Unpacking Truths
Dive deep into God's word and unpack divine truths for today's life journey. In a world where everyone is seeking, join us as we guide you to find hope and power in God's timeless wisdom. If our discussions spark questions or ideas, reach out to us at UnpackingTruths@LOCChurch.com. Don't forget to Like, Share, and Subscribe, allowing us to continue helping people unpack God's truth for their lives! Hosted by Pastor Kendall Koenig and Pastor Maureen O'Connor of Light of Christ Church in Algonquin, IL.
Unpacking Truths
Sacred Sports, Sacred Sabbath
✝️ Unpacking Truths: Episode 117: Sacred Sports, Sacred Sabbath
Have you ever sat in the stands, heart racing, as your favorite team played on a Sunday, and felt the tug of faith calling for a different kind of devotion? Pastor Kendall and Pastor Mo navigate this complex terrain, sharing their own journeys and the shared challenges families face when sports and Sabbath collide. From the vibrant arenas of Chicago to the quiet reflection in the pews, they share deeply personal insights and stories, pondering how one can honor God while embracing the thrill of sports.
Listeners are invited to join the conversation as they look beyond the scoreboard to the spiritual lessons and values that sports can impart to youth. They consider the slim likelihood of a professional athletic career and the undervalued treasure of a sturdy spiritual foundation. In fostering children's growth, they challenge the notion that worship is confined within church walls and invite reflection on the multitude of ways devotion can be expressed, whether on the field or in prayer, always with an eye towards a balanced life that honors commitments to faith, family, and community.
In a modern world cluttered with distractions, from the allure of the latest tech to the non-stop pace of work and play, it is all too easy to let these become idols that pull people from the path of worship and rest. They ruminate on the wisdom of Proverbs and James, seeking guidance for setting life's priorities straight. As they prepare to dive into an upcoming dialogue on the role of baptism and leadership in church, they are reminded of the importance of Sabbath rest, community in worship, and the journey of personal faith that defines everyone. Listeners are encouraged to stay tuned as these truths are unpacked and the threads that weave together spiritual lives and the games people love are unraveled.
#FaithAndSports #SundayService #SpiritualJourney #BalancingFaith #SportsAndFaith #WorshipBeyondWalls #SabbathRest #FaithFamilyCommunity #SpiritualLessons #YouthAndFaith
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We make things that become idols in our lives, absolutely. And he says that you know and there's a second commandment against that that it's about what are the priorities and it's not that we can't do both.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But how do we lose sight of one when we throw all of ourselves into something else?
Speaker 2:No, absolutely. A friend of mine had someone come in from Africa. He took him to church, but he also took him to a sporting event, like different things, and he likened them both almost to this space of worship. He's like it was really interesting how people at this event the sport event they cheered and they got, they wanted to get there early. You know, they want all this stuff and when it came to church it was kind of like a dragging. And then when it's, you know, before it's even over, people are like looking at their watches.
Speaker 1:I've gone to a couple of baseball games.
Speaker 2:But it is this space of like. Are we giving our whole selves?
Speaker 1:Are we glorifying God with the time we have?
Speaker 2:and in the moments we have Hi, I'm Pastor Kendall and I'm Pastor Mo and we are Unpacking Truths.
Speaker 1:Where we unpack God's word and God's truth for life.
Speaker 2:today, Everyone is seeking and we're here to help you find hope and power in God's word. So today, kendall, on Unpacking Truths and all those who are listening and watching, we are going to be talking about sacred sports, sacred Sabbath. So this wrestle between all the sporting events and our kids' sporting events on the Sabbath day, the day that we often worship, and I think it would be a lie to say that sports are not. They're just a huge part of our culture. They're a huge part of so many of our lives. I know for me, my dad. I grew up. He was the head sales rep of the Chicago Tribune, so we were at Bulls games and the Bears and the Super Bowl when they won in 85.
Speaker 1:You didn't think it along.
Speaker 2:No, I was well in 85, I was four, so, and just you know, having dinner at Harry Carey's and the Cubs, and I mean it was such a big part of who we were that, yeah, I mean it's hard, you know, as we sit in this space. So how about you?
