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Troublemaker

Clay Elliott

Ready:

“We have found this man to be a troublemaker…” Acts 24:5

Set: 

Do you know any troublemakers? It seems like every team I played on had at least one of these guys. I had teammates that always messed around during practice, didn’t listen to the coach, or created some kind of other drama. I bet you have one or two on your team even now. 

In the verse above, the troublemaker is actually the good guy – Paul. The stud of the New Testament. He was bringing trouble to the opposition and they didn’t like it, so they went on the offensive. They wanted him arrested. They actually wanted him dead. But he was a good troublemaker because his message was from God. It was good, right, and on the cutting edge. 

The Bible tells us that the bad guys actually called Paul the “ringleader” (vs. 5b) of the trouble. He banged the drum of the message of Jesus saving us from our sin…loud and long and continuously…to anyone who listened. He traveled all over the “old” world with this “new” word. He wrote many letters to many people about this message, and he even ended up getting beaten and jailed for the cause. Yup, he WAS the ringleader. 

As an athlete you have a chance to be a troublemaker. A good troublemaker. Use your platform. Use your influence. Be bold and be a ringleader for Jesus!

Go:

1. What kind of reputation do you have on your team?

2. What could you do now to become a good troublemaker on your team?

3. What would it take for you to be known as Jesus’s new ringleader?

Workout:

• Acts 9:1-20
• Matthew 5:13-16
• Matthew 7:24-27

Overtime:

“Father, thanks for using the idea of being a troublemaker as a good thing. I want to be known in this way. I even want to be a ringleader. Give me the strength and wisdom to proclaim Your message to my teammates and beyond. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.”