Any Given Sunday

“On any given Sunday you’re either gonna win or lose…”

 

That’s what the football coach told his players in a classic American movie. What the actor said is true. On any given Sunday, when two teams step on to the field to battle it out, either one can win. There is a spiritual warfare taking place in this earth and on any given Sunday one side will take the victory in the hearts of God’s people.

 

Any given Sunday in churches across the earth, pastors step into pulpits. These men have studied, prayed, fasted and cried for their congregations. They have been careful to examine a passage properly in order to give its true meaning. These faithful shepherds have given themselves to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, “bring out this point to the people, they need it!” The minister comes ready, filled with the Spirit of God.

 

Any given Sunday, the congregation fills the pews. Work is hard, the married couple has just gotten into an argument, the kids slept in, the people were up late playing video games and watching movies. The word goes forth, the people sit and try to listen. Some check their phones, read the news or create their weekly to do list. All the while, the minister puts forth all the spiritual effort he has to transmit the mysteries and beauty of the word of God.

 

Any given Sunday, what we really need to hear from God is being given to us by the minister. Do we have ears to hear? Any given Sunday, the truth that can and will set us free is there for the taking, if we would open our hearts to the Holy Spirit and allow him to plant it deep within, bearing fruit. Any given Sunday the seed of the word goes forth, falling on different kinds of soil.

 

Any given Sunday, faithful sheep listen attentively to the pastor, gleaning truth. That same Sunday, life happens, as it is always seems to. We genuinely are barraged with the cares of this life, the real duties, the busy schedules…even on a Sunday. That evening, we can’t even remember what the pastor taught on. Don’t feel condemned! When a professor of Bible study at a solid seminary asked his students (future pastors, Bible teachers and local church leaders) if they remembered what their own pastors had preached the previous Sunday, only half raised their hands. When the professor pressed further and asked, “how many of you have actually studied and done something with what the pastor preached,” two individuals raised their hands. The tenured professor was shocked! “Wow! This is really good! Normally, only one person raises their hand.” Frightening isn’t it? If future Christian leaders do so little with the word of God on any given Sunday, what does that mean about the average Christian in the pew?

 

How true is that scenario of our own lives? How would we fair if our pastor were to ask two hours after church had ended how many remembered his message from that morning? I don’t want you to feel alone, so I’ll be honest with you. I myself am quite embarrassed to say that on many Sundays, I have not remembered the title of my pastor’s message or many of the points that were made. I have often forgotten on Monday what was preached on Sunday.

 

Any given Sunday, a good pastor would be just fine if you forgot the title of his sermon. He would be perfectly okay with you forgetting 95% of his message. This is what he cares about, did you hear God speak? What were the one or two main things that God himself impressed on your heart? Did he convict you? Did he encourage you? What did God say?! Imagine the thrill of being a shepherd and knowing that someone wrote down one point from what you studied and gave from your heart. Imagine still the enthrallment that a person would actually pray over that point and say to God, “work this in my life!” Ponder the tears in your eyes that would form, as a person says they have been transformed by God, and that message you thought no one “got” was gotten by someone and that someone was delivered and strengthened!

 

“On any given Sunday you’re either gonna win or lose…” which will you do?

 

Andrew Wilkes

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