A message from the series “In God We Trust.” Sermon Manuscript: In God We Trust Message 3- Not In It To Win ItSermon preached by Dr. Rick Mandl, Eagle Rock Baptist Church, January 16 & 17, 2021Recorded in Los Angeles, CA.
Hey church family. Great to be with you. If you’ve been with us over the last couple of weeks, you know we’ve been in a series called “In God We Trust”Today I want to talk about trusting God when it comes to “Winning.” Or maybe more to the point, trusting God when it comes to the way we win.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed it, but nobody likes losers. The saying used to be “It’s not about whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” For many that’s no longer true – How you play the game doesn’t matter. Winning or losing does. Knute Rockne, the great football coach of Notre Dame, is known for saying, ”Show me a good and gracious loser, and I’ll show you a loser.” Again, nobody like losers. And you can add to that, the fact that nobody likes to lose.
One of the most unique presidents we ever had was Calvin Coolidge. In fact he was so tight-lipped and said so few words that he was nicknamed ”Silent Cal.” Well, one time a very well-to-do lady was invited to the White House for dinner. And she bet a friend of hers, a large sum of money that she could get the President to engage in conversation. She was seated next to President Coolidge at the White House dinner and she said to him, ”Mr. President, I have made a very large bet that I could engage you in conversation.Specifically, she told him, “The bet was that I could get you to say more than two words.” The president looked at her. He thought about what she said, and he responded by saying. . . ”You lose.” Again, nobody likes to lose.
Another famous saying from the world of sports is. . . ”WINNING isn’t the IMPORTANT thing, it’s the ONLY thing.” Whether or not that is true in the world of sports, or business, or finance, it’s definitely not true with God.When Jesus left heaven and came to earth it’s as though he switched the price tags, he told us that with God “THE WAY TO WIN IS TO LOSE.” And I believe that that is a message that we need to be reminded of today because we’re living in what some modern cultural anthropologists have called a “Power Culture.” Where the solution to everything is just take what you want by force. . . We idolize CEOs who throw their weight around. . . And there’s a phrase that kind of characterizes that attitude. If you watch one of the reality t.v. shows like “Survivor,” where they are doing their contestant interviews and it’s not unusual to hear one of the contestants say . . . “I’m not here to make friends . . . “I am in it to win it.” That phrase describes a huge part of American culture. And the problem is . . . This attitude has almost taken over American Christianity.
We feel like – as Christians – as Christ’s church we’re in a battle – – – and our objective is to WIN at all costs. Now make no mistake, the Bible does tell us that as followers of J.C. we ARE engaged in a battle . . . A SPIRITUAL BATTLE with a very real, albeit invisible spiritual enemy. But that’s not what I’m talking about here. What I’m talking about is that battle that a lot of Christians are fighting with culture. And in that regard, not a lot has changed in 2,000 years since the time that Jesus walked this earth At the time the New Testament was written. . . The dominant culture was The Roman Empire. And the Roman Empire valued POWER and AUTHORITY and DOMINATION above all else. In the Roman culture they were IN IT TO WIN IT. And that attitude then, as I think it has today, had rubbed off on some of those who follow Jesus. And that’s a problem.
In Mark chapter10 and verse 32, we’re told about something that happened as Jesus was traveling with his disciples to Jerusalem. . . Jerusalem was the place where Jesus would be arrested, and put on trial, and crucified.Mark 10 and verse 32 tells us . . . “They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him.” By the way, if you have one of those Bibles with heading over the different sections of scripture like mine has… You’ll see that this is section is titled “Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time.” From that you’d learn that this was not the first time that he was telling his disciples, what we see him telling them here. It was the third time.
What did he tell them? He told them in verse 33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” How did they respond, when they heard this? Well, we’re told how at least two of them responded.
The next verse tells us . . . “Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we want you to do for us whatever we ask.’”Kind of a bold request when you think about it. They’re asking Jesus for a blank check. I’m not sure I would have the boldness that they did, to say to Jesus. . . “Before we give you our request . . . It would be great if you could tell us, that regardless of what we’re asking, the answer is going to be yes.Jesus didn’t give them an unqualified yes. Instead he said. . . “What do you want me to do for you?” And they told him. They said . . . ‘Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.’” They had been following Jesus long enough to know that he was a king. And that there would be a coming kingdom, that he would one day usher in. They figured that maybe they could jump the line and get their seating requests in, when it came to positions of honor in that coming kingdom.
