Sports Parables

How can sports stories be used to teach spiritual lessons? What are some examples? Following the 40-yard field goal in overtime by a little-known kicker who could become as famous as jambalaya in New Orleans, the Saints football team was heading to their first Super Bowl. By battering Brett Favre and beating the Minnesota Vikings 31-28, they set off celebrations on Bourbon Street that locals never could have imagined in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This is why Saints coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees came to New Orleans in the grim aftermath of Hurricane Katrina — to regenerate a lost franchise and re-energize a battered city’s spirit. What lessons can be learned from this sports story? This week's Sport In Focus lesson is about parables and how Jesus used them to teach spiritual truths. You can download the lesson here.

A Mixed Response

Mark 3:1-35 • Lesson Two

If you were to interview shoppers at your local mall, asking the simple question, “Who is Jesus Christ?” what responses would you get?

Tim Tebow wore eye black to testify that Jesus Christ is God’s only begotten Son (John 3:16). He wore different Bible verses on his eye black throughout his career. He wore John 3:16 for the National Title game and Phi 3:13 for the entire 2008 season. During the 2009 season, he wore a variety of verses including: John 16:33, Hebrews 12:1-2, Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 1:16, Joshua 1:8-9, Colossians 3:23, Philippians 4:6-7, Psalms 23:1. Which Bible verse would you choose? Why?

You can download this week's lesson here.

Inaugurating the Servant

Mark 1:1-2:28 • Lesson One

Welcome to this semester's Sports In Focus study based on the Book of Mark. Here is some context for our first lesson:

Mark’s gospel was intended for a Gentile audience, especially a Roman one. Mark is the gospel of action; the frequent use of “im- mediately” and “then” keeps his narrative moving rapidly along. Jesus appears in Mark as the Servant (Mark 10:45) who bursts on the scene to suffer for the sins of many. Mark’s fast-paced approach would especially appeal to the practical, action-oriented Romans. Without commenting on Christ’s birth or childhood, Mark begins his record of the life of Jesus with a description of John the Baptist—the one prophesied to be the forerunner of Messiah.

You can download this week's lesson here.

Colt McCoy down but not out

The ratings no doubt dropped for the BCS National Championship game Thursday night after it was reported that Colt McCoy would not return to the game. But while viewership dropped, attention to Colt McCoy grew. After getting hurt and then loosing to Alabama in the National Title Game Texas quarterback Colt McCoy demonstrated Christian maturity by accepted God’s sovereign and good will.

After the game, when asked how he felt, Colt said, “I always give God the glory. I never question why things happen the way they do. God is in control of my life. And I know that if nothing else, I’m standing on the Rock.” You can download the lesson here.

Resurrection of the Son of God

John 19:38-21:25

Here is the final lesson for the Sports In Focus series on the Book of John. Next week, we will begin studying the Book of Mark. You can download this week's lesson here. You can find the other 11 lessons here.

Brit Hume Tells Tiger Woods: Convert to Christianity to Make Recovery

Fox News Channel pundit Brit Hume took the unusual step of opining that Tiger Woods should convert his faith to Christianity to overcome the scars of his public marital scandal.

On the Fox News Sunday roundtable, Hume said that Woods, who is reportedly a Buddhist, should "turn to the Christian faith."

"The extent to which he can recover seems to me depends on his faith," Hume said. "He is said to be a Buddhist. I don't think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith. My message to Tiger would, 'Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world."