Jim Beam Club

We had some friends invite us to the Sox game a few days ago. They had tickets to get into the Jim Beam Club. Well I’ve been to a lot of Sox games and have been around the park, but I had never heard of this place. What a deal!  It’s basically a really big box seat section that is right behind home plate. Just below the announcers and probably the best seats in the house. There is an inside club and then leather seats to sit outside and watch the game.  They put out a full buffet and open bar (I never get my money’s worth).  

The irony in the whole thing was that no one in that club cared about the game.  This was Friday night after the Sox had been handed their worse loss in history – by 20 runs – the night before.  This was the day after we found out that Jake Peavy decided not to come and play with us.

It was a pitching duel and we won the game 1-0. The game was over in less than two hours.  But that was only half the problem.  The other problem was that the Blackhawks were playing the third game of their series against Detroit.  And people CARED about that game.  So most of us spent more time inside in front of little TV’s watching a game in another stadium, instead of going out to sit in the leather seats in the best spot in our own stadium. (That was, until the dessert bar was put out and then we all reunited for banana bread pudding).

It struck me that this is the problem with most churches. They get distracted. They forget what the game really is.  They are off watching hockey when they are supposed to be at a baseball game.  Don’t take the analogy too far, you aren’t supposed to be watching anything, you are actually supposed to be playing. But we have to at least decide which game is important.

Evidently this was the case with the church in Colosse.

Colossians 1:3-5 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints—the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you.

They have been playing the game and doing it well.  And because of it, check out this next verse…. 

Colossians 1:6 All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.

I love knowing that because of you, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing – literally ALL OVER THE WORLD.  But most importantly it’s growing in us and around us, because we aren’t distracted by the “other games” going on all around us.  

Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Keep on pressing,

Tim

Comments

[Paula]

AMEN. There's no going back now!

[iHateChurch]

great to see you have the VIP. the prize is always greater than the price.... although it never seems like it when your chasing it...