FCA 10-22-21

Introduction

Hello Travelers Rest High School FCA. What a pleasure it is, to be back at my alma mater. I graduated in the spring of 2019, so this was not too long ago. I played baseball here for four years, in which three of those years I was a starter on Varsity.

Currently, I attend The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where I am pursuing a bachelor’s degree in communications as well as a masters in divinity. If the Lord wills I will be graduated in two years with both of these degree’s. I currently work for Christ Fellowship Northwest which is located in Travelers Rest. This is where I met my beautiful fiance Abi. Who I have the pleasure of marrying in July of 2022. My position at the Church is the grounds and maintenance associate, this is indeed a glorified title of a custodian. No, but in all seriousness, I also work as the discipleship intern where I oversee some aspects of the ministry.

If you are not apart of a local Church, I would love to see you there! But enough about me, let’s look at 1 John 2:15-17

1 John 2:15–17 ESV

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

What do you love?

If someone came to you and asked what do you love, what is the answer that you would give to them? Be honest with yourself. I know that before the Lord called me to salvation, I would have very easily have said that I loved baseball. This was my worldly desire. It was an activity that I gave me pleasure. I had desires to play ball in college, to me this was the one thing that I wanted most. After the Lord called me to salvation, I left those desires to play college ball and began to equip myself to the teaching and preaching of God’s word.

Now do not hear me and think that I am saying that baseball is wrong or evil. I am definitely not saying this in the slightest. The point that I am making is found in verse 17, “and the world is passing away along with its desires but whoever does the will of God abides forever. See my point is not that we should not enjoy these good things, but these should not be the things that we put our faith in.

I urge all of you in this room, remember that there will be a time where you have to stop playing whatever sport it is that you play. Some will be sooner than others. Don’t put your faith in the things of this world, put your faith in the work that has been accomplished on the cross. Above all other things in this world seek to do the will of God.