Christianity as a Team
Sport!
Peter G. Kuskie,
Throughout Jesus’ ministry He was continually
saying “to what shall I liken” this
or that. He used the things around Him
that people could relate to, to teach spiritual lessons. In
What is it about sport,
particularly team events that so captures our imagination? Well when I played it was all about working
together to defeat the opposition and win the prize. It was about practicing to be the best we
could be. It was about teamwork.
Brothers and sisters when
we were saved we joined a team. God has made each of us
to be a part of His team. We all have a
vital role to play and unless we all know what our role is and are fulfilling
it, then God’s team is not as effective as it could
and should be. Whether we like it or not we are involved in a competition with
the devil. The trophy is our soul &
the souls of men.
In this study we will
look at what is needed to make a successful team and liken it to the part you
and I play in the body of Christ.
The first
thing a team needs is a goal. They need
to know what they are there to achieve. Proverbs
29:18 tells us “Where there is no
vision, the people perish.”
Our goal on
God’s team is two fold:
>
Firstly we are to grow to be more like Jesus.
Rom
Secondly
God means for us to lead others to Jesus.
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you
fishers of men." Matt
Daniel
12:3 says “Those who are
wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to
righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”
Brothers
and sisters we need a goal in our Christian life and to remain focused on it.
There has never been a time in history with more potential distractions. All of us acknowledge that time is flying by
as we lead busy, involved lives. Yet
activity does not necessarily equate to accomplishment of Gods purposes. The apostle Paul knew how to stay
focused. He said “but this one thing
I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those
things which are before, I press towards the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Phil
Every team
needs a good coach. Who is our
coach? Jesus!! Heb12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher
of our faith.” He is the best
coach there is because He has “been there…done
that.” Heb 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are -
yet was without sin.” No
matter what we are facing Jesus has faced the same thing and conquered it. That is why when He speaks we can listen and
obey with confidence. He is totally
committed to His team - the church. Matt
We’ve all
seen coaches with pen & paper, microphones and runners. This is how the coach
conveys instructions to their team while the game is in progress. We can’t
physically see our coach so how does he instruct us?
Firstly
through His Presence Ps140:13 …the
upright shall dwell in your presence. Matt
Secondly He
instructs us through His word. Ps119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
2 Tim 3:16&17 All Scripture is God-breathed
and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
(See also Ps 119:9-11)
Jesus has
promised to be with us always, even to
the end of the age (Matt 28:20) and
He has given us
all things that pertain to life and godliness (2
Peter 1:3). If God is for us who can be against us! There is no doubt we are playing on a winning
team but the opposition we face as individuals and as the body of Christ is
real.
In months
to come, we will look at how we practice in preparation for game time and then
what we do during the game. In the mean
time let us stay focused on why we are here and remember to look to our coach
Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. We all have a vital role to play in achieving
God’s purposes in this generation.
“You were born to the kingdom
for such a time as this.”
Peter’s
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Peter Kuskie
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