Matthew 25:14-30

Hi, everybody, happy Friday. A special blessing on all those who have started school or those who are about to start school. You know, this time of year, always reminds me of getting ready to go back to school. And I grew up playing sports, basketball and soccer and baseball. And one of the things that I remember is going to all of those practices before school was even in session, and it just seemed like that’s all we did was practice, practice, practice.

And of course, then I remember getting that game schedule and finally seeing that first game day was upon us and the nerves and all of the things that went with it. But I was recently reflecting on how often it feels like sometimes in life we practice and we practice and we practice, but do we ever get to game day?

Here’s what I mean. So oftentimes in our discipleship, we go to church, we go to Bible studies, we get involved with learning and learning and learning, and yet we never actually go and show up for game day. Game day, to me, when we think about discipleship is the opportunity to actually show up in our communities and to give away the things that we have been given during practice. To exercise that knowledge and those skills that we have learned and that encouragement that we’ve received, to pass it on to others. So I want to ask you, are you stuck in a mode of just practice, practice, practice?

It reminds me of the Bible verse in Matthew 25, where the master gives to his servants, he gives one five bags of silver, another he gives two bags of silver, and then he gives one man a single bag of silver. And that man goes and he buries it in the field and waits for his master to return, while the other two put it into practice. One invests, and one puts it to work to double back the money that his master first gave him.

You know, I think for you this weekend, let me encourage you, that if you’ve been sitting on the sidelines or if you’ve been stuck in a practice mindset, it’s time to get in the game. It’s time to begin to share with the world the things that your Master, Jesus, has given to you. First and foremost, your salvation. Live in that confidence today that you are saved, and you are a beloved child of the King. And then secondly, think about those things that he has taught you. How can you put one of those things into play this weekend?

Maybe it’s just a simple act of compassion, a simple act of kindness. Maybe it’s something really, really swinging for the fences and it’s moving forward towards forgiving someone who you have yet to forgive. Wherever that is for you, can I just encourage you to get off the practice field and step into the game? May God bless you this weekend.

Prayer
Gracious God, our Heavenly Father, we know that so often we, for all kinds of reasons, get very comfortable in learning and acquiring more and more and more knowledge, and that’s not a bad thing, that’s what You ask us to do. And yet You give us that knowledge, You give us this training, because You do expect to have us in the game.

That game of life, that game where there are so many people around us that You love and that You care for, that You want us to be a part of your mission to reaching out and loving and sharing with them the love that You have first given to us. And so this weekend, would You help us to step onto the game field, help us to begin to engage the community that You have placed us in?

Maybe it starts with our family. Maybe it goes on to work or to school, but, Lord, maybe it’s our neighbors, maybe it’s someone else within our community. Would You put us into that play that we might be able to share with them the love that You first shared with us? This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.