In 1960 the Milton Bradley Company introduced “The Game of Life. As players travel the road of life in small convertible cars, paying taxes, donating to charity, and winning the lottery–the decisions they make: college vs. career; the size of home to buy; and the number of children to have–attempt to model the ups and downs of everyday life. All of which leads them to earning a place at either Millionaire Estates or Countryside Acres Retirement Home at the end of the game.
However, according to the Milton Bradley Company, being a winner in the game of life is all about finishing first; having the most money; and being master of the board. The sad things is, many people think this is what real life is all about–that to be a winner in life, a person must accomplish what it takes to win at the board Game of Life: possessions, power, position, prestige. Our world is only to quick to reinforce this kind of thinking. The world tells us that the winners are those with status and clout; people with healthy, normal families (whatever that means); people with the biggest house, the fastest car, the most money. The strong ones, beautiful ones, skinny ones, young ones. Whether we like it or not, as a culture, we’ve bought into this board game mentality of life. After all, who doesn’t want to be considered a ‘winner’ by those around them?
There’s nothing wrong with board games–there’s nothing wrong with “The Game of Life.” However, we need to remember that real life isn’t a game. The decisions we make in life don’t go away after an hour of play, and can have long-term effects on us and those around us. So how do we do it? How do win at the real game of life? In order to answer this question–at least from a Christian perspective–we need to look to the Games Master–we need to look to God. This 6-week series will look at how we can be active players in the game that pleases God; fill each square on the board with what matters most; seek the richness of ‘being’ instead of the richness of ‘having;’ and win following God’s rules instead of the world’s.
“Take Care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” (Luke 12:19)
SERMONS
Sermon: “The Object of the Game”
Preacher: The Rev. Christopher Doering
Date Preached: Sunday, January 10, 2016 ~ The Baptism of the Lord
Scripture: Luke 12:13-21
Handout: Object
Sermon: “Keeping Score”
Preacher: The Rev. Christopher Doering
Date Preached: Sunday, January 17, 2016
Scripture: John 13:1-17
Handout: Score
Sermon: Playing by the Rules
Preacher: The Rev. Christopher Doering
Date Preached: Sunday, January 24, 2016
Scripture: James 1:19-27
Handout: Rules
Sermon: The Importance of Strategy
Preacher: The Rev. Christopher Doering
Date Preached: Sunday, January 31, 2016
Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35
Handout: Strategy