Top Banana!

There was once a Pastor who had just started serving at a new church. One Sunday after church he was about to walk into a church board meeting when he overheard one of the board members talking about how he used a radar detector to avoid getting speeding tickets.

The Pastor was discouraged to hear that a board member was that willing to break the law, but there was some hope. Another member corrected this “sinner” by saying, “It’s the man upstairs that you need to be worried about.”

The Pastor was just about to offer his appreciation for the second man’s honesty when he heard him finish his sentence, “that guy in the helicopter will get you every time!”

Why do we like to speed? I’ve thought about this a little bit and I think there are a few possible reasons:

1) because we are rushing to get somewhere

2) because we are impatient with other drivers

3) because our engine is bigger than the speed limit can handle

4) because we we don’t think the rules apply to us

5) because we want to be first!

Well, the list could go on and on, but I want to focus our attention on the last I mentioned reason: because we want to be first.

Most people have the urge to achieve something in life. We want our lives to count for something. Even if it’s only being the first person to get to our destination or ahead of the other cars by breaking the law, we want to be first!

In other words, we want to be the TOP BANANA!

In fact, we are having a competition today, and we have an award. Want to see the prize for BEST DISH today? (Show top banana award)

Is it good to always want to be the Top Banana? Maybe in some areas, but should the goal of our life be to always beat every else?

I hope not, because that would not only be exhausting, it is impossible! None of us can win at everything we attempt.

Each one of us has a limited time to live on this planet and we will SPEND each and every minute.

A study revealed that an average seventy-year-old man has spent twenty-four years sleeping, fourteen years working, eight years in amusements, six years at the dinner table, five years in transportation, four years in conversation, three years in education, and two years in studying and reading.

His other four years were spent in miscellaneous pursuits. Of those four years, he spent forty-five minutes in church on Sundays, and five minutes were devoted to prayer each day. This adds up to a not at all impressive total of five months that he gave to God over the seventy years of his life.

Even if this man had been a faithful churchgoer who attended Sunday school and three one-hour services per week, he would have spent only one year and nine months in church!

We will all spend each and every moment of our lives on something. I want you to think about what’s most important to you. How are you spending your limited time here on earth? More importantly, how do you think God wants you to spend your limited time on earth.

Before we get to the scripture, I want to share with you a post I read on facebook this last week. It really made me stop to think.

150 years from now, none of us reading this post today will be alive. 70 percent to 100 percent of everything we are fighting over right now will be totally forgotten.

If we go back memory lane to 150 years before us, that will be 1872, none of those that carried the world on their heads then are alive today. Almost all of us find it difficult to picture anybody’s face of that era.

Even if you claim the internet age will preserve your memory, take Michael Jackson as an example. Michael Jackson died in 2009, that was just 13 years ago. Imagine the influence Michael Jackson had all over the world when he was alive. He was worshiped like a god. How many young people of today remember him with awe, that is if they even know him? In 150 years to come, his name, when mentioned, will not ring any bell to a lot of people. And he was famous, imagine the majority of people who aren’t famous. They certainly won’t be remembered.

The writer comes to the conclusion that we should:

Let love lead. Be genuinely happy for each other. No malice, no backbiting. No jealousy. No comparison. It is not a competition. At the end of the day, we all have the same destiny in the grave. It is just a question of who gets there first, but surely we will all go there.

There’s some truth in this statement, but I’d argue that life isn’t just about one day facing the grave. I believe it’s about one day CONQUERING the grave and this life is about showing others how to do the same!

Being top banana isn’t about being the BEST - it’s about leading people to the BEST.

Let’s get to our scripture Colossians 4:2-6- to give you context, you need to know that this is part of a letter written by the Apostle Paul while he was in prison for preaching the Good news that Jesus was risen from the grave and was able to forgive the sins of the world. The people he was writing to were not Jews. They were christians who had their focus on strange religious practices. One of which was to worship angels and spiritual powers! Paul’s intent of writing them was to get them on the right page that Jesus was the ruler of ALL powers in the universe, and their LIVES PURPOSE was to be worship directed to Christ.

