“BATTLESHIP”



BATTLESHIP

Matthew 5:43-45

Games People Play Message Series

October 16, 2016

Pastor Nathan J. Thompson

Battleship is a game where the whole goal is to sink your opponent’s ships. This is done through taking turns choosing numbers on a grid. If you happen to “hit” all the places on an opponent’s grid where one of their ships is located you end up sinking that ship.

It is interesting to note that this game predates WWI when it was a pencil and paper game. It was published by the Milton Bradley Company in 1931. Truth is it is a relatively simple game of survival where the one with the last ship (ships) standing wins the game.

Now just as the goal of Battleship is to sink your opponents there are those in real life today who are trying to sink anyone who they see as their competitor. There are those today who see their success in life mostly in terms of who they need to defeat.

An example are those who feel that the only way for them to be successful in their business is to sink (defeat) a fellow worker who may be in their way for a job promotion. Either that or defeat a competitor who is vying for the same account.

Sometimes these kinds of work related challenges can leave people bloody and torn apart through the use of underhanded lies; attempts to ruin one’s reputation; through deceptive (dishonest) practices. Yet hey; isn’t the motto that all’s fair in business?

Then there are those who live with a battleship mentality in sports as they try to win a starting position; in dating as they try to take out their competition; in school advancement as they use cheating and plagiarism to try and get ahead; in politics as candidates now tweet mistruths and lies about each other.

Before however you think that this is mostly a male (testosterone) thing the popular teen movie of a few years ago was titled, “Mean Girls.” This movie amplified how cruel some teenage girls can be to each other. The competition to be popular (in the right cliques) can be intense.

This of course doesn’t necessarily end when a woman gets out of high school. A man was overheard saying one time, “You know my wife is often very historical.” “Don’t you mean hysterical?” someone asked. “No,” he said, “She is very historical. She never forgets; she never stops reminding me of the many mistakes I have done (have said) through the years.”

Yes we often have a battleship mentality as we go through life. And even if we don’t intend to sink someone else we usually like to keep enough ammunition about them in our arsenal. Then if they ever hurt us (get in our way) we can bombard them with everything we’ve got.

Jesus of course had a totally different approach to people than the battleship mentality. In fact the people at Jesus’ time had an “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” mentality. It meant that if you do something nasty to me, then I have the right (obligation) to do a similar thing to you.

Jesus rather said in Matthew 5:43-45, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”

Jesus of course taught and demonstrated with his life (words) a totally different tactic and strategy to live by. Rather than trying to sink those who are in your way Jesus focused on forgiveness; encouragement; love.

Wow wouldn’t it be great if we would all learn how to do this better? Wouldn’t this world be a better place to live if rather than being a competitor with others (being in conflict) we would try to build up and encourage one another. It has the power to revolutionize individuals; church congregations; families; entire communities.

Andy Stanley tells the story of sitting one day at Starbucks. Joe who had a scowl on his face that could kill came up to him and said, “Aren’t you Andy Stanley? Someone gave me a CD of your sermons. I have to tell you that I have a real problem with God and the church.”

Joe had been through two difficult divorces. After 30 years of marriage his first wife’s memories of being sexually abused as a child surfaced; this eroded their marriage which ended in divorce. Joe then remarried yet after three years this too ended in divorce. Joe was lonely; a recovering alcoholic. There was no evidence of any God as far as he could see.

Andy got Joe’s number and connected him with an associate pastor on his staff named John; John then struck up a friendship with Joe. Three months later at this same Starbucks Joe was there and came up to Andy’s table. The first thing Andy noticed was that he was smiling; the second thing was that he was carrying a Bible, a notebook and a book on marriage.

“I’m getting married next week!” he announced. “To who?” Andy asked. “To Susan,” he exclaimed. Susan was his ex-wife. “John is doing the wedding.” It was obvious in his eyes that something remarkable had happened; and it had.

Over the course of several meetings with John Joe found the courage to quit blaming; instead he took a deep look at what was rattling around in his heart. Like so many he had no idea what to do about his anger. It was lots of unresolved anger which had eroded his faith to almost nothing.

John helped Joe’s faith come to life. With his renewed faith came the motivation to address a number of other issues. The transformation was so remarkable that Susan noticed and began asking questions. Soon after she put her faith in Christ. As a result the week before Susan and Joe were remarried John baptized her in the morning service.

A major problem in our world today is that lots of people live with an attitude of scarcity rather than of abundance. There are many today who feel that if you find success or abundance in your life; then there must be less of these things for me.

Therefore rather than being able to celebrate with the person who gets an advancement in their job; one who is blessed financially; one who has some good fortune drop in their lap there are some today who are resentful of others who are doing well. Being very competitive in nature they somehow see another person’s success as their failure.

Even in the church today there is often a scarcity mentality. The feeling is often that if you have blessings, then there must be less blessings for me. The idea being that there is only a limited amount of grace and love to go around.

Sometimes we also see this in churches where certain people (pastors; denominational leaders) see other churches that are flourishing as the enemy. The idea being that if one church is doing well; then there are less opportunities for our church. It can be very difficult for church people to celebrate the successes (good things) that are happening at a neighboring church.

With a scarcity mentality (mind set) we are more prone to remain in conflict with others. We are more prone to see other people as the enemy; as those who are taking (preventing) good things from happening to me and my family. This of course can be a very unhappy existence.

An abundance mentality however completely changes how we look at life. When we realize that our God is a God of abundant love; abundant life; abundant grace; this is a very freeing realization. The good news is that there are unlimited blessings; possibilities; love in this world that comes from God. It is a cup that never runs dry.

Jesus said in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” This mentality alone can make an amazing difference in you and me. It means we can truly rejoice with those who rejoice. It means that we can celebrate with the co-worker who gets a promotion. We can rejoice with the person who gets that new home; one whose stocks perform extra well.

Truth is that people who have an abundance mentality; those who can truly celebrate with others are also more willing to celebrate and be extremely grateful for their own blessings. Rather than focusing on what they don’t have; rather than feeling threatened by what others have a person with an abundance mentality feels they are overwhelmingly blessed wherever they are at in life.

An interesting tidbit related to this is the truth that the biggest percentage givers in churches are not usually the wealthiest people. Rather they are usually those with an abundance mentality. They see everything they have as a gift from God; they give faithfully and sacrificially in a joy-filled way. It is a privilege for them to give and share.

So where are you today? Do you see everyone around you as competition; are you trying to sink or get them out of your way? Is driving on the freeway a competition for you? Are you mostly frustrated (angry) with life?

Let us always remember that our God is an abundant and loving God. His love and blessings will never run out. His plan and purpose for you is beyond comprehension. God is an abundant, gracious and loving God.

My deepest prayer this morning is that you will submit your life to Jesus; will give up your competitive and scarcity mentality; that you will ask God to forgive you and set you free from this burden. Only Jesus can truly set you free; only his Holy Spirit can fill you with his abundant love and joy.

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