The 2019-20 NBA season went on break on March 11, 2020, because of the coronavirus pandemic. A couple of months later, they restarted, with 22 teams returning to play under a new set of rules. The reboot included stringent health and safety protocols and a single-site campus at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Restarts are nothing new in track and field when someone has a false start, but nothing like this has happened in a team sport like basketball. The pandemic caused many different sports worldwide to pause or cancel, with the hope of restarting soon.

John 3 – Spiritual Reboot

Restarts are also crucial to our spiritual lives. For us, restarts happen when we realize something is missing or broken, and that how we are living our lives is not working. It causes us to reflect on our lives and hit the restart button. Finding the right restart is critical to our spiritual race. Jesus had a lot to say about restarts in the Bible’s classic passage (John 3:1-21). He had just been asked a restart question by Nicodemus, a prominent Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin (the ruling body of the Jews).

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”

The phrase “born again” literally means “born from above.” Are you like Nicodemus? Do you want to restart your life? Jesus teaches we all need a righteousness restart, a second birth. He calls it being “born again.” Attempting to produce our own righteousness before God won’t work. God is not impressed with our efforts, even at their best. (v3)

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete understand they have sinned against God and deserve punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that they deserved so they could be forgiven through faith in Him. They have repented from their sin and become “born again” or a new creation in Christ.

Bible Memory Verse – “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent ME draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:44 LSB

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