Being sympathetic to these two, it kind of reminds me of what’s going on with the Coronavirus Vaccine. We were amazed out how quickly a vaccine – or multiple vaccines have been developed that are reported to be more than 90% effective in fighting this virus. We were told that there would be millions of doses coming our way soon. We still believe that there will be, but they’ve been slow in getting here. In fact earlier this week we learned that there are significantly more doses of the vaccine in our state, than they have been able to distribute. If you’ve been following the news you know that the distribution has been done according to a tiered system, with our front-line health care workers being at the top. I have yet to meet anyone who disagrees with that prioritization. Clearly, our doctors and nurses.
Those attending to the sickest of the sick should be the very first ones to receive this vaccine. But for whatever reason – even with that priority – it sounds like there are more doses of the vaccine sitting in refrigerators, or freezers in our state, than they are able to administer. And so understandably, some people who were not in that first tier, are saying, “Hey if you’ve got a shortage of people who are willing to take this vaccine – – – well I’m willing to take the shot that they refused.” “My intent is not to bump anybody out of line, but if those doses are just sitting there, unwanted… Well, count me in as someone who wants one.”
In a similar way. . . These two brothers, James and John are figuring “If no one else has called ‘Shotgun’ when it comes to the seats in your kingdom, well we got dibs.” Again, by way of context, the seats to the right and the left of the king, were at that time regarded as the positions of highest honor. And to the credit of these two brothers, they weren’t particular as to which one of them was assigned which seat. As long as between the two brothers they were given the two best seats. How did Jesus respond to their request?
Verse 38 – he says . . . “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” Just to be clear, when he says “Drink the cup” he wasn’t talking about consuming a beverage And when he talks about “baptism” – he wasn’t talking about water. It was a “cup of suffering.” It was a “baptism of suffering.” He was on his way to a cross to be crucified, and so he asks them . . . You want to share in the glory that is at the end of the road that I’m travelling??? Do you think you’re ready to share in the suffering that is required to lead to that glory? They told him. . . . “We can.” He told them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared” (Mark 10:39b-40).
The follow up to that is the reaction on that part of the other disciples. . . .Verse 41 tells us . . . “When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John” (Mark 10:41). And most believe that the reason that the rest of the disciples became indignant, was because they didn’t think of this idea first. After all, all 12 of them had been walking with Jesus for the same amount of time. Who did these two think they were to try and jump the line like this, and go to Jesus and ask for the best seats in his coming kingdom.
Jesus used this encounter to teach them all something about winning. . . He called them together and he said to them . . . You know how things work in this culture where power, and authority and domination are the things that people value. “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over themAnd here is the key phrase. . . . Jesus says . . . Not so with you. In those words, Jesus was calling those who follow Him. . . He was calling you and me to influence the world in a different way. He said . . . Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus said that, as his followers, this is the way that you and I will change the world. Not through winning, but through serving. And this is an important message for all of us to be reminded of right now. Because to so many – – – even so many Christians – – it seems as though “Winning” is way more important than “Serving.”
It seems like they way that they believe we will change the world, or at least our part of it, is through winning. Think about it – everything today has become politicized. It’s as if there are no neutral topics right now. Whether or not to open schools has been politicized, wearing a mask has been politicized. Even the existence of the COVID virus, or at least the seriousness of it has been politicized. People choose their sides. They dig in their heels. And they’re ready to do battle. Because for them it’s all about winning.
In the midst of all of this choosing up sides, and fighting to win…. What should our attitude as followers of Jesus be? We don’t have to guess. God’s Word tells us . . . It says .. . . In Philippians 2:5-8 it tells us that as followers of Jesus Christ you and I must . . . “In our relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”
What mindset, or what attitude did Jesus have? The Apostle Paul who wrote these words tells us. Writing about Jesus, Paul tells us . . . “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;” He didn’t think of that equality with God as something the he could leverage and use for His own benefit.
In other words, and this is key. . . Jesus did not play to win. At least he didn’t play to win the way that first century, or even 21st century people defined winning. Jesus played to lose. And that doesn’t sit well with a lot of people. It doesn’t seem very American, because we like to win. We are wired to win.
Now please understand as it turns out, Jesus, was not against winning. It’s just that He was playing a completely different game, that had completely different rules, WITH a completely different win. Jesus played to lose so that the other team. . . That would be me, and that would be you, Jesus played to lose so that the other team could win.
