September 6th, 2023
by Jonathan Richerson
by Jonathan Richerson
Announcements:
Wednesday at West Haven – First Wednesday of September – Start off a new month by joining your church family for Wednesday Worship and Bible Study! Checkout the new programs and faces since the last time you were with us on a Wednesday! We are in a new season at West Haven. We have new opportunities, new Bible studies and new direction as we enter Fall. Children are invited to join Mr. Joel and his crew of faithful volunteers in our Children’s department as they begin a new series from Truewaykids.com. These exciting lessons will take learners through the problem of sin and gradually move toward the solution provided by Jesus. This 12-week series begins with the story of Adam and Eve and concludes with an invitation to attend the Great Banquet by accepting Jesus as Savior. This is a great time to explore the Salvation story with your young student. Our youth program will begin a new series this evening with Mr. Chris and Mr. Steven! Students will examine the origin of many of the worship songs we sing each Sunday. We will look at the writers, the Biblical meaning and theological application of worship! We are in the process of forming a Youth Worship team that will be meeting and practicing on Wednesday. Adults meet in the main building for at time of prayer and Bible study. Adults are in the second part of our series What We Believe. We are studying how God introduces Himself in the Scriptures! Tonight, we will continue the story of the Messiah. We will learn how the Bible shows us that Jesus is the promised Christ. See how the Old and New Testaments work together, delivering God’s plan for redemption. The WHBC Café opens at 5:45 tonight, so stop by for a quick snack before going off to your designated area! God is doing a great work on our campus! Come see what it is all about!
Attention Youth – The Fantasy Football Draft will take place right after church tonight. Join online or in the Student Center at 7:30PM. This year you will need the Sleeper fantasy football app found at the App Store.
New West Haven Café – We are excited to rollout the new and improved WHBC Café! The Café is open at 8:30AM on Sunday for coffee, tea and refreshments. Please step up to the counter and allow our WHBC Café Volunteers to serve you. You will be presented with a variety of choices, from breakfast snacks to cold lemonade. There will be something different each week. Each third Sunday of the month will be donut Sunday! To allow our workers to serve you most effectively, we ask that you DO NOT enter the kitchen area. We will be offering hot items from time to time and our workers need the space to do their job for you. If you need something, please ask at the counter. The Café will open at 5:45PM on Wednesday with a snack for our younger students. These snacks are designed to assist parents traveling between school, work and after school programs to tide students over so they may come directly to church, between busy schedules. Thank you for your help in enjoying these new choices. We also thank our volunteers for their faithful service to our church family!! If you would like to take a turn on Sunday and Wednesday, please check in at the Welcome Center!
Sherry's Run – This Saturday, September 9. If you ordered a WHBC T-Shirt, it is at the Welcome Center! The WHBC Team will meet Saturday at 7:20am at the Mitchell House (106 N Castle Heights Ave, Lebanon, TN 37087) to take the team picture, look for the BLUE Balloons. Wear your West Haven T-Shirt. The race begins at 8AM SHARP! The official Sherry's Run T-Shirts can be picked up Sunday or coordinate with Kaileigh. Go to Sherry's Hope Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=339510058414326&set=pcb.339014605130538), "LIKE" the West Haven Baptist Church Sherry's Run T-Shirt. Tell your spouse, children, friends, relatives. We could WIN!! You may register for the event through: bit.ly/SherryRunWestHaven
White Water Rafting is September 9. If you signed up for the trip, please check in at the Welcome Center for travel times and details.
FISH FEST 2023 – Mt. Olivet Baptist Church has invited us to join them for their annual Fish Fest THIS Saturday, September 9, 3PM -7PM. This event gets larger every year! Enjoy fish, chicken and all the fixin’s! Live music, classic cars, kid’s activities and inflatables! 7463 Hickory Ridge Road, 37123. www.mtolivetbaptist.com. This is community event, so show your support of our Sister Church and meet new people in our area. This is a FREE Event!
