Nobody gets to heaven by themselves. Why? Because Christianity is a team sport. We need to be on the King’s team, the church. More than that, we need to be doing our part to see that the King’s team is a success. Here then is what you need to know about the King’s team and your place on it:
Every church member is important to the team’s success.
(1Pe 1:18-19) = The King purchased you for the team at the incredibly high price of His own blood. What does that mean? Jesus believes you are important to the team’s success (e.g. The Browns recent acquisition of Deshaun Watson for a guaranteed $230m [most guaranteed money in NFL history] = The Browns believe Watson is important to their success). Jesus would not have done given His precious blood for someone He didn’t believe could have a major impact for His team. Hence why Peters says (1:13a “prepare your minds for action”) = Get ready to make an impact for the team you were purchased at a high price to pay for – to show you are worth the price that was paid versus being a bust. Those who are a bust will be declared apostate and go to hell (Heb 10:29 “profaned the blood” = Wasted the price that was paid [Mat 5:13 – made useless]; Consider also Luk 20:35).
When King Jesus purchased the church, He promised to build a winning team.
(Mat 16:18) = The team Jesus has assembled cannot be defeated by the opposing team (“the gates of hell” [Satan and his evil forces – including this world under his control] cannot “prevail against [us]”). Why? B/C He has empowered us (you and me, the members who collectively make up the church, the King’s team) with the keys to heaven’s nuclear weapons (v19 “bind” = weapon of eternal damnation; “loose” = weapon of eternal salvation). What does Satan or the world possess that can thwart or stand against those weapons/powers? Nothing. What that means: only the church can beat the church. IOW: We beat ourselves by refusing/failing to do what it takes to win.
Winning requires that the church function as a team, and fight for their King.
“Great things are never done by one person, they’re done by a team of people.” – Steve Jobs
Jesus needed the church to complete His mission on earth. The kingdom our King established, we have been left to grow and defend (Joh 14:12-13 w/Mat 28:18-20 w/Mat 27:11, 29, 37) = BC of Jesus’ upgrade to “King of Kings” (or king of everyone versus simply, “king of the Jews”), the church would do the greater (or more expansive) work of advancing the kingdom beyond the borders of Israel. However, for the church to finish what Jesus started, requires we function as a team and fight for our King.
3.1. What it means to function as a team:
3.1.1. We stop acting like fans and get in the game.
(Luk 10:1-2) = Notice, Jesus needed the team to get the win. He needs players who will get in the game and help out (“laborers” not spectators/fans). As stated in the previous point, we are all important to the team’s success. But that means getting in the game/getting involved with what our team is currently learning or doing. Even the best player cannot benefit the team if all they do is sit on the sidelines or refuse to learn the plays (e.g. How many of you have taken the time to learn the play assigned last week? How many of you could argue persuasively for Jesus’ return in next 25yrs? What about the Marriage Covenant Gospel? How many of you could present and defend it from the Scriptures? How do you expect to make a play if you don’t learn the plays and get in the game?). Like Jesus, pastor needs the team to get the win.
3.1.2. We are fully committed to the team in our thinking, our loyalty, and gospel strategy decided by the team’s leaders/coaches.
