A Word From Pastor Mike - Coach 'Em Up

This was a sermon Mike gave a couple of weeks ago...

"Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you and do them that you may live... " Deuteronomy 4:1

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might."  Ephesians 6:10

"All those evil things come from within and they defile a person." Mark 7:23



Moses, Paul and Jesus are coaching. At least, that's one way of looking at it. A coach wants the one, or the team, to succeed, to be victorious.  I think that was the case with Moses, Paul and Jesus.

I grew up in a small town in Montana. The only sport to do in the winter was to play basketball.

(Mike didn't show these photos when he gave this sermon.  It's my blog, though, so I can do what I want, right?  Just so you know, Mike is #30.)

I played basketball from 5th grade through my senior year in high school and I basically had one coach through out that time, Clayton Hornung.

I looked on the internet to see if I could find a picture of him. I did!

Then, I looked to see if there were any stories about him, and there was!  Well, he was inducted into the Montana Coaches Hall of Fame in 2014. He was quoted as saying, "Its a tremendous honor to be recognized by your peers and its a humbling experience.  It is not necessarily something I worked for but it is deeply appreciated."  I was excited to read, "I would also like to thank Mike Struck for making me the coach I am today."  I may have made up that last part.

Clayton Hornung coached 7 years in Turner.  One of his gigs was coaching the first year of Turner's girls' basketball team.  Their photo in the annual that year said, "We almost won one!"

(I am number 15, probably the worst player on the team.  Seriously, that first year I didn't even know the rules or any of the basics.  Still, I had fun! I won't name all the others in case they wish to remain anonymous, but I know a few readers may recognize themselves.  

Feel free to identify yourselves in the comments!)

Coach Hornung was so despondent that he said he would never coach women's basketball again.  (That may or may not be true.)

Clayton Hornung ended up going to Baker, MT and there he coached girls' basketball.  They won 3 state championships, took 2 seconds, 2 thirds and 1 fourth place. Three times he was Coach of the Year. He was also nominated for coach of the year 8 other times.  Additionally, he was a nominee for the National Coach of the Year Award.

I had no idea I would have such a great influence on him.  (groan...) He was also elected mayor of Baker, MT.

Coach Hornung loved to coach and he was a good teacher. However, whenever there was a practical joke played, he always blamed me.  It was only me SOME of the time.

I still have his playbook somewhere.  He was influenced by John Wooden, the great basketball coach of the UCLA Bruins.  My classmates and me still remember his teachings all these years later, "Don't televise your passes."  "Take the initiative!"  "Don't be lackadaisical!"  And here's another thing, something he probably couldn't do today, he prayed before we went out for the basketball game.

As I said earlier, we can see Moses, Paul and Jesus as coaches.  First, let's start with Moses.  In the book of Deuteronomy Moses is trying to get the people out of their wilderness wandering and into the promised land.  Deuteronomy is the Farewell Address of Moses.  It was through his last chance to "coach 'em up" before he died and they crossed the Jordan River to the Promised Land.

What was Moses saying in our reading today?

• Keep statutes, rules, commandments.
• What to DO, in order to live and take possession of the land.
• Don't add or subtract from these laws.
• Take care to keep these commandments, lest you forget or depart from them.
• Teach your children and grandchildren.

Moses could coach 'em up today, make an application for our life. I think he would tell us:

• Obey God and God's Word.
• Don't forget or change the commandments.
• Teach them... pass on the faith.

Do you have a Christian goal?  Is there some reason you are here today?  Is it to get to heaven?  Is it to become a disciple or work on discipleship?  Is it to promise something to God or to thank God?

Where are we going?  Where is this team going?  How are we doing?  A coach wants to know.

Let's move on to Paul.  We know about him. He coached for the other team for awhile. He was a Jewish Pharisee.  He wanted his people to follow the law and not be lead down the wrong road by a cultish group called Christians.

Well, Paul switched teams and he became the coach for many Christian Congregations.  Usually, the end of his letters were full of all kinds of coaching.  That's the way it is in Chapter 6 of Ephesians. Here's a summary of his coaching:

• Be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might.
• Put on the whole armor or God.
• We are standing against/wrestling with the devil, rulers, authorities, cosmic powers and spiritual forces of evil.
• The Whole Armor of God is Belt of Truth, Breastplate of Righteousness, Shoes - Gospel of Peace, Shield of Faith, Helmet of Salvation, Sword of the Spirit - God's Word.
• Pray! ... at all times, for the saints, for Paul to be bold in his proclamation of the Gospel.

What's the application for today? We are battling evil forces; We are in a spiritual battle. We must be strong in God's power and use God's weapons.  We are to pray.

Battles and contests can be overwhelming at times, but we have the greatest power in the universe on our side.  We need to lean on HIM, not on our own understanding.

Finally, Jesus does some coaching.  The scribe or Pharisees were complaining that his disciples were eating with unwashed hands, thus making them defiled.  Jesus does some coaching on the floor, then he takes his disciples into the locker room and does some more coaching. Here are his points.

• Nothing outside, going in, defiles us before God.
• He declared all foods clean, freeing Christians from Jewish dietary laws.
• From within the human heart, that central place of who we are, comes evil thoughts, etc.

What does this reading mean to us today? Is there something to learn? Yes, evil thoughts and actions defile us before God. Beware of your sinful human nature!

