Failure is NEVER Final!

Text: II Corinthians 4:8-14

-- We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; - Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; - Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. - For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. - So then death worketh in us, but life in you. - We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; - Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

Introduction:

It was New Year's Day,1929, The place...Pasadena, California, The Rose Bowl. Georgia Tech played the University of California in this oldest of annual Bowl games. In that game a player for California named Roy Riegels recovered a fumble forCalifornia and saw his way open to the goal line. What he didn't realize was that he was looking at the Georgia Tech goal line. He began to run for that goal. One of his teammates, Benny Lom, overtook and tackled him just before he scored for the opposing team.

This was during the first half. Everyone was wondering what Coach Nibbs Price would do with Roy Riegels in the second half. During the half-time break Riegels sat alone in a corner, wrapped a blanket around his shoulders, put his hands in his face and cried like a baby. Three minutes before the start of the second half Coach Price looked at the team and said, "Men, the same team that played the first half will start the second." Riegels never moved. The coach called him and again he never moved. Coach Price went over to where Riegels sat and said, "Roy, didn't you hear me? The same team that played the first half will start the second." Reigels said, "Coach, I can't do it to save my life. I've ruined you. I've ruined the University of California. I've ruined myself. I couldn't face that crowd in the stadium to save my life."

Then Coach Price reached out and put his hand on Riegels' shoulder and said, "Roy, get up and go on back, the game is only half over." Roy Reigels went back. Those Tech men will tell you they have never seen a man play football as Roy Riegels played that second half.

Time and again we blow it. We fail. We mess things up. We feel like such a failure. I'm sure the Apostle Paul did, when he tried to teach the Corinthians about Christ. It seems they were always getting turned around, putting the ritual before its meaning, worshiping form and function before God. We have no record of Paul wanting to quit, but he admits to being all too human, just like us. Paul had a coach, of sorts, in his missionary work. One he put all his faith and trust in. Paul's coach can be our coach...Jesus Christ.

I. The image of our Lord being a football coach may seem like a strange one to you, but It is a role that shows us much about the nature of our Lord and what He can do for us.

A. Jesus' earthly ministry was just the beginning stages of his coaching. As a coach early on demonstrates what he wants the team to do, so Jesus, in His earthly ministry, set the pattern for His disciples to follow.

B. As a football team gains the knowledge of what the coach wants, the coach has to spend less time in hands-on coaching. In the same way, Christ has given us his playbook and become our greatest inspiration.

C. In a football game, the coach cannot come on the field when play is going on, but the coach never just "lets" his team do their thing on the field. There is constant communication coming from the coach to his players. In this game of "life", Jesus will never leave us or forsake us. He constantly seeks to guide us in the living of our lives.

 

II. To put it another way...Jesus is the winning coach. No matter how much we think we've messed up things, defeat just doesn't enter into his mind.

A. Jesus always there. He places a hand on our shoulder and says, "Get up. Don't quit. I am with you." Just as football games are won with human power, Christ has shown us that the battles of this life can be won with human power too. It all depends on that unique bond of inspiration between the coach and the player.

B. Jesus says, "You are forgiven. I love you." When we mess things up, the Lord doesn't bench us, but lovingly encourages us to "get back into the game." He well knows that a broken arm, once healed, is stronger than an arm that has never been broken.

C. Unlike a human football coach, who will often get discouraged and go try to find a new coaching "situation," Christ has said "...I will never leave you or forsake you." No matter what, Christ is still going to be our coach! He wants you on his team permanently, and he is willing to coach you to win if you will listen to Him.

 

III. But we have all seen winning coaches and superstar teams occasionally go down in defeat. Why should we think that when we let Jesus coach us, we'll be winners in this game of life? Three things...

A. The prize is REAL. Just as the NCAA championship or the Super Bowl is a goal for the football team, so Heaven is the ultimate reward for this life.

B. The coach has experienced both the prize and the struggles of the team. What does Scripture say..He emptied himself of his glory, and became one of us, a man of sorrows, acquainted with our grief. As our coach Christ's avowed purpose is to "...take us to the top."

C. The third part of this triad is under our control, because only you and I can use our wills to give the necessary trust and confidence to carry us on to victory

 

Conclusion:

In 1929, Roy Riegels could have been remembered as the laughingstock of the game, except for his outstanding play in the second half of the Rose Bowl. His coach, Nibbs Price could have just marked another one in the "L" column, but for this realization that FAILURE IS NEVER FINAL! This coach was unwilling to let such a humiliation be permanent. Christ, our savior, was humiliated once. He was humiliated, beaten and nailed to a cross by His adversaries as a symbol to heaven and earth of His failure. But FAILURE IS NEVER FINAL, and such humiliation of our Lord was just a prelude to His ultimate victory over sin and destruction.

Coach Bear Bryant of the University of Alabama was fond of saying, "The difference between success and failure is getting up one more time when we get knocked down." Jesus Christ, the winning coach, provides us with the inspiration to get up...to keep on pushing...to strive to victory. We can listen to the words of our coach, or hear the jeers of the enemy. Sure, there are defeats along the way, and Satan may throw them up in our face from time to time, but we can be assured that when we place our confidence in Christ, we have the end result assured. FAILURE IS NEVER FINAL, as long as we keep our eyes on the prize and trust in our coach to get us there.