(Phi 2:1-2 “same mind, having the same love, being in full accord”) = Fully committed thinking and loyalty to the team; (“and of one mind”) = Fully committed to the strategy called by the team’s leaders/coaches (See Phi 1:5 w/1:25-27 = I am coming back as coach. Until then, stay committed to the gospel strategy I gave you before [“your partnership in the gospel” w/me]; BTW: strategies change all the time – which means we need to change and fully commit to the new strategy decided by our coaches [versus viewing it as a flaw/failure]- See 2Co 1:12-23; e.g. In the “Man In The Arena” series [ep. 1], former NE Patriot LB Willie McGinest comments on how the team expected Drew Bledsoe to be declared the starter for SB 36 given his experience taking them to a previous SB. Coach Belichick however changed the strategy and decided to go w/the young in experienced QB, Tom Brady. What did the team do? They fully committed themselves to the coach’s decision and their new QB. Though hugely disappointed w/coach Belichick’s decision at the time, Drew Bledsoe also fully supported his coach, his team and Tom Brady who went on to beat the “greatest show on turf.”; Jeff Bezos’ view on change/change of strategy, “People who are right a lot listen a lot, and they change their mind a lot.”). Unfortunately, and embarrassingly, the world is often more committed to their coaches and teams than the church is to theirs (e.g. Judas’ betrayal of Jesus: he didn’t like the strategy of his coach – Mar 14:3-11 w/Joh 12:1-8; Consider also, this is why we are warned – Heb 12:14-15 “strive for peace” = unity; Act 20:28-30 [“will arise speaking twisted things to draw away the disciples after them” = They will act as though they are/sb captains of the team and attempt to recruit people to their team/strategy]; Rom 16:17-18; Gal 5:26 w/13-15 = The recipe for a church that never gets a win for the King: 1) everybody thinks they know better than everybody else -including their coaches [“conceited”], 2) everybody has a chip on their shoulder so can’t get along w/their team-mates [“provoking one another”], 3) everybody is jealous of everybody else so quits all the time [“envying one another”]. IOW: They are a team that bites, devours and consumes one another rather commits to one another in their thinking, loyalty and strategy).
Our coaches/pastors’ two-pronged gospel strategy that we as a team need to be committed to:
1) Covenant Life Groups (starting in May), 2) Marriage Covenant Gospel Book (pastor needs team-mates not fans. He needs team-mates to thoughtfully read and provide feedback to make sure the book is the best it can be for our King. IOW: the team working together is how we get the win – e.g. Luke Kuenning’s suggestion to add Mat 22:32 as biblical support for my argument from grammar in respect to the Adamic, Noahic and Abrahamic covenants as Marriage Covenants. Luke’s contribution may be the difference between someone being convinced or dismissing what is said). What is your commitment to seeing our team’s two-pronged strategy successfully executed – whether it be with the community groups or the book? How committed are you to the team?
“The team with the best players committed only to themselves is no match for the team with average players fully committed to their team” – Anonymous
3.1.3. We put the needs of the team above our individual needs.
(Phi 2:3-4; Joh 15:12; Luk 22:28-30) = Those who put the team first – even when things are tough, are those who go to heaven).
“No man is more important than The Team. No coach is more important than The Team. The Team, The Team, The Team.” – Bo Schembechler
3.1.4. We are willing to play whatever role is necessary – and sacrifice whatever is necessary, to guarantee the team’s success on the field.
(Phi 2:5-8) = Jesus sacrificed His high position of God to fill the necessary role of an obedient human slave to guarantee His team’s success. Paul says we are to follow His example/possess His mindset. B/C Jesus had this mindset, God upgraded His position on the team (vv9-11 = Jesus became the G.O.A.T. King because of His willingness and sacrifice
– i.e., because He proved to be the ultimate team-player; Mat 28:18). Everybody wants to be the team’s superstar. However, the only way to be the superstar is to be the best, most dedicated team player. The one who makes everyone else on the team look good (not yourself) (Mar 10:43-44). Very few ministries can be given to others in this church, because very few of our members want to do what it takes to be superstars for our King. Very few people are willing to sacrifice to make sure the ministry they are a part of is a success. This doesn’t btw require you be a leader, just – once more, a great team-mate or team player. This btw are how leaders get recognized. They are superstar team-mates/team players, people the rest of us can count on to make sure whatever ministry they are a part of, wb a success. People who are not fighting for themselves (i.e. their glory), but the glory of their King.
