Well, its here and will be over before you know it. Sunday, February 5, 2012 is  SUPER BOWL XLVI. Yes, I love the game and equally enjoy (most of the commercials) during the “epic” show. From the classic “Mean Joe Greene” commercial by Coca-Cola in 1979, or a cameo of Sly Stallone in 1983, for the United Way or cute kid last year dressing as Darth Vader trying to start his Daddy’s Volkswagon we have all seen our share of advertisements for big brands during the big game.

This VISA commercial started to air a couple of months ago and I don’t know about you but instantly I knew this would be a future blog and/or mini sermon. We all like to win and  this would be a great prize to take TEN friends to the Super Bowl. My parents went to the Super Bowl in 1992, in Minneapolis, MN when our beloved Washington Redskins beat the Buffalo Bills. Hard to believe it was exactly two decades ago Sunday!

The commercial above is a classic. The acting is awesome and euphoria is evident that comes from winning the PRIZE and secondly the PRIVILEGE to invite friends to the big game. Who would you pick? Who would you bring? Who would make the cut? Worse, who would be “left out.” Notice in the ad before being notified that “they won” their lives were dull, meaningless and heading down a dead end path. Existing but not really living but when the INVITE came everything changed!

God gave me something that I have been preaching on the past few years that I ocassionally close with at the end of my sermon. The reason this commercial resonated with me is because I have been doing it for the past few years. Perhaps you recall the old Western posters that may have hung in a post office or nailed to the wall of a saloon and in bold letters it noted “TEN MOST WANTED.” The government or some guy was looking for them and it usually wasn’t good!

The Lord showed me early on that the government looks for some but God is on the LOOK OUT for all! Like a Ferrari with no brakes, I share with them that most folks who don’t attend church are “missing in action” not because they don’t believe in God but no one believed in them to invite them. WORD OF THE DAY: “You may not believe in God but Jesus believes in you!” Defense wins championships but OFFENSE builds the Kingdom. We need to get a burden for our friends without Christ and in case you missed the memo as born-again believers we have the winning ticket (JESUS) and yet too many are content going to the “Super Bowl” (Heaven) alone! At the conclusion of my message I remind the audience to get out a piece of paper and write TEN MOST WANTED at top. Write the names of ten loved ones (family/friends and even enemies) who you know need Christ. Write their names on that list, put it on your refridgerator and begin to pray for God to work in their lives. Each time you go get milk in the midnight hour or pass by the kitchen you will begin to pray privately for their public salvation. No one needs to know what its for (just you and God) and when you get a burden for others is when you can really become a blessing for God.

Those that pray and fast for the souls of others will see God firsthand do an AMAZING work in your midst. God will strategically like pawns on a chess board begin to put people in your path where you can demonstrate the love of God to them. Share the Gospel with folks, dare to be different and invite them to church. Take them out for coffee, invest in their lives and watch God snatch sinners heading for Hell and get delivered to be destined for Heaven. As souls are saved, scratch off their name on your list. The key is get them off your list and in Lamb’s Book of Life. Each one can reach one!

Back in October 2011, I preached chapel at Truett-McConell College in Georgia at the invite of my good friend, Dr Emir Caner and shared “I evangelize not because I am an evangelist but because I am a commited Christian.” As Dr Johnny Pope reminded me in 1993, “Frank, don’t just keep the faith but SHARE your faith.” Mediocrity is not an option in ministry and too many got enough of Jesus to get them to Heaven but apparently not enough to get a burden to reach souls heading on the highway of Hell. Not glamorous but the Gospel Truth. 

A farmer once shared “You will never see a harvest until you learn to water your crops.” Friends, when was the last time you cried yourself to sleep over the condition of another’s soul? At age 10, we had a contest whoever brought the most kids to VBS would win a prize. I couldn’t sleep for a week but decided then and there I needed to care more what God in Heaven thought of me than friends on Earth. In 1982 (age 10) I asked God to use me in love but boldness to invite friends to church and by the end of the week 22 friends came with me!

 With salvation I had already won the PRIZE but now have the PRIVILEGE and responsibility to share Jesus with others. Last year, counting Praisefest Ministries “Cruise with a Cause” where 23,000 souls crossed over from death to life in Jesus while in Jamaica and me preaching nearly 200 times in 17 states and a couple countries the Lord allowed me to witness firsthand with a front row seat seeing nearly 30,000 souls come to faith in Christ in just over one calendar year.  That is not exaggeration but evangelism! Regardless, if you see ten or ten thousand we each need to be about our “Father’s Business” and be in the soul saving ministry.

Without question, I love the rich voice of Morgan Freeman and in this commercial he shared regarding the SUPER BOWL that its “the most epic day in America.” For those without Christ, sadly for far too many it is but we whom hold the winning ticket (salvation found only in faith in Christ) can be more than a game changer but a LIFE CHANGER for those whom need God. We need to dare to share Jesus with Biblical boldness. FACT: The Lord is the biggest name and souls of men is the biggest game. Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Mercedes, Verizon, Apple are all brands but what are you doing  to advertise and introduce JESUS to those in need of His saving grace?

Not long ago, I preached at church and saw a family of five in one row and an elderly couple sitting behind them. Before the sermon as we were singing hymns of praise I noticed the woman behind this group of five had the biggest smile on her face and she was beaming with pride from ear to ear. I didn’t know the family but the grandmother looked familiar. Right before the sermon, I said to her: “It is so good to see you today and I notice you are smiling. Is this your family in the row before us?” With the world’s biggest smile and tears in her eyes she said “Preacher Frank, you preached a couple months back about coming up with a sign that read “TEN MOST WANTED.” Wiping tears from her eyes, she said “Frank, I did what you said and today, is the first time my son and his entire family came to church as a result of praying for them.” Friends, you cannot put a price tag on that. GO GOD!

Like most of you, Ruth & I have reservations to have nachos with dear friends at their home to watch the game on Sunday. Since childhood, I love sports but also know that the “NFL” to most mean National Football League but those who have played or know the game in and out also attest it stands for “Not For Long.”  We are here today and could be gone tomorrow. Some preach as if they have 30 years to connect. As an evangelist, I am mindful I may not have 30 minutes. Its worth repeating: “Ministry – urgency = catostrophe.” We don’t  have forever to rescue those dying without Christ.

Sunday’s game is temporal but the souls of men is the bigger game because it’s ETERNAL. When the game is over, the tv turned off, the trash taken out and the last friend has gone home for the night may you ponder more than ever what TEN friends will you bring to the biggest event ever (Heaven)?  As a Christian you already won – the question is just how many are you bringing to the BIG GAME? After all, you hold the winning card (Christ).

 

 COMING UP: Next week – “THE ASSIST” featuring Meadowlark Lemon & Albert Pujols