Weekly Content for P.A.C.K. Meetings
P – PRAYER
Pray for your time together. Ask God to give you open hearts, open ears, and a willingness to be open and honest with each other.
Wrap up your time together by having guys share any additional personal prayer requests and pray specifically for one another.
You can also pray this prayer as a follow-up to the topic:
Heavenly Father, we are so thankful that through Christ we have been made new. We pray You’ll help us believe and understand that our identity has truly changed and we are not who we used to be. We pray You’ll continue to transform us and when people see us they’ll see Jesus shining through. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
A – ACCOUNTABILITY
Ask guys how their week was. Follow up on last week’s topic about “letting go” and ask how they made changes and how God moved in their life.
Also, it can be an opportunity for guys to share any struggles or challenges from the week that they need to confess or be held accountable for.
If married, ask how everyone is intentionally serving their spouse…and if a parent, what the biggest challenge is right now.
C – CONVERSATION
Talk about weekly content that connects sports to life and faith.
UNPACKIN’ it Devotional Content
Not the “Same Old Lions”
The Detroit Lions have historically been known as losers with the saying “Same Old Lions” representing their franchise’s history of disappointment.
However, the process of dropping that label began on June 23rd, 2020 when Sheila Hamp became principal owner of the Lions, taking over for her mother, Martha Ford. Hamp then hired Chris Spielman to the front office, Brad Holmes as general manager, and Dan Campbell as head coach.
Together, they have changed the identity of the Detroit Lions which was on full display Sunday night as they won their first playoff game since the 1991 season.
It was an incredible night for the Lions fans as they watched their team hold on to an exciting 24-23 win over the LA Rams and Matthew Stafford.
They will host multiple postseason games for the first time in franchise history, as they will welcome either the Bucs or the Eagles to Ford Field next weekend.
Yesterday’s win proved this team is no longer the “Same Old Lions” and they have a new identity. Ever since head coach, Dan Campbell took over, he’s changed the team’s approach, mindset, and ultimately their belief that they could move past the history of losing and who they used to be.
The players believed this to be true and demonstrated on a huge stage in a tight game that they are now the new Lions.
We talk a lot about identity in sports and life and it can be defined as “the characteristics determining who or what a person or thing is.”
Identity “refers to our sense of who we are as individuals and as members of social groups…and our sense of how others may perceive and label us.”
The Lions’ identity changed, which means the way they play, what they believe to be true, the results, and how they’re viewed by others are now different.
When we surrender our lives to Jesus, we experience a much deeper and critical identity change. We move from “Same Old ___” who can’t seem to win, full of disappointment, and old patterns of sin, and become a new creation.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP) explains, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].”
The question becomes, do we really believe that our identity has changed? Do we believe that we are now God’s child, declared forgiven, more than conquerors, a member of the body of Christ, and freed from the bondage of sin?
When Jesus takes over, our lives and our identity are rooted in Him. He then changes our approach, and mindset, and helps us believe we can move past our history of losing and who we used to be.
When our identity is in Christ, the way we “play,” what we believe to be true, the results, and how we are viewed by others are also different.
Today, let’s be reminded that if we are in Christ, then our identity (our sense of who we are and our characteristics) must be based on who He is, what He’s done for us, and who He says we are…because we are no longer the “Same Old Lions”!
I’m Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!
Further Scripture Reading
Galatians 2:20 (ESV)
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
John 1:12-13 (NLT)
“But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.”
1 Corinthians 12:27 (AMP)
“Now you [collectively] are Christ’s body, and individually [you are] members of it [each with his own special purpose and function].”
Romans 8:1-2 (NLT)
“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”
Additional Thoughts to Consider
- It’s taken time for the Lions’ new identity to be realized and the results to be evident, as it’s been a process. Likewise, it’s a process for us when it comes to truly embracing and finding our identity in Christ.
- The Lions losing on Thanksgiving this year was surprising, and they fell back into the “Same Old Lions,” but it was only momentarily. They didn’t let the loss derail the season. Sometimes, on our journey we have a momentary relapse to our “Same Old Ways,” but we can’t let it derail us. We must repent and move forward.
Podcast-Listen/Watch
Questions to Discuss
- What have you noticed about the Lions’ identity change?
- What coaches over the years have you been most impressed with their ability to change the identity of a franchise?
- When it comes to establishing a new identity, how important is it for players to believe in the coach and believe that real change will happen?
- What does it mean to have your identity in Christ?
- How hard has it been for you to leave your old identity behind?
- What aspect of your new identity in Christ is hardest for you to believe or remember?
- When it comes to your identity, do you struggle more with how God views you, how others view you, or how you view yourself?
- How does having your identity in Christ affect your life?
- What else fights to take over as your primary identity?
- In light of Jesus changing our identity and giving us a new life, what’s the problem with saying, “That’s just who I’ve always been” or “That’s just who I am” to justify sinful behavior and character flaws?
K – KICKING Around Interesting and Relevant Sports Stories and Topics (You Can Start With This)
Go around the room as each guy shares a thought, a hot take, an observation about their favorite team, or a big story going on. Save the conversation about the sports topic from the devotional for later.
This week’s headlines:
- NFL Playoffs
- NFL coaching carousel
- Future of the Cowboys
- With the Lions winning a playoff game, what losing franchise will be next to turn things around?