3.2. What it means to fight for the King = We stop making excuses or settling for mediocracy. Any time Christians make excuses for failure or serve up mediocracy in their service to the King (i.e., anything related to the church or ministry), they are not fighting for the King. Excellence is the only standard acceptable to our King. Hence why Paul prays this way for the Philippians (Phi 1:9-10). Excellence (however) is never an accident. It takes perseverance (i.e., not quitting after two weeks), meticulous planning or preparation, attention to detail, and sweating the small stuff. If you suffer at being excellent, start by asking how much of the activities in your life are planned? Most people plan only one thing: to get to their job (or church on Sunday). Everything after that is just “gas out and pass out”, which means you never have time to be excellent because your time (after work or church) is wasted. The story of your life and what they will write on your tombstone (if you do not change and start fighting for the King): “They played a mediocre game, filled with excuses and failure that accomplished little for the team or your King. There were water-boys better than them.” INSTEAD of THIS: “They fought the good fight for their King. For them, this was life: serve the King, savor His kingdom.”
CLOSING CONTEMPLATION/CHALLENGE = How successful will our Covenant Life Groups be? How successful will the book be? What part will you play to guarantee they are successful? What about the kind of team-mate you are today? What needs to change so you can be the superstar your King deserves?
The King's Team
March 20, 2022 • R. Scott Jarrett • Luke 10:1–2, Philippians 2:1–8, 1 Peter 1:18–19, Matthew 16:18
Meet Your King - Part 1
February 13, 2022 • R. Scott Jarrett
Jesus was the perfect man. But what kind of man (or human) was He? What things did He care about? What things did He not care about? Where or with whom did He spend His time? How did He respond or react to others? How did HE come across to others? How did people view His words or the way He spoke? Our investigation into the (human) person of Jesus has as its purpose not simply the gaining of knowledge, but more importantly, its application through imitation. We are commanded (in 1Co 15:1) to imitate our King. The reason? b/c imitation is the greatest expression of worship and adoration/love. IOW: we show our loyalty to Jesus best by our imitation of His humanity. It is in this way also that we imitate (and show loyalty) to God since, through His humanity, Jesus perfectly pictured or explained to us the character of God (Joh 1:18). As a human, King Jesus: Was careful to receive or act on anything as truth that could not be sufficiently supported in God’s court of Law (Mat 19:16-17; Joh 8:2-11; Jam 4:11-12 w/5:9 = Our judgment of others needs to hold up in the king’s court – otherwise we are guilty of condemning the law/Lawgiver; Mat 18:15-16 = Sufficient evidence eliminates sinful presumption/assumption; Jud 1:9 = Satan judged Moses based on presumption versus sufficient evidence. When we judge/accuse others of sin based on our assumptions we are imitating Satan not Jesus; sufficient evidence: evidence that agrees with Scripture and is beyond a reasonable doubt [no other reasonable explanation can be given]). Did not care about the evil going on in the government only the evil going on in the covenant community (Luk 13:1-9; Luk 20:22-25 [“Caesar” = A king by force/foreign invasion versus election/choice now requiring those conquered pay honor/”tribute”]; Mat 17:24-27 = Jesus recognized the injustice in the earthly government of His day but didn’t resist it or let it bother Him; Rom 13:1-7 [“honor” = This includes those in power we don’t approve of]; e.g. Dan 6:21; 1Pe 2:17; Luk 21:34; 1Ti 2:1-3). Had zero tolerance for sin in God’s house (Joh 2:14-17; Mat 21:12-13; Rev 2:1-5 = The church’s many acts of loyalty to Jesus did not cause him to overlook those things that were sin. Tolerance of sin in any area – no matter their intolerance in others, would result in their “lampstand” being removed -i.e. they would cease to be a community where Jesus’ saving presence and power dwelt; 1Ti 3:14-15 w/: 1) heresy [1:3-5], 2) capital crime [1:18-20], 3) sovereign citizenship [2:8], 4) feminazis and female pastors [2:9-13], 5) unqualified leaders [3:1-12]). Only fellowshipped with – or treated as family, those willing to do God’s will (Mar 3:31-35; What His family thought about this behavior – Mar 3:20-21; Luk 10:25-37 = We treat as family only those who keep the Law [Exo 23:5]; 2Co 6:14-18). CLOSING CONTEMPLATION: How are you doing in your imitation of our King? If the answer is “no so good”, then good news! Today is the day of salvation! IOW: today is the day to repent of that and (again) make things right w/God.