This Sunday At West Haven – Remembering 9/11 – Our Sunday School program is the first place you should look for new friends, Bible study and fellowship time! If you are looking for place to belong, serve and grow, our small group program is for you! Our small groups are the best way to introduce your friends to your church and meet a few new ones! Each class has a prepared lesson, fellowship time and life application of the Scripture. – Stop by the WHBC Café and enjoy a breakfast treat, a hot cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate before going to Sunday School at 8:45AM. Worship Services for everyone begins at 10AM. We have one of the best blends of traditional and contemporary worship that will take you back to the hymns of your childhood and lift your spirit with the worship songs you hear on the radio. Sunday worship at West Haven is a great way to invite the Lord’s presence into your life by expressing your thankfulness in prayer and inspirational singing. Join your heart and voice, along with others, as we praise the Lord together. Children are invited to join us at the beginning of worship before joining other boys and girls their age in Children’s Church. Here, they will participate in a specially designed, age graded, worship time! Our praise team will continue to lead the congregation in worship, followed by Pastor Jonathan’s message for the week. This Sunday we will reflect on the importance of community. It’s hard for some of us to believe that we now live among adults who were not born when our nation was attacked on September 11, 2001. The attacks resulted in 2,977 fatalities, over 25,000 injuries. In the days that followed we saw an increase in faith and community. There was a general recognition of how important working together as a nation is when facing a crisis. Over twenty years later, our country is once again divided on some of the most basic issues. God calls us to remember the events of our past, so that we do not have to suffer from the same mistakes over and over again. We hope you will begin your week by being with us this Sunday morning at West Haven. Invite someone to come with you and be sure to stop by the Welcome Center for more information on all that is going on!
New WEBSITE AND APP – We are excited to rollout our new WHBC website and app! www.westhavenbaptist.com will take you to our expanding online site. You can learn more about our church, view each ministry department and review previous services. Our new app can be downloaded from the Apple or Google store. We have all of the features from our app, with the addition of a Bible feature, group chats and connections while you are on the go. We are in the early stages, and a several areas are still under construction. In the days to come we will be moving to a new online giving platform and ministry connection portals. To help with this, we are asking you to sign up as a new user on the app (top right on your device). Once we have your information, we can allow you access to many of these new features. Thank you for your help in using this new technology that will help us get the word out about what God is doing and bring us closer together during the week! A big thank you to Pastor Rodney Duckett for his help!
Stand Firm Men’s Bible Study - Meeting this Monday, September 11. In the main building at 11AM, WHBC Café for a time for Bible study, fellowship and fun at midday! Bring your lunch and a Bible!
The Women’s Ministry will meet later in September. Please watch your email and newsletter for updates!
Ice Cream Social – It’s Back! Our annual end of summer fellowship returns on September 20 at 6PM! If you would like to make your special signature recipe, sign up at the Welcome Center. We hope to see some exotic flavors, so surprise us with your favorite to share!! Join the fun as we get ready for a new season at West Haven!!
Giving Opportunities: You can mail your check to the church at 5860 Lebanon Road, Lebanon, TN 37087 or visit our website www.westhavenbaptist.com and click on the blue “Give Online” tab. We also have Text to Tithe! Text to Tithe phone # is 615-551-5737! Let us know if you have any questions!
New Testaments for distribution through the Friends of Gideons are available: 5 for $10 or $175 will purchase a case of 100.
Outreach and contact system. Please be sure to add West Haven Baptist Church to your cell phone address book. Our number appears in your caller ID as 615-547-7729. If you have not received a message from us and would like to be added please let us know!
Church announcements – If you or your group would like to make an announcement for the church bulletin or newsletter please email us at alicia@westhavenbaptistchurch.com
Please show your support of Kare 4 Kids ministry by making a donation to help feed kids in Africa. $5 will feed one child for a month. Please see www.churchmissionsnetwork.org for more information. Empty soda cans can be dropped at the Yellow House to show support of Miracle Power, ministry to Africa. If you have large metal items you may deliver these directly to the collection bin at Immanuel Baptist!
Volunteers This Week (September 10)
Door Greeters– Mark Thorne & Scott Jasper
Bulletins – Paul Hughey
Welcome Center – Hettie Lee Richerson
Café – Sullivan Family
Children’s Workers – Sara Mofield, Mary Webb Nolan
Children’s Church – Kelli Fleming, Traci Smith
Video Camera – Jon Richerson
* If you would like to take a turn serving in one of these positions please sign up at the Welcome Center.
Birthdays:
September 6-12, 2023
Jean Johnson – 10
Johnny Robinson – 10
Scarlett Norwood – 10
Terri Felts – 11
*If we missed your birthday, please ask for a directory information form this Sunday or reply to this email.
Prayer Requests
Jeff Poling – Dad recovering from a stroke.
Linda Dowdy – Continues to heal after difficult hand surgery healing. Back at church last Sunday.
Lyn Piper – Mother being moved to an upgraded health facility. Dale and Lyn returning to TN today.
