WEEK 13- Not By Works

MONDAY — Read the passage with your team.

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 2:4-10

What does this passage have to say about work habits?

Why is that important?

TUESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

1) What credit can you take for your good works? (v. 9)  What credit can you take for your faith? (v. 8)

2) What part, then, did you have in your own salvation?  Did you choose a faith in Christ, or did He choose you?  (The point here is that we never would be able to follow and obey Christ if He had not first chosen us.  Our faith and our works are not produced by us; they have their source and value only because of Christ.)

WEDNESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

3) Verse 9 clearly tells us that we have no reason to boast about our work.  What typically is the motivation for your work?  Is your work usually fulfilling for you?  What should be the purpose of your work? (v. 10)

4) In what areas of your life do you need to work more faithfully to glorify God?  How do you think that would affect the quality of your work?

THURSDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

5) Why are we able to work? (v. 10)  (I know this sounds like a simplistic question, and it is — but it’s important for us to recognize that our work is not possible except for Christ.)

6) Are you imitating the work habits of God?  How can you learn more about how God works, so that you can better strive to imitate Him in your work?  How can your team make that commitment together?

FRIDAY — Discuss sport applications of work habits and pray together.

Ask your athletes to briefly reflect on what they’ve learned about work habits this week, and to repeat some of those things.  (Remind them of some of the Biblical truths about work habits you’ve discussed, if necessary.)

Ask your team, “Based on what we learned about work habits this week...What does an athlete with godly work habits do?”  Do not settle for vague answers; challenge your athletes to go beyond general qualities of an athlete with godly work habits, and to determine what those qualities look like in action.

Add the results to your team’s list of descriptions of the “athlete with godly work habits”, 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 work habits — 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 work habits or anything else), and pray together.