Beyond the Hype

Just being satisfied that you intellectually understood the sermon, that's not good enough for game day. Pastor Jonathan Evans compares a church service to a team huddle before taking the field. It's time to move beyond listening, learning, all of those things and get to doing. This is the alternative broadcast featuring the timeless biblical teachings from the archives of Dr. Tony Evans.

It's one thing to put on a uniform, it's another to perform on game day. Today Pastor Jonathan Evans reminds us that God has given us everything we need to grow in moral excellence, self-control, perseverance and love. But it's up to us to translate those promises into practice. Let's join him as he explores what it takes to go from being drafted into God's kingdom to delivering on the field of life. Today I want to talk to you from the title Beyond the Hype. Beyond the Hype.

Now you may be wondering, what do I mean when I say Beyond the Hype? Well, it leads me to think about April. Every April, there's something called the NFL Draft. And on draft day, that is a hype day because that is a day that these former college players get to don a new uniform. That is the day where they get selected and they take their new uniform and they meet up with the commissioner on the stage and take their picture that they have graduated to a whole new league. As connected to draft day, they also get a big payday where their life has officially changed and gone to a whole other level, even financially. And this all has happened on this one great day called Draft Day. People show up from all over the country to watch these players get drafted. And they turn on the TV all over the nation to see the hype that's going on surrounding these special athletes that take the stage on that day. It is hype.

There's a whole lot of things that go on, a whole lot of photography, a whole lot of articles being written, a whole lot of things that are being said on that day because that day is just a big day. But connected to that day is a whole lot of subsequent days called Game Day. So it's one thing to get drafted on draft day. It's a whole other thing to be able to produce on game day based on the hype day's expectations. So they take their uniform and they don them for a photo, but then eventually they have to put it on to execute in the game. The problem sometimes comes when a player who was drafted with all the hype surrounding them on draft day that is unable to execute based on the expectation on game day. And we have a name we call those players. We call them an NFL bust because they weren't able to live up to the expectation. They took the picture and took the check. But when it came time to execute on the field of play, they weren't able to put all the hype on the ground.

See, it moves from a check to having to experience what you're going to do when there's pain. See, on the hype day, there's a few photos, but on game day you get hit in the mouth. And sometimes hype day and game day don't translate that well for some people. The sad reality today is that many of us as Christians have experienced draft day. If you're a believer in Jesus Christ, you don a new uniform. There are promises connected to you being drafted on that day. And it's a special day. And heaven is applauding.

Your family is applauding. People show up for that day. You take a picture with the uniform of Jesus Christ with the commissioner and you're able to stand there and say, now I've graduated to a whole new league.

I'm playing for a whole other kingdom. But connected to the expectation of draft day is a whole lot of subsequent game days. And the sad reality in the Christian world today is that people take the check of the promise, but aren't able to execute on the field. In other words, we live in a generation of a lot of saved bust.

Because they're just not able to take it and put it on the field. I mean, it's one thing to take a picture and say I'm saved. It's another thing to live sanctified when the enemy hits you in the mouth.

When you actually have to play the game against an enemy, when you actually have to play the game getting blitzed, when you actually have to play the game in situations and circumstances are tackling you, the question is, can you still execute? And Peter is in this text talking to those who have been drafted. And he says in 2 Peter 1 verse 1, it says, Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. So he's saying for everybody that believes like I believe, for everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, you believe by no other name can one be saved other than the name of Jesus Christ. You believe only by Him is the forgiveness of sins, and only by Him does He have the power to heal you from all unrighteousness and remember your sins no more.

You believe that through Him is restoration, through Him is peace, through Him you have eternal salvation. If you believe what I just said, let me hear you say, Amen. That means I'm talking to the right group. I'm talking to those who have held the uniform and taken the picture. I'm talking for those who have gotten drafted as Peter is. This is the right audience for what's being communicated today. And Peter goes on to talk about Hype Day because he needs you to understand what happened on draft day and why there's so much hype surrounding it. He says in verse 3, he says, By the divine power of Jesus Christ, you've been giving everything you need pertaining to life and godliness. So when you got drafted on draft day, embedded in draft day is everything you need to be consistent on game day.

It's already in there. When these players get drafted, they go to the locker and all their equipment has already been placed in there so that they can have everything that they need to be prepared to execute on game day. How in the world on draft day did I get everything I needed to execute on game day? Because when you were drafted, Ephesians 1 13 says you've been sealed by the Spirit of God. You received the Spirit of God. And what's the Spirit of God's job? John 16 13 says he is here to lead you and guide you in all truth. So the Spirit of God is in you based on your draft status so that you can live out a lifestyle of godliness inconsistency because he's leading you and guiding you in the truth of God's word. Now, what he's using as the tool to lead you and guide you based on your draft status is the word of God. He's illuminating what's true so that you can handle the vicissitudes of life that God walks you through. But you need to know that on draft day you have the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God is illuminating the word of God. And the word of God based on 2 Timothy 3 16 and 17 is inspired by God so that it can train you, correct you and reproof and train you up in righteousness, teach you in righteousness so that the man of God can be adequate and equipped for every good work.

