The Locker Room Theory

Intro:

Tell Story of you and Mom building the castle for Mrs. Coiimeir’s class. it was awesome. talk about how intricate the design was and the attention to detail she had. then i began to struggle with cutting the Turf for the grass outside the castle. getting the corner just right. she helped me calm down and then showed me how to do it. then she took that moment to talk about the fruits of the spirit and how importance patience would be to me. she wasn’t wrong.

Tell story about pops doing the same thing

give a recap of the last sermon, leveling up in you faith. developing a relationship with God and his Promises so that we can walk with a “by any means” mentality. thats the moment when your “do you mind?” turns into “Don’t mind me”. but when i looked at it again, i couldnt help but think if i had what it takes to have pulled that off? would i have had enough faith in Jesus? would i be able to huddle up with my people, my family and pull something off like this? could i help someone broken, find Jesus? find healing in God? how do i get myself to the place where i can?

Text:

LEVELING UP IN OUR FAMILY

Colossians 3:1–4

Therefore, if you have been raised together with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

Paul wrote this letter to the Church of Collasae, trying to commend and comfort them as they start their spiritual journey following Christ.

they were young as a group of new followers, there was insecurity there.

it was DANGEROUS to follow christ in a time of Pagan worshipers because they needed to worship the Gods of their various villages and keep them happy. keep their wrath at bay. a Christians presence goes directly against that.

i imagine the jewish leaders in the synagogues weren't too happy either

Paul is trying to get them to understand that Jesus must be at the center of their lives. despite all the worldly things going on around them.

explain the message behind Colossians 3 and how it speaks to the ecosystem in which one should establish within themselves and then use to bring up a family. it goes down the line instructing you on how you should denounce the “old Man” (Ephesians chapter 3,4) and embrace the new man made in Christ Jesus and the direction in which you should be focused. on high and towards heavenly things, not earthly things (your locker room setup). only AFTER does he then talk about having a family and what that should look like…with your belief in Him as your foundation.

The Main Story:

Mark 2:1-12- main story; Can you run this play?

Point references:

BELIEF: 1 Corinthians 15:1-4- We believe in the Gospel and the power of God

COMMUNICATION:

SERVICE: John 13:1-7- washing feet and the importance of humility in serving AND being served

question and premise: “The Locker Room Theory” - How a player’s ecosystem can affect their performance in the Game.

Can you run the same play? (The lame man and his friends) Is your locker room set up in a way that when life gets hard and simply paralyzes you Or someone on your team (family), can you communicate the problem/ be Of service to that person (wash feet/deal with issue)/ believe in God enough to take all the worry and Problems to him! And get HEALED!! That’s what the family was made to do. Serve each other in service to him. How’s your Locker Room Set up?

WHAT DOES YOUR LOCKER ROOM LOOK LIKE? HOW IS THE TONE SET?: Talk about studios and how the expectations are already set based upon who’s plaster along the walls (studio in sac). Now parallel that with sports and compare it to what the church has on its walls (figuratively) how is your locker room decorated? What is there to keep God in mind ? YOU MAY BE STRUGGLING WITH YOU WALK BECAUSE CHRIST ISN’T EVIDENT IN YOUR STRIDE!

3 Rules to have in your Locker Room: Belief, Communication, Service

BELIEF SETS THE BASE FROM WHICH COMMUNICATION AND ULTIMATELY SERVICE, STEMS FROM.

1. Belief- OLD MAN vs NEW MAN do you believe in God? do you believe in the Gospel?

Gospel:

A gospel is an announcement of good news. In particular, the gospel is the announcement that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection have brought about salvation for Israel and the world. When the word Gospel is capitalized, it may refer to one of the four nt narrative accounts of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

God is the source of my strength

Jesus Died for my sins and covered me

developing and putting pratice into the fruits of the spirit

2. COMMUNICATION - lead with love, be honest, build trust: YOU BELIEF SHAPES THE WAY YOU TALK. ENVIRONMENT AFFECTS ACCENT/VERNACULAR.

Let your words be seasoned with grace!