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, Sports have been a huge part of my life. I grew up playing all sorts of sports. I wasn't any good at baseball and I've officially given up golf because I'm lousy at it. Oh, I'm horrible, horrible, but I still love to ride my bike, I play some pickup basketball, I love to watch sports and so, yeah, I'm a big sports nut.
Speaker 2:You ever play pickup basketball at the park with about 19, 20-year-old boys? Oh yeah, Because that will humble you real quick.
Speaker 1:I did it at Carpentersville Park District.
Speaker 2:Did you yes?
Speaker 1:Oh, I did. It was supposed to be an over 40 league, but it was all these 20 somethings that were there and banging around High school.
Speaker 2:I played basketball. I loved it, Even as a freshman. I was on varsity and I loved basketball and I hadn't played in years and I was like, oh, I got this. And it's always these young guys that are there and I'm like something is abnormal. They jump like frogs, their hips are hitting me in the face. I'm like, how is this like happening? How are you physically able to do this?
Speaker 1:It's crazy. I mean, as you said, most sports is a big part of our lives today, continuing big part of our entertainment, and this was a question, though, that came in from others, but yet you want to talk historically.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what to do with this space of you know, all these events, all these opportunities to go to these fun sporting events and or their kids, different competitions, travel teams. They're on Sundays, right, often a day of worship, and it is a hard place to sit because, also, sporting events, sports in general, they're interwoven into our scripture and nothing is being negative. In 1 Corinthians, paul puts a reference to shadow boxing. Right, we're told, the Christian life is a race. In Hebrews, run in such a way to win the prize, in 1 Corinthians. And every athlete exercises self-control in all things is in Corinthians 9. Athlete exercises self-control in all things is in Corinthians 9. And so there is this idea of sports and, you know, running a good race and different things, interwoven in our scripture as well, and nothing negative per se. But there obviously is this space of what does it mean to choose the travel team or the sports event other than maybe worship on Sunday? What does that look like? Or what do you think about this space and this issue?
Speaker 1:You know, I think this is a great question. I'm glad someone raised it for us to just reflect on, because I think where the challenge comes you know as people who, personally you as well you know as people who, personally you as well love sports I think the challenge comes when we lose a sense of perspective.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And so I just did a little research coming into this to try and what I thought, and it sort of confirmed sort of that, that there are 2.5 million young people playing soccer today.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And in the MLS Professional Soccer League in the United States. 348 US citizens play in that league. So basically, one out of 7,000 of those kids playing soccer today might make it into the MLS. So I think sometimes we need to have perspective. Is if we're constantly thinking like, oh, we're going to make a life of soccer, is that going to happen? Watching my daughter's fiance who by the time this comes out, will be my son-in-law was pursuing a professional soccer career and he's a phenomenal athlete and just a gifted young man.
Speaker 1:But the challenge that he ran into and he played professionally overseas for a while and then, COVID shut it down and then he was back, but it's like just one or two little injuries and it wasn't a career for him, and then he's sort of shifting directions, but I mean he invested his life in it. So I think sometimes we have to keep perspective.
Speaker 2:And you said did you say one in 17,000 anyway? Oh yeah, yeah, One in 7,000.
Speaker 1:Or seven, okay, but it's also even of high school soccer players, and I just chose one sport yeah, soccer players. Of the high school soccer players, male yeah, out of the 108 soccer players in high school, only one of them will play at a Division I level. It's a little higher for women 41 high school soccer players, one will play at Division I level. The funnel just keeps getting narrower. So I think that seeing youth sports as a great thing for kids to learn teamwork, to learn skills, to develop their body, is a great thing.
Speaker 1:I think we just have to keep perspective that we're not going like, oh and my kid's going to be the exception, my kid is probably not going to be the exception and play this professionally or even necessarily get a college scholarship.
Speaker 2:So are you asking parents to discern? Do you think your kid, do you think your kid will be one? Hey, let us know, is your kid?
