Title: Soccer and the Kingdom of God
The whole world is excited about the World Cup match. The same goes for Koreans. The national team players have already emerged as top stars. Wherever they go, avid fans follow, and commercials are being created around top players.
At a time when all attention is focused on soccer, soccer helps to explain our religious life. It helps us understand Paul's message to us.
First of all, there are rules in soccer. Hands must not be used except for the goalkeeper. You can't even kick it out of your mind. Even if you are in the opponent's half before the defending players, you are upside. There are various rules like this. If you follow the rules carefully, you can win a fair victory. Paul teaches us clearly. “If a player does not compete according to the law, he will not receive the crown.” Just as there are rules in football, there are rules in the kingdom of God. Even if you break the rules and score a goal, you cannot win. If you ignore the rules and participate in the game, you will not get a crown.
Look at the words of Psalm 1. “It is not with the wicked, but like chaff that the wind blows; therefore the wicked will not endure judgment, nor will the sinner enter the congregation of the righteous. For the way of the righteous is approved by the LORD, but the way of the wicked will be destroyed.” You have to keep the rules of the kingdom of God carefully. Success and victory without following the rules is like chaff blown in the wind.
This is also the same rule in the kingdom of God. Disregarding God's rules and using the shallow tricks of humans to do it seems to work, but in the end you won't get the crown. We must obey the rules God has given us. What is the God-given rule? It is the word of God. Let's live by the rules of the Word.
In soccer, the players follow the rules and play hard to win. The way to win in soccer is simple. We need to score a goal for the opposing team and keep our team's goal thoroughly. We score goals, but if we don't keep our goal and eat more, the team loses. There is a clear direction for the team to win. There is a direction towards the opponent's goal.
If we want to be victors in life, or to be rewarded in the kingdom of God, we must have a clear direction in life. You need to have a clear goal to be successful. Seasoned trainers take stools with them when they enter the lion cages. Why are you carrying a stool? The reason is that, like a sedative, it controls lions more easily than anything else. It is said that when trainers hold the legs of a stool straight against the lion's face, the lion tries to focus on all four legs of the stool. Eventually, the lion will be paralyzed by the legs of the stool. A divided focus only gets in the way of our work. There is only one goal in soccer.
why do we wander Why do we live a meaningless life? Because we have so many directions. Paul tells us clearly. I don't run like I'm aimless. Jesus is the direction of our life.
When a typhoon blows, it is said that the typhoon has snow. A typhoon with such terrible destructive power blows, but there is stillness in the eyes of the typhoon. its sillent. Therefore, it is said that when a pilot who is driving an airplane encounters a typhoon, he enters the eye of the typhoon. It is said that there is a way out of the typhoon. There are many complicated things in life in this world. An ordeal with tremendous destructive power lies before us. In times like these, quietly think of Jesus. Quietly have deep spiritual meditation with Jesus. Jesus gives us a way of escape. open the way for you to live When everything seems daunting on the road of life, if you focus on Jesus, you will see the way.
A soccer goal is one. It only runs in one direction. Our life is only one way. It is Jesus. Jesus made it clear. I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me. Jesus is the way Jesus is the truth. Jesus is life There is only one direction in our life. It is Jesus.
Hebrews 12 says, “Therefore, since we have a multitude of witnesses surrounding us like a cloud, let us put off every burden and the sins that easily entangle us, and let us run with patience the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” As we run the race set before us, let us look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Just like soccer players moving forward towards the goal of the opposing team, we are told to run only toward Jesus when running. There is only one direction in our life. Only run towards Jesus. The clear direction of our life is Jesus.
However, in order to score a goal for the opposing side, he does not score alone as a single fire general. You have to break through the opposing defense and score a goal. To do this, we work together. pass to each other Pass and cooperate for better conditions.
The same is true of our religious life. The religious life is not alone. Team up and draw closer to Jesus together. There are many difficulties. There are obstacles. there is pain Overcoming those obstacles, we work together to advance toward Jesus.
Ants are the most numerous species on Earth. Scientists studying ants have come to the conclusion that ants, along with humans, are the most successful species on Earth. If humans are the rulers of mechanical civilization, the most successful animal in the natural world is the ant. The decisive reason why ants and humans have ruled the earth today is ‘cooperation’. Cooperation always entails “sacrifice”, and when it comes to sacrifice, ants are said to be superior to humans. Collaboration built on the basis of sacrifice is ultimately a victor in life.
Look at the words of Ecclesiastes. “If they fall, one will lift up his companion, but woe to him who falls alone and has no one to lift him up. And if two lie down together it is warm, but how can one be warm? One will be defeated, but two will fight. A threefold cord is not easily broken.”
Just as soccer requires teamwork to win, so does our spiritual life. The same is true of church life. The same is true of our life toward Jesus. They cooperate for each other and sometimes sacrifice for the greater good. Invite them to talk to each other while running on the playground. keep telling me to tell that they have to go through each other. The same is true of our religious life. For the sake of Jesus, I hope that the saints will communicate with each other.
In this way, he runs hard towards the goal of the opposing team. They do not run alone, but run cooperatively to create the best conditions. You can't win just by attacking like this. To win, we have to keep our goals well. If you score first and then score two goals, the team loses. So is our life.
If we try to do well in our spiritual life, we will surely become a target of Satan's main attack. Do not rob a robber or beggar's house. Satan makes his main target of attack and approaches those who live by the faith. It's like when the opposing team continues to attack our team's goal, we have to keep our team's goal well.
Paul writes in his letter to Corinth: “Do you not know that in the field all runners run away, but only one wins the prize? Run in the same way that you may win. Everyone who competes for the victory is temperate in all things; they want a corruptible crown, but we want the incorruptible.”
Why do we need temperance? You have to be disciplined to keep our team's goal well. The world constantly shakes our beliefs. Attacking towards the goal of our team. You have to be disciplined to be able to defend our team's goal well.
How much effort and sweat must the players sweat? How much practice will you do? How hard should the training be? Without self-control, you cannot be successful. can't be a winner Losing the power of self-control is like giving away my goal to Satan. You will end up being a loser in life.
Now, with the World Cup, the whole world is paying attention to soccer. We look forward to watching football to help you figure out how to live our spiritual life. The way to win is simple. We close our goal and score a goal towards the opponent's goal. So is our life. The direction of our lives is only through Jesus. There is only one goal. not two Just take the direction of your life towards Jesus. become the ultimate victor. Let's work together for Jesus. Let's cooperate with each other, willing to sacrifice sometimes for Jesus' sake. I believe you will be a winner.
And let's keep our goal well. Evil spirits keep attacking our goal. We need the power of temperance. If I can't control myself with the word, it's like giving me a goal. Beloved saints, listen to these words. “Do you not know that in the race all runners run away, but only one wins the prize? Run in the same way that you may win. Everyone who competes for the victory is temperate in all things. They want to win a perishable crown, but we do not perish. I want to get what I won't. Therefore I do not run as if aimlessly, and I do not fight as if beating the air.” Amen.