A few faith lessons from sports

 

We know which two National Football League teams will face each other in Super Bowl XLVII on February 3 — the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers.

 The Super Bowl will also feature a head coaching showdown of brothers, with Jim Harbaugh leading the 49ers and John Harbaugh in charge of the Ravens. The game marks only the second time brothers have faced each other in NFL history, with the previous game also including the Harbaughs on Thanksgiving night in 2011, when the Ravens defeated the 49ers by a score of 16-6.

Meanwhile, the National Hockey League finally started a shortened season this past weekend after a collective bargaining agreement was ultimately reached. It took 113 days. A total of 625 regular-season games were sacrificed, or over half the 2012-13 season.

And the National Basketball Association is already at its midseason, with more strong teams than ever in the race and more individual players standing out each night.

It’s a professional sports fan’s greatest time of the year. I love it!

There are many faith lessons to be learned from sports. Here is some advice from Hall of Fame basketball coach John Wooden.

1.     Get in Shape: A team must be conditioned to perform at its peak.
POINT: This lesson speaks to you and those you serve. Have you put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6)? Have you prepared yourself to fight the good fight?

2.     Learn the Fundamentals: Teams do not win because they can dunk the basketball. They win because they play defense, pass the ball, rebound the ball, and play their positions.

 

POINT: The fundamentals of the faith, such as prayer, Bible reading, stewardship, and a heart for the lost are essential if we are to mature as a body of believers.

3.     Play as a Team: The game of basketball is a team sport. We hear repeatedly that there is no “I” in team.

POINT: This is especially true in the church. Pastors will come and go. The look of a congregation will change over the years. The one constant in a successful church is unity. The second chapter of Acts becomes our playbook.

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:5-6).

 

This post comes from  Dr. H. B. London -