Week 13- Prepared in Advance for You
MONDAY — Read the passage with your team.
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:1-10
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
Isaiah 61:1-3
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, 8 the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. 9 The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
Psalm 146:7-9
What does this passage have to say about gratitude?
Why is that important?
TUESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.
1) Who does Paul describe, in verses 1-3? What causes them to be “dead” (v. 1)? Though they are not physically dead, why does Paul describe them this way? (The answer is at the end of verse 3.) Can any person rightfully claim to be better than another? Can a Christian look down on an unbeliever? Why not (v. 3)?
2) In what ways can an athlete be tempted to follow the “ways of the world”? How have you been tempted to pursue your own cravings and desires, as an athlete? What ungodly athletic habits and traditions have become accepted (maybe even expected) in our culture?
WEDNESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.
3) How can those who are “dead in transgressions” become alive (v. 5)? What phrase is repeated (in verses 5 and 8) to remind us of this fact? Why did God choose to do this for sinners (v. 4)? What should God’s great love and richness in mercy produce in you? Only words of gratitude, or something more (v. 10)?
4) This passage teaches that a person is “saved through faith...not by works” (v. 8-9). A person with a strong faith is often admired or praised; what fact does verse 8 present, to keep a believer from growing proud of his faith? If your works do not save you (or earn God’s love), what value do they have (v. 10)? When you understand good works as something that God has “prepared in advance” for you to do, how does that change your outlook on your life’s purpose? How does that clarify your purpose as an athlete?
THURSDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.
Clearly your life is not all about you; grace was not given to you simply for your benefit. God purposed your salvation in order that you might do His work on earth. What, though, are these “good works” (v. 10)? How better to learn this than to examine the work of Jesus?
5) Isaiah 61 and Proverbs 146 describe some of the core ministries of Christ (the purposes for which He came to earth). Review these, and consider how many of these “good works” are priorities in your life. These are difficult things to grasp, so spend some quiet time alone (or extensive time as a team) dwelling on them:
⇒Who are the brokenhearted, the captives, the prisoners...and what does it mean to “bind them up” or “proclaim freedom” to them? How can you humbly set an example of gladness and praise that can gently meet them I the emptiness of their mourning and despair?
⇒ Who are the oppressed, and what does it mean to uphold their cause?
⇒Who are the hungry, and how can you feed them?
⇒Who are the blind, and what barriers do you need to lovingly help them overcome in order that they might see?
⇒ Who are the “bowed down,” and what has caused them to be in such a state? From what position can you wrap your arms around them, in order to help lift them up?
6) Much of this study on gratitude has challenged you to identify teammates (and others close to you) whom you can love and serve. However, let’s go a step further. Christ’s ministry extended beyond his inner circle of family, disciples, and others close to Him. Psalm 146 tells us that He “watches over the alien” and “sustains the fatherless and widow.” Consider how you might gratefully serve and share the gift of God’s love with others in your church, and even throughout your community. Has your team considered choosing a community ministry in which to serve together?
FRIDAY — Discuss sport applications of gratitude, and pray together.
· Ask your athletes to briefly reflect on what they’ve learned about gratitude this week, and to repeat some of those things. (Remind them of some of the Biblical truths about gratitude you’ve discussed, if necessary.)
· Ask your team, “Based on what we learned about gratitude this week...What does a grateful athlete do?” Do not settle for vague answers; challenge your athletes to go beyond general qualities of a grateful athlete, and to determine what those qualities look like in action.
· Add the results to your team’s list of descriptions of the “grateful athlete”, and be sure the list is displayed somewhere that is constantly visible, as a reminder to the team.
· Pray together as a team. Encourage your athletes to pray for your team’s growth in regard to the discipline of gratitude — especially in relation to some of the issues and challenges that you discussed together this week. Challenge them to also ask for forgiveness, when applicable. Give time for athletes to request prayer (regarding gratitude or anything else), and pray together.
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