Speaker 1:one of the 7,000 that you think.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean and it's not just about like a payout, right, like, obviously they know there's great things to be learned in these sports working together as a team, perseverance, you know, training, it takes obedience and just a lot of work, and so there's good things to be learned there. However, you know, we do know in Scripture 1 Timothy 4, 8 says physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. And so what does it mean to hold this tension of here? Are these things that are good in and of themselves, absolutely, and yet what is the better? And yet, how are we glorifying God if we do choose to do this sport or this travel team on a day that there's worship? How do we glorify God in that space?
Speaker 1:Well, I think it's a balancing of those things, because this is not a competition between good and bad things. These are good and very good things. You know, and I've often thought that you know, I played. You know I played some youth soccer, I did some basketball. The ran cross country through high school and college and so have done some of those things. But which is, you know for how many kids, whatever sport they're playing, which is going to be more important for them 10 or 15 years down the road? Their soccer ability, their tennis ability, their running ability or knowing what it is to how to nurture a relationship with God? I mean, my guess is that the one thing is going to last you a lifetime and beyond. The other thing is good for now, but do we keep perspective on that?
Speaker 2:Well, and I think that things don't have to be so black and white. I do love the fact that, like, sometimes you have to sit in this space and think, okay, what do I value and why? And so the founder of Chick-fil-A he's somebody that said I have faith that if I follow this biblical principle and give myself and all my employees a day of rest, god will still provide. And Chick-fil-A is amazing they're closed on Sunday, but they are a billion-dollar company, and so there's that space of tension, but that there's also a space we can sit in to go. Why does worship have to look like this thing, right? Why does it have to look like going into a building all the time on this one day? And I don't think it does.
Speaker 2:I think that what does it look like to glorify God? What does it look like to be the hands and feet of Christ, to be the spirit? We're going to worship in a different way, right? We're told we're going to worship in spirit and that our bodies are the temple, and so we can do things that are worship, that aren't necessarily looking just like worship. So how do we glorify God and maybe evangelize in different ways and or teach about God, even in the traveling to. You know hockey or soccer or you know how. Are we intentional in that sport or in our car ride over there, or when we're with the team. What are we bringing to the team that could be bringing God into the sporting event or into the moments before they play?
Speaker 1:Absolutely, I mean. And so for me it is not an either, or I think it is a weighing things and not just because what I think sometimes happens with youth sports is people get swept along and they don't sort of stop and reflect. You know, like someone says to you wow, your son has real potential here in football, we'd love to have him join this, or I think he should try out for this. And you're like my kid has potential. And then you get swept along and you start doing things without necessarily counting the cost. And Jesus always said count the cost.
Speaker 1:And I heard this story recently. I was talking to the principal of a Christian grade school and one family had applied for a scholarship to the school and to apply for it you have to sort of justify why you need this scholarship. Because they have to distribute what small scholarship funds they have over whatever number of kids apply. And this one family applied and they said well, part of you know the reason it's a stretch to be able to pay for this private education is we spend $19,000 on our kids' youth sports this last year.
Speaker 1:Lost their minds, I mean and this principal is talking to me. He just had this like he had to pick his jaw off the floor and he just what?
Speaker 2:I mean, I don't know if he heard us say we can't pay for their education because we're paying $19,000 for their travel, sports, and so for me, what happens is people get swept along like, oh, your child's good, you can do this.
Speaker 1:And then suddenly here's where I think Jesus saying count the cost, sort of going, how much money do I want to invest, how much time do I want to invest? Because I think if we stopped and asked those questions, god might lead to different answers for different people.
Speaker 1:But, I just don't want people to be swept along. I just think they need to pause and keep perspective and make choices based on real, accurate information, so that they don't sort of get swept along doing something that down the road they're going like how did we get here Right, rather than oh, this is the choice that we made and we weighed these things.
Speaker 2:Right and we're. You know we are created to worship and so we can easily fall into false idols, right Worshiping other things. And even if we don't realize it or think about it consciously, worship is worth our time giving to and investing all of ourselves into. What are we giving our time to? What are we giving our finances to? What are we giving our heart and soul to, our joy to? I mean, it sounds like you know, I don't know this family, but it sounds like if they're giving $19,000 and all these weekends and all these different things and I'm sure they're excited and filled with joy and investing in you know research and looking up different. You know sports equipment and stuff like that it's a lot. It know sports equipment and stuff like that, it's a lot. It's almost like a sense of worship. They're giving all of themselves.
