WEEK 10- Does God Care About Your Work?

MONDAY — Read this passage with your team.

7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those from whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God.  8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and it sin danger of being cursed.  In the end it will be burned.

9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case — things that accompany salvation.  10 God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.  11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.  12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Hebrews 6:7-12

What does this passage have to say about work habits?

Why is that important?

TUESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

1) Which of the two plots of land (v. 7-8) most closely resembles your work?  Is your work productive and helpful to others, or is it      unproductive and of no value to others?  What makes the first plot of land so productive? (v. 7)

2) What does the rain represent, and how can your work benefit from that rain?

WEDNESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

3) Does God care about your work? (v. 10)  Doesn’t He just care that you profess faith in Him and ask for forgiveness for your sins?  What is the sign that a person’s faith and repentance is genuine?  (James 2:14-26)  Why, then, is your work important to God?

4) Does your team practice and compete as if your work is important to God?

THURSDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

5) What two qualities does verse 12 identify as qualities that should be imitated?  Why are faith and patience important in guarding against laziness?  Is it possible to be lazy and also to live out a faith in God and demonstrate patience to others?

6) How does a person with a strong faith work?  How does a patient person work?  Do you and your teammates demonstrate these habits?

FRIDAY — Discuss sport applications of work habits and pray together.

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

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

 Add the results to your team’s list of descriptions of the “athlete with godly work habits”, 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 work habits — 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 work habits or anything else), and pray together.