The big event on the AFL calendar yesterday was the official AFL Grand Final Church Service held at Scots Presbyterian Church. Over 300 people gathered at Scots to hear Rev. John Boyes, chaplain to the Manchester United Football Club in the UK. While AFL is a foreign game to John he explained that the players and fans on Saturday have a lot in common with the fisherman mentioned in the Bible book of Luke (chapter 5 verses 1 to 11).
As Rev. Boyes reflected on this passage he pointed to four main factors that remind us that striving for success in football is good but it is not as important as following Jesus. He explained that athletes, like the fishermen in Luke's message, know about the frustration of failure. The fishermen had worked hard all night and yet had nothing to show for it. Athletes and fans can strive for a finals spot but there is often frustration at seeing no results.
There is also the superficial nature of success. The ultimate prize of an AFL Premiership might seem like the catch of a lifetime, a huge net full of fish. However, in the big picture of life few will be worried about who won the game during their dying breath.
So what is true success? What is life all about? Rev. Boyes pointed to the call to follow Jesus. The fishermen had just had the catch of a lifetime yet dropped everything to follow Jesus. And this call was not just to come to a church building but follow the Christ throughout all of life. This was the final conclusion: we are all on a journey. The AFL Grand Final is a great national event. Yet it is just a taste of the full life that Jesus offers if we turn from our own ways and come onto His team. Jesus gave the invitation to seek and you will find. The fishermen's journey started by seeing what really mattered. Not a huge catch of fish but following Jesus. For us as footy fans it is the same. The game is important but Jesus words in Luke 5 give us a bigger perspective.
The sermon can be heard on Melbourne's Light FM on Sunday 8am and downloaded at http://www.scotschurch.com/