Last week one of the greatest baseball players of my generation announced that this would be his last year. Although I am not a New York Yankees fan, it is hard as a baseball fan not to really enjoy watching Derek Jeter play baseball. I believe most baseball people will tell you that Jeter ranks up there as one of the all-time great shortstops to have ever played the game. One thing that also makes you like Jeter is the fact that although he played in the biggest city in America, is filthy rich and famous, he went about life as an average person. You didn’t hear him getting into trouble, he stayed grounded from all points of view that we had, and he just seemed to be an all-around nice guy. So at the end of 2014, not only will the Yankees lose a starting shortstop and team captain, but baseball will lost an ambassador for the game. So what does this have to do with life you ask?
The short answer to that question is a lot. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” It goes on to say “a time to be born and a time to die.” Everything has a beginning and it has an ending. Derek Jeter has had a phenomenal career, but now it is time to ride off into the proverbial sunset. Five years after his last game, Derek Jeter will most likely be a first ballot hall of famer. There is no doubt that he will be remembered in the Bronx by Yankee fans and he will be remembered by those who love the game of baseball. What I don’t know about him, and what I want to ask you is this, will what you have done in this life matter and make a difference beyond your life? Have you lived this temporary life in a way that will have an eternal legacy and impact? Another way of asking it is this, what have you done for the glory of Jesus Christ? Jesus tells us in Matthew 6 not to lay up treasures for ourselves in heaven. 2 Peter 3 tells us that this earth and the things in it will be consumed and pass away in. Revelation 21 tells us there will be a new earth. It’s great that you have thousands of Twitter followers, Facebook likes, and are well known. But at the end of your life, what of eternal value are you going to have to show?
My concern is that too many pastors, churches, and even Christians in general are accomplishing what the world says are great things, but at the end of our life, we will realize that what we did and what we accomplished did very little to make Jesus known or to advance His kingdom. I love what John the Baptist said in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” The traps of this world are always there, ready to snatch you up and consume you. But we as Christians must frequently remind ourselves, this life and this world are not about me, it is about making Him known to the world. We always want to procrastinate, because we think we have more time. But friends let me urge you today to realize, we never have as much time as we think we do. Let’s not waste another minute, but let’s get busy telling the world about our Wonderful Savior, who desires to save them as well.
By His grace and through His strength may we live for Him