If you are familiar with horse racing, then you are familiar with the word “trifecta”. Trifecta is a fairly recent addition to the English language. It first appeared in the early 1970s as a term for a horse-racing bet in which first, second, and third place finishers are chosen in the correct order. In other words, you are placing a wager on who you think the first three finishers will be and in what order. Get them right and you get a pretty good payoff for your bet. It is easier said than done.
I am lousy at gambling. Once a year, at the most, I might purchase a lottery ticket when the prize is over a trillion dollars and the odds are billion-to-one. I think of it as my contribution to the state. Gambling is not my forte. It is a game of luck. I don’t have much luck.
As you know, Dana—my wife, is a native of Kentucky which is known for its thoroughbred horses and horse racing. When we were dating, she decided to take me to the Keeneland Racetrack to experience horse racing at its best . . . to give me the true Kentucky experience. Well, as in Rome do as the Romans do. So, we decided to place bets on several of the races. I wanted to look at a racing form to see how the horses stacked up before placing a wager; Dana, well she looked at the colors the jockeys were wearing, looked for the colors she liked, and decided that was the horse she would wager on. Since I didn’t understand the racing forum and she bet on a whim, neither of us walked away with any winnings. As I said, gambling is luck and luck is not something I have been abundantly blessed with.
Which brings me back to that word . . . “trifecta”. Like a lot of words in the English language it has several meetings . . . it has a broader meaning. Now it can also refer to a group of three things. In our brief scripture reading, the Apostle Paul’s final greeting to the church in Corinth, he admonishes and challenges the congregation to a trifecta . . . a holy order of three things. He tells them to strive towards becoming what God desires for them to become . . . the Kingdom of God. And, to do this, he tells them there are “three” things they should do: “. . . encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace.”
If you do this, says the apostle, you will succeed. Or as he says it: “And the God of love and peace will be with you.” Paul is betting on a holy trifecta!
So should we.
“. . . encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace.” What is not to love about the three challenges that the apostle puts upon those—and ultimately us, too—in Corinth? Encouragement. Like-mindedness. And peace? Paul tells us that if we can get the hang of these three, we can discover that God is with us. Who doesn’t want that?
“. . . encourage one another . . .” A little encouragement goes a long way. Author and psychiatrist M. Scott Peck says that “life is difficult” and it is. None of us is going to argue that it is not. We all have our hard days . . . our difficult days . . . our down in the dump days. A few kind words of encouragement, a supportive statement, a few cheers here and there can make a difference when we are having those sorts of days. It makes us feel better . . . better about ourselves and our situations . . . better because someone cares. It reminds us that we are not alone.
Paul wants those who follow Jesus to encourage one another. To be supportive. To be caring. To be loving. But most of all to be that presence that lets others know that they are not alone in life or its struggle. Knowing that someone is behind us . . . encouraging us and cheering us on . . . can make a difference. A big difference.
“. . . be of one mind . . .” In this the apostle is not calling us to all think alike. No, he never said that as he acknowledges with the Corinthian church that there is more than one way of thinking about faith that brings people together as the children of God. Which makes sense, none of our faith stories are alike because none of us is alike. Instead, what the apostle is calling for when it comes to “being of one mind”, is that the purpose—the goal—is the same. In this case establishing the Kingdom of God as Jesus taught . . . through love. Love of God. Love of one another. Of “being of one mind” towards this common purpose or goal. And of this we should agree . . . God calls us to love, and our lives should be grounded in that love.
Which brings us to “. . . live in peace . . .” Peace is a big word. There are probably as many understandings of that word as there are people in this sanctuary. We all have our own idea of what “peace” means and is. But I warn you . . . peace is not the absence of disagreement or conflict. Disagreement and conflict are a natural part of human nature. It is there in the debate of disagreement and conflict that peace can be discovered as people sit down and talk. Talk about differences. Talk about feelings. Talk about hopes and dreams. Talk about what could be. It is in the love and respect that allows us to sit down and be in relationship with one another . . . of learning to understand one another that peace begins. It is the willingness to sit down and work with one another towards achieving that purpose and goal. It is reconciliation . . . being able to accept and live with one another.
Paul is placing his money on this “holy trifecta”. He is betting that it can be accomplished. In doing this there will be “full restoration”. The kingdom will come. It will be as God desires it to be . . . or, as the apostle states: “And the God of love and peace will be with you.”
As the apostle encourages the congregation in Corinth to place a bet on this “holy trifecta” . . . to go for broke while shooting for the moon, so do I. I encourage you to go ahead and wager on this “holy trifecta” of encouragement, like-mindedness, and peace. Whether you win or lose, it is up to you. You can’t do either if you never place the bet.
I remind you of that old joke about the man who kept praying to God to win the lottery as the prize escalated in the into the millions . . . how he promised God that he would change his life, dedicate his son to the priesthood, anything, and everything if God would help him win the lottery. After finding no support from God, the man sits crying and praying to God about how God had failed him. Then there is a rumbling voice that shakes the sanctuary saying: “This is God. You’ve got to help me with this one . . . buy a ticket!”
God believes in us. God is betting on us. Let us do our part. Let us buy a ticket. Let us believe in ourselves. Amen.
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