"A Winning Game Plan"
Matthew 4: 18-22
Even if you aren't a football fan, you have to be excited about the NFL Playoffs this year since the Atlanta Falcons are in the mix! With the win Sunday against the Panthers, the Falcons became the NFC South Division Champions and gained "home field" advantage in the playoffs. The Super Bowl is within reach!
Any team, whether it's in the NFL, the NBA or the NHL starts the season with hopes of WINNING. No team sets out to loose. The goal, at the beginning of the season and throughout the schedule, is to develop a game plan which will most likely result in the team defeating the opponent and having more wins than loses when all is said and done. I would be very suspicious of a team that didn't care whether it wins or looses.
When Christ established His Church, his desire was that it "win" in the quest for human lives. His hope was that his Church effectively reach persons and usher them into a life of faith and trust in God. In contrast to a game in the NFL playoffs, the work of the church is no game at all, but is the most important work of all. To lose is not an option for the church! People's lives and eternities are at stake! We must do whatever it takes to WIN!
In sports, the teams that win have a great "game plan" and they follow it. In Matthew's Gospel we see the "game plan" Christ has put in place for His Church. It will be the focus of this Sunday's worship. I hope you will break away from the "other" playoffs this weekend long enough to join us as we focus on what the church today must do in order to win people to Christ.
The Falcons have a "bye" this week anyway! See you in worship!
Stuart