Horold Cowley - Admitted to Vandy Lebanon Hospital this morning.
Bolles Family – Brenda good update concerning appointment for hip surgery. Thank you for your prayers.
Tidwell Family – Laura to deliver baby hopefully by this Friday.
Ralph Cochran – Sister has shown some improvements but still in poor health.
Jerry and LaVerne Freeman – Jerry gets splint off next week. LaVerne X-Ray, no change, but expected. Both good!
Brenda Kellow – Ablation appointment scheduled for Sep. 20. Bedford back issues continue.
Mary Wiseman – Kidney doctor working on treatment plan. Hopeful, but honest. Much better week.
Randell Pence – Brother continues his cancer battle.
Wayne Dodd – Thankful for your prayers.
Please remember our shut-ins and those who struggle with health issues each week. Support our Sunshine Committee who reaches out to these individuals. Consider your possible involvement by praying or working with them.
Midweek Challenge
Around this time each year, we are reminded that college football rivalries are legendary. We all watched as Duke students swarmed the field after the Blue Devils took out Clemson this past weekend. Rivals go so far back that there is a Wikipedia page dedicated to the subject: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_college_rivalries_in_the_United_States
With many of these rivalries come some of the best school pranks in history. Army and Navy take turns stealing each other’s live animal mascot. The two mascots, a goat for Navy and a mule for Army, have a history of being kidnapped, usually in the week or two leading up to the annual contest.
In 1982 Stanford fans were furious after losing to Cal in the most wild, controversial finish in college football history. As revenge, Stanford's newspaper editors created a fake edition of Cal's student newspaper, The Daily Cal, that claimed the result of the game was overturned. They distributed the editions all over Berkeley and watched as some readers bought the hoax.
Back in 1896, prior to the arrival of Georgia Tech's squad by train, some Auburn students decided to try and cause some trouble for the Yellow Jackets by greasing the railroad tracks on which the Tech team was arriving. The prank was successful, as the train slid down the tracks for five extra miles.
The first Texas Longhorns' mascot, a steer, back in 1916, was kept in a stockyard in Austin over the off season. Not a good call to leave him unprotected. A group of Texas A&M students branded the steer with a "13-0", the score of the 1915 win by the Aggies over the Longhorns.
In 1958, UCLA students tried to drop 500 pounds of manure on USC's Tommy Trojan and the students protecting him. That backfired, as the helicopter in which they were riding sucked much of the manure into the rotor blades and onto the unfortunate perpetrators.
There is an old saying, “What comes around goes around.” It is defined as “a proverb One's actions or behavior will eventually have consequences for one, even if indirectly. The phrase typically refers to one being a victim of the same negative circumstances that they have inflicted on others.” https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/what+goes+around+comes+around
Alabama is getting its revenge on Texas for a move the school made last season. The SEC requires that schools provide at least 2,000 visitor tickets in the lower level of the stadium for conference games. The Big 12 requires a minimum of 2,500 tickets for visiting conference teams, though it doesn’t matter where those seats are. Last season, Texas offered to put the Crimson Tide’s band in the upper deck. When Alabama learned of this offense, they decided to leave the band at home. The Tide won 20-19 thanks to a game-winning drive that set up a 33-yard field goal. This season, Alabama has a chance to show the same courtesy to the Texas band. Since Saturday’s game isn’t a conference game yet (Texas will leave the Big 12 for the SEC next summer) the SEC requirement of lower level seats don’t apply! Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne confirmed this week that the school is placing all 5,000 visitor seats and the Longhorns band in the upper deck! “We are able to reciprocate a similar seating arrangement to what we had last year in Austin,” Byrne told The Tuscaloosa News. https://sports.yahoo.com/alabama-to-seat-texas-band-fans-in-upper-deck-of-bryant-denny-stadium-in-act-of-revenge-000551618.html Why do I hear Justin Timberlake music playing?
School rivalries are fun and can be creative, as long as they don’t become destructive and dangerous. When a rivalry becomes revenge, we have taken it too far. In Romans 12, Paul reminds us of a few key Biblical teachings that will keep our actions in check. In verses 17 and following he writes: Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
When the prank become revenge, we know that we have crossed the line. Good, clean fun, back and forth with those we compete with on the athletic field is one thing, but there is no place for vengeful actions. Enjoy the football season, but be sure to keep your anger under control.