In chapter 4 we see an example of our our lives should be lived because Paul asked for prayer and gives them instruction. His prayer and instruction reveals what should be the focus of every christians life.

He shows us how to be a Top Banana

Let’s read the Word of God:

Colossians 4:2–6 CEV

2 Never give up praying. And when you pray, keep alert and be thankful. 3 Be sure to pray that God will make a way for us to spread his message and explain the mystery about Christ, even though I am in jail for doing this. 4 Please pray that I will make the message as clear as possible. 5 When you are with unbelievers, always make good use of the time. 6 Be pleasant and hold their interest when you speak the message. Choose your words carefully and be ready to give answers to anyone who asks questions.

Now, what does this scripture teach us about being the top banana? What can we learn that would help live a life of worship directed to Christ?

A Top Banana Prays!

Colossians 4:2 CEV

2 Never give up praying. And when you pray, keep alert and be thankful.

This is such a simple thing, but in the business of life, it really doesn’t get the attention it should.

How much should we pray? 1 Thes 5:17 “17 and never stop praying.”

We should be in a continual state of prayer. I know we can’t spend twenty-four hours each day praying with our heads bowed. That’s just silly. What I believe Paul means is that our first thoughts should be to pray throughout the day. It’s living in a continual attitude of prayer and connection with the Holy Spirit. It should be second nature to us.

Prayer should be so familiar to us that we find ourselves praying immediately when a need arises. It shouldn’t be our last effort , it should be our first!

Paul tells us that we should be alert and thankful when we pray, why? Paul knew there were many needs in the lives of the Colossians. They faced great adversity and needed the strength of God to endure. They had specific needs that needed a particular answer. Paul urged them to be in an attitude of prayer continually, constantly aware of the needs around them.

Much of the praying that is done in the average church is feeble and weak. We have developed a pattern of phrases that we repeat, with little regard or concern for the urgent needs of our day. We need to be a people who watch in prayer, arousing from our sleep of complacency, and developing an attitude of earnest labor in prayer.

We all face specific needs and we need to mention those specifically to the Lord. Let us pray about the urgent needs we face!

Not only should we be in a constant state of prayer, we should pray confidently! Paul says to pray with thanksgiving. What that means is that we should prayer believing that God HEARS and ANSWERS our prayers. We might not always see the answers but we can come boldly in prayer knowing that god hears and will move in our best interest.

Doubt and fear are the biggest hinderances in our prayer life. We know God is able; we’ve seen Him work in our lives, but somehow we doubt that God can work in our current situations. Paul tells us that we should pray and give thanks knowing that God is the one who would work in our situations and provide exactly what is needed.

Remember - this is coming from a person writing a letter from PRISON. Circumstances aren’t always what we want, but we must remain confident in the fact the God is working His will in our lives.

1 Corinthians 15:57 CEV

57 But thank God for letting our Lord Jesus Christ give us the victory!

Top Bananas pray all the time because they see a need and they trust God to hear them and work in their situation.

Your life has purpose when you pray for people.

What else can we learn about being top Banana?

Top Bananas Preach!

Colossians 4:3–4 CEV

3 Be sure to pray that God will make a way for us to spread his message and explain the mystery about Christ, even though I am in jail for doing this. 4 Please pray that I will make the message as clear as possible.

Paul tells them that while they are praying, that they should pray that he and those traveling with him would be set free so that they can continue to preach about Jesus! This is an amazing thought to me. This man wants to be set free so that he could continue to do the thing that got him arrested!

We talked about leaving a legacy in life. Your life will never count for more than when you lead people to the Lord. When a person comes to Jesus for salvation all of heaven rejoices! It lasts for all of eternity!

Is there anything greater? Here’s the problem - we aren’t all preachers. That’s true, but we have ALL be called to share the gospel. That’s a direct command from Jesus to all His followers.

How do we preach? We just tell our story. It’s not hard to tell people who we were before Christ and what He’s done for us. If you’re saved, then you’ve had an encounter with God. Tell people about it!

Part of why we don’t tell our story is because the desire is not developed.

