! The Others Persisted. A. The worst defeat in football history took place 102 yrs ago (GA Tech defeated tiny Cumberland College):

Transcription

1 ! The Others Persisted A. The worst defeat in football history took place 102 yrs ago (GA Tech defeated tiny Cumberland College): 1. The final score was The reason for that score was revenge. 3. The year B4, Cumberland hired professional baseball players and beat GA Tech, B. Cumberland discontinued football after the 1915 season but they forgot to tell GA Tech: 1. John Heisman insisted that the game would be played, or Cumberland would have to return a $3,000 fee students volunteered none of them athletes and they drove to Atlanta as sacrificial lambs. C. GA Tech returned the opening kickoff for a TD: 1. Cumberland fumbled the kickoff Tech scored. 2. Cumberland fumbled the next kickoff Tech scored. 3. Every time GA Tech touched the ball, they scored! D. GA Tech rushed for 978 yards Cumberland lost 42: 1. GA Tech never attempted a pass. 2. Cumberland completed 8-18 passes: 2 passes were caught by Cumberland and 6 by GA Tech! 3. GA Tech played w/error; Cumberland committed 15 TOs. 2

2 E. In the 4 th quarter, C.E. Edwards fumbled the ball. It rolled towards a teammate named George Murphy: 1. Edwards yelled to Murphy: Pick up the ball! 2. Murphy hollered back: You dropped it; you pick it up! 3. You can read about it yourself in Jim Paul s book, You Dropped It, You Pick It Up! F. I learned two things from that book: The Heisman Trophy was named after a coach who wasn t a good sport: 1. The Cumberland players although volunteers persisted to the end. 2. If that happened today, most of us would have quit! G. We re in a summer series called Habits of the Faithful: 1. It s based on Hebrews Today s topic reminds me of a vs. in 2 Cor. 4:1, Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. H. One habit we all need to embrace is persistence b/c it s easy to lose heart! 1. It happens in athletics... at work... at home... church. 2. For a variety of reasons, we become discouraged and in-stead of knuckling down we throw up our hands & quit. I. Some of us have quit things almost as soon as we start: 3

3 1. We get tired of getting knocked down. 2. Our situation seems hopeless We become overwhelmed w/discouragement But the Bible encourages us, Not to lose heart. J. In Galatians 6, Paul gives this advice to a group of churches that were teetering on the edge of collapse: 9 Let us not become weary in doing good; for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. K. At some point in your life, you will be tempted to quit: 1. It could be your marriage college course. 2. It could be your lawn repairing a vehicle. 3. It might be your job or memorizing Bible verse. 4. You will be tempted to throw in the towel. L. Here s what you need to remember: 1. When that day arrives don t quit. Persist! 2. Heaven is reserved for those who finish the race not for the masses who start. M. We ve looked at the habits of some well-known Bible characters: 1. Abel loved God first... Noah prepared for the end. 2. Abram welcomed testing... Jacob passed the baton. 3. The Israelites took risks... Rahab initiated change. 4

4 N. Hebrews 11 ends w/a list of faithful individuals so here s the rest of the story: 32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, admin- istered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheep-skins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together w/us would they be made perfect. 5

5 O. See the others in vs. 35? 1. The others are the individuals who persisted. 2. Persistence is a tough habit to develop b/c we live in a culture of quitters. 3. Remember to hang on when these situations pop up.! I. Persist... A. When the Battle Is Bigger Than You: 1. Look at vs And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon 3. The story of Gideon is found in Judges 6. B. Israel fell into a period of sin and God allowed the Midianites to oppress them for seven years: 1. The oppression was so great that Israel fled. 2. They hid in clefts/caves 3. Those who stayed behind planted their crops and marauders invaded at harvest. C. But God s absence caused them to turn their eyes to him: 6 Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help. 6 D. God sent an angel to Gideon:

6 1. Doing? Threshing wheat in a wine-press (vs. 11). 2. In God s eyes Gideon was a mighty warrior (vs. 12). 3. In Gideon s eyes his clan was the weakest, and he was, the least in his family (vs. 15). E. But w/god, all things are possible! 1. The word spread and 32,000 fighting men assembled. 2. God whittled that army down to Gideon armed them w/ trumpets, jars, and torches and Israel routed the Midianites (enjoyed 40 years of rest). F. Occasionally, God places us in situations that are more demanding than we feel capable: 1. Greg Blanchard suffered a stroke in early June. 2. For 10 long days, he was unconscious. 3. On June 23, Pam posted, After 10 long days, he s talking and awake. Thank you, Jesus! G. Occasionally, God places us in situations that are more demanding than we feel capable: 1. Vs. 32 also mentions David. 2. David was a shepherd. 3. His father sent him w/provisions for his brothers... and he stepped up to face a 9' giant w/a slingshot. 7 H. Have you ever said, I can t take it anymore?

7 1. If one more thing happens, that s it! 2. The next time that happens, turn to Hebrews 11 then compare your situation to David. I. Sometimes, God wants us to know that all we have is Him: 1. Like David, you won t always have youth/energy. 2. You might have to rely on experience: if you survived past tests, you can survive future tests. J. When Saul cautioned David about fighting Goliath David responded w/confidence. He said 1 Samuel 17:34 Your servant has been keeping his father s sheep. When a lion or a bear tried to carry off a lamb, I went after it! 35 I struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. And when it turned on me, I seized it by its beard, struck it and killed it. K. The Apostle Paul w/stoo all kinds of test as a missionary: 1. You can read about those tests in 2 Corinthians Listen to his summation: This happened that we might not rely on ourselves, but on God (1:9). 8 L. In your struggles, God wants to teach you a life lesson: 1. When all you have is Him, you are better off than you ve ever been. 2. You can t learn that until you re in over your head.

