The Game of Life
The Games We Play
Life
Text: Deuteronomy 30:11-20
I. Introduction
Illustration: Two buddies, John and Jeff, happened to be two of the biggest baseball fans in America. For their entire adult lives, John and Jeff discussed baseball history in the winter and studied over every box score during the season. They went to a hundred games a year. They even agreed that whoever died first would try to come back and tell the other if there was baseball in heaven.
One summer night, John passed away in his sleep after watching the Mets victory earlier in the evening. He died happy. A few nights later, his buddy Jeff awoke to the sound of John’s voice from beyond. “John is that you?” Jeff asked.
“Of course it me,” John replied.
“This is unbelievable!” Jeff exclaimed. “So tell me, is there baseball in heaven?”
“Well, I have some good news and some bad news. Which do you want to hear first?”
“Tell me the good news first.” “Well, the good news is that, yes, there is baseball in heaven, Jeff.”
“Oh, that’s great! So what’s the bad news?” You’re pitching tomorrow night.”
Illustration: The Game of Life is played by a lucky turn of the wheel and a few choices you have to make along the way. The hope often along the way is to get past a Pay Day to the next. To make a few good decisions in spite of what the turn of the wheel or roll of the dice deals you. You decide whether to start off with a career or go to college. You get married. You buy a house. You have kids. If you are lucky you get a carload of them because you get paid along the way to have them! You do charitable work and make some investments. You get some good breaks all by turning a wheel. Then if you race through fast enough and collect the most money along the way you get to retire – either to Countryside Estates/the Poor house or to Millionaire Estates. This is the game of Life.
Transition: Very often this is how the real game of life appears to be. It seems to start somewhere after high school graduation and you either pick a career or go to college.
Quote: C. S. Lewis – Actually seems to me that one can hardly say anything either bad enough or good enough about life. Letters of C. S. Lewis
Life is made by decisions we make to the circumstances in which we find ourselves.
Quote: Eleanor Roosevelt - One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words. It is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.
II. Godly choices are attainable (vv. 11-14)
A. Reachable
There is always an underlying expectation that the commands of God can be obeyed. We simply choose to follow our own desires or nature.
B. Understandable
Psalm 19:7 - The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
God’s will for life is not a mystery. He has made His will plain. He has given everything we need to know His will for today.
C. Close enough to obey
The Word of God should be written in our mouths and in our hearts. When it is, we will obey it. Jesus tells us that when we obey Him, we remain in His love. (John 15:10)
Quote: Beth Moore – When we choose to walk with God rather than off the path to handfuls of other options, we find His perfect will for our lives. - Believing God
III. Godly choices bring life and prosperity (vv. 15-16)
A. You will live
v. 19 – Now choose life…
B. You will increase
God’s commands to His people have always included the idea of increase. Be fruitful and multiply (increase). Increase in the land, etc.
C. God will bless you
Quote: C. S. Lewis – The Father can be well pleased in that Son only who adheres to the Father when apparently forsaken. The fullest grace can be received by those only who continue to obey during the dryness in which all grace seems to be withheld
IV. Godly choices are:
A. Love the Lord
Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Jesus said it this way in Matthew 22:37 - Jesus replied: "` Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'
B. Listen to His voice
John 10:3 - The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
C. Hold fast to Him
John 8:31-32 - To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
V. Conclusion
Quote: Thomas Carlyle – Thy life is no idle dream, but a solemn reality; it is thine own, and it is all thou hast to front eternity with.
Choose life for the Lord is life.
Illustration: When the United States Women’s Softball team won the gold medal in Atlanta’s 1996 Olympic Games, they lost only one game, but from that loss comes a remarkable story about perseverance. In the fifth inning against Australia, Danielle Tyler hit a home run over the center-field fence. The American third baseman floated around the bases with a rush of adrenaline. When she was greeted by a swarm of well-wishing teammates at home plate she let the excitement distract her focus and she did not touch the base. When all of the yelling subsided, the Australian team quietly appealed to the umpire who dramatically called Tyler out. Rather than scoring a run, Tyler’s blast over the fence netted her team an out. As it ended up, had the lady slugger stepped on home plate, her team would have won 1-0. Instead, after seven innings of regulation play the game was tied at 0-0. In extra innings, Australia emerged with a 2-1 win and the U.S. team took their only loss of the Olympics. That disaster on the diamond reminds us of an important lesson in life—it’s important that we finish. It’s not enough to hit a ball into the cheap seats; you have to touch all of the bases as well. Whether you’re talking about a day, a project, a church year, or a life, it’s important that we finish.