March Madness

March Madness is something I have never watched, that is, until this year. I wanted to see my team get into the Final Four, so I participated in cheering them on from the couch. The intensity of play on the court amazed me. I could see the passion displayed in the boundless energy of the players as they ran up and down the court with purpose and strategy. The goal was to get more points than the other team by getting the basketball through the hoop amidst the defending team. I learned a lot about the game. I learned that the game has a purpose, and each player must understand his position and why he is doing it. I heard about some great coaches who led their teams to the Sweet 16 with the hope of ultimately reaching the Final Four. I realized that it was not by accident that they were there. One player said of his coach, “He makes you want to take on the world.” The expectations of the players and the coaches of themselves and their team members challenged me. The players trusted their coach and acted on the game plan laid out for them. Communication was key. Hand signals and coded calls from the coach told the players what to do as they played the game with the intent to win. Each player was excited and ready to get off the bench to play.

I read a meme recently that said Christ died not only for the “beautiful dressed people that sit in church every Sunday and read their Bibles every day “but also for the one who “cries at night and wakes up too late for church and makes unforgivable mistakes and goes weeks without thanking Him.” My initial reaction was to agree wholeheartedly. Yes, Jesus died while we were yet sinners, and His blood covers all of our mistakes. But, the more I thought about it, I was saddened by what it seemed to imply. I understand the truth behind it, and I am sure the one who wrote it meant to share the beautiful truth of the grace of Christ. The grace of Christ is beautiful and something we, as believers, cannot live without. I do celebrate that message of the meme.

But, my heart was saddened by the idea that a believer could go weeks without thanking Jesus or that worship with the body might not be a priority. Before I hurt anyone’s feelings for being late to worship, not reading their Bible, or thanking God for weeks, I realize life is busy, and things happen. I have been there myself. Some seasons of life are more difficult than others. Yet, my heart is to speak the truth for our daily living as believers. The Word of God speaks to what the life of a believer will look like, and it is a beautiful picture of the power of the Living Christ, causing us to will and act for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

I realize some probably wonder what this has to do with March Madness I mentioned earlier. Can you imagine what would happen if some of the players on a basketball team were consistently late to practice or a game? What if some did not learn the plays and went for weeks without talking or listening to the coach? How would this impact the team and the individual player? I spoke to a coach who has led his team to win a Championship in the area where I live. He said something striking and convicting. He stated, “No one wants to sit on a bench except in the church.” He followed up by saying that if a player was consistently late to practice or a game and never learned the plays, the implication was that basketball was not a priority. I realize we cannot take this metaphor too far because we, as believers, will always be loved by Jesus despite our failures and weaknesses. But, I don’t believe we should lower the standard for our spiritual lives. We don’t lower it in the secular world.

Paul is an example of a believer who lived the Christian life with purpose and passion. 1 Thessalonians 4:1 is an appeal written by Paul to other believers with the authority of Christ.

“Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.”

Paul calls for believers to excel more in their walk, following instructions with the goal of pleasing God. He also boldly states in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27,

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way as not without aim; I box in such a way as not beating the air, but I discipline my body and make it my slave so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

Paul instructed believers to give their all to Christ. Even Jesus said that if “anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me” Matthew 16:24. We may not grasp the true meaning of the cross in our day and time, but to those to whom Jesus was speaking, it was a picture of violent death. It was a call to total commitment. The idea of running a race to win portrays someone giving their all for the prize. It calls for believers to get off the “bench” and on to the “court” of life and “play,” not only for themselves but for the “team.” It demands that believers listen to the “coach” and know the “plays” to produce victory. And you know the remarkable truth about this thing called Christian living? We CAN live it! We have the Word of God available to us to reprove, train, correct, and teach us so that we can be adequately equipped for every good work. We also have the Spirit of the Living God dwelling within us to empower us to live like Christ (2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Corinthians 3:16).

Believers, we have all we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). We are not left to live this extraordinary life in Christ independently. We are all called to get off the “bench” and walk worthy of the gospel of Christ because our Coach does love us. He loves us enough to transform more and more into His image and to empower us not to take on the world but to change it.