Football Team Devo

Hey y’all, My name is Austin Ussery, I’m the Student Pastor at FBC Gray, I know some of y’all in here. Thank you for letting me come and talk to you today.

So what I want to talk to you about is to think about what life is going to look like after you have played your last snap.

Some of y’all that is this year, some off y’all in a couple years, some of y’all might go play college ball, might even play NFL. But at some point you will walk off the field for the very last time. And so what do you do? IS this all there is or is there more to life?

So, I want to look at this passage in Ephesians 4, and just ask you to consider some stuff.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all

So, what I just want us to think about here for the next few mins, is what is our life about? What do you want people to say about your life?

This passage talks about a calling. “walk in a manner worthy of your calling.” What is a calling? How would you define calling?

Today we have all different thoughts on what calling is, Seniors, when you are trying to figure out your major, you may have been asked, “What do you feel called to do?” Parents, some of you have probably been asked what your calling is.

And usually how we answer this is by naming things we are passionate about.

If you ask any teacher who is here, what they are passionate about, they will tell you they are passionate about kids, they are passionate about teaching kids.

All of us in the room have something we are passionate about. Think about, what are you passionate about?

Now think about this, what is your calling in this world? Think about it.

Now some of you may be thinking that your passion is your calling. and it may have something to do with your passion, but I want to challenge that thought a little bit.

Look at the rest of this first chunk.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all

Okay, so there seems to be word that is repeated here a few times, the word is, One. One is repeated over and over, one body, one spirit, one hope, one lord, one faith, one baptism, one Lord.

So what does this tell us about calling? That we all have the same calling. If you are writing things, down, write this down, We all have the same call. If you are a part of the church, if you are a part of the Body of Christ, you all have the same call.

How many football fans are here? Go Dawgs. What is Georgia’s sole purpose when playing football, other than beating Alabama in the National Championship.

What is that team trying to do? They’re trying to get that football across the goal line. Everything they do is designed to get the football across that goal line. Even when they are on defense, I know they are trying to stop the other team, BUT given half a chance to score they’re going to take that football and try to get it across the goal line. Because when the clock reads zeros all that matters is who has more points on the board. That is it.

Does it matter if special teams has a great game if the ball doesn’t cross the line? Nope. All that matters is, who crossed the line more? What is the score.

So what is our call? If we all have the same call what is it? What is that call?

We serve a great and mighty God, how are we to walk in manner worthy of that calling?

What is this calling?

We are all called to know God deeper, and to make disciples.

The Calling on all of our lives is to ultimately know Christ deeper and make disciples. At the end of our lives those are the only two things that will count in eternity.

So I want you to think about this. I want you think about your life, all of your plans you have in your head, some of you may even have your whole life planned out, but think about this — One day that heart that is full of life and passion and energy, is going to stop. I know I am probably breaking some rule by bringing up death at a graduation service, but if I only get one last chance to speak to you in a format like this, I want you to remember that you will die.

The romans had this phrase that would be whispered in to the ears of conquering generals as the rode back in to Rome, Memento Mori, remember that you will die.

Remember that one day you will not be here but in the full presence of the awesome majesty of an eternal God.

What will you tell Him? What will he want to hear? Are you going to stand before him and show him how cool your house was? Are you going to show him pictures of your family at Disney?

None of those things are bad, but none of those things are eternal?

Or will you show him how you followed Him, how you proclaimed His Gospel? what did you do with the message he gave you?

Think about that as you sit here and think about that as you get ready, and as you start preparing for the rest of your life. What is worth doing o my life? Is God worth following? is there anything in this world worth Hell over?

And I’m not trying to scare you, i think a lot of you are hard to scare, but I want you to consider that question. What is your calling.

If you have any questions about what it means to follow Christ, come talk to me, talk to Josh, talk to one of your teammates you know is a Christian.

Pray with me.