Paul goes on, talking about Jesus, and he says . . . “He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,” “A servant” Do you know what a servant is? A servant is someone who wakes up every single day thinking about how to better serve someone else. A servant is someone who wakes up every single day committed to leveraging themselves, their resources for the benefit of someone else. And this is how the Apostle Paul is describing Jesus. And if, we as His followers, if we are His body, if we are His hands and feet, this should describe us. And this is why the church always looks more Christ-like when we are defending other people’s rights rather than our own. The church always looks more Christ-like when we are giving away rather than demanding our way. And if that scares you, if that makes you feel like you might lose something, then you know what?
Now you understand why Jesus’ disciples refused to accept the fact that He would be arrested, tried and crucified. I mean, He told them over and over and over and they just didn’t get it. Why? Because if you’re arrested and tried and crucified – – – well, that’s what losers do. That means you’ve lost. He told them over and over what was gonna happen and they just didn’t have a category for it.
Do you remember the story in Luke chapter 9, of the time that Jesus and his disciples were travelling and it was getting late, and they needed a place to spend the night? And so he sends a couple of guys on ahead to a Samaritan village to find them a place to stay. And the guys that he sent out to find lodging come back and say. . . We couldn’t find a place to stay. They say, “Jesus, these folks don’t want us in their village. When they found out that we are Jews on our way to Jerusalem, they don’t want us spending the night in their village.” Now upon hearing that, how did these disciples respond?
If you’ve read the story you know. They said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven and destroy them”? “Jesus, these people are not respecting us” “These people are not our friends, they are our enemies.” “Would you like for us to call fire down from heaven and destroy them?” “Would you like for us to leverage our power in such a way that we win?” “It’s obvious that these people don’t know who you are, so let’s show them.” “Let’s use our power to win.” And if you’ve read this passage before, you’ll remember what Jesus did. The text in Luke says, that Jesus rebuked them. He uses the same term that he uses to describe Jesus when He rebuked demons.
This was Jesus way of saying to his disciples. “Guys, this is not how things work in my kingdom. “This is not how it works.” “That’s how everybody else does it.” “But if you aren’t willing to lose, if you aren’t willing to go to the back of the line, then don’t even bother getting in my line. We’re going to Jerusalem where I’ll be arrested.” And they’re thinking. But Jesus, wait, wait, wait, wait. “Jesus, if you’re arrested and killed, how are we going to win”? To which Jesus would have smiled and said, “Fellas, that is how we are going to win.” I’m going there to lose their game. “And in doing so, we will win the game that I have been inviting you to play for three years.” And so they go to Jerusalem. And the best possible person would suffer the worst possible death to illustrate that even the best possible person, even the son of man had not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. And understanding that. . . Understanding that that was why he was born . .. That he was born to die . .
We trust God, because we know the rest of the story. We know how the story ends. . . We know that Jesus . . . Even though he had that equality with God, didn’t consider it something to be used to his own advantage. Instead, he made himself nothing, by taking the very nature of a servant “Being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:7-8). But we know that’s not the end of the story. We know that . . . “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:9). “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).
Some of you hearing that are thinking . . . I believe that. . . I believe that, that is ULTIMATELY the end of the story that God is writing. And that, when it’s all over Jesus wins! But…. But, but, but, but, but…. what do I do in the meantime? What do I do in the in-betweentime? Between the then and the now.? The answer is, you do what Jesus did. YOU SERVE. You look for opportunities not to be served, but to serve. And you TRUST GOD. You trust God that even though it SEEMS UPSIDE-DOWN. Even though it seems counter-intuitive and opposite to the way that everyone else says you go about winning. . . This is Jesus way to win. And you trust God, that as a follower of Jesus who is called to be like Him, that you will never be more like Jesus than when you give or when you serve. That’s God’s way of winning. And if you’re on His team it will be yours as well.
This weekend is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. A weekend when I hope some of us will take some time to pause and reflect on the life and legacy of Dr. King. Dr. King, was I believe one who got it right, when it came to winning. He was successful in resisting the pressures placed on him by those around him to try and utilize the world’s ways of winning. He knew that winning, and greatness, came through serving. I love what he said about greatness and serving He said . . . “Everybody can be great because anybody can serve” He said . . . “You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” Look around you, right where you are today, this weekend, this coming week. There are opportunities all around you to serve. And in the process opportunities to be like Jesus and show Him to others. Would you pray with me.
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA.