Not some good work, every good work. So not only did he give you everything pertaining to life and godliness by his spirit through his word, then he gave you a payday of something you never deserved. It's called being a partaker of the divine nature.

What does that mean? I get to partake in what should only belong to Jesus. Jesus was raised from the dead. That wasn't supposed to be your story, but you get to partake in it. Jesus gets eternity with the Father. That wasn't supposed to be your story, but you get to partake in it.

Jesus has an inheritance and a fullness thereof. That was not supposed to be your story, but you get to partake in it. All of a sudden on draft day you get to partake in what belongs only to Jesus Christ because you have been selected by the king. So Peter goes into draft day so that we can have an understanding of what all is involved in that moment. He said, but Jonathan, I thought you was going to take us beyond the hype. Well, I had to get you hyped first.

Because first you got to understand what's packed in there. Escaping the world's corruption for God to see you as righteous. And if you think about who we are now, our past, our struggles, he sees us as righteous and we've been raggedy?

But after you're drafted, you got to play. Too many Christians are taking the check of the promise and being satisfied with the bench. Jonathan will get into the details of what's involved in the game when he returns in just a moment. First though, we're in the middle of a special collection of messages from Pastor Jonathan Evans called Discipleship for Every Day. Our primary responsibility as believers is to be and make disciples. And this six-part series can help you fulfill that divine calling and give you a vision for the impact it makes when you do. As we've been learning, faithful disciples lead to thriving families, impactful churches, and a flourishing society.

And our desire is for you to be a part of it. That's why we'll send you this audio collection with our thanks when you make a contribution to help support the ministry of the alternative. For a limited time, along with the audio messages, we'll also include a copy of Your Time Is Now, an insightful book from Jonathan that exposes the distractions that can reduce the Christian life to a mere hobby. Together, these resources will inspire you to embrace God's calling to pursue His kingdom and live your purpose fearlessly in His presence. You can get all the details on this special double offer at TonyEvans.org or by calling our 24-hour resource request line at 1-800-800-3222. That's 1-800-800-3222 or online at TonyEvans.org.

I'll repeat that contact information for you after the second part of today's message. Here's Jonathan once again. So then in verse 5, Peter goes, now that we understand that, let's talk about the game. And God is looking for a complete player. We can't be disciples unleashed on the world if we're just like the world we're unleashed on. So in verse 5, he says now. He says there's something that we have to be responsible for now for this very reason, that you have received all of the things from verse 1 to verse 4, also applying.

Okay, let me stop right there. You do know that you have to apply the word. In order to play the game, sitting in church isn't good enough. In order to play the game, just being able to quote the Scripture isn't good enough. In order to play the game, just being satisfied that you memorized, just being satisfied that you clapped and you raised your hands during worship, just being satisfied that you intellectually understood the sermon, that's not good enough for game day.

On game day, you have to apply all the things that have been attributed to you on draft day. It's time to move beyond listening, learning, all of those things and get to doing. We cannot just be hearers of the word. We have to be doers of the word, lest you delude yourself. And too many Christians have been shaken up by their circumstance like a soda.

If you shake it up long enough, the next time you take it, it ain't going to have no fizz. We live in a generation of Christians with no fizz because they're so easily shaken. And he says now it's time to apply. He says now for this reason, verse five, applying all diligence in your faith, supply moral excellence. God is calling you to be morally excellent.

Why? Because you have received in salvation on draft day the righteousness of Christ. He's saying if you're called as a disciple, then the way you live your life is with moral excellence. And the only way you can do that is to receive the word implanted, which is able to save your soul. And the only way you can receive the word implanted is in all humility.

Most of us sit in church with pride. Well, that was a great message. I wish so-and-so was here to hear it.

No, you're here because we all have a long way to go. We're all learning and growing and moving. Then he says moral excellence linked to knowledge builds self-control.

See, we're talking about stewarding our draft day. That I want to be morally excellent and don the new uniform. The fine linen of the saints is the righteous acts of the saints. I do it in the context of knowledge because I know what God is expecting of me in these scenarios and situations that I face in life. And when I get hit in the mouth and when I have circumstances that come to me, I'm not knocked off balance. I have self-control. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

It's actually the fruit of the one you received on draft day, the Spirit. To be able to have control and everybody thinks they have self-control until they hit a situation that makes them have to control themselves. And that is demonstrated in self-control. And this is not a short game. He needs players who will persevere. It's perseverance that he's calling us to. I know it's hard. I know it's a struggle. I know it's tough. God is calling you to stay in there and persevere in self-control, in the knowledge of God and in moral excellence.

He doesn't want some time players. He wants people he can depend on. And after perseverance, he says godliness. Godliness is interesting because godliness has to do with not just moral excellence. Godliness has to do with I'm morally excellent and I have the knowledge. I have the knowledge.

