homeschool sports - a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9)
”But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
The Austin Royals have as their founding identity the biblical nomenclature and mission of the corporate body of believers in Jesus Christ: “you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).
As two of the founding members, Pam and I expressed our commitment to establish a ministry of competitive athletic teams for homeschool students, who would “excel in competition and character” as disciples of Jesus Christ. But Pam and I were not alone as others shared the same ultimate purpose and joined the new endeavor.
After almost five years of Royals existence, and conversing this season with our volleyball and basketball families, I feel a debt of gratitude to God for the families he has recruited to the Royals ‘team.’ I cannot name them all, lest I inadvertently forget
some and needlessly offend them. But each in their own way exemplifies grace, winsomeness, generosity, a fear of God, a radiance of his glory and image. Furthermore, as I observed during the recent regional and state basketball tournaments, we also seemed to possess an uncommon camaraderie and solidarity that, while no doubt was partly reflective of years of acquaintance, yet was grounded in a deeper spiritual reality that seemed to so naturally unite in thanksgiving table prayers. In a sense it is true, therefore, that we are a “royal people . . . belonging to God . . . called out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
Yet, we dare not congratulate ourselves for belonging to God. Through Paul, the Holy Spirit reminds each of us (as Peter echoed) that “you were once darkness” (Ephesians 5:8), and therefore spiritually blind, clueless, lost, and eternally hopeless. Only God’s intervening, penetrative, ‘guiding light’ of Jesus - “the way, the truth and the life” – enables us to know him in ever deeper ways as his family of sons and daughters (John 1:3-13; 14:6; 2 Corinthians 4:4-6).
Our dark past implores us, therefore, to be humble and forgiving to all, and, of course, ever watchful of our own vices and self-justifications. If there are practices and various exercises for excelling in sport, there is also a regimen of ‘spiritual disciplines’ (solitude, silence, et. al.) for excelling in a Christ-centered life. “Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord” (Eph. 5:8-10).
If we are a ‘royal priesthood’ who belongs to God, then ‘living out’ our identity as light-bearers not only reveals God’s life in ourselves, but also to others who are still in the darkness without Christ as their life and guide. God calls us to be his emissaries and messengers – living-proof witnesses to the daily, life-changing, presence of Jesus within and through us. In a sense, we are all missionaries for Jesus so that others will join us through him in experiencing and enjoying God for themselves. We declare and live his goodness to such an extent so that essentially even those who may oppose us will admit God’s goodness (1 Pet. 2:9, 12).
My prayer is for every ‘royal’ person to reveal God’s goodness at every event. After reminding his fellow Christians of their royal identity because they belong to God, Peter urged them to submit to authority, respect everyone, love each other, and patiently
endure unjust treatment (2:13ff). I am inclined to think that Peter’s instructions are immediately relevant to our own situation as royal players, parents, and spectators. Each game presents its challenges of questionable fouls, rough play, limited playing
time, disappointing execution, or coaching strategy, but all the real or apparent unfavorable circumstances are opportunities to display the character of Jesus as a light in an increasingly dark world.
Devotion
By George Lee