We're On God's Team

Turn with me to Romans 12. We're going to read verses four and five.

(4) For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

(5) `So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”

Some years ago, a well-known professional football player was selected to be on the cover of the John Madden football video game. At the announcement, a reporter said, “Every player had a less productive year than the year before after he was put on the cover.” And then he asked him, “Do you believe that being on the Madden cover is a jink?”

The player was a linebacker and the question presumed that he would have fewer tackles in the upcoming year than the previous year. The player responded, “I don’t believe in jinks. What God has for me He has for me.” In essence, he said that being on the cover of the well-known video game would have no impact on what God had planned for him during the upcoming season.

Ladies and gentlemen, this sounds a lot like many Christians today. They believe that God is in control of everything, so whatever happens in their lives is part of His divine will. For example, I have heard Christians who did not get a particular job rationalize their disappointment by saying, “I guess God didn’t want me to have it.” And then there’s the “I don’t understand why God would [fill in the blank])?”

People who say things like this believe everything that happens in life is the will of God. Imagine telling parents who lost a child in an accident, for example, that it was God’s will for it to happen. And then compound their sorrow by saying “We don’t always know and understand why God does these things.”

As I was thinking about this, the idea of God being a “football coach” came to mind. It’s an analogy that can help us understand, to some degree, why many Christians question God and blame Him for the uncomfortable things that happen in their lives.

So, let’s talk a little about God’s team.

Everyone who is born into this world is born with a sinful nature. They are not a child of God, contrary to what most Christians believe. By default, they are assigned to Satan’s team. But, and this is the good part, to join God’s team all they need to do is ask. He doesn’t hold tryouts. He never says no and we see this in John 3:16.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Before His first meeting with His players, the Coach (God) and His Assistant Coaches (Jesus and the Holy Spirit) develop the playbook that identifies the team’s one goal – to add as many people as possible to the team – and each player’s role in successfully adding players. Some players will have different assignments; some will have similar assignments, and some will have multiple assignments.

With this analogy in mind, let's read First Corinthians 12:14 and 18.

(14) “For the body (the team) is not one member, but many.”

(18) “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.”

In American football, it’s not uncommon for a coach to refer to the playbook as the “Bible” and to insist that the players learn it inside and out for the team to be successful. The same thing applies to “spiritual football.”

Let’s look at what two players, who were on the team earlier, said about the playbook.

The prophet Jeremiah said, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” (Jeremiah 15:16)

David, the man after God’s own heart, said, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

Now let’s look at what the Coach Himself says about His playbook. Turn to Psalm 138. We're going to read the first two verses.

(1) I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

(2) I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Now turn to Second Timothy 3 and we're going to read verses 16 and 17.

(16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: