bible study | 11.04.19
For many of us, there was someone, either a parent, friend or a coach, who first told us about Jesus Christ. For most, it will have been someone we knew well/ had a strong friendship with/had a family relationship with. The Good News of Jesus Christ has spread throughout the generations and around the world because Christians have told one another about it.
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The end of Matthew’s account of Jesus’ life finishes with these challenging words to his disciples. This happens after Jesus’ resurrection when the disciples were still trying to understand what had happened and what ‘a risen Jesus’ means.
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
Jesus has ALL authority over everything. This gives us great confidence to speak of Him in a sports culture where there are few Christians and great assurance in the face of opposition.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
The word ‘ethne’, translated as ‘nations’, means people groups and cultures, not just geographical countries. Sport is one of the largest people groups of cultures in the world today.
The world of sport is vast, with the majority not believing in Jesus Christ. It is daunting for a Christian to GO into ALL the world of sport with the intention of making disciples. But Jesus (who has ALL authority) says that He is with us ALL the time as we take up this task!
Because of what Jesus Christ has commanded, we can see the importance of making disciples in sport at University. A sports stadium with a running track is a helpful picture of life as a Christian sportsperson. The stadium has a track and stands: we are on the track running the race of faith; those we play sport with are in the stands watching our faith lived out through how we compete and train and in what we say. The training sessions in this group help us run on the track and make disciples of those in the stands! Let’s GO!
All Bible quotations are taken with permission from the NIV:
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Christians in Sport is a UK based charity that aims to reach the world of sport for Christ. We mainly work with sportspeople in competitive and elite sport.
Registered Charity England and Wales 1086570.
Registered Charity Scotland SCO45299.
Company number: 4146081
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Unit D1, Frampton House
Telford Road Industrial Estate
Bicester, OX26 4LD
01869 255630
info@christiansinsport.org.uk