Meet Your King - Part 2
February 20, 2022 • R. Scott Jarrett
Jesus was the perfect man. But what kind of man (or human) was He? What things did He care about? What things did He not care about? Where or with whom did He spend His time? How did He respond or react to others? How did He come across to others? How did people view His words or the way He spoke? Our investigation into the (human) person of Jesus has as its purpose not simply the gaining of knowledge, but more importantly, its application through imitation. We are commanded (in 1Co 15:1) to imitate our King. The reason? b/c imitation is the greatest expression of worship and adoration/love. IOW: we show our loyalty to Jesus best by our imitation of His humanity. It is in this way also that we imitate (and show loyalty) to God since, through His humanity, Jesus perfectly pictured or explained the character of God (Joh 1:18). As a human, King Jesus: Was careful to receive or act on anything as truth that could not be sufficiently supported in God’s court of Law (* correction to last week*Luk 18:18-19; Joh 5:31* sufficient evidence: evidence that agrees with Scripture and is beyond a reasonable doubt [no other reasonable explanation can be given]; Psa 19:13-14; Joh 5:31). Didn’t care about the evil going on in government only the evil going on in the covenant community (Luk 13:1-3; Christians are often duped into thinking that if the government/organization/person shares some of our values then we should attempt to work w/them or push their agenda for in so doing we can accomplish our own – especially those forms of govt or organizations or persons who have power/influence/money. Such co-belligerence is not only unnecessary to advance God’s kingdom but is explicitly forbidden by God. It makes us guilty of idolatry – e.g. ECT; Deu 7:1-6 w/2Co 6:14-7:1 = Holiness means intolerance for sinful people [govts, organizations, schools] – including those sinful people who could help us in the advance God’s kingdom b/c of what they believe/practice). Had zero tolerance for sin in God’s house (Joh 2:14-17; Mat 21:12-13). Only fellowshipped with – or treated as family, those willing to do God’s will (Mar 3:31-35 w/20-21). Caused division within families b/c of His beliefs (Luk 12:49-53; Mat 10:5-14, 21 [“kick the dust off” = No more association w/those individuals. Separation must be our response when they reject Jesus’ teaching). Never questioned God’s love for Him b/c of what He had to suffer (Joh 17:25-26 = Part of Jesus’ high priestly prayer: spoken only hours before His betrayal, torture, and crucifixion. The coming suffering in no way affected His confidence in the Father’s love. Suffering does not indicate a lack of love but the discipline of a loving Father Who understands that without such discipline/training we will not be fit for heaven. Our souls will instead become corrupted and fit for this world and hell [Jer 17:13 – their names “written in the earth” versus “written in heaven”]. Example from pottery: clay is soft and porous. Only when it is heated in the kiln does it transform into something watertight and strong. If that clay cracks in the fire, it is discarded. In the same way, we must go thru the fires of trials/training to become vessels strong enough to hold the holiness and obedience God requires to get to heaven. If we crack, we too wb discarded. The good news – we have God’s power to get thru if we will submit/accept the trial [2Co 4:7-9 = We w/stand the trials w/o breaking thru the power of God given in submission to His will during those times – v13; also 1Co 10:13]; Heb 5:7-9, 12:5-14; Hence Pro 23:12-14 = Notice both forms of discipline/training [positive and negative]. Neither can be neglected. If we do, we are leaving our children weak and vulnerable to corruption. Hence Pro 19:18) Loved (i.e. was loyal to/love = loyalty) God and His people more than anything else (For Jesus it was all about love. But love meant loyalty; Hence Joh 5:19, 30, Luk 9:51 [Isa 50:4-7]; Joh 13:1; Phi 2:5-8 = Jesus as our example, was loyal to God and us to the point of death. This means that Christianity