Time To Shine

In a few weeks the Games of the XXX Olympiad will begin. We will watch young Olympians compete at the highest level. Young athletes we’ve never heard of before, with success in their disciplines, will become household names. Yet, what we know is that these overnight successes have been years, sometimes decades in the making. Countless hours of training and preparation has gone in to ready them for peak performance in their “moment.” That moment for some will begin with fingertips on a starting line, for some toes on the edge of a diving board, for others hands raised on the corner of a gymnastics mat. With the pride and support of their homeland, each individual’s ability will be on display for the World to observe. It will be their moment to shine. Everything they have worked for will matter in that moment. As Christians we resonate deeply with such Olympic themes as training, perseverance, honor and victory because we too are in a great competition. Our Apostolic trainer, St. Paul called on the themes of sport to inspire and instruct Christ-followers toward the worthy prize of godliness and the ultimate reward of heaven. God’s Word teaches us that now is our time to shine. “Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky…” (Phil 2:15). On August 5th we will be starting a sermon series through the book of Philippians. Philippians is a training guide for how we can compete with joy at the highest level. Join as at Bayside as we seek to apply its principles and win the most important prize of life…and have fun doing it! August 5 Finish What You Start / Philippians 1:1-11 August 12 Live Up To the Hype / Philippians 1:12-29 August 19 Be Remarkable / Philippians 2:1-11 August 26 Time to Shine / Philippians 2:12-21 September 2 Understand the Scoring System / Philippians 3:1-11 September 9 Dig Deep / Philippians 3:12-21 September 16 Joy in Everything / Philippians 4:1-7 September 23 Contentment Always / Philippians 4:8-23