Lords of Water Deep/Lord of Living Water

The high school Bible study is starting back up tomorrow, after a summer long break, and I’m super excited!

Firstly, we are going to play one of my favorite board games, Lords of Water Deep. I like it so much it is going to go to Japan with us, even though it may be a bit heavy with lots of cards, wooden blocks and counters.

Secondly, it’s a new semester and I have two new students and two returning students (although one technically graduated high school, but I think it will be OK). With much sadness, one of the first high schoolers God placed in my life will not be in attendance. He has moved to his dads in Oklahoma and his presence at the table will be sorely missed.

A board game, to tell people about Jesus, I hear you ask. Yes, of course! This will come as no real shock if you know the Irwin’s, we are kind of nerds… OK, we are really nerds, and God, through His grace and mercy, place other young searching nerds in my path to disciple (to share life with, to encourage, to laugh with, to break bread with).

I am going to collect my thoughts here, and carry them out tomorrow morning, which is why this is future tense.

We are going to start in a strange way. We are going to pass the rule book around, and I am going to have each of them read a few paragraphs randomly. Odd right? We are going to talk about how sometimes we can read the Bible here and there and all out of context. With enough reading, we could learn to play the game; just like the Bible, with enough reading we can get a feel for how we should live our life.

Then, with those disconnected paragraphs as a starting place, I will use the manual to set up the board, let’s say… to create the world for them to play in. Then talk about how the Bible has all this stuff in it- the boundaries of this world, and how the set up of the board on the instruction manual leads directly into the rules of game play, how turns are completed, what you can do, and finally, what the goal of the game is- how you win.

What is winning in Christianity? How do we win this life?

The world will tell you its many things, but check with the creator of the game (to win the game) and check with the Creator of life (to win in life).

Both life and the game have money and gold, that’s not how you win. It’s merely a tool for us to use on our way to the end.

Both life and the game have many decisions, limited opportunities on the board and in life. Just like I can only work so many jobs, because there are only so many hours in a day. I can do lots of jobs over the course of a life/game, but we have to prioritize and finish some to move on to others.

As well as many other teachable similarities, but how do we win?

In the game, it’s mostly from Victory Points (VP). When you complete quests/jobs, you can earn some minor points from money and from gathering adventurers, but the bulk is completing quests.

Each player has a lord of Water Deep, a character that has two quest types that they get extra VP for. I won’t go into the specifics here too much, but to simply say, you as a character of your own story (ya, I’m talking about you, holding the phone/device), you are the character of your own story, and like these in game lords, they have two types of quests they get more VP for accomplishing. They were made to do better at certain tasks. Just like God made you to be better at certain things. Maybe you are better at serving, preaching, teaching, pastoring, loving, crying, empathizing, or whatever it is. He made you a certain way for you to better flourish. It’s not that you can’t do and get benefit from doing non-primary quests, but God designed you for a purpose, only you will work for His purpose.

Play the game, have fun, point out there are only 8 rounds to the entire game, consisting of 2-3 turns per round. You know when the end will come, a privilege we don’t get in real life.

I’m also adding 3, Jed original cards, based on 3 of the Old Testament false gods that always crop up.

Ba’al: the god of mind altercation, (simply the use of drugs or alcohol)

Ashteroth: god of the lust of the flesh

Molech: god of death

I remember this because of a brother that brought it to my attention that these gods spell out BAM! And they are all that is wrong with the world (in a most simplistic manner).

Each has their own solid draw back as a place to play one of your turns; one costs you 2 gold (or a victory point if you can’t pay), one loses you 5 VP, and one kills of all the adventurers in your tavern. As we all know dealing with these worldly forces will have real world consequences, and a player would have to be not in their right mind to play on one of these building options (so I expect at least one high schooler to try one out…).

I will not be playing the game (sadly it’s only 2-5 players), but I’ll be a banker, handing out gold and adventurers. I’ll also be the guiding spirit that tells them the rules, when they need them, guide them, and be there to answer questions, much like the Holy Spirit. I know the rules. I can help show them the way, guide them, and give them hints that would optimize their play or experience (like the last round I tend to tell players that each adventurer in your tavern is worth 1 VP and each 2 gold is worth 1 VP, to help them manage their last turn, to chase quests or do what they can with what they have).

And how does the Christian win life? Well to simplify it for tomorrow’s Bible study, it’s to become more like Him, because that is the stuff of eternity. It’s the lasting stuff, and to get rid of as much sinful old self as we can before the game ends… I mean life.

Check out Philippians 3:12-14:

“12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Do you hear that? We have not obtained all of it (to see what “it” was, check out the rest of this awesome chapter/book). We are still running the race, still playing the game, we have not gotten to the finish line to count up out points, we still have the opportunity to strive forward, and reap what God freely gives through grace and mercy. With salvation behind us, we can really start to play the game. Reach out to me or someone that has the light if you don’t have Salvation. We can’t give it, but we can guide you toward the start space, and walk with you for a time, until you can better hear the Holy Spirit to guide you.

“Strain forward to win the prize,” says the scripture. Do not get bogged down in BAM! What a waste of time and life. There are many playable options on the board. We buy houses or rent, get this job or that, we date her or be single. God will be with us through each turn, each round, and with some perspective, it’s easy to avoid those 3 evil idols, play the game well, with the end in mind.

God has already set up the board, written the “rule”book (as it were, it even shows good and bad examples of play!). There are people that are playing the game well, and some that are floundering around without the “rules” (rules is a bad word, they have perspective and relationship with the Designer).

If you align yourself with God, seek Him, and strive for more of Him in your life and less of your old sinful self, you are already on the winning side of history. God has already won!

Check out the book of Revelation to see how He has already won (prophecies were traditionally written in past tense, because He said he would, and He will, so why doubt what will be?).

I also really like Romans 12:1-21 as another supporting text for this idea of “winning” life.

<—-Paris Texas a Podcast & an Interview