Turning the Lights

From Pastor Tim’s article in the 2/3/16 Weekly Update

For the past 55 years the Penn State Nittany Lions football team has played their games at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. Prior to 1982 they played all their home games during daylight hours.

In 1982 one of the television networks asked Penn State if they would be willing to play a game against a top-ranked team with a starting time that would guarantee finish after dark. They offered to bring in temporary lighting (and pay for it) so that Penn State could get maximum exposure on their network. The University agreed and the lights were brought in and painstakingly aimed at the green grass of the playing field. For three hours that afternoon the attention of 85,000 fans in the stands and millions more watching at home were riveted on the field and the players.

The game turned out to be a thriller with the Nittany Lions squeaking out a 27-24 win over Nebraska on a last-second touchdown. It was after the celebration began to wane that the lights did something very interesting. As the tens of thousands of fans headed toward the parking lots, the temporary lights were turned away from the field and toward the parking lots where thousands of fans were attempting to get to their cars.

In order for the lights to benefit those heading toward their cars, they needed to be turned away from the field where they had been doing so much good. Without the sacrifice of light from the playing field those outside the stadium would continue to walk in darkness.
There are moments in the life of a church when the lights have been shining on us for so long that we are prone to forget about the people walking to the parking lot. Most sermons, Sunday School classes, prayer meetings, worship times and fellowship opportunities are designed for the benefit of the person who is already a believer (in the stadium). Those who are not on the field are walking in darkness.

When someone gets the idea to turn some of the lights in a different direction, the responses are sometimes born of great concern. “We won’t have enough light for ourselves!” or “How will we see?”

It is occasionally heard when a DNA group is asked to multiply or a church is challenged to add a service. The concern is that the repercussions will impact those in the stadium and leave them harmed.

God has promised that when we commit ourselves to the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), Jesus Himself will be at our side to care for our needs. It then becomes a matter of trust. Can we turn the lights away from ourselves in order to provide light to those in darkness?

God promises that we’ll never go under when we put Him first (Matthew 6:33). The time has come for CAC to turn the lights to the parking lot and trust God for the results.

Will you trust God with me for an abundant provision of His help as we seek to move the focus from ourselves to others?