A Big Prayer Meeting
A Big Prayer Meeting • Sermon • Submitted
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· 80 viewsA sermon preached to show the power of prayer for the NFL star Hamlin.
Notes
Transcript
Scripture
Scripture
James 4:14 - “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
Introduction:
Introduction:
Normally I don’t watch Monday Night Football. In fact I haven’t watched it since it switched to ESPN. But last Monday night I was channel surfing when I came across a game where the Bills were playing in a playoff game. I saw that the game had been canceled and there were members of both football teams kneeling and some were walking around in disbelief. I wanted to know what was going on so I stopped and watched.
When I learned what happened, like many others, I began to pray for Mr. Hamlin who is a star player in the NFL and a respected 24 year old man in the community. Mr. Hamlin collapsed on the field from cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest results from electrical disturbances that cause the heart to suddenly stop beating properly. In cardiac arrest, death can result quickly if steps aren't taken immediately.The Buffalo Bills medical staff responded and he was rushed to a local hospital.
God is revealing Himself to us everyday, especially through social media. I agree that some of what we watch or listen to isn’t healthy for our spiritual well-being. But last Monday Night, January 2, 2022, at about 8:00 p.m., something happened that captured millions of people’s attention, and like me, I was glued watching players and fans praying for Mr. Hamlin. There was a man and his son or grandson holding a large white sign that said; “Pray for Hamlin”.
I woke up on Thursday morning with what happened to Mr. Hamlin on my mind. I started my morning prayer and devotion when I asked; “I wonder how many people were watching when Mr. Hamlin collapsed on the field.” Then I was led by the Spirit to research how many people were watching this incident. I didn’t Google too long before I found this article in CNN’s Business section on their website. The headlines read:
“‘Monday Night Football’ telecast in which Hamlin collapsed was most watched in ESPN’s history”
“‘Monday Night Football’ telecast in which Hamlin collapsed was most watched in ESPN’s history”
The NFL showdown between the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills, which was postponed in the first quarter after Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field, was the most-watched “Monday Night Football” telecast in ESPN history, averaging 23.8 million viewers, according to preliminary ratings.
...the broadcast had an average of 23,788,000 viewers across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 from approximately 8:30 pm to 10:09 pm. The massive audience makes it the most-watched “Monday Night Football” broadcast since the NFL moved the series to ESPN in 2006...
During game play, ESPN averaged 21.1 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings. That audience then grew to 23.9 million viewers between 9 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. when ESPN aired news coverage of Hamlin’s collapse.
An ESPN spokesperson told CNN on Wednesday that, given the special circumstances around Monday’s game, it was not clear whether the viewership numbers would be factored into the season average or used for historical purposes.
When I read the article I realized that God had millions of people’s attention wherever ESPN was broadcasting. He had the attention of all social statuses. He had the attention of world leaders. He had the attention of even the ones who don’t believe in His Son Jesus!
We need to always be sober and vigilant as it written in 1 Peter 5:8 because instances like these can go over our head and we miss it if we’re not walking in the Spirit but fulfilling the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16).
People are already spreading lies, rumors and misinformation about this incident. I won’t stand in your presence and repeat what’s out there because “IT’S THE DEVIL’S PLAN TO DISTRACT US FROM THE TRUTH AND THE DIVINE MOMENT THIS REPRESENTS.” SO STAY FOCUSED!!! Don’t get caught up in the debate storm of the media!!! Keep yout focus on what God is doing and going to do in this season.
There was misinformation regarding a miracle when Jesus as resurrected. Read - Matthew 28:11-15 and you will find an account of how the chief priests made an attempt to spread misinformation about the tomb being empty. The same spirit that tried to downplay the divine work of God is still around trying the same tactic today.
What Can We Learn From The Incident On Monday Night Football?
What Can We Learn From The Incident On Monday Night Football?
I want to tell you about three things we can learn from what happened to Mr. Hamlin.
We Can Learn How Temporary and Fragile Our Lives Are.
We Can Learn How Temporary and Fragile Our Lives Are.
James 4:14 “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
Mr Hamlin conditioned all year long for the playoffs. But in a matter of seconds he fell to the ground, lifeless, his heart stopped!
Mr. Hamlin went from a tall, physically strong young man to needing emergency medical assistance. God had exactly who needed to be in place, at that particular time, for those particular circumstances.
You see God knew what was going to happen before Mr. Hamlin was born!
We need to be praising God right now for His compassions being there for Mr. Hamlin for all the world to see.
Our lives are so very fragile. It’s like steam rising from a pot of boiling water.
The next time you boil some water, look at the steam that rises from the pot. That steam rises a few inches before it disappears in seconds. James is using this as an example of how quick everything can come to a griding halt. This is why we should be always having our minds on doing what’s right. Loving like we should and serving the Lord and others like we should.
We Can Learn More About Prayer
We Can Learn More About Prayer
James 5:16 “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
As I said last Wednesday in Bible Study, one of the hardest things for us to do is admit we’re wrong about something to members of the Body of Christ. We discussed the reasons why. I don’t want to get off-topic today, but I had to stop on the first part of this verse because it’s very important and useful to all of us.
At that moment Mr. Hamlin fell to the ground. There were people on the field and in the stands beginning to pray. His teammates and the opposing team knelt in prayer!
The image of that man and his child standing there holding a large sign that said “Pray for Hamlin” will always be with me.
I wonder if that sign always had that written on it? I wonder if the sign had “GO BRONCOS” written on one side, but the man’s priorities changed and he flipped the sign over and wrote “Pray for Hamlin?”
A portion of the millions of people watching the game started praying. I started praying. And God responded to all those prayers and delivered Mr. Hamlin!
I know, I know. The text says “the prayers of a righteous man”. I’m sure there were more than just Christians watching the game. You might be saying everybody isn’t righteous. But some of us Christians love us some football! I know there were more than a few Christians touching and agreeing for a miracle!
Matthew 18:19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.”
God had enough people who could get a prayer through in that stadium, on those sidelines, on that field, in that ambulance and in that hospital that could get a prayer through and do His will on behalf of Mr. Hamlin.
So GOD STILL GETS THE GLORY!!!
God Wants The World To Know Him
God Wants The World To Know Him
God showed His power to us in front of millions of people.
Church of God In Christ’s theme for 2023 is Our Mission Made Possible - Zechariah 4:6 “So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.”
God wants the entire world to know that His Spirit prevails on the earth.
He wants the people in this world to know how much He loves us. He wants us to know how far He’ll go to rescue us. He wants us to know He has a much better place than where we are now.
He wants us to know He’ll do anything in His will to rescue us.
Mr. Hamlin was probably dead as he laid on that field. But God used the hands and equipment of people to restore a life!
Conclusion
Conclusion
It might have been Monday Night Football for some, but it was Monday Prayer Meeting for others!
Many people came together and prayed and God delivered!
God has a way to bring the masses together to show us just who He is.
God got a way to bring the masses together to watch Him handle an impossible situation. People who prayed were on a seemingly impossible mission and the mission was made possible!
God got a way to bring the masses together to restore honor, glory, dominion and power to His name.
Mr Hamlin is a blessed man. Why? Because his situation was used to bring glory to His God.
I believe some people recognized God through what happened to Mr Hamlin and repentance took place. Somebody confessed their sin and asked the Lord to save them.
And because God used Mr Hamlin for His glory, Mr Hamlin is a blessed man!
Last Monday night will go down in Sports History and he will always be remembered as the NFL Gladiator who fell lifeless to the ground, but God raised Him up!
