Upper Path Valley Presbyterian Church

“The Most Valuable Player”

Rev. Meagan M. Boozer

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all the sick, those who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee, and Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

Let us pray: O Lord of all, the giver of all things good- teach us today, by your Holy Spirit. We all need to hear a word from you, each of us in our own ways. You alone can speak corporately in a way that touches us individually. May our hearts press in to yours, open and ready, so that you would increase and we would decrease. This we pray, in the strong name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

It wasn’t more than a few minutes after the Super Bowl post-game show that sports commentators were questioning the choice of Colt’s quarterback Peyton Manning as Super Bowl XLI’s MVP. To summarize, many thought that the award should have gone out as a co-MVP award to running backs Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes; they were the ones who gained the yardage against a formidable Chicago Bear’s defense on a sloppy night in Dolphin Stadium. But, the MVP award didn’t go to them: Peyton Manning was voted as the most valuable player of Super Bowl XLI. He didn’t have that great of a game. He didn’t spin and dive and make us ooh and awh. He just got the job done- steadily, consistently, deliberately, and cooperatively with the men around him charged with the same task: Win the game. And so they did.

Since mid-January, we have been following Jesus’ ministry since the day he walked out of what seems to have been a pretty low-key first 30 years of his earthly life. In Matthew 3, starting in verse 13, we read that Jesus deliberately came to John to be baptized by him in the Jordan. That’s the day that the heavens opened and the very voice of God was heard saying, “This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” (v. 17)

Right after this, it is important to remember that Jesus was led by the Spirit up into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. There was no messing around between the grand event of his baptism and this deliberate walk up into the wilderness. The devil tempted him by trying to get him to abuse his divine power, trying to get him to put on a big show, trying to get him to be the Beloved Son in whom God was disappointed- but Jesus consistently threw the Word of God back at the devil- conquering every temptation thrown at him in those 40 days.

The next picture we have of Jesus reveals him walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee calling forth his disciples two by two: Simon Peter & Andrew, followed by James & John. In the book of Matthew we are not given the complete picture of the calling of the twelve disciples. None of the Gospels give us the complete picture- but we know there were twelve, and we know they were called, personally, by Jesus as he began his earthly ministry.

In Matthew’s account, after the 4 brothers were called to follow Jesus, we next see Jesus going throughout the region of Galilee (to compare it, we could say he was going throughout the region of Path, Amberson, & Shade Valleys). He was making the rounds, so to speak, and the Scripture tells us that his fame spread.

Now, do you think of the word famous when you think of Jesus? As I was meditating on these verses for today, I realized that I don’t think of Jesus as being famous. I think of someone like Peyton Manning as being famous; Oprah Winfrey is famous; Dale Earnhart was famous; Billy Graham is famous. But do you think of Jesus as being famous? The Scripture tells us his fame spread- in other words- he was becoming famous. “Hey, have you heard about that guy Jesus? Everybody’s talking about him. He’s going to be at the picnic grounds this Saturday night. Wanna go see him?” His fame spread, and instead of just a few followers (namely 12 specifically invited), all of a sudden he had crowds pressing in on him, following him wherever he went, and the crowds were getting larger by the week.

I’m amazed by the passing comment that he went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues.. It’s like if a fellow came into the valleys, walking up and down the roads, and would just stop down at Carrick Um and teach a little, then keep on walking on up to Shady Pine, Spring Run Methodist, stop here one day- and whatever was going on, “because his fame was spreading,” he would be given the opportunity to step forward and teach.

That doesn’t match up too well with the Presbyterian process. If someone other than the pastor is going to stand and teach in worship, that person must be approved by the session in advance. I’m careful who I recommend to teach in the pulpit. It wouldn’t be likely that some guy could just walk in and kick me out of here without me knowing something of his theology. Jesus mustn’t have been too controversial in the very beginning, or I doubt that he would have been going throughout the region teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom. There must have been in intentional deliberateness to his teaching that kept the synagogue doors open for him, and gave him the opportunities spoken of in this passage.

Are you getting a picture of the progression of this part of his life? Are you thinking more deliberately about the beginning phases of his ministry: The Beloved Son announcement, victory over temptations using the Word, calling a few close followers, using the traditional places of worship to teach in a particular geographic area that’s ever widening, and healing those who came to him with disease & sickness. We go from affecting the region of Galilee to Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. Jesus’ fame is spreading.

There’s something to be said about going about things in a deliberate way. There’s something to be said for thinking things through so that the greater task can be accomplished. There’s something to be said for building a base of support before just jumping out onto center stage and declaring the value of what you have to offer.

