I grew up in a small town where during basketball games the fans of the home team would sit on one side of the gymnasium and the fans of the opposing team would sit on the other side. During a break in the action, the cheerleaders (anyone really) would often get the home team fans to start chanting: “I’ve spirit, yes I do. I’ve got spirit, how about you?” This chant was a challenge to the fans of the visiting team to show their spirit. The visiting team fans would be expected to respond in turn: “I’ve got spirit, yes I do. I’ve got spirit, how about you?” This would go back and forth as each fan base would try to outshout the other. The thing was, depending on how intense the rivalry between the towns, each side really put energy and enthusiasm into this chanting exercise even though nothing is proved in doing it. I guess if one group of fans shouted louder than the other they had more ‘spirit’ – whatever that was. Then again, as I remember, it was the fan base of the home team (with many more fans in attendance) who would start this chant to ‘prove’ their superior spirit?!?
As I think of this memory, I’m struck by what I see in the news and how little it takes to excite people with passion and chants and shouts. One video clip of a few seconds can quickly lead to a group chanting and marching in the streets. When people see their neighbors and friends chanting and marching, many seem ready to join and follow in the shouts and march — filled with the same energy and passion.
As a preacher, I may tap into a ‘rah, rah spirit’ as I preach a sermon. Last week, I gave the challenge to be Do-Be Christians. I tried to explain as believers in Christ we are remade and ‘new creations’ so that out of our new “being” should come a “doing”.
challenged you to ‘do good’ and when we share a ‘cup of cold water’ to someone in Jesus name we’re doing what we were created to do (Ephesians 2:10). Throughout the message I tried to give the challenge:
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24)
In a sense, I was shouting to you from the stands (pulpit):
“I love Jesus, yes I do. I love Jesus, how about you?”
As you heard this challenge, your response was expected to the same … but louder. You were expected to leave the service with some sort of intention to “do good” and be a giver and server in the name of Jesus to the people in your world.
I hope I didn’t over do the ‘rah, rah’ in my message. Actually, there should be little ‘rah, rah” in whatever I preach from the pulpit. Last Sunday, it was right for me to challenge you to the necessity and joy and blessing in serving. I should try to ‘spur you on toward love and good deeds’ and reveal how serving others is what we’re ‘created’ to do as believers in Christ. But the motivation to be a giving, serving, Do-Be Christian must come from something much, much deeper than emotions and a pep-talk to serve. It must clearly come from the relationship we have with God through Jesus. Bottom line: To serve is to be like Jesus.
“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14)
“We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
“and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us” (Ephesians 5:2)
“whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant … just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”” (Matthew 20:26–28)
No ‘rah, rah’ – Just Jesus!
Pastor Mark
Leave a Reply