Football may be the ultimate team sport. While
individual players occasionally take the spotlight, there really not
much that a single player can do by himself. For example, imagine the best
quarterback in the league on the field completely alone. What can he
accomplish by himself without …
- A center to hike the ball.
- Proficient blockers.
- Running backs to hand the ball off to.
- Receivers to catch the ball.
- A punter to punt when he cannot make first down by himself.
- And, an excellent defense to hopefully keep the score, at best, zero to
zero.
In football, every play is repeatedly practiced in advance, and each player
knows every nuance of his role in that play. While an individual cannot win
a game by himself, an individual could cause the loss of a game if he fails
to successfully accomplish his assigned role.
When executed correctly, football plays are some of the most beautiful in
all of sports, appearing to be seamlessly effortless, with all of the
players working in unison toward the success of the play. People wonder, how
did the receiver know where the ball would be when he turned around just in
the nick of time to catch it? Of course, this was planned in advance – both
quarterback and receiver were on the same page; they both knew what the plan
was, and how it was to come about.
However,
when the players are not on the same page, if they are not working together,
or if one player does not know or execute his role correctly, the play can
become a complete disaster. Botched handoffs, passes bouncing off the head
of receivers, fumbles, sacks, etc. all make for the appearance
of total disorganization and chaos. As if to add insult to injury, a fumbled
football bouncing haplessly across the field with players diving after it
does not look particularly graceful or coordinated. The play that was
practiced time after time can break down rapidly because of just one missed
block, a simple slip up or mistake in timing, or a brief lack of
concentration causing a missed hand off.
There is no “lone ranger” mentality in football. A player cannot suddenly
decide to break away and do whatever he feels like doing without risking a
failed play or even injury. A single player, no matter how good he is,
cannot do it all by himself. However, when the best players execute their
own roles effectively, they not only lift up their own games, but they also
lift up their team mates and their games to higher levels.
Much is said in the Bible about teamwork, and about a Christian’s
relationship with Jesus, with God, with the Holy Spirit, with the church,
and with other believers. Here are a few verses that talk about “teamwork”
within the body of Christ:
“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its
parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all
baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or
free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”
- 1 Corinthians
12:12-13)
Paul goes on to say that every part of the body is indispensible, and each
part serves its own unique purpose. Every body part is an essential
part of the whole body without division; each part is honorable and has
equal concern for other parts; if one part suffers, then all parts of the body
suffer.
Similarly, in the body of Christ (the church), every believer is
indispensible and serves his own unique purpose.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in
the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third
teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing,
those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those
speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets?
Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all
speak in tongues? Do all interpret?” - 1 Corinthians 12:27-30
Paul also speaks of Spiritual Gifts in Romans 12:4-8
“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not
all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and
each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to
the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in
proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching,
let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is
contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is
leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it
cheerfully.”
How do you receive these Spiritual Gifts, so that you can become an integral
part of God’s team – the church? There are a few steps to this process:
- First, you must accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, repent of
your sins, and allow Jesus to become the Lord of your life.
- Once you accept Jesus as your personal Savior as a “believer”, the Bible
says that you are given the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:30).
- Along with the Holy Spirit, you are given at least one Spiritual Gift. The
purposes of Spiritual Gifts are to enable us to carry out His ministry
objectives in the world and to unify the body of Christ. The New and Old
Testaments discuss a large number of Spiritual Gifts. In today’s church
climate, service related / practical gifts, and ministry / office related
gifts are usually emphasized. These include the gifts of: apostleship,
evangelism, pastoring / shepherding, teaching, service, exhortation, giving,
leadership, mercy, helps, administration, wisdom, knowledge, discernment,
faith, intercession, missionary action, hospitality, and practical gifts
such as music / singing, artistry, and skilled crafts. There are other gifts
which an individual may have, but are not commonly used in the church today.
These include the gifts of prophecy, speaking in and the interpretation of
tongues, healing, performing miracles, bold proclamation of God, the driving
out of demons, celibacy, martyrdom, and voluntary poverty.
- There are a variety of Spiritual Gifts Surveys that can help you to
discover your individual Spiritual Gifts. These surveys are useful when
taken in an honest and prayerful manner. These surveys range from 60 to 140
questions, and can take from 30 to 60 minutes to complete. An analysis of
results follows immediately after each survey.
Examples of traditional Spiritual Gift surveys that can be found online
include:
Consider taking a couple of the Spiritual Gifts
surveys above.
Once you have taken a Spiritual Gifts Survey, you should seek out a place
of service in the church that uses your Spiritual Gifts in combination with
your individual talents and passions. There are counselors within the church
that can help you to match your Spiritual Gifts and your talents with a
place of service. When your Spiritual Gifts are used, as empowered by the
Holy Spirit, in submission to God’s will and for His glory, great fruits
will be produced. The next part of this devotional will discuss some
of the Spiritual Gifts themselves in more detail, and what sort of places of
service might be associated with those gifts.
“Each
one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully
administering God's grace in its various forms.” - 1 Peter 4:10
