On draft day in 1987, the Seattle Supersonics held the number five overall pick. They selected a small forward named Scottie Pippen. Later, they would deal him to the Chicago Bulls for center Olden Polynice. The Sonics really needed a center, so the deal made sense at the time. Polynice averaged only 5.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in his five years with the Sonics. Pippen won six NBA championships with the Bulls and developed into one of the top players in NBA history.

 Romans 1 – Worship the Creator, Not the Creation

 Pippen’s trade or exchange is one of the worst in NBA history. There’s another exchange that each one of us has made that is far worse in Romans 1. Paul points to the presence of sin in our lives. Sin is idolatry. The worship of the creation rather than the Creator. In other words, we traded worship of the Creator for worship of the creation. We have chosen to have our needs met by the creation. This trade negatively impacts everything! It results in people who live in their sin, and Paul describes the destruction that occurs. Apart from God, people are given over to sin and destruction.

 Paul wrote Romans to proclaim the gospel so people would recognize their sin of worshipping the creation and turn to Jesus for their only way of salvation.

 The Kingdom Coach and Athlete realize their friends and teammates, who don’t have a relationship with Jesus, have exchanged the worship of the Creator for the creation. Like Paul, they make every effort to help the sinner see the negative consequences of worshipping the creation rather than the Creator.

Journaling helps you understand and respond to the Bible. As you journal, use the acronym HEAR to Highlight, Explain, Apply, and Respond to what you have read in the reading plan.

Bible Memory Verse – Because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes, both His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen and understood through what has been made so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:19-20 LSB

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