Speaker 1:Well, and I think that's again that keeping perspective, what are my values, what's driving my life? And it's not that these are bad things, these are good things but what becomes the primary thing? And so for me it. I mean again, we now have online worship so people can share in a time of worship. It's Sunday at 5 pm. It really is. Are we putting so much of ourselves into something else that we don't have time to connect with God, or that we're nurturing that relationship with Christ? It doesn't have to be an either-or, and there's more flexibility today. I just think we have to keep wrestling those questions through in our lives because everything does clamor to you know. I think Martin Luther said he goes one of the great strengths of human beings we are great idol makers. We make things that become idols in our lives.
Speaker 1:And he says that you know and there's a second commandment against that that it's about what are the priorities, and it's not that we can't do both, but how do we lose sight of one when we throw all of ourselves into something else?
Speaker 2:No, absolutely A friend of mine. So had someone come in from Africa, it was a really good friend of theirs and it lives in a village that you know doesn't have a lot of technology and stuff like that, and you know he took him to church, but he also took him to a sporting event, like different things, and he likened them both almost to this space of worship. He's like it was really interesting how you know people at this event the sport event they cheered and they got, they wanted to get there early. You know they want all this stuff and when it came to church it was kind of like a dragging and then, before it's even over, people are looking at their watches and you know it's also like—.
Speaker 1:I've gone to a couple of baseball games. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:But it is this space of like. Are we giving our whole selves? Are we glorifying God with the time we have and in the moments we have? And you know I went over 1 John, 5, 21, and it says Dear children, keep away from anything that might take place, might take God's place in your hearts. And so, whenever, whatever it is, whether it's sports or something else, is something else taking the place of seeking and wanting to be present with God, of wanting to give yourself fully to God, of whatever you do, whether you eat or drink or play sports or are you doing it for the glory of God, like, I think you can very much go to a sporting event, whether it's for entertainment purposes or you yourself are participating. You can do it for the glory of God. And what does that look like? Is what we need to be asking ourselves.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think in the wrestling through these things I was just drawn to all the verses about wisdom in Proverbs. You know, don't turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you, love her and she will guard you. That I just think for a lot of parents, in all of the decisions you're faced with, to just keep asking God for wisdom. As James 1 says, if you need wisdom, ask your generous God and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. I just think we need to be people who have to keep asking for wisdom, because otherwise we do get swept along.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and whatever we're doing, we need to be a people that know how to put God first. And so what does that look like? And there are things in scripture that teach us what it looks like to put God first. Some are gathering with other believers. That's a command in Hebrews 10, 24. Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another. Not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another.
Speaker 2:Worshiping corporately in Ephesians 5, singing psalms together, giving ourselves fully, making music to the Lord with our hearts. These are important things. Fellowship with other Christians right. Small groups, bible studies, getting together on worship it's important for Thessalonians 5.11. Encourage each other, build each other up, just as you are already doing there are—hearing the word of God right. There are various things that God says. If you want to keep me first, here are the things you need to do right, and we need them. We need them because we need each other.
Speaker 2:My fear is when we begin to fall into putting even if we look at sporting events or sports things with our kids as opportunities to evangelize or bring God into that. That's wonderful, but we're also disconnecting ourselves from a community that pours into us and builds us up and holds us up when we need it, and so we need to be in hearing the word of God right Constantly. So I don't know. I feel like it's a place in a space worship, corporate worship where we can fill our cup a little bit so that we can go out and do that work, and maybe I'm looking at bringing God out into those areas and glorifying God out in those areas. But we can't give what we don't have, and so where's the space that you're receiving?
Speaker 1:I think that's great wisdom. I think the other dynamic with this is that ties into this. Different but is Sabbath is both remember. The Sabbath day, to keep it holy, was both about worship, but it was also about rest.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:And I think the other dynamic with sometimes youth sports and the demands and all of the expectations, is that people are just chasing their tail and that we live overscheduled lives.
