Coach’s Challenge – Investing

The NRBA theme for the year is ‘Investing it All’ and many of our students have heard that challenge at some point.  ‘Investing it All’ is an ongoing commitment that a follower of Jesus makes daily.  It is a commitment to live for Christ alone, to proclaim the Good News that Jesus died for, and to live with passion as His light in this dark world.  ‘Investing it All’ will require a complete change in our thinking because our concern will no longer be focused on ourselves, but on the lost and dying around us.  Jesus is the one who commanded his disciples by saying,

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
(Matthew 16:24)

The cross was an instrument of death.  Jesus gives us this word picture (the cross) so we would clearly understand what it means to be a sold-out follower of His teaching. What Jesus is referring to is our commitment to Him, even unto death.  He considers his true disciples those who are obedient to the extreme measure, those who are willing to die in pursuit of obedience just as He was obedient, even unto death, to the will of the God.  Will that be you this year?  Are you willing to die to self, or will the love of this world, concern for what other people think, or the pursuit of other things push Jesus to the back burner of your life? The choice is yours!