CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 998

“Participation Trophy”

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. (1 Corinthians 9:24)

Participation trophies and awards are a topic of much debate. There are valid arguments made on both sides of the issue. As I read articles about participation trophies it dawned on me that this is not limited to the sports or academic arenas but it also has affected the Christian church.

I have to ask: Are you merely a participant in this Christmas season? There are so many people who are mere participants in Christmas. Sadly, many of them profess to be born again Christians and their participation is limited to festive seasonal church events such as Christmas and Easter. Their hearts are far from Jesus, yet they sincerely believe that their participation level is sufficient for salvation.

Others love to participate in the Christmas season because of its festive, feel-good, gift-giving atmosphere. These participants range from agnostic to atheist to other world religion belief systems. They are of the ilk that replaces ‘Christ’ with an ‘X’ in the word ‘Christmas’ and prefer the term ‘Happy Holidays’ over ‘Merry Christmas’.

Both participant camps have people with expectations of eternal life in heaven based solely upon their participation. For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14) This is the closing statement Jesus made from His parable about a wedding feast where the King noticed a man there that did not belong. The man was cast out into the place of outer darkness. (read Matthew 22:1-14)

I have heard people say that a loving God would never send anyone to hell and deny them eternal life in heaven. Indeed, the Scriptures expound about the love of God. The Lord is…patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2Peter 3:9) …God…desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1Timothy 2:3-4)

The Scriptures also tell us that God is just. God will allow us to choose to be condemned to outer darkness if we persist in refusing to repent and accept the free gift of salvation provided through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. …God…commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. (Acts 17:30-31) …if we deny him, he also will deny us; (2 Timothy 2:12)

Don’t settle in anticipation of a participation trophy with respect to your relationship with Jesus Christ. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven…I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

May you view Christmas as a celebration of God’s plan of salvation for you. May you see Jesus as more than a baby in a manger and see Him as your Lord, Savior, and Judge who will award you a crown of righteousness on the last day. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8)