Use fruits of the spirit. a language approved by God. not how YOU speak. not how THEY (celebs on the wall) speak.

love

joy

peace

patience

kindness

goodness

faithfulness

gentleness

self-control

Uncle Stacy calls it “Faith Talk”

the basis of all relationships

being honest about “You” is important and vital to the building of trust in the relationship

The four communication styles (DOTS) are:

Purple DOT: VISIONIST- People of this type tend to be friendly, charming and outgoing, quick-witted, energetic and irreverent, ingenious, imaginative and creative, curious, flexible and unpredictable, at times illogical and non-analytical. They are innovative and often think of the future and the “big picture” of life.

how to get along with Purple Dots? They are dreamers. They are great starters but poor finishers. They talk a lot (even to them-selves).If you need to have a challenging conversation – questions are more effective than to “lecture”.Let them know that they are a valuable member of the team when working well.Be prepared to listen and offer regular praise.

Yellow DOT: PICTORIALIST- People of this type tend to be cautious, conservative, quiet, literal, realistic, practical, careful and precise, logical, honest and matter of fact, resistant to change and comfortable with routine, hardworking and responsible.

How to get along with Yellow Dots? Show patience and provide as much detail as possible when communicating. Always give them time to make a decision.They are very time conscious so always be on time.They can be highly critical (even about themselves). They naturally like to finish things and tend towards perfectionism.Let them have their say, giving them time to respond. They are likely to complain and then explain why they are complaining.

Red DOT: RATIONALIST- This type tend to be cautious and thoughtful, hesitant until they know people well then can be affectionate and caring, very literal and aware of the physical world, uncompromising about personal standards and diligent and conscientious, organised and decisive.

How to get along with Red Dots? They have a logical approach to life. Becoming emotional will likely cause them to ignore you.Make sure you have some facts to base your discussion on.Let them know that they are respected and that you are seeking a “win/win” resolution.Get straight to the point .Do not lie or make excuses to this type. They might say nothing at the time but they will never forget or fully trust you again.

Blue DOT: SENSATIONIST- People of this type tend to be caring, friendly, outgoing and enthusiastic, affectionate, articulate and tactful, highly empathetic but easily hurt. They are productive, organised and responsible.

how to get along with Blue Dots? Be kind, caring, considerate, and be fully aware of their need to get a feeling for what you want them to do. Speaking with sincerity and authenticity will encourage them to listen and feel comfortable with you.They have a strong tendency to take things personally. They often seek “approval”. They can go to extreme lengths to avoid confrontation. If you are confrontational with a Blue dot they will probably close down.Don’t expect feedback or answers immediately. Give them time to get a feel for what you are saying.

these various learning styles create a challenge when it comes to collaborating as a team and thats where God’s commandment of Love and how you should treat someone is paramount.

Talk about how we don’t share our pains and short comings with each other. We hide our flaws and parade our achievements! Creating this false narrative that then starts a “RAT RACE”:

noun INFORMAL

a way of life in which people are caught up in a fiercely competitive struggle for wealth or power.

"they quit the rat race in order to live a simple life"

“an exhausting, usually competitive routine.”

SO, BECAUSE OF OUR CARELESS DECEPTION, NOW WE HAVE NEW/OLD FAMILY MEMBERS CHASING A PICTURE/FIGURE of CHRISTIANITY THAT ISN’T REAL! AND THEY WHINED UP LEAVING BECAUSE THEY FELT THEY COULDN‘T PLAY THE GAME THE WAY IT WAS INTENDED TO BE PLAYED! RIGHT PLAYER, WRONG LOCKER ROOM.

3. SERVICE: the demonstration of “unexpected costly love” the ultimate sacrifice vs our daily sacrifice

explain the importance of the text:

JESUS TELLS HIS DISCIPLES THE PLAY WHEN HE WASHES THEIR FEET. He lowers himself to the level of a gentile slave. Lower than low. The cultural importance of this gesture speaks volumes. explain Feet in the middle eastern culture and how it’s the biggest insult to even expose the sole of your feet to another person. It’s know as the most unclean area on the body. And he washed them. An unexpected costly gesture on a small level so that we would understand his sacrifice on the cross!

Washing each other’s feet and treating each other with real love! God is strong enough but ain’t strong enough to help us aid others??? That seems backwards

when we invite guests into our space it is our responsibility and commandment to wash their feet! if we don’t and they don’t have the means to…then their feet remain dirty while they try to come in here and eat. and they’re tracking mud all over the place! We don’t want to get down on our knees and help tend to each other’s struggles, so we’re having to come up with all these ways to mask and/or ignore the problem. Talk about the things we do while Avoiding our problems. devices/ forming clicks/ Church hopping/ leaving the Church (air fresheners/over using perfume oils/ covering them up) instead of just doing the work!

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