WARM-UP
The Greater Good
So often sports can become more about me and less about we, or more about “what we get” and less about “what we give.” But competition is at its best when it involves sacrificing inward pursuits for a greater good.
We often see this dynamic in professional athletes. When they are at the beginning of their careers, the focus tends to be on filling up the stat sheet, earning a contract extension or winning individual awards. But as athletes get older, their priorities begin to shift from chasing championships to create a legacy through public service.
Q: What are some ways an athlete can be “more about me” and “less about we?”
Q: What are some examples of how an athlete can shift from inward pursuits (doing things for themselves) to outward pursuits (doing things for others)?
WORKOUT
Nobody Special
Athletes aren’t the only ones who have visions of making a legacy and working toward a greater good. In fact, the Bible has many great examples of people who experienced a paradigm shift in their lives and began to see a much bigger picture of what the future held in store for them.
In our last meeting, we talked about how Jesus put a team together that He could teach and train to take and spread His message to the world. But before they were Jesus’ teammates, they were ordinary people from ordinary backgrounds.
Andrew, Peter, James and John were fishermen. Matthew was a tax collector. The other disciples’ occupations apparently weren’t exciting or impressive enough to even be mentioned. Yet, Jesus chose those people to accomplish His great mission.
And the results were world changing. All you have to do is read the book of Acts to see all of the amazing things the disciples accomplished. They started the Christian church, they converted thousands of people to the Christian faith and they performed amazing miracles—just like Jesus said they would do.
It was like a coach taking a bunch of underrated recruits and turning them into a championship team! And it was all because they accepted a much greater mission instead of settling for the lives they had once known.
Q: Why do you think the disciples were able to do such great things after Jesus left Earth?
Q: How does their story inspire you as a follower of Christ?
Know the Way
We all need greater purpose and meaning in our lives. Oftentimes, it’s the search for that purpose and meaning that leads us down the wrong path. But everything changes when we finally understand that our mission is ultimately tied to a relationship with Christ.
That’s because our walk with Him is inseparable from the calling we all receive from Him, which is the same calling that Jesus gave the disciples.
Jesus referred to Himself as “The Way.” He was saying that following Him was the only path to salvation, to freedom, to truth, to life and to purpose and meaning. That’s not always a popular thing to believe in today’s world of relativity, but it became very clear to the disciples that Jesus was everything He claimed to be.
And that’s why they were able to walk away from their ordinary lives and risk everything to tell the world about Jesus.
Q: Do you ever struggle to accept that Jesus is the only way to purpose and meaning? Explain.
Q: What are some things that might be holding you back from accepting God’s mission in your life?
Mission Impossible
So, how did the disciples do the great things after Jesus left Earth? They did it because of what Jesus left behind for them—a powerful tool that gives them the ability to accomplish all things, great things.
And that’s the same way that you can embark on the most meaningful mission you could ever imagine—an unstoppable mission that God calls all of us to accept.
Q: What are some things you want to do with your life that you consider to be bigger than yourself?
Q: Does the idea of pursuing God’s mission for your life excite you, scare you or not interest you at all? Explain.
WRAP-UP
Pursue Mission
If you’re ready to accept God’s call, here are three ways that you can begin to pursue mission and start walking in the fullness of what He has laid out for you to do:
1. Trust the Mission. Fully embrace what God has called you to do and believe that He will give you everything you need to get the job done.
2. Prepare for the Mission. Getting ready to do God’s work is no different than getting ready for an athletic competition. It requires diligent preparation through consistent prayer, Bible reading and Christian fellowship.
3. Commit to the Mission. Make the decision that you will not give up even when things get tough because there’s no doubt that it will.
As you pursue God’s mission, you’ll find yourself living out the calling more completely in our theme verse.
OVERTIME
In your quiet time, ask God to help you get a clearer picture of what your mission might look like in the immediate future. Write down some ideas of how you can impact your team, your school, your family and your community when you go back home.