As a Team

During his first five National Basketball Association seasons, Michael Jordan won only 50 percent of his games. During his last seven full seasons with the Chicago Bulls, he won 77 percent of his games and six championships.

But it was not necessarily Jordan who changed. Rather, the coach, Phil Jackson, created an offense with the team in mind. The growth of players like Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant made the difference. The addition of Toni Kukoc and Dennis Rodman made a difference. Once he had a great team around him, Jordan changed from a great player to a champion.

As His death grew near, Jesus appealed to God on our behalf. When He prayed over His disciples, He prayed for those who would come to believe through the words of His disciples. He prayed for us!

In John 17:23, He prayed, “I am in them and You are in Me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know You have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me.” Why would He pray for us to be one, to be unified? As the verse says, when Christians love one another and move toward Christ together, it can show the world who God is and what Jesus did for them.

In team sports, your success depends upon the unity of the team and heading in the same direction with the same goals. In our walks with Christ, when we walk together as one, we walk stronger, and the Lord can use us to lead others to Him.