Play Your Position Series

[Play Your Position]

A body isn’t just a single part blown up into something huge. It’s all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together … If the body was all eye, how could it hear? If all ear, how could it smell? As it is, we see that God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it. .

1 Corinthians 12:14-18 (MSG)

This material was originally presented to a senior High student ministry audience in PowerPoint format. If you have questions or would like a copy of the original powerpoint (less the video attachments, which are too large for email), drop me a line at Robert.fox@alltel.com

[Play Your Position]

Slide Graphic – chalkboard diagram of football play – X’s and O’s

Slide Text –

A body isn’t just a single part blown up into something huge. It’s all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together … If the body was all eye, how could it hear? If all ear, how could it smell? As it is, we see that God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it. (1 Corinthians 12:14-18 MSG)

This is the second week of a month of looking at football as a metaphor of Christianity. Of course, we’re not saying that you have to play football to be a Christian, or that all football players are Christians, or that Christ would play football if he born in our time instead of 2000 years ago.

It’s just that there’s so much hype everywhere you turn, and it’s going to get even worse as we get closer to the Super Bowl on February 4th. I think, since you are going to have to listen to all of this, we might as well take advantage of it and use it as an opportunity to point out the parallels between being part of a football team (something we all can understand) and being a follower of Christ.

• Last week we talked about standing on the sidelines versus joining the team.

• This week we are going to talk about playing your special position

• Next week we’re going to talk about the equipment you need

• And on Super Bowl Sunday we are going to talk about what it takes to be a champion.

I encourage you to use this as an opportunity to invite someone to come with you to Church on Sunday morning. Someone who you might worry about bringing to a typical Bible-study. We’ll be showing lots of clips from football movies to illustrate the things we’re talking about, and later in the afternoon, you’re all invited to our house to hang out and watch one of the movies we used.

Today we’re going to talk about “playing your position”. On a football team, of course, not everyone can be the quarterback. Every person has a unique role to play – a role that requires unique skills and special practice. Every position is essential to the success of the team. If one person decides that they aren’t going to really try, because, after all, they are not the quarterback, then the whole team will suffer.

[God has a unique mission for you]

Slide Graphic – Blues Brothers (who were on a “mission from God”)

Slide Text –

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

David Served God’s Purpose in his generation (Acts 13:36)

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

The bible says that God knew all about you before you were ever born. He created you in a unique way in your mother’s womb, shaping you in such a way that you could perform the unique mission he has in mind for you.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalms 139:14-16 )

Your hands formed and shaped me (Job 10:8)

God has a mission for each of us. All of them are similar in some ways, in that they serve his purpose to bring mankind back into a relationship with God.

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10)

But that just because we are all created to work together for a larger purpose doesn’t mean our individual missions are all the same. Every player on a football team has a different individual mission, which all work together to accomplish the team’s mission of winning the game.