Have I not kept this in reserve and sealed it in my vaults? It is mine to avenge; I will repay. Deuteronomy 32:34-35
Serving the Savior,
Bro. Jonathan
Wednesday at West Haven – First Wednesday of September – Start off a new month by joining your church family for Wednesday Worship and Bible Study! Checkout the new programs and faces since the last time you were with us on a Wednesday! We are in a new season at West Haven. We have new opportunities, new Bible studies and new direction as we enter Fall. Children are invited to join Mr. Joel and his crew of faithful volunteers in our Children’s department as they begin a new series from Truewaykids.com. These exciting lessons will take learners through the problem of sin and gradually move toward the solution provided by Jesus. This 12-week series begins with the story of Adam and Eve and concludes with an invitation to attend the Great Banquet by accepting Jesus as Savior. This is a great time to explore the Salvation story with your young student. Our youth program will begin a new series this evening with Mr. Chris and Mr. Steven! Students will examine the origin of many of the worship songs we sing each Sunday. We will look at the writers, the Biblical meaning and theological application of worship! We are in the process of forming a Youth Worship team that will be meeting and practicing on Wednesday. Adults meet in the main building for at time of prayer and Bible study. Adults are in the second part of our series What We Believe. We are studying how God introduces Himself in the Scriptures! Tonight, we will continue the story of the Messiah. We will learn how the Bible shows us that Jesus is the promised Christ. See how the Old and New Testaments work together, delivering God’s plan for redemption. The WHBC Café opens at 5:45 tonight, so stop by for a quick snack before going off to your designated area! God is doing a great work on our campus! Come see what it is all about!
Attention Youth – The Fantasy Football Draft will take place right after church tonight. Join online or in the Student Center at 7:30PM. This year you will need the Sleeper fantasy football app found at the App Store.
New West Haven Café – We are excited to rollout the new and improved WHBC Café! The Café is open at 8:30AM on Sunday for coffee, tea and refreshments. Please step up to the counter and allow our WHBC Café Volunteers to serve you. You will be presented with a variety of choices, from breakfast snacks to cold lemonade. There will be something different each week. Each third Sunday of the month will be donut Sunday! To allow our workers to serve you most effectively, we ask that you DO NOT enter the kitchen area. We will be offering hot items from time to time and our workers need the space to do their job for you. If you need something, please ask at the counter. The Café will open at 5:45PM on Wednesday with a snack for our younger students. These snacks are designed to assist parents traveling between school, work and after school programs to tide students over so they may come directly to church, between busy schedules. Thank you for your help in enjoying these new choices. We also thank our volunteers for their faithful service to our church family!! If you would like to take a turn on Sunday and Wednesday, please check in at the Welcome Center!
Sherry's Run – This Saturday, September 9. If you ordered a WHBC T-Shirt, it is at the Welcome Center! The WHBC Team will meet Saturday at 7:20am at the Mitchell House (106 N Castle Heights Ave, Lebanon, TN 37087) to take the team picture, look for the BLUE Balloons. Wear your West Haven T-Shirt. The race begins at 8AM SHARP! The official Sherry's Run T-Shirts can be picked up Sunday or coordinate with Kaileigh. Go to Sherry's Hope Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=339510058414326&set=pcb.339014605130538), "LIKE" the West Haven Baptist Church Sherry's Run T-Shirt. Tell your spouse, children, friends, relatives. We could WIN!! You may register for the event through: bit.ly/SherryRunWestHaven
White Water Rafting is September 9. If you signed up for the trip, please check in at the Welcome Center for travel times and details.
FISH FEST 2023 – Mt. Olivet Baptist Church has invited us to join them for their annual Fish Fest THIS Saturday, September 9, 3PM -7PM. This event gets larger every year! Enjoy fish, chicken and all the fixin’s! Live music, classic cars, kid’s activities and inflatables! 7463 Hickory Ridge Road, 37123. www.mtolivetbaptist.com. This is community event, so show your support of our Sister Church and meet new people in our area. This is a FREE Event!