Think of Paul again: in a Roman prison and yet his DESIRE to reach the lost was still strong. He hungered for an opportunity to tell the good news of Christ. And he desired that the church pray for the Lord to open the door of opportunity for him to share the gospel with those who were lost. He longed to tell the world of the Saviour who loved them and died for their redemption.

When is the last time we prayed for opportunities to tell our story? What is more important in life than sharing the good news that people can be set free from the chains of the enemy?

Remember - life is short. We are going to spend each and every minute of every day doing something. To leave a legacy in eternity we need to SHARE our story of redemption. The world needs to hear what you have to say.

Churches are good at developing programs, small groups, and having services. We are activity minded. The danger is that we can become more activity minded than being concerned in making disciples who are seeking Christ.

Our church here in Eudora MUST be focused on sharing the Gospel and leading people in seeking God’s face. It’s not all that matters, it’s just what matters MOST!

Top Bananas pray all the time because they see a need and they trust God to hear them and work in their situation. They also look and pray for opportunities to tell the story of how Christ changed their lives.

Top Bananas Keep Going

Colossians 4:4 CEV

4 Please pray that I will make the message as clear as possible.

Now, why would Paul ask for prayer about making the message as clear as possible? He’s in prison! Shouldn’t he be afraid that he’s never going to get out? Shouldn’t he be focused on the problem before he thinks about the future?

It’s like he has the same problem I have with Krispy Kreme donuts! As I’m eating the first one, all I can think about is eating the SECOND ONE!

Paul is determined that his future was NOT in that prison cell. His calling could not be confined by the trial he was facing. We should take a lesson here because the lie of the enemy is that our circumstances are greater than our calling. It’s just NOT TRUE.

You might be in a type of prison right now, but God wants you to look beyond the bars and focus on your future. He wants you to keep going! Don’t give up!

You know one prison we’ve all found ourselves in? The prison of what other people think. We worry about what others will think if we share their faith in public. The fear ridicule or mockery is real.

Others fear being considered strange or not being accepted by the majority. I know we all have fears and obstacles to overcome, but who among us has suffered for our faith as Paul did? Surely if he had the desire to remain committed while imprisoned for his faith, we can find the courage to fulfill our service to Christ.

Keep going! Don’t be defeated by the lies of the devil.

If God has called us to a particular task, He fully expects us to engage that task. What we fail to realize is that we are not expected to labor in our own ability. If we will obediently follow the Lord, He will provide the strength and wisdom we need to accomplish the work we are given.

Paul knew first hand that when you preach about Jesus persecution will come. Look what he said to the church in verse 6

Colossians 4:6 CEV

6 Be pleasant and hold their interest when you speak the message. Choose your words carefully and be ready to give answers to anyone who asks questions.

The Colossians were going to face many obstacles in the days after receiving this letter from Paul. They would encounter many who opposed their witness and rejected their Lord. They would find themselves mistreated and abused for their faith. In each of these circumstances they were expected to respond in grace. That is not to say that they should abandon their faith or give in to the world’s demands, but they must seek to portray a godly example.

Our Christian experience will continue to face obstacles and adversity as well. We must remember that the world is watching our lives. Often in times of despair, they will look to us for guidance or godly counsel. We have an opportunity to make a difference in peoples’ lives, but we must maintain a close relationship with the Lord.

And really that’s the only way to be a Top Banana. A close relationship with the Lord.

Paul had that relationship. He didn’t have all the answers in every situation, but he know that through prayer, proclaiming the good news, and never giving up that the Lord would use his life.

Boy of Boy, God sure did use his life! Michael Jackson will be forgotten. Sorry, but Thriller won’t last for eternity, but you know what will? The faithful service of a follower of Christ. Millions upon millions will be in heaven because of Pauls testimony and service.

What about your life today. What would people say about you?

Could someone stand and testify that you are a person of prayer, a person show took every opportunity to share the good news of Christ, would they say you’re a person who would never give up?

This is not a message of condemnation it’s a message of encouragement. Just as Paul was wanting to encourage the Colossians, we should be encouraged that God is with us! Our lives count for something great. We are part of the greatest story of redemption of all time.

Here’s my last question? Who wants to be a top banana? Good! Let’s do what scripture teaches!