WEEK 5- Fallen Short...and Justified Freely

MONDAY — Read the passage with your team.

   10As it is written:  There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.   13 Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.  The poison of vipers is on their lips. 14 Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.   15 Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and misery mark their ways, 17 and the way of peace they do not know.  18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

   19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.           20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

   21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

   27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. 29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.  31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith?  Not at all!  Rather, we uphold the law.

Romans 3:10-31

What does this passage have to say about accountability?

Why is that important?

TUESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

1) What is true of all people, apart from Christ (v. 11-12)?  Who is accountable to God (v. 19)?  Why, then, is accountability (the purpose of which is a right relationship with God) so important?

2) What does verse 11 say about human understanding?  What value does it have (v. 12)?  Do you make a habit of expressing your opinions or beliefs about things, without examining Scripture to determine whether your perspective is Biblical?

3) What athletes do you “look up” to?  Whose athletic habits do you model or admire?  What do you admire about that athlete’s approach to or participation in his / her sport?  Have you subscribed to a Biblical perspective on athletics, or are you basing your attitudes and goals on a human standard?  Should you be concerned about your athletic role models’ attitudes and actions in life, apart from athletics?  Why or why not?

WEDNESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

4) What purpose does the law serve in your life, according to verse 20?  Why   shouldn’t you be embarrassed if others see your sin (v. 23)?  How does this free you to seek out accountability?

5) Are you realistic about your athletic abilities?  Are you tempted to hide your shortcomings and mistakes?  Are you even aware of your shortcomings and mistakes?  Have you ever asked someone to give you an honest evaluation of your skills and help you to identify areas where you need to improve?  Do you thank coaches and teammates who help and correct you?

THURSDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

6) Atonement is something that satisfies the righteous wrath of God.  What, then, did Jesus’ death accomplish in your relationship with God (v. 24-25)?  Does the standard of the law no longer matter, then?  Is it OK for you to sin?  And, if the law does matter, what hope do you have (v. 31)? 

7) The understanding that Christ’s righteousness is substituted for your sin is a freeing truth — one that should allow you to engage in athletics without self-consciousness about your faults.  Does God’s love for you (and your teammates’ acceptance) mean that you don’t need to try to improve?  Does excellence matter?  (We’ll talk more about this next week.)

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.