This Sunday At West Haven – Remembering 9/11 – Our Sunday School program is the first place you should look for new friends, Bible study and fellowship time! If you are looking for place to belong, serve and grow, our small group program is for you! Our small groups are the best way to introduce your friends to your church and meet a few new ones! Each class has a prepared lesson, fellowship time and life application of the Scripture. – Stop by the WHBC Café and enjoy a breakfast treat, a hot cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate before going to Sunday School at 8:45AM. Worship Services for everyone begins at 10AM. We have one of the best blends of traditional and contemporary worship that will take you back to the hymns of your childhood and lift your spirit with the worship songs you hear on the radio. Sunday worship at West Haven is a great way to invite the Lord’s presence into your life by expressing your thankfulness in prayer and inspirational singing. Join your heart and voice, along with others, as we praise the Lord together. Children are invited to join us at the beginning of worship before joining other boys and girls their age in Children’s Church. Here, they will participate in a specially designed, age graded, worship time! Our praise team will continue to lead the congregation in worship, followed by Pastor Jonathan’s message for the week. This Sunday we will reflect on the importance of community. It’s hard for some of us to believe that we now live among adults who were not born when our nation was attacked on September 11, 2001. The attacks resulted in 2,977 fatalities, over 25,000 injuries. In the days that followed we saw an increase in faith and community. There was a general recognition of how important working together as a nation is when facing a crisis. Over twenty years later, our country is once again divided on some of the most basic issues. God calls us to remember the events of our past, so that we do not have to suffer from the same mistakes over and over again. We hope you will begin your week by being with us this Sunday morning at West Haven. Invite someone to come with you and be sure to stop by the Welcome Center for more information on all that is going on!
New WEBSITE AND APP – We are excited to rollout our new WHBC website and app! www.westhavenbaptist.com will take you to our expanding online site. You can learn more about our church, view each ministry department and review previous services. Our new app can be downloaded from the Apple or Google store. We have all of the features from our app, with the addition of a Bible feature, group chats and connections while you are on the go. We are in the early stages, and a several areas are still under construction. In the days to come we will be moving to a new online giving platform and ministry connection portals. To help with this, we are asking you to sign up as a new user on the app (top right on your device). Once we have your information, we can allow you access to many of these new features. Thank you for your help in using this new technology that will help us get the word out about what God is doing and bring us closer together during the week! A big thank you to Pastor Rodney Duckett for his help!
Stand Firm Men’s Bible Study - Meeting this Monday, September 11. In the main building at 11AM, WHBC Café for a time for Bible study, fellowship and fun at midday! Bring your lunch and a Bible!
The Women’s Ministry will meet later in September. Please watch your email and newsletter for updates!
Ice Cream Social – It’s Back! Our annual end of summer fellowship returns on September 20 at 6PM! If you would like to make your special signature recipe, sign up at the Welcome Center. We hope to see some exotic flavors, so surprise us with your favorite to share!! Join the fun as we get ready for a new season at West Haven!!
Giving Opportunities: You can mail your check to the church at 5860 Lebanon Road, Lebanon, TN 37087 or visit our website www.westhavenbaptist.com and click on the blue “Give Online” tab. We also have Text to Tithe! Text to Tithe phone # is 615-551-5737! Let us know if you have any questions!
New Testaments for distribution through the Friends of Gideons are available: 5 for $10 or $175 will purchase a case of 100.
Outreach and contact system. Please be sure to add West Haven Baptist Church to your cell phone address book. Our number appears in your caller ID as 615-547-7729. If you have not received a message from us and would like to be added please let us know!
Church announcements – If you or your group would like to make an announcement for the church bulletin or newsletter please email us at alicia@westhavenbaptistchurch.com
Please show your support of Kare 4 Kids ministry by making a donation to help feed kids in Africa. $5 will feed one child for a month. Please see www.churchmissionsnetwork.org for more information. Empty soda cans can be dropped at the Yellow House to show support of Miracle Power, ministry to Africa. If you have large metal items you may deliver these directly to the collection bin at Immanuel Baptist!
Volunteers This Week (September 10)
Door Greeters– Mark Thorne & Scott Jasper
Bulletins – Paul Hughey
Welcome Center – Hettie Lee Richerson
Café – Sullivan Family
Children’s Workers – Sara Mofield, Mary Webb Nolan
Children’s Church – Kelli Fleming, Traci Smith
Video Camera – Jon Richerson
* If you would like to take a turn serving in one of these positions please sign up at the Welcome Center.
Birthdays:
September 6-12, 2023
Jean Johnson – 10
Johnny Robinson – 10
Scarlett Norwood – 10
Terri Felts – 11
*If we missed your birthday, please ask for a directory information form this Sunday or reply to this email.
Prayer Requests
Jeff Poling – Dad recovering from a stroke.
Linda Dowdy – Continues to heal after difficult hand surgery healing. Back at church last Sunday.
Lyn Piper – Mother being moved to an upgraded health facility. Dale and Lyn returning to TN today.
Horold Cowley - Admitted to Vandy Lebanon Hospital this morning.
