"Tebowing in Everyday Life"

FIVE MINUTES WITH TOM MOOTY

As Published in the Newport (TN) Plain Talk
Release Date – Jan 26, 2012
Column Number - 1204

“TEBOWING IN EVERYDAY LIFE”

I usually try to follow the leadership of the Lord in planning my sermon “menus” well in advance; knowing that nothing ever catches the Lord off guard; and if something comes up at the “last minute” that I might have to deal with; I have all assurance that God knew all about that in the “first minute”, and if I am supposed to deal with it, He already has it covered. That way, I do not have to spend desperate Saturday nights working on a “Saturday Night Special” sermon; because every word, every phrase, every nuance is of utmost importance and could very well mean gaining or losing eternity in heaven for someone!

And eternity is a loooonnnnnnggggg time; and I take that position very seriously!

The same thing should be said about these little column excursions into seeming utter chaos which you are new reading. I assure you, I have a point in mind; and if you hang in through all the fluff at the first, you will see the point paragraph at the last.

For the past three weeks, I have brought messages on Sunday mornings on the general titles of “Knowing Jesus”, “Showing Jesus”, and “Going For Jesus”; and this Sunday, we will compile all these thoughts together in one big wad with ”Tebowing Jesus”!

Simply speaking, if you “know” Jesus Christ, you will quite naturally “show” Him by “going” for Him – in the style and on the stage God gives you.

Some Christians have extremely huge “pulpits” or “platforms” from which to expound on “knowing, showing, and going” Jesus Christ.

While I must say, I do not agree with many of the huge media “ministries”; there are a few that provide a very useful place of “knowing, showing, and going” for Jesus Christ. It must be said these massive ministries can have enormous circles of outreach (but sadly, many of them have deteriorated into worldly, secular seed beds of “seed money” and “show business”)!

Many original colleges and universities in the United States were started as outreaches of religious ministries to provide Bible training (sadly, many of them have deteriorated into worldly, secular seed beds of unrest and disbelief).

Many original hospitals and clinics in the United States were started as outreaches of religious ministries to provide healing to the masses (sadly, many of them have deteriorated into worldly, secular seed beds of political correctness).

Great publication empires have been started by religious ministries to provide reading materials to advance the cause the Christian Ministry (sadly, many of them have deteriorated into worldly, secular seed beds of watered-down, non-offensive pablum).

Everyone knows about young Dwight Lyman, who was struggling to eke out a living working as a shoe cobbler. He was uneducated and destined to become nothing more than a statistic until the mostly illiterate seventeen year old was led to the Lord by his Sunday School teacher, Edward Kimball; and founded the Moody Colportage (“publishing”) Company; Moody Bible Institute, Moody Memorial Church, and the Moody Evangelistic Association. Of course, his full name was D.L. Moody!

We all have “pulpits” from which we are to “know, show, and go” for Jesus Christ! Mine is not the same as yours and vice-versa; yours might be larger than mine and vice-versa; but we all have someone who needs to hear the message of Jesus The Christ!

Quarterback Tim Tebow of the Denver Broncos has a massive, world-changing “pulpit”: not a church, column, or broadcast – no, he has a football field; and his simple act of kneeling to thank the Lord Jesus for His blessings has caused millions of people to at least give a second look at The Lord – because they can see something that is real and unique in this young man’s life.

Thus, a new word has emerged on the scene: “Tebowing”; and its originator didn’t even graduate from “preaching school”. Imagine that!



These columns are written by Tom Mooty, Pastor of Newport’s West End Baptist Church; and can also be found on the church website: www.webaptistchurch.org. All comments can be sent to tommooty05@comcast.net or P.O. Box 851, Newport.

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