Speaker 2:So we don't have times to.
Speaker 2:Our kids are exhausted. In the junior high ministry we have here, it was Lent and I talked about this is a time where we slow down and and and I said, who here is exhausted and tired? And every kid raised their hand. They're tired, they're getting up early, they're going to school, they're doing their homework in the car, eating something quickly before they go to the next event sporting event or play or whatever and then they're. They're till like 9.30 at night, 10 at night, and they're tired. And how are we modeling rest Right? And so if we're not taking it on the day that we normally worship, rest with God, then when are they getting this rest?
Speaker 1:You bet, how are they building in Shabbat, how are they building in Sabbath, how are they building work and play and rest? And I always think of and I don't know if I shared this one before on one of the podcasts, but my daughter played, our youngest daughter played high school volleyball and I remember going to I think they had a tournament in Rockford and they were there.
Speaker 1:they had to be there at some you know crazy hour, 7.30 in the morning on Saturday, and they were playing because they won a few games. They were playing until like 4 or 5. And this one girl was finishing after doing volleyball and she goes. Well, I got to get home because I have soccer practice at like 9 to 11 tonight on Saturday night.
Speaker 2:What is happening?
Speaker 1:Where is there any rest? And it strikes me because this young woman and she was good at volleyball, she was good at softball, but it just seemed like too much. And what I heard is I remember that Leah telling me afterwards that this friend of hers, she got to college and she said I'm done, yeah they're fried, yeah, fried. I mean, they just did so much that there wasn't this rhythm of play and rest, work and rest, that it just became too much.
Speaker 2:Even a good thing turns into not a good thing, and it can lose its joy Kind of like eat too much chocolate.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, I don't know about that.
Speaker 2:I haven't eaten. I can always eat more chocolate.
Speaker 1:I don't know, I don't know, but I do think I think. That's again where, for me, this isn't black and white, this isn't it's all good or all bad. It's how do we keep perspective, how do we have the wisdom to still keep God centered? And first, in our lives as we're building other things around that. And that's good, but how are we also creating a schedule and a rhythm that is sustainable for for?
Speaker 2:that is healthy and healthy. Yeah, cause we're modeling barely sustaining it but that is no, and we're modeling for our kids how to become adults, right? So, like they're going to become, these adults that overwork, overdo them, you know, overextend themselves over and they're exhausted and fried and drink I them, you know, overextend themselves over and they're exhausted and fried and drink I, you know. I don't think any of us want that for our kids at all, and so, yeah, so what do you guys think? You might have kids, you?
Speaker 1:might be in this.
Speaker 2:Yeah, how much is too much? And how do you keep God at the center of this while you're still trying to honor? Maybe? Your kids find lots of joy in their sport and that's a God-given talent that God's given them. We'd love to hear some of your suggestions how you bring God into that space, as well as how you keep balance in that space.
Speaker 1:How do you set boundaries that are healthy? I think that's one that we just probably will keep coming back to in this podcast.
Speaker 2:Share that with all of us. We need it Next time on Unpacking Truths.
Speaker 1:I literally got an email today from a young man who grew up here at Light of Christ, who I had the privilege to baptize 20 years ago because I've been around here that long, and who just emailed today and he said Pastor, I just want to talk to you because I think I'm going to be baptized this Sunday. He's a part of a church. I love that. He stayed engaged in his faith and living that out. He's helping to lead worship at another church. He's planning on getting baptized there and he wanted to talk to me about the Lutheran understanding versus this.
Speaker 1:So he's been baptized, but he's now attending a church that expects for leaders or anyone involved to be baptized as an adult in a time of faith. So I'm going to have a conversation with them in the next couple of days. I said, hey, you got to tune into the podcast, but we're not dropping it till after that happens. So thanks for tuning in. If anything we said brought up any questions or ideas, let's keep the conversation going in the comments below or email us at unpackingtruths at locchurchcom.
Speaker 2:And don't forget to like, share and subscribe so we can continue helping people unpack God's truth for their lives.
