Enjoy Life, Enjoy God

A NEW TEAM

July 5, 2010

Some years ago I didn't much like it when I saw Emmitt Smith wearing an Arizona Cardinal jersey. That was just wrong. Emmitt was playing for a new team.
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"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world."
- John 15:18,19 TNIV

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For Emmitt Smith it was merely changing football teams. Jesus tells us here a sobering truth: to follow him, to be one of his disciples, to join his team will not earn one applause, but the word he uses is "hate." People, the world around us, will not like that we start taking our faith seriously, and following Christ. The world will fight back.

Discipleship, following Christ, is a lifetime commitment: learning to play for a new team, to wear a new jersey. It's the way of Christ.
Joyfully,

Dale Patterson