I have self-control. I stay in there for the glory of God. Non-believers can do morally excellent things and live a life that's morally good because they want to make sure they're doing the right things based on being created in the image of God. That's how you know there's good and evil is because God exists. And so God creates the standard by which the world turns so we understand how to be in a good place and the right place at the right time saying the right thing to the right people.

We know how to do it because being created in the image of God puts that in perspective. But what non-Christians can't do is glorify God through their moral excellence. Let men see your good work and glorify your Father who is in... Christians have a connection that non-Christians don't. They're morally excellent so I can avoid consequences and so I can be a good person. We're morally excellent for the glory of God. So he's calling us to be godly. What's the point of having the moral excellence and the knowledge and the self-control and persevere and godliness and no one knows about it? So if people know you as being mean, that breaks the chain of the full, complete player of a disciple. By this we will know that you are my disciples because you love one another. And then finally as the bedrock and the foundation of all of these things is love.

The word love here is agape love which has to do with Jesus' love which has to do with sacrificial love, that I'm willing to sacrifice. That's why I have brotherly kindness. That shows godliness because it's just like Christ. I persevere because Jesus did. I have self-control like Jesus had. I picked up the knowledge and I'm able to live in moral excellence. This is our calling as disciples. Why?

Verse 8 says, For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful to the true knowledge of God. A grain of sand on the beach is free. But if you put that sand in a sandbag at Home Depot, you got to pay for it.

You can add some glue to some paper and throw that free sand on some paper and they call it sandpaper. Now you got to pay for it. You put that sand in a computer chip, Silicon Valley, now you got to pay a whole lot for it. How did the free sand all of a sudden start costing different levels of money?

Its usefulness changed. The question is, what's your usefulness to the kingdom of God? Because your usefulness determines your value.

And he says, if I can get players who are complete, that's where the value is. Let me close with this because I want you to hear this. Verse 11 tells you where you should keep your eyes. The reason why we struggle in continuing and persevering in the attributes of the disciple is because we're shortsighted.

Our eyes are not fixed on where they should be fixed. Verse 11 says, for in this way, the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. The Bible says, watch yourself so that you receive your full reward.

If it can be abundantly supplied, that means it can also not be abundantly supplied. Everyone does not enter the kingdom the same way. It depends on how they played the game, which is why there is a judgment seat of Christ for Christians because everyone doesn't get the same thing. He judges all of us and he says, if you're the complete player, your entrance into the kingdom will be abundantly supplied to you. There's something in the Bible called the great cloud of witnesses.

These are people who, when they were here, they would tell you, it's worth it. Keep your eyes on Jesus. He's the author and finisher of your faith. And for the joy set before him, he even despised the shame.

He cheated at the right hand of the Father. They would come back and say, all of the Hall of Faithers would say, it's worth it, live it. And that leaves me with Paul.

Paul in Romans 8, 18, he says, I do not consider the sufferings of this present time to be in any comparison to the glory which I will receive. You know what that means? It is worth it. It's time for us to go beyond the hype, taking what he has given us and moving to the field of play because all of us want to play in such a way that we hear, well done, my good and faithful servant. You play it hard. Well done. Somebody ought to give him praise. It's hard.

It's not easy. It's our calling. Time to go beyond the hype because who wants to enter the kingdom as a spiritual bust? Pastor Jonathan Evans, talking today about getting off the bench to fulfill the purpose we were called to. Now, what we heard today had to be edited down for time, but the complete message Jonathan delivered is available to help you explore this important topic more deeply. It's called Beyond the Hype, and you can get it along with five other practical lessons on spiritual renewal as part of a brand-new collection of messages from special guest Jonathan Evans called Discipleship for Every Day.

The Bible has a lot to say about being a follower of Christ, and Jonathan unpacks those truths to help you respond to God's call, be filled with his peace, and live a life empowered by his Spirit living inside you. As I mentioned earlier, we have a special double offer that includes this entire six-lesson discipleship series on CD or digital download, along with a copy of Jonathan's encouraging book called Your Time is Now. This bundle is our gift to you, and thanks for your donation to help support the ministry of the alternative.

It's our way of showing appreciation for the continued support of listeners like you who make this program possible. Get all the details online at tonyevans.org. Again, that's tonyevans.org. Or you can call our 24-hour resource request line at 1-800-800-3222 and let one of our team members help you.

That's 1-800-800-3222. Now, before I share what's coming up next time, I want to quickly let you know that a new episode of Stories from the Storyteller is just days away. When Bunny loses her special bunny doll, nothing can comfort her. But her search becomes a chance to explore Jesus' parable of the lost sheep, helping kids understand that, just like the lost doll, we can't find our way to heaven on our own. We all need a Savior. If the kids in your life haven't discovered this popular animated series yet, now's the perfect time to introduce them. Find out more about Stories from the Storyteller at tonyevanstv.com. That's tonyevanstv.com.

Salt preserves, enhances flavor, and makes people thirsty. Jesus used that metaphor to describe our influence as His followers. Tomorrow, Pastor Evans challenges us to make a difference in the world as we live boldly and brightly for God's glory. I hope you'll join us.