"It matters a great deal who is going to win, but not at all who won"
Guard the gospel
I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you--guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. 2 Timothy 1:12-14In the past few weeks we have noted that Paul told Timothy that it was not going to be easy to be a Christian. What is to stop Timothy – and you and me – from just giving up? Paul has three answers
God’s power
God’s love
God’s Holy Spirit
As Christians representing Christ in the world of sport, we are in a battle. The good news is that God is on your side and he is able to keep you! What is more he has given you the Holy Spirit. The power Paul has in mind is one that will enable Timothy to continue suffering for the gospel. It is the power of God (8)… Timothy’s ability to love was being sorely tested by the presence of aggressive false teachers, gullible Christians and treacherous leaders (1v15, 4v3-4). I bet there are a few people in your club who test your ability to love!
Faith and love (verse 13) is not an either or! It is not holding to sound doctrine and trampling anyone who gets in the way. Equally it is not compromising with sin to avoid offending people. It is both together – sound words and faith and love. Not one or the other, but both together. As we are asked what we think about homosexuality or sex outside of marriage – we need to be loving to people but uncompromising in our commitment to God’s truth.
If the gospel is true, it is true in the hockey club as much as in church. We are to guard the gospel not by it away in a museum cabinet and keeping it clean. No, we are to guard it by living it out in the tennis club. The way to protect it is to proclaim it and get it out in the open.
John Jackson, the late chaplain to Leeds United, used to say that he did not go to the club to take God into it as God was already there. He just went in case God needed an errand boy! Will you be his errand boy or girl where you are?