WEEK 1- Called to Account

MONDAY — Read the passage with your team.

   33 Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.

Matthew 12:33-37

   11 Death and Destruction lie open before the Lord — how much more the hearts of men!

Proverbs 15:11

   9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.  Who can understand it?  10 I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.

Proverbs 14:35

What does this passage have to say about accountability?

Why is that important?

TUESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

1) What does it  mean for a person to be accountable (“give account” — Matthew 12:36)?  Is accountability optional?  In other words, can a person choose not to be accountable?

2) In light of the truth that every person will be accountable for his life (v. 36), what can a person do about his shortcomings?  How can a “bad tree” become a “good tree” (Romans 5:12-21)?

WEDNESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

3) What was the end result when Jesus faced death?  Is God restricted by death (“God will redeem my life from the grave” — Psalm 49:15)?  Is God at the mercy of destruction (“Praise the Lord...who redeems your life from the pit” — Psalm 103:2-4)?  What, then, is the meaning of the statement that “death and destruction lie open before the Lord” (Proverbs 15:11)?

4) If God has dominion over death and destruction (if He is capable of entering into them and overwhelming them), how well does He know the secrets of your heart?  Are you ever tempted to think that you can keep parts of your life (thoughts, attitudes, motives, actions) secret?  Even if you are able to deceive others, can you avoid having to give account for these things (“For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing” — Ecclesiastes 12:14)?

THURSDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

5) Many people believe that the human heart is naturally good.  What does Jeremiah 17:9 say about that perspective?  Can a person, with good intentions and much effort, cure his own heart?  Returning to the question from Tuesday, then, how can a “bad tree” become a “good tree” — or how can a deceitful heart be cured?

6) Pray now, and confess to God the areas of your life that you’ve tried to hide from Him or keep separate from His desires for you, as well as the way sin which you’ve tried to accomplish anything without relying on Him.  Ask for his help, and consider asking your teammates to pray for you in these areas.

FRIDAY — Discuss sport applications of accountability, and pray together.

· Ask your athletes to briefly reflect on what they’ve learned about accountability this week, and to repeat some of those things.  (Remind them of some of the Biblical truths about accountability you’ve discussed, if necessary.)

· Ask your team, “Based on what we learned about accountability this week...What does an accountable athlete do?”  Do not settle for vague answers; challenge your athletes to go beyond general qualities of accountability, and to determine what those qualities look like in action.

· Add the results to your team’s list of descriptions of the “accountable athlete”, and be sure the list is displayed somewhere that is constantly visible, as a reminder to the team.

· Pray together as a team.  Encourage your athletes to pray for your team’s growth in regard to the discipline of accountability — especially in relation to some of the issues and challenges that you discussed together this week.  Challenge them to also ask for forgiveness, when applicable.  Give time for athletes to request prayer (regarding accountability or anything else), and pray together.