Jesus The Infinite Thinker

There was a philosophical treatise written by a minister by the name of James Carse in 1986 called “Finite and Infinite Games”. In this work Carse says that there are two types of games. The Finite Game and the Infinite game.

The Finite game is the one most easily understood…it is a game where there is a set beginning and end…there are a set of predetermined and accepted rules and everyone agrees to these rules…an example of this is dice game that our Prime Time groups plays at their monthly game and lunch day.

…Yes they play dice in church....scandalous I know, but this group is a bunch of rebels....anyway It’s a dice game where the object is to keep rolling the dice racking up points as long as you can.

In order to score you have to roll either a 1 or a 5 or Three of a kind like three 2’s, 3’s etc…As long as you roll a 1 or a 5 or three of a kind you can keep on rolling.

Now to make this more challenging you need to understand when you roll before you take the next roll you have to take the amount of dice that count away from each roll thus decreasing your odds with each roll.

So The players agree to the rules…there is a clear winner and loser (Gail Byrd loser Forehead L) at the end…these are the Characteristics of a Finite game.

Then there is the Infinite games…in the infinite game the rules are not constant, meaning they can change at any time, there is no set beginning or end which means players can jump in or out of the game at any spot…There is not agreed upon end to the game becuase the goal is not to win or end but to continue the game.

Now Greedy is also a great example of an infinite game...At first there seems to be no skill involved in this game that can last a long or as short as you want it too depending on the what everyone agrees that the winning score will be 5k, 8k and so on.

However I have learned that the skill has nothing to do with how you roll the dice but in how you get into your opponents heads…It starts out friendly enough but I have discovered this a a tactic to gain your trust so they can trick you later in the game...

A real life example is lets say someone had amassed 1500 points and has one dice left…at this point they can keep their points or pass the dice to the next, or they can risk the points by rolling the one dice…if they do not get a 1 or a 5 they lose all their points…It’s at this point someone (Not Me) usually says something like…If that were me I would go ahead a roll the dice”

It is a a cut throat game…where others are wanting you to risk it all not so you can succeed but so they can possibly win the game....The goal is to roll as much as possible and win the game…by any means necessary…lol

The players could agree that the game will have not set ending score which means the winning or losing depends on how long each person wants to stay in the game or how long each person has the will to stay in the game…the game could be infinite.

Life is an infinite game that includes a series of finite games.

Most of the problems that we often face especially when it comes to the Church and our faith are because we are trying to play and Infinite game with a finite mindset.

I want to suggest that Jesus does not want us to play with a win lose finite mindset (He has already won)!

Jesus wants us to understand we are in an infinite game and the only way to play it well is to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us about changing the way we are playing.

James Carse says this in his book

“the rules of an infinite game must change in the course of play. The rules are changed when the players of and infinite game agree that the play is imperiled by a finite outcome…that is, the victory of some players and the defeat of others.”

“The rules of an Infinite game are changed to prevent anyone from winning the game and to bring as many person as possible into the play”

When it comes to things like Life, Business, or even Faith no one wins these thing.

We don’t win life we are given life to live to the best of our ability. We do not win business we just practice it in a way that sustains our lifestyle and maybe sets up a future for our children, and we do not win at faith we are given faith and encouraged to live it infinitely.

Today I want us to begin to explore how our lives can change spiritually and emotionally simply by understanding what game we are really playing and what it takes to play that game.

Jesus often confuses us not becuase we are trying to apply our finite understanding of God’s Infinite mission.

Summarize Acts 9:1-10 Pauls Conversion

Acts 9:10–16 NLT

10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. 11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” 13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

Ananias was playing a finite game…

He knew that Paul was trying to stamp out this new movement and could not understand what Jesus was doing telling him to heal Paul.

In fact I have to believe that Ananias thought that getting and keeping Paul out of “The Game” would be best for this new movement of God.

Yet in spite of his finite thinking he totally gave in to the infinite wisdom of God even though he was fearful and skeptical.

The Church is the Infinite expression of God’s Love in a finite world and as such will often be misunderstood.

You and I are to be an infinite expression of God’s love in a finite thinking world. Its not about winning or losing its about continuing in the love of God so others may know salvation.

Nothing about what Jesus was telling Ananias made sense in the struggle they were in.

A finite God would have just killed Saul or left him useless as an example of what happens to those who defy Him.

God’s Infinite thinking transformed Saul to Paul for the purpose of adding people to the way.

When things seem to not make sense to us it is often in those times we need to bear down in obedience to God’s infinite wisdom instead of leaning on our finite understandings.

Jesus is changing the rules in our passage not to bring a quick end to the game but to extend it so as to win as many as possible.

Jesus is still playing an infinite game. How do I know that? We are still here…this world is still marching on.

I also know the Jesus will continue to play the infinite game...

John 3:17

The New International Version Chapter 3

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Revelation 21:1–5 NIV

1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Jesus came to save the world and one day it will be transformed into the Holy City that God had originally designed the world to be....This is the power of ressurection fulfilled to the uttermost.

Maybe you are stuck in a self destructive mindset becuase you have commited yourself to a finite game that God never wanted you to be in.

If your biggest goals in life are to make money, climb the ladder, or be the goto gal or guy and its causing more pain than purpose maybe it’s time to get on the finite rollercoaster of the world.

Maybe its time for your Damascus experience.

Meaning...You have lived with the Wrong Goal, Wrong attitude about life and God and its is keeping you stuck unsatisfied and probably a little frustrated with life in general.

If You're trying to keep up with what the world says is living and it is fallings short of the promise. It may be time to allow God to reorder your life.

Maybe its time for your Ananias experience.

Maybe You have been protecting the church, your family, and your way of life and God is telling to trust His infinite plan and do something completely different for His glory and you cannot see how this is possibly the right move.

It’s time to live Infinitely in a Finite world.

In the Next few weeks we will be exploring more of what this looks like and how if will bring joy and freedom to your life right now.

I am convinced that once we understand how to live in God’s infinite plan we will more easily understand God’s Infinite Wisdom. And we will then be able to take a deep breath that leads to a life free of the pressure that often defines us.

Communion is a reminder of the Infinite mission in our finite world.

Benediction: May the Infinite Wisdom of the Infinite God guide our Minds, Hearts and Bodies as we seek to live God’s eternal purpose in a finite thinking world...Amen…Go in Peace