Introduction:

Athletes, in every sport, have to be disciplined in their training. Nobody can make them train, but the athletes that do train with discipline, do it out of love for the game.

Application:

1. What type of discipline training you do in your sport to get better?
2. What kind of athlete would you be if you weren’t disciplined in your training?
3. What would you think if a teammate never trained, but expected to play in a game?

Bridge:

1. First Corinthians 9:25 says, “Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a crown that will fade away, but we a crown that will never fade away.” Like athletes that train for the love of the game, we have spiritual disciplines that we do out of love for God.
2. Just like training in our sports, we don’t “have to,” but it is necessary to get better and to grow spiritually. What are some spiritual disciplines that we do to grow closer to God?
3. How would doing these spiritual disciplines allow you to grow closer to God?

Connection:

1. If you are disciplined in your sport, how would that help you be disciplined in your relationship with God?
2. Being part of team can help you train as in individual athlete. How would being part of a team help you in your spiritual disciplines too?

Discovery:

Look at your athletic training schedule and compare it to your spiritual training schedule. What do you need to do to allow more time to train spiritually?

Close:

Memory Verse: “Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a crown that will fade away, but we a crown that will never fade away.” 1 Corinthians 9:25