It’s All About the Ball

Your success in most sports is all about the ball.  For example, in football, on the “offensive side of the ball,” 10 guys have responsibilities so that one guy can advance the ball across the goal.  On the “defensive side of the ball,” everyone keeps track of the ball to keep it from being advanced toward your goal line.  In basketball, it is all about the number of balls going into basket.  On defense, it is important to never lose track of the ball.  In baseball, everything revolves around the ball once it is put into play.  In soccer, success is all the number of times your team puts the ball in the net.  Think about tennis, golf, and bowling. Reduce most sports down to its simplest factor and you discover that it is all about the ball.

Christ-followers need to understand that our faith is all about Jesus…nothing else.  We pray so that we can talk to Jesus.  We study the Bible so that we can learn to conduct ourselves more like Jesus.  We talk to each other in a way that brings glory to Jesus.  Our Great Commission is to go and speak to others about Jesus.  Once a person knows Jesus, we baptize them in the name of Jesus to be a part of His body.  Then, we teach them about Christ.

The Great Commandment is all about loving Christ first and others like Jesus.

Matthew 6:33 says for each of us to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”  It’s all about Jesus.

In Ephesians 5:18, Paul demands that “we constantly be filled with the Holy Spirit (one like Jesus)” so that He will be glorified.  Once filled with the Holy Spirit, we are enabled to walk and talk like Jesus.

In Romans 12:2 Paul instructs us to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”  The goal is to think like Jesus.

In 2 Corinthians 5:17 explains that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  Each of us are created anew to look like Jesus.

The devil’s goal is to get our eyes off the simplicity of our faith…knowing and living like Jesus.  He is already defeated; so, in the name of Jesus don’t let him.  In sports, keep it simple.  It’s all about the ball.  In life, don’t make it complicated.  It’s all about Jesus.