MVP Sermon Series 1b

God’s good and faithful servants
Matthew 25:21

Do you play any sports?  If you do what do you like to play?

Sport is everywhere.  And our sermon series MVP is an acronym derived from sport.  Sport is in the Bible.  Apostle Paul’s uses it quite often as illustration.  Sports in our churches, school and even in our family.  It’s even used in our language.   Whether you enjoy sports or not, it’s hard to get away from it because there’s always people around you who’s crazy it. 

Somehow sport is like the ideal illustration, the best metaphor for life. Something about sports that gives a sense of determination, sense of purpose, a goal, passion, pursuit to excellence—temptation to cheat and cut corners, integrity, endurance, faith, hope, fear and pain.   Have you ever seen kids play sport?  When you compliment a kid for scoring the winning run or the winning goal, the expression on their face is priceless.  Or how about when you’re trying to console their loss the sadness on their faces is so hard to bare. 
It’s no different when they’re an adult.

I believe there’s MVPs in Christianity, known as “good and faithful servants.” Christian MVPs are not limited to one but whomever God sees as His good and faithful servant.  So this can be more than one.  In Matt 25 he compliments two, which means all of us can be MVP for God.  Wouldn’t you want to hear God say, “Well done my good and faithful servant” amen? 

If you’re hesitant about this question let me warn you that  you might just end up as the wicked and lazy servant.

Some may say I don’t really understand what he did wrong.  There are two major problems with the 3rd servant. 
First, he demonstrated his counterfeit allegiance by deprecating his master character.  Charging his master of being unmerciful and dishonest.  è Represents Christians with a limited knowledge of God.  He has a corrupt view of God, not based on Biblical view but of personal interpretation. 
Second, he produced absolutely nothing.  Did not even make an attempt. è He does not represent an atheist or an agnostic, because he recognized the master as his owner.  This slave represents and unbelieving church member who makes no positive response to the gospel and therefore can render no fruitful service.  I hope none of us fall under the third…

What made the first two servants extraordinary? When they received their talents they knew what to do with it.  They had a mission vision and purpose.  That’s what made them different. 

I enjoy sport but there is a clear difference between a professional athlete and an amateur like myself.  That difference is in our Mission Vision Purpose.  My purpose for playing sports is for sheer enjoyment, so when I play, I enjoy myself and as a result my purpose is fulfilled.   But an athlete, their purpose may be to fulfill a dream, or leave behind a legacy, or make a lot of money, beat a record and until that purpose is fulfilled they’ll continue to do what they do. 

But there’s something more important than sports.   It’s God and our faith in Him.  What really counts is our Christian walk with Christ, that’s what life is about—a hard lesson learned by the former [major league pitcher of the San Francisco Giants, Dave Dravecky].   

Dave is a Christian who wrote many books and has this poem in his book, The Worth of a Man.

      A Man's True Worth

I once believed that what I did
placed value on my worth.
And walking where great men have walked,
I saw my dream give birth.

But dreams don't always last through life;
in fact, they often die.
The day I watched my dream pass on-
all alone stood I.

And in the searching of my soul,
God gave to me new peace.
Today I'm living other dreams-
the kind that will not cease.

In Jesus' eyes I'm valued so
much greater than I see
My worth is not in what I do;
it's in Christ's death for me.

Dave unfortunately learned the hard way that being an MVP for God is more important than being an MVP in baseball.  But now he sees himself more blessed than when he was playing baseball.   For him losing an arm was way better than losing a soul like the wicked servant.

So the question is how do we become MVP for God?

Paul gives us four important instructions to help us in this endeavor.

How do I do this?  Well according to 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 Paul teaches us four ways. 

First you have to taking your faith seriously because everything in this world is perishable.

Second you have to run with a mission vision and purpose.

Third by producing, you’re landing hits, you have to make contact, you can’t live your life shadow boxing, and you have to go in the ring you have to fight.

Last you got to know rules so that you won’t be disqualified.