LeBron James is Changing the Nature of Truth

LeBron James is changing the nature of truth. During the NBA Finals this year LeBron James a Professional Basketball player made the statement "I feel confident because I am the best player in the world."

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 If he says I am the best basketball player in the world does that make it true? By what standard does he measure that? By his own standard? By Commentators Standards? Has he played against every basketball player in the world? On which day is he the best? What about when he has an "off" day is he still the best? Has he ever lost a one on one with anyone? And when did he become the best player in the world? Did it just happen? You see where I am going with this? Statements like this I believe are changing the nature of truth. The way something is verified as truth is if someone that our community values says it, then it becomes true. And if other people who our community values as important also verify it like color commentators or ESPN Analyzers, then it stands as a true statement. Pontius pilot actually asked Jesus the same question, "what is truth?" Right before he nailed Jesus to the cross for claiming to be the truth. Truth is a hard thing to nail down in our culture. LeBron James is right about one thing, One person is the best player in the world and HE is the truth. Jesus said of himself, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through me." This one verifiable truth stands the test of time. Jesus is the best player in the world, he has given his life to prove it, he has more followers in human history that anyone ever, and His word has stood the test of time. We can't say that for LeBron James. He can't even win a Championship in his last two tries. Maybe if he were the best player in the world he might be able to win a championship, but oh basketball is a team sport, but I digress. I think I'll stick with Jesus, his track record is a little better. I am pretty sure that I can trust him. His truth stands the test of time a little bit better than LeBron's truth.

This is a cultural phenomenon that we as the Christian community should resist with everything that we are. As Jesus people we resist...

Pride
Opulence
Greed
Lies
Worldliness
Power

On the other hand we are countercultural with values such as... 

Humility
all Sufficiency of Christ (Jesus is Lord)
Generosity
Benevolence
Truth
Holiness
Meekness

When we live these values we will be a city on a hill, a sweet fragrance that the world will notice. The nature of truth is changing in our culture, but for the Jesus follower the nature of truth NEVER changes. We are a people that give ourselves wholly and fully for the one who gave Himself fully for us. If we could boil Christianity down to a single thing it would be Jesus telling us what it takes to be a disciple of His. In Mark 8:34 Jesus says, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the sake of the Gospel will save it." That is the truth of being a Disciple of Jesus. I am so glad that I serve a great savior not just great, but sorry LeBron He is the greatest player in the universe!!! Here is an old video, but a great one that explains further the greatness of Christ.

The Church Should Be Like the NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs last night for a third straight game totally dismantled the Miami Heat. It was a very impressive display of basketball wizardry! As a basketball fan and player myself I was totally impressed at this team concept and how efficiently they passed the ball and not one player shined greater than another. The player with the highest point average on the team this year was 17 the lowest of a player on a winning team in the finals in the modern shot clock era. This proves the team concept that the San Antonio Spurs have been playing with for the last 15 years.

However I was not as impressed with the excellent basketball and team play as I was with several other aspects that I think make them great. I also wonder if the church might have a look at these areas I noticed last night. As I watched them as a team receive the trophy I thought "the church should be like this!"

1. They are Humble Team Players: 
The first thing that occurred to me while watching the spurs last night was that there is not one single ego on the team. Tim Duncan will be in the Basketball hall of fame one day (and maybe a few other players too), but his Jersey is the 14th Highest selling Jersey in the NBA. Do you think he cares? NO He cares about team, and family, and those around him. I have to say I am actually struggling with this lately. I am struggling with the need to prove myself to everybody. Why do I do that? Why can't I be completely satisfied in My Savior? What if I was a person that was actually completely satisfied in my savior? What if the Church was completely satisfied in Jesus? What if the church was a little more like this? Like Christ actually?

This team is full of unselfish basketball players, they are totally unselfish. They pass the ball better than any other team in the league. Every time I counted the passes in a possession it was always over five passes and when I counted the Heat's passing it was always under 5 usually 2-3 passes per possession. This can only be attributed to team leadership that is also unselfish. From the top down Greg Popovich their coach deflects accolades better than anyone in the NBA. He usually doesn't like to say much to the media, but to his players he demands excellence, humility, and the team concept. What if the Church looked like this? Unselfish, humble, team players?

2. They are Diverse: 

One of the reasons that you have never heard of any of the players on the Spurs is because they are humble team players, and also because they are very diverse. Most of their roster are not Americans. There are only seven Americans on the roster for the Spurs.

There are Italians, Australians, French, Canadians, New Zealanders,  Argentinians, Brazilians and one from St. Croix of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Americans are outnumbered by the international players for the Spurs. Greg Popovich has found a winning formula with this international community and great diversity. Jesus has also found a winning formula in seeking and redeeming those from every tribe and nation under the sun. As I watched the Spurs celebrate Their win, the flags of all these countries came out. It was a great sight to see all these various countries represented on the platform. I can remember a missions conference in Germany that I attended in which our worship rose to the Lord in many different languages, and then the flags were flying of every European country. It was AWESOME! There were about 30 countries represented. It was almost like the Holy roar that will rise before the throne of God, everyone singing in Heaven one day in their own language (Revelation 7:9). How can we as a church reflect the diversity that will one day encamp around the throne of God worshiping the lamb? Well maybe we could take a lesson from the Spurs and seek to reflect that diversity now.

3. They are Relentless for the Team and Goal:
Since the Spurs should have won the NBA championship last year and were robbed (I guess you can assume how I feel about last year) they have worked tirelessly and gotten better. I would never have been able to believe that from last year when they played

awesome basketball. Somehow they really got better as a basketball team. They truly pounded a great Miami team. How could we as a Church learn from their example? If a bunch of guys can work tirelessly for sport, something that will ultimately fade away, couldn't we as a Church tirelessly put our efforts to work in this world for Christ and His kingdom? I was reminded recently of a poem written by a hero of the faith named C.T. Studd. this is the last stanza of the poem...

Only one life, ’twill soon be past, 

Only what’s done for Christ will last. 

And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be, 

If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.”

Paul also wrote about giving everything for Christ...

"For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

These San Antonio Spurs give everything for the goal, the prize, the trophy that will one day not be shiny,
one day not be made of gold, one day not even be there. However, the crown of righteousness will be awarded one day, and if we have lived a humble, faithful, Christ honoring life then the Church will receive that prize that will never fade away!

Church how can we refocus and realign our hearts with the heart of Christ in Humility, embracing Diversity, and being Relentless for Christ? I pray that this emboldens the Church to be what Christ had envisioned for His bride form the beginning. Let us seek Him in these ways so that we can be a most beautiful, appealing, and effective Bride.