Bolles Family – Brenda good update concerning appointment for hip surgery. Thank you for your prayers.
Tidwell Family – Laura to deliver baby hopefully by this Friday.
Ralph Cochran – Sister has shown some improvements but still in poor health.
Jerry and LaVerne Freeman – Jerry gets splint off next week. LaVerne X-Ray, no change, but expected. Both good!
Brenda Kellow – Ablation appointment scheduled for Sep. 20. Bedford back issues continue.
Mary Wiseman – Kidney doctor working on treatment plan. Hopeful, but honest. Much better week.
Randell Pence – Brother continues his cancer battle.
Wayne Dodd – Thankful for your prayers.
Please remember our shut-ins and those who struggle with health issues each week. Support our Sunshine Committee who reaches out to these individuals. Consider your possible involvement by praying or working with them.
Midweek Challenge
Around this time each year, we are reminded that college football rivalries are legendary. We all watched as Duke students swarmed the field after the Blue Devils took out Clemson this past weekend. Rivals go so far back that there is a Wikipedia page dedicated to the subject: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_college_rivalries_in_the_United_States
With many of these rivalries come some of the best school pranks in history. Army and Navy take turns stealing each other’s live animal mascot. The two mascots, a goat for Navy and a mule for Army, have a history of being kidnapped, usually in the week or two leading up to the annual contest.
In 1982 Stanford fans were furious after losing to Cal in the most wild, controversial finish in college football history. As revenge, Stanford's newspaper editors created a fake edition of Cal's student newspaper, The Daily Cal, that claimed the result of the game was overturned. They distributed the editions all over Berkeley and watched as some readers bought the hoax.
Back in 1896, prior to the arrival of Georgia Tech's squad by train, some Auburn students decided to try and cause some trouble for the Yellow Jackets by greasing the railroad tracks on which the Tech team was arriving. The prank was successful, as the train slid down the tracks for five extra miles.
The first Texas Longhorns' mascot, a steer, back in 1916, was kept in a stockyard in Austin over the off season. Not a good call to leave him unprotected. A group of Texas A&M students branded the steer with a "13-0", the score of the 1915 win by the Aggies over the Longhorns.
In 1958, UCLA students tried to drop 500 pounds of manure on USC's Tommy Trojan and the students protecting him. That backfired, as the helicopter in which they were riding sucked much of the manure into the rotor blades and onto the unfortunate perpetrators.
There is an old saying, “What comes around goes around.” It is defined as “a proverb One's actions or behavior will eventually have consequences for one, even if indirectly. The phrase typically refers to one being a victim of the same negative circumstances that they have inflicted on others.” https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/what+goes+around+comes+around
Alabama is getting its revenge on Texas for a move the school made last season. The SEC requires that schools provide at least 2,000 visitor tickets in the lower level of the stadium for conference games. The Big 12 requires a minimum of 2,500 tickets for visiting conference teams, though it doesn’t matter where those seats are. Last season, Texas offered to put the Crimson Tide’s band in the upper deck. When Alabama learned of this offense, they decided to leave the band at home. The Tide won 20-19 thanks to a game-winning drive that set up a 33-yard field goal. This season, Alabama has a chance to show the same courtesy to the Texas band. Since Saturday’s game isn’t a conference game yet (Texas will leave the Big 12 for the SEC next summer) the SEC requirement of lower level seats don’t apply! Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne confirmed this week that the school is placing all 5,000 visitor seats and the Longhorns band in the upper deck! “We are able to reciprocate a similar seating arrangement to what we had last year in Austin,” Byrne told The Tuscaloosa News. https://sports.yahoo.com/alabama-to-seat-texas-band-fans-in-upper-deck-of-bryant-denny-stadium-in-act-of-revenge-000551618.html Why do I hear Justin Timberlake music playing?
School rivalries are fun and can be creative, as long as they don’t become destructive and dangerous. When a rivalry becomes revenge, we have taken it too far. In Romans 12, Paul reminds us of a few key Biblical teachings that will keep our actions in check. In verses 17 and following he writes: Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
When the prank become revenge, we know that we have crossed the line. Good, clean fun, back and forth with those we compete with on the athletic field is one thing, but there is no place for vengeful actions. Enjoy the football season, but be sure to keep your anger under control.
Have I not kept this in reserve and sealed it in my vaults? It is mine to avenge; I will repay. Deuteronomy 32:34-35
Serving the Savior,
Bro. Jonathan
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