really is all about love. But once more love means/equals loyalty [not some emotionally charged thing that changes like the wind]; Mat 22:37-39; Joh 13:34-35, 14:15, 21, 15:12-13 [loyalty to death]; 1Jo 5:1-2; Joh 21:15-19 = Peter understood why Jesus was asking him about love: b/c of his prior lack of loyalty [i.e. his denial of Jesus – ch.18] demonstrated that he did not love Jesus [above all else]. Jesus and Peter understood love = loyalty). Suffered for righteousness despite His feelings and fear (Luk 22:39-44; This righteous suffering includes suffering through the feelings of temptation versus giving into them – Heb 2:16-18 w/4:15; Feelings/Fear are not an excuse to give up or back out of doing the right thing [BTW: Courage is not the opposite of fear. Courage is the term we use for those who remain loyal in the face of fear]; Heb 12:1-4; 1Pe 4:1-2 = Easy way to spot someone who is living for SELF = They stop being obedient the moment such obedience causes them to suffer or puts their life in danger. You are not truly living for Jesus/heaven until you are willing to suffer and die for Jesus/heaven.).
Meet Your King - Part 3
February 27, 2022 • R. Scott Jarrett
Jesus was the perfect man. But what kind of man (or human) was He? What things did He care about? What things did He not care about? Where or with whom did He spend His time? How did He respond or react to others? How did He come across to others? How did people view His words or the way He spoke? Our investigation into the (human) person of Jesus has as its purpose not simply the gaining of knowledge, but more importantly, its application through imitation. We are commanded (in 1Co 15:1) to imitate our King. The reason? b/c imitation is the greatest expression of worship and adoration/love. IOW: we show our loyalty to Jesus best by our imitation of His humanity. It is in this way also that we imitate (and show loyalty) to God since, through His humanity, Jesus perfectly pictured or explained the character of God (Joh 1:18). As a human, King Jesus: Was careful to receive or act on anything as truth that could not be sufficiently supported in God’s court. Didn’t care about the evil going on in government only the evil going on in the covenant community. Had zero tolerance for sin in God’s house (Psa 45:1, 6-7 = One of the reasons God the Father has eternally installed Jesus as King over is b/c He has zero-tolerance for wickedness/sin in the kingdom). Only fellowshipped with – or treated as family, those willing to do God’s will (Psa 45:9-11). Caused division within families b/c of His beliefs (loyalty to God and the church family over physical family). Never questioned God’s love for Him b/c of what He had to suffer. Loved (i.e. was loyal to/love = loyalty) God and His people more than anything else. Suffered for righteousness despite His feelings and fear. Was not an accurate reflection of how He felt (Luk 22:42 w/Joh 18:1-3; Mat 16:21-27 [not how that person felt]; It’s all for the King until I don’t feel like it and then it’s “to hell w/the King”; BTW: speaking based on how we feel leads to acting on how we feel—all actions are the result of words; Gen 1:1-3; Joh 1:1-3 w/Mat 15:19 w/Jam 1:13-15; Jam 3:1-6; Hence the reason “freedom of speech” is not only the first sign of dissent from God, but a recipe for human destruction). Understood the priority of the team (Joh 15:12-13; Mar 9:33-35 w/10:35-45; 1Co 9:14-19; Hence why 1Co 1:10; Phi 1:27 w/2:2 = We can’t win for the King unless the church operates as a team! What that looks like [according to what we just read]: Personal agendas are gone. We live [and are willing to give anything] to be aligned with the teaching/direction/strategy of the team and its leaders. It means also [as we saw] we are even willing to die/suffer for the sake of the team [e.g. Phi 2:12-18 = Paul lived for the team. Which BTW/once more – there is no win w/o the team operating as a team]. This principle [btw] is at the center of all military and team-sports training. Winning and losing are – the vast majority of the time, determined by how well the group did in operating as