Peyton Manning might not have been the Super Bowl XLI MVP in terms of the performance he put in last Sunday night. However, the award went to him because over the years, he became known as someone who could consistently and deliberately get the job done. He went from being a quarterback who relied on himself and his own skills, to being a quarterback who was a true team player. His speech at the end of the game was about the team, not about his own effort. He knew he didn’t win that game alone, and he gave credit to those around him.

The Church is supposed to work in a similar way. The Church is not supposed to be a one-man/one-woman show. This is not my church; I get to be the pastor. Being the pastor is sort of like being the quarterback- it is a very specific role. I cannot be a running back, a receiver, a defensive end, and a kicker, and a punt returner and be a very good quarterback. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching, proclaiming the good news, and using the power given him for healing. Though his ministry was expansive, it was very deliberate in the scope of what he did. My ministry and your ministry must be modeled after what he teaches us here.

We must first receive the truth that we are God’s beloved sons and daughters, in whom he is well pleased.

Yes. Really. If you are a child of God, in other words, if you have confessed your sins to God, trusting Jesus to save you from slavery to, and the punishment of your sins, and if you have invited the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your heart to be the Lord of your life, then your are an adopted son or daughter of God, making you a child of God: This is your rightful position as a gift from your heavenly Father. “This is my beloved son or daughter, in whom I am well pleased.”

Now you might think like I do, “How can God be pleased with me when he knows all that I have done and not done in line with the Bible?” Well remember, the blood of Jesus might be invisible to you as it covers you, but it is not invisible to the devil, and it is not invisible to God. When God look at you, he sees the beauty of Jesus’ perfect love, because you have allowed the blood of Jesus to cover you. Because of this, and this alone, God the Father is well-pleased with you. You accepted the gift that Jesus died to give you. You don’t have to do another thing to earn God’s good pleasure. I pray, right now, that very deliberately today, every believer in here will receive the truth of your position as a son or daughter of God with whom he is well pleased, and I pray that because if you don’t “get” that truth deep into your soul, it will be impossible for you to effectively fulfill the purpose that God has for your life.

Secondly, we must know the Word of God. We cannot discern the tricks of the devil and know the difference between the spirits if we do not know the Word of God. Temptations come against God’s children every single day. We are never immune from the temptations. However, we can have victory over giving in to temptation if we hold fast and declare with deliberate boldness the truth of the Word of God. Jesus’ example to us in the wilderness is a model for how we too can overcome temptation in our lives. In James we read that we are to draw near to God, resist the devil, and he will flee. But we must first draw near to God, which must include a deliberate investment of time to learn the truths given to us in the Word of God. I am very excited that we are having to order more books for our adult Sunday school classes than I can remember ordering in the last 4 ½ years. The classes are intended to help you learn the Word of God. If you aren’t coming, please reconsider whatever it is you do a 9:45 a.m. on Sunday mornings. And I cannot emphasize enough the eternal importance of getting your children and grandchildren into classes as well.

Thirdly, we must be very deliberate in making the choice to follow where Jesus leads us, and not follow someone else’s design or our own design for our lives. We must be deliberate in following Jesus. He will show us how to put our gifts & skills to work for the good of the kingdom. He will show us how to become more concerned for the whole “team.” Jesus, who is the owner and the coach of this team (this congregation) shows us how to work together in a very deliberate manner so that the work we are enabled to do makes an ever-increasing impact on the spiritual health of our community.

The true most valuable player is not the one with the most flash. The true MVP is the one who is willing to learn how to be steady, consistent, and deliberate in going after the win. And everybody wins when we are able to recruit more and more players to become part of the team- for the world we live in, needs a bigger and better team to win the souls of those who, without Christ, don’t even have a chance to suit up for glory.

What skills and gifts and interests has God given to you? How could you be doing your part for this congregation (this team), instead of only showing up on Sundays at 11 and perhaps putting some money in the offering plate. I’m glad for everyone who comes- but I know that God wants more of you! It’s like having someone like Peyton Manning of your team, but he never wants to play. What a waste that would be for everyone- but I think of what a waste it would be for him. Think of the fun, excitement, and sense of purpose he would miss, if he chose not to be an active part of the game.

Would you please take a few minutes right now to open up the cream-colored insert in your bulletin? First, please write your name on the top. Then, just quickly go over the list and mark anything that you know how to do, you like to do, or you’d like to try to do. Let’s see how God might help us, as a congregation, be more deliberate in working together to bring the healing presence of Jesus to an ever-increasing number of lost souls.

Amen.

Upper Path Valley Presbyterian Church

02-11-07