Romans 10

Discuss

Can you imagine what it would be like if you couldn't hear at all during training or a competition? How would that impact your sport and your ability to compete?

A generation of sports players exist today with very few having ever heard the Good News Jesus explained to them. Many go through their career without hearing someone explain the Jesus from the Bible to them! How can they even begin to understand who He is if they don’t get a chance to hear?

Read Romans 10:12-17

¹² For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵ And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

¹⁶ But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” ¹⁷ Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

What you need to know

In verse 15, Paul quotes Isaiah 52:7 which refers to those who bring the exiles the good news of their imminent release from captivity in Babylonia. Here it is applied to those who bring the Good News of release from the captivity of sin.

Who does verse 12 tell us the gospel is for?
What does someone need to do to be saved according to verses 13-14?
How do verses 14b-17 describe our role in enabling this to happen?
Discuss what it would look like to have ‘beautiful feet’ (verse 15) in your University sports club.
How would people describe your ’feet’ today in line with this passage?

Sum up

Although some of us may have had bad experiences of hearing the gospel explained in a public setting, here we see that God uses people to proclaim His word and He uses His proclaimed word to save people. Discuss how you can give your sports friends an opportunity to hear God’s message in an environment in which they will listen.

What does it look like to invite and bring sportspeople to hear the gospel?

As a group, discuss plans for hosting an upcoming Sports Quiz or Dodgeball tournament. Discuss how you would respond in these three scenarios:

PRE-EVENT - Your club Captain/Chairperson has given you a 30 second slot at training to announce the event. What you will say? What are the essentials to include?

DURING EVENT - What questions could you ask post-talk to engage in a conversation with your guests?

POST EVENT – How might people react after the event? How can you be prepared for an aggressive rejection?

Sum up

Remember, the role we have to play in people hearing the Good News about Jesus. Although it can be daunting to ask our friends to come to a Christian event, nothing is more thrilling than seeing our sports friends engage with Jesus Christ!

What does this mean for us?

Who are you inviting to your next event at church or run by yourself? Who is going to hold you accountable for asking them? Pray with that person now for the courage to follow through on good intentions and for your sports friends to hear about Jesus and respond to Him in faith.

All Bible quotations are taken with permission from the NIV:
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Romans 10

Discuss

Can you imagine what it would be like if you couldn't hear at all during training or a competition? How would that impact your sport and your ability to compete?

Read Romans 10:12-17

What you need to know

Sum up

What does it look like to invite and bring sportspeople to hear the gospel?

Sum up

What does this mean for us?

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