Skin in the Game It’s easy for anyone to enjoy the performance of a band, team, company, stock, etc., but there is another level of involvement that connects only certain people with these things. Benefiting and committing to any cause will be much enhanced when there is some “skin in the game.” It’s when a personal risk has been taken - an investment of time, resources, and energy - that commitment and loyalty enable tenacity through hard times and promise of sharing in the rewards of success. The degree to which this risk is taken is the degree to which loyalty and reward will be affected. The small investment may cause little concern for consequences, but it will also demand little faithfulness to follow and support. However, the commitment of everything owned to something means that every effort will be made, no matter the obstacles or difficulties. This higher level of commitment also has a much higher promise of return when successful. The purpose of Jesus’ coming to earth was far beyond doing good, healing, and performing miracles. He came so no one would have to perish. However, to receive the salvation He offered would require a much higher level of commitment than just joining a fan club. To follow Him as a disciple and know the rewards of eternal life would mean having some “skin in the game,” as in the all-out investment of everything for Him. His sacrifice would be the payment for all our sins, but in laying down His life for this, in His investment of everything, He demonstrated what it would take for everyone to not perish. From Him comes the promise of blessing for all aspects of life, but to receive eternal life, the real gift He offers, means eating of His flesh and drinking His blood, going all out with the ultimate “skin in the game.” Until there is this full exchange of lives, all of ours for all of His, it will be easy to abandon and give up following Him. Only the “all in” get what He went “all in” for. Until then, His goodness will always beckon to come for the real exchange of life. Notes Skin – investment of time, resources, and energy. Benefits – connection with the rewards through loyalty Without – no loyalty, no expectation of reward Degree of “skin” = degree of loyalty/reward Ancient Roman Rule “Engineers who built bridges had to sleep under them for a set period after completion.” If the bridge collapsed, they were the first to die. Extreme but powerful — total skin in the game. Sports: A coach agrees to a bonus-only contract — meaning they only get paid if the team wins a championship. They're risking their income on the team's success. That’s skin in the game. Politics: A politician passes a law about healthcare and agrees to use only the public healthcare system (no special private plans for themselves). Now they experience the same system they create for others — skin in the game. Business: A startup founder doesn’t just draw a big salary early on — they take a small paycheck and earn mostly through company stock. If the company does well, they benefit; if it fails, they lose out. Skin in the game. Everyday Life: A contractor agrees to fix your roof and offers a 5-year warranty — if it leaks, they come back and repair it for free. They have a stake in doing it right the first time — skin in the game. Jesus’ purpose – eternal life John 3:16 (NLT) 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. How is His gift received? Matthew 16:24-26 (NLT) 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? In Jesus’ sacrifice, it wasn’t enough for Him to come to earth; if He expected us to lay our lives down, He had to do so Himself. Eternal life – not DIY – requires ultimate skin Matthew 19:21 (NLT) 21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” The temporary blessing of earthly provision vs eternal heavenly provision John 6:50-58 (NLT) 50 Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” 52 Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked. 53 So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. 54 But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.” Our salvation/”skin in the game” ensures our loyal commitment John 10:11-13 (NLT) 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. Do we really have skin in the life we’re selling? The Architect's House An architect boasted about the beautiful homes she designed for others. One day, a client asked: “Which of these houses do you live in?” The architect hesitated. She lived in a different, much sturdier house she had designed for herself. From that day, the client decided: "I will only hire an architect who lives in the house they build." Our life vs His: time, resources, and energy Matthew 10:37-39 (NLT) 37 “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. The reward for all out following Mark 10:29-31 (NLT) 29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.