a spectator to being a difference maker in God's house.

[SPEAKER_00]: Be an encourager and a contributor, not a cynic who sits on the sidelines.

[SPEAKER_00]: Use your words and your actions to build up the church family because every positive contribution matters.

[SPEAKER_00]: Now, here's the good news.

[SPEAKER_00]: Couple things.

[SPEAKER_00]: First of all, something's beeping in this room and that's probably where our problem is, guys.

[SPEAKER_00]: First of all, growth happens on the field.

[SPEAKER_00]: You don't strengthen yourself by watching, you get involved.

[SPEAKER_00]: No one improves their game by sitting on the bench.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right, Alan, I'm just saying, I'm talking about practice.

[SPEAKER_00]: To be all remember that.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know the reason you practice, you know the reason you get on the court, you know the reason to get on the field is because you get better by doing.

[SPEAKER_00]: You get better by serving.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, I just feel like my growth has been stifled and I'm just not growing spiritually.

[SPEAKER_00]: What are you doing?

[SPEAKER_00]: Where are you contributing?

[SPEAKER_00]: Where are you involved?

[SPEAKER_00]: Are you all with me?

[SPEAKER_00]: We'll leave her's grow by serving, not just by watching.

[SPEAKER_00]: A lot of them say, well, I'm just not being fed.

[SPEAKER_00]: Are you serving?

[SPEAKER_00]: Are you contributing?

[SPEAKER_00]: Are you doing something?

[SPEAKER_00]: Because we grow, not just by watching, we grow by doing.

[SPEAKER_00]: You learn to rely on God in new ways and discover capabilities you never knew you had whenever you get off the bench and you get in the game.

[SPEAKER_00]: Serving is also where deeper fellowship happens.

[SPEAKER_00]: Players who play together develop relationships.

[SPEAKER_00]: The last for years and years and years.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'll go back to that Cowboys documentary for a moment.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, you know, but must you probably, or some of you probably know, that the coach that was the coach of the Cowboys, whenever they were winning all those championships, was a guy named what?

[SPEAKER_00]: Jimmy Johnson, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: Jimmy Johnson was the coach in the United States, whenever they're winning all those championships, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: You know where Jerry Jones met Jimmy Johnson on the field.

[SPEAKER_00]: They played together in Arkansas.

[SPEAKER_00]: They developed a relationship together on the field playing that ended up serving them years down the road.

[SPEAKER_00]: A lot of those cowboys players, they are still friends today.

[SPEAKER_00]: A lot of whatever your favorite team is, those guys that played together, a lot of them are still friends today.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know why?

[SPEAKER_00]: Because they played together on the field.

[SPEAKER_00]: Y'all with me?

[SPEAKER_00]: We grow by getting on the field and serving.

[SPEAKER_00]: Relationships are for side by side in ministry, forming strong bonds.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the entire church will grow healthier when every member is active.

[SPEAKER_00]: And this is the other I'm gonna close with this.

[SPEAKER_00]: There is a great reward when you get off the bench and you get in the game.

[SPEAKER_00]: God sees every active service you do for him and he promises reward.

[SPEAKER_00]: Whatever you do, wholeheartedly for the Lord, comes with an inheritance from Him.

[SPEAKER_00]: Colossians three tells us this explicitly, you will receive the reward of the inheritance.

[SPEAKER_00]: Even if no one on earth notices, heaven takes note of your sacrifice.

[SPEAKER_00]: Even if you feel like nobody knows what you're doing, Jesus is watching and he knows what you're doing.

[SPEAKER_00]: And there is a great reward on the other side.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus said this, even a cup of water given in his name will be rewarded.

[SPEAKER_00]: Serving might cost you time, it'll cost you energy, but God always multiplies the blessing back to you.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, in fact, that's something we pray every week in our huddle before service said, God, as everyone in this place today serves and as they pour out, we thank you, you bless them and you pour back in in a double portion measure.

[SPEAKER_00]: And God always blesses on the other side.

[SPEAKER_00]: You can go ahead and come on up if we have power up here.

[SPEAKER_00]: You'll experience joy, growth, fulfillment, blessing, and reward.

[SPEAKER_00]: Whether you greet at the door, whether you lead in worship, whether you teach kids, whether you're a youth leader, whether you're running tech, whatever you do, your part makes a difference.

[SPEAKER_00]: And however God leads you to serve, you do it with all your heart and in His strength because you're not serving me.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're serving him.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're not doing it unto me.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're not doing it underpass, underpass, or Garrett, or unto Pastor Castle, or unto anyone else.

[SPEAKER_00]: You are doing it unto the Lord.

[SPEAKER_00]: And whenever we do that, there is blessing on the other side.

[SPEAKER_00]: Don't let your fear or feelings of an attic was seen hold you back.

[SPEAKER_00]: Imagine this, imagine a church where every person is actively serving, where needs are met, where the gospel advances, where our community sees Jesus through us.

[SPEAKER_00]: That vision becomes reality when each of us simply says, yes, and we make a choice.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not going to sit on the bench.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not going to sit in the lazy boy and criticize.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to get in the game.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the church says, Amen, will you send it to your feet?

[SPEAKER_00]: Thanks again for downloading this podcast.

[SPEAKER_00]: We trusted this message has blessed and encouraged and identified you.

[SPEAKER_00]: Make sure you subscribe so you never miss a message here for a high praise.

[SPEAKER_00]: Also, you can follow us on social media, on Facebook and on Instagram, and don't forget to go subscribe to our YouTube channel.

[SPEAKER_00]: We'll be back soon with another incredible message, God bless you and have a great week.