So, each week you come to church.  Sometimes you need to be "coached up". Sometimes the coach can be hard on you. Sometimes you need to hear:

• I am a sinner. I need to change.
• I've got to quit going through the motion of being a Christian.
• Quit complaining. Quit judging people.
• Say, "I'm sorry." "I forgive you."
• Let go of the past. Don't be a victim.
• Sometimes our failures, our stress, our difficulties, are times of growth for us. We can become bitter or better.

And sometimes you need to hear encouragement:

• God loves me. I'm one of God's children.
• Thanks for years of faithfulness and service.
• I'm not perfect but I'm moving forward in faith.
• Jesus' death on the cross brings me life, peace and salvation.
• God knows what I'm going through and God cares about my life. God wants me to have an abundant life. God wants to fill my life with favor and blessing.

I want you to know you have the most powerful coach ever - God.  He wants you to win, to have an abundant life, to be happy and blessed.

This is my coaching advice to you.  Let God "coach you up" and it will go well for you.

A Word From Pastor Mike - Get In The Game

This is Mike's sermon from last Sunday...
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 For those of you who don't know me, I grew up in a small farming town in North Central Montana about 10-15 miles from the Canadian Border. One of the interesting features of living in this community is having a Port of Entry nearby. Of course, when you have a Port of Entry nearby, you need border control people. These people often had families and their children attended our school.

One year a new border patrol family moved into the area and their children did attend our school. I think I was in the 7th grade and the boy in this family, Dave Mende, was in the 8th grade. Basketball is the sport going on in small town Montana; Dave Mende joined the team in mid-season. He didn't have a lot of experience playing. He didn't really even know the rules.

We were playing a basketball in Whitewater, Montana. Our coach was a pretty good guy and he believed in giving everyone playing time. At one point he looked the bench and saw Dave sitting there. Coach said, "Dave, get in there for Terry."

Dave got up off the bench and went running right onto the floor while the game was in progress! The players didn't know what to do. The game just came to a halt. Dave was supposed to check in at the scorekeeper's table and wait to be motioned in by the referees. But Dave was ready to get in the game.

(Following are the Bible Lessons that were read last Sunday during the service and to which Mike refers.)

Jonah 3:1-5New International Version (NIV)

Jonah Goes to Nineveh

3 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

Jonah 3:10New International Version (NIV)

10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

1 Corinthians 7:29-31New International Version (NIV)

29 What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30 those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

Mark 1:14-20New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Announces the Good News

14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

God came to Jonah. God told Jonah to get in the game. Jonah went the other way. Jonah later repented. He got back in the game and proclaimed the message. People repented and God's mercy was revealed.

In the letter to the Corinthians, Paul told the believers to get in the game, don't be preoccupied with other things, don't be anxious, get in the game. Your undivided devotion belongs to the Lord.

In the gospel, Jesus got in the game. He started his ministry. He proclaimed "The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel." Then he got the disciples in the game. "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. They got in the game. They left their nets and followed him.

The phrase, "getting in the game" means living the faith, not just having a faith. It means you aren't just sitting on the bench. The coach is calling your number. Even if you don't exactly know what's going on, even if you make mistakes, even if you're not perfect. The game's going on. It's your time to go in.

Jonah was a reluctant participant but he got in the game. Paul was against the Christian game entirely, but he got involved.

I never wanted to be a pastor. It was never a dream of mine. I never had anything against pastors. I always thought we needed pastors. I just didn't think that was my life's calling.

When I started to get this feeling that God was calling my number and telling me to get in the pastor game, I had all kinds of excuses not to do so:

• I'm not perfect. God's reaction was to let me know that if that was a requirement we'd have no pastors.
• But God, I'm an introvert. On a scale of 1-10, I'm about a 9. I'm this close to being a hermit. God seemed to be saying to me, "That's ok. I'm not looking for Lone Ranger Christians. I'll teach you why community is important."
• But God, public speaking makes me nervous. I have no experience. God's answer seemed to be, "Yep. People get nervous. You'll be fine."
• But God, what about sick people and dying people, tragedies, funerals...I don't know how to do that stuff. God seemed to be saying, "Where did I plant you? On a farm you see birth, life, death, tragedy all around you. You've seen it in your family and in your community. People get sick. There are tragedies. There is death. People need pastors. Some things aren't pleasant but I've been trying to train you so you can help others."

Here's a little bit of wisdom for you. You don't win arguments with God.

Now, for the most part, I enjoy being a pastor. There are ups and downs, like any job. I don't aspire to be "Pastor of the Year". I don't care to be a bishop. But I am willing to be an instrument for God and I'm willing to keep growing. I'm just hoping the growth won't be too painful.

Now, let me talk about you. If you're on the bench, if you are a spectator, God's calling your number - #31, get in there! Now, of course, God isn't calling everyone to be a pastor. But God has work for everyone - good stuff. It'll make you feel good when you do it. 

If you have excuses, God has answers. Of course God isn't a bully or a dictator. He gives us freedom. We can say no. But most people don't feel good about saying "no" to God. For most people, God isn't plucking us out and telling us to go preach repentance to your worst enemy. God says take baby steps, do a little something even if you fail, it's ok. God tells us, "Way to go! You got in the game. Now give me a little more."

And if you're already in the game, way to go! Keep it up! If you're tired, that's ok. There are time-outs and pauses. Keep at it; you're doing a good job.

If you've been in the game and you're frustrated or you've made mistakes, maybe you've hurt the team, well, that's not good but God, your coach, can get you straightened out. God can get in your face if you need that. He can also give a second chance. He can give you encouragement because God's not as obsessed about the past as you and I are. The game is going on now. God is concerned about you and me right now. The game continues. Get in the game.