Tebowing

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot not be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before man, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

There has been a lot of talk and attention about former National Championship Florida Gators Heisman Trophy winner and current starting Quarterback for the Denver Broncos Tim Tewbow, as both an on-the-field player and prayer. Mr. Tewbow’s acknowledgement of His faith and praise of His personal Lord & Savior Jesus Christ has gained national attention as much as his amazing turning around of the football team’s record this last season, and his one knee on-field praying (known as “Tebowing”) has become a world image. This all, not without both encouragement by Believers and Seekers, and opposition from those of Unbelief, spiritual blindness and ignorance of the gospel of Jesus Christ. To Tim’s credit, he humbly lets his Christian beliefs and life speak for himself, because in a country where Freedom of Religion is a Constitutional Right, there is no Freedom from Religion and he can freely exercise and express his faith with an honest enthusiasm and an authentic conviction for the God that made and sustains him, the Lord that died for his sins that he may have eternal life in heaven and the Holy Spirit that indwells his heart that leads his steps daily by the Holy Word of God.

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Tim states in his memoir book “Through My Eyes”, that Matthew 28: 19-20 “was a real and integral verse within the life of our family. Even more than that, it was a way of life for our family.” He was born into a Missionary family that witnesses for Christ naturally … not as what they do, as much as who they are. Loving God and loving others. Tim’s father established an orphanage in the Philippines called “Uncle Dick’s Home” and he takes regular Mission trips there to bring the gospel message. He writes of how he talks about the gospel to school children there, saying: “the word “gospel” means “good news". So I’ll ask, “Do you like good news? The good news is that God loves you! He loves you so much that He sent His son Jesus to die for you. He made you special and wants to have a personal relationship with you and give you eternal life. But our biggest problem is that we have sinned. Because God is a Holy God, He can never have fellowship with sin. Sin makes a wall between us and God. Because Jesus had no sin He could die on the cross for your sins and rose from the dead, He has the power to forgive your sins, make you His Child, and give you a home in heaven. That is the best news you could ever hear. You can’t earn the free gift of eternal life, and you can’t pay for the free gift of eternal life, you can only receive it as a gift, by putting your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone. I invite you to pray with me: “Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need a Savior. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. I open the door of my heart and ask you to come in. save me now, Jesus. Thank you that God is my Father and I am His child. Thank you that I have a home in heaven, and I will come and live with you some day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” Personally it is so exciting to have the privilege to share this good news with other people. I know that God is the one who changes hearts, but I am always eager to try and plant seed.”

Sharing the good news of the gospel is simply planting seeds in the hearts of those who do not know the Lord, about God’s free gift of forgiveness of sins, salvation from hell and eternal life in heaven through repentance and faith in the Savior. Jonathon Edwards writes: “Witnesses of the truth are not those who simply declare an opinion that something is true. Proper witnesses are those who can and do testify that they have seen the truth of the thing that they assert.” The gospel message is the gospel truth of the way to salvation, but our personal stories of what the Lord has done in our life is a eyewitness account that the world needs to hear from each of us.

Tebow goes on to write, “Something that I haven’t always grasped but which in the last few years I have come to understand in my own life and which burns in my heart for others to also recognize and realize: we all have stories to share. We all have life experiences that can bless the lives of others. Whoever we are. Wherever we find ourselves. Whatever we are involved in, no matter our age or station in life. Stories that, when shared with others, can make a positive difference in the world. I hope that you see that my story’s true focus is on God and on those eternal values that He holds before us as beacons and benchmarks, to help us live lives of abundance that will ultimately glorify Him, while also lifting and bettering the lives of His children everywhere. God challenges us to change the world. And to do this, He asks us to change it one life at a time." Share your faith, living it out in Christian witness. Don’t just bring the message, but be the message. Let’s all start “Tebowing” (aka bring the light of Christ) to a lost and dying world that needs Jesus.

In Christ, Brian