a team – Ecc 4:12; The secret to the early church’s global impact was not their size [they were small in numbers], but their unity/operation as a team -rogue/maverick elements were not tolerated [e.g. Act 8:14-25]; The writings of the early church fathers also reflect this. Most were written to maintain orthodoxy among all the churches; Hence why then Rom 16:17-18). Submitted to God (or God’s Word) as the Author of morality not consensus, circumstance or the individual (Mat 19:1-6 [God trumps popular consensus: divorce for any reason is okay], 7-8 [God trumps circumstance or the individual – in this case, the spiritual leader Moses], 9-12 [another example of God trumps circumstance or the desire of the individual]; Joh 17:17; Isa 8:20; Psa 119:160; e.g. Our nation’s downward spiral w/respect to who determines morality: consensus = homosexuality as an acceptable sexual orientation [once considered deviant/perverted behavior and a form of mental illness now celebrated as good simply b/c enough people changed their opinion]; circumstance = juvenile justice system [different punishment for kids/minors was est’d in 1899 as the result of mass immigration in late 1800’s and lots of indigent kids roaming the streets and committing serious crimes. Before that time, not many kids committed serious crimes, but when they did, were treated the same as adults]; individual = gender identity). Offended others by His knowledge and the words He used (Mat 13:53-58 = Insurrection is often the result of people being jealous of their shepherd’s knowledge – Psa 106:16 w/Mat 27:18; Mat 15:1-14 = Notice included as part of His offensive words, was the use of “colorful language” when the occasion called for it [“hypocrites”, “blind guides”; other examples – Mat 12:34 “brood of vipers”//All of these are the equivalent of our modern day swear words; when the occasion calls for such words = when less colorful words prove ineffective]; Why Jesus said hard/offensive things = B/C: 1) He refused to lie about/to people [Pro 27:6], 2) He knew that the uncomfortableness that comes with such speech is not a valid excuse or optional to getting to heaven [Mat 10:26-27, 32-33], 3) He cared more about making God happy than men knowing He could not please both and still get to heaven – Joh 4:34 [“My will is to do the will of Him who sent Me”], Joh 8:29 [“I do the things that are leasing to the Father”], Joh 10:17 [“for this reason the Father loves the Son b/c I lay down my life]; Luk 6:26 [“Woe to you if all men speak well of you, for so they did to the false prophets”], Jam 4:4 [“Anyone who is a friend of the world is not a friend of God”]; 2Ti 4:2 {‘reprove, rebuke and exhort with great patience”]; Tit 1:9-11 “silenced” = Shut their mouths thru strong reproving [proving them wrong] and rebuke). Was not wooed away from heaven by the pleasures of this world (Mat 4:8-10 w/Heb 4:15 w/Mat 17:17 = Jesus’ complete inability to be wooed away by the pleasures of this world [or gaining the entire world] indicates just how large the disparity is between the value/quality/beauty of this world and heaven –something Jesus knew firsthand, having been there before coming to this world. The same was true for Paul. He had seen heaven [2Co 12:2] and this was his comparison – 2Co 4:17; Hence why Paul says Col 3:2 = IOW: Serve the King and savor the kingdom, spend time visualizing the world to come and using the good and beautiful things of this world as your inspiration and motivation versus spending your time worrying about NOT MISSING OUT on all the fun in this world/serving this world and savoring its rewards. Only a fool would trade Paradise for the Podunk thrills of this world). CLOSING CONTEMPLATION: God saved us to make us imitators of our King. What we have learned therefore is to be modelled in our lives. When people see how we act or the things we are concerned about or how we speak, it should reflect our King. Two final thoughts: 1) If what we have covered is not the Jesus you know, then the Jesus [you know] is not the King 2) If who your life reminds others of is NOT King Jesus, good luck getting to heaven.