8 3. So, don t quit when the battle is bigger than you.! II. Persist... A. When the Fight Isn t Fair: 1. Hebrews 11 mentions several unfair battles. 2. Let s jog your memories w/some of the phrases. 3. Vs. 33,...who shut the mouths of lions. 4. Daniel. A preacher and a den of lions is hardly fair. B. Here s another phrase (vs. 34): match. 1. Who quenched the fury of the flames. 2. Who does that sound like? Three Hebrews. 3. Human flesh against a fiery furnace isn t much of a C. These kinds stories are about as unfair as the Soviets vs. the American s in the 1968 Olympic basketball game: 1. When you repeat the last 3 seconds 3 times When you ignore the rules of the game You lose faith in the integrity of sportsmanship 4. That s why those bronze medals are still in a Swiss vault! 9 D. Sometimes you do all the right things...

9 1. Give God your best effort Treat people using the Golden Rule as the standard Live your life as a model Xian Only to wake up to a battle you didn t ask to fight. E. The natural reaction is all-too-human: 1. If this is what happens when you live the right way, it s not worth it! 2. B4 long, your devotion to God is non-existent. F. This is one of the hardest things to deal w/ in ministry: 1. I ve met the most wonderful people in the world. 2. But most of you have to endure some of the most miserable circumstances I ve ever seen! G. Every pastor has to deal w/those kinds of negative thoughts: 1. I know James Dobson has b/c he wrote a book. 2. When Bad Things Happen to Good People. 3. But I want to encourage you to persevere during the unfair battles of life. 10 H. But when you remain faithful during times of unprovoked battles, you touch the heart of God: Habakkuk 3:17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,

10 17b though the live crop fails and the fields produce no fruit, 17c though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in God my Savior. I. Talk about faith! 1. You will never be closer to God than when you have nothing left but God. 2. Don t quit when the battle is unfair. 3. Learn to persevere! 11! III. Persist When the Fight Has No End A. I heard about a couple who celebrated their 50 th anniversary: 1. They d raised 11 children They were 68 years old 3. And their children produced 24 grandchildren 4. All of them came home for the reception! B. Somebody asked what their secret was for staying together: 1. Husband: We made a promise on our wedding night.

11 2. The first one to pack up and leave had to take all the kids/grandkids with them. C. There s a lot of truth in that statement! (Marshall 7 wks Can we eat w/bill? He ll pay for lunch if I laugh at his jokes! ) 1. The answer to a long marriage is stubbornly refusing to give in and quit. 2. In most cases, if you can just stick out the battle, it ll go away on its own. D. One of my friends took their last child to CO for college: 1. I remember when a church camp brought tears! 2. Guess what? Your heart will heal finances will improve and you can take Mama to Sunday lunch! E. But in some cases, the battle you re fighting isn t gonna go away no matter what: 1. Hebrews 11 mentions a lot of those examples. 2. Some were stoned to death... sawed in two. 3. Some killed by the sword... some lived in caves. 4. They were faithful God saw fit to mention them. 12 F. Some of our battles will never end: 1. There s no relief in sight. 2. The situation won t improve. 3. You are as helpless as Paul when he prayed for his thorn to be removed.

12 G. Know what I mean? 1. The marriage won t get better The disease will not go away The addiction is stronger than any adhesive. H. Maintaining your devotion to and love for God, may be the hardest thing you have ever been asked to do: 1. But that s your world. 2. So, if a loved one is sick, pray for healing. 3. But if God doesn t heal, ask him to keep your faith strong in the midst of the battle. I. You ask, How is that possible? 1. Vs. 40, God had planned something better. 2. There s something better than removing your battle. 3. It ll be worth it if you remain faithful; but if you quit you ll never get to see it. 13 J. Anybody remember the lengthy 2010 Wimbledon match? (Nicolas Mahut vs John Isner) 1. Their match lasted 10 hrs suspended b/c of darkness ! 3. The 5 th set lasted 7 hrs and 6 minutes! Don t Quit!

13 K. Dave Bliss was the b ball coach at Baylor University: 1. Baylor is a Baptist, Division 1 college He made millions of dollars He won 535 games in 28 seasons And then he resigned in disgrace. L. He paid the tuition for two players (violation of the NCAA): 1. One of those students was shot by another player Bliss asked his staff to lie He fabricated an alibi But when he was confronted, he confessed immediately. M. A private high school gave him a 2 nd chance: Everybody deserves a 2 nd chance. But the 2 nd chance is to do what God plans for your life, to get back up doing what you were created to do. 14 N. Dave Bliss, 75, has a one-year contract (Las Vegas): 1. He ll make less than a public school teacher His gym has only 7 rows of bleachers He has no assistant and he ll sweep the gym himself. 4. If you aren t true to who you are, you will lose heart! O. PRAYER: 1. B/c we re human, we are discouraged/frustrated.

14 2. It seems like everybody else s life is easy and we think ours ought to be easy, too. P. So, toughen us up! 1. Expose us to hardship until we have nothing but You. 2. Help us remember what Paul wrote to the Galatians Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the right time we will reap a harvest if we don t quit.