Play For A Greater Name

“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.” – John 17:6 (ESV)

Whose Name Do You Play For?

Athletes are used to playing for a name. Sometimes it’s the name on the front of the jersey—your team, your city, your school. Sometimes it’s the name on the back—your family name, your reputation, your legacy.

But Jesus came to reveal a greater name—the Name above all names, the Father’s Name. He didn’t play for the crowds, for fame, or for stats. He lived every moment to make the Father known. And if you’re a follower of Christ, that’s your purpose too.

1: Jesus Revealed the Father Through His Life
“I have manifested Your name…” (John 17:6)

Jesus didn’t just talk about God—He showed the world who God is. The word “manifested” means to make visible. He was God in cleats, walking the dirt, sweating, weeping, praying, and loving.

“He is the image of the invisible God…” – Colossians 1:15
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory…” – John 1:14

A coach once told his team, “Don’t tell me you’re about the team—show me by the way you run to back up your teammate.” Actions reveal your heart.

Jesus revealed the Father not just by His words, but by His actions—how He touched the leper, wept with the broken, ate with sinners, and stood for truth.

Are you showing the world what God is like by the way you play, train, speak, and lead? If someone watched your effort, your reaction to a bad call, your attitude in defeat—would they see Jesus?

2: Jesus Invested in a Few to Multiply His Mission
“To the men whom You gave Me out of the world…” (John 17:6)

Jesus didn’t go viral—He went deep. He focused on a few men, taught them the ways of the Kingdom, and sent them out. That’s God’s strategy for changing the world: discipleship.

“And He appointed twelve… so that they might be with Him and He might send them out…” – Mark 3:14
“Go and make disciples of all nations…” – Matthew 28:19

Great teams aren’t made in games—they’re made in practice. You win in the dark before anyone sees you under the lights. Jesus spent time with His disciples in the quiet places—on mountains, around campfires, in storms—to prepare them for the world.

Who are you helping grow in their faith? Who’s helping you grow? Are you in Christian community or just trying to follow Jesus alone? Jesus never discipled from a distance—He lived life with people.

3: They Responded to the Word
“They have kept Your word…” (John 17:6)

Jesus didn’t just entertain His disciples. He taught them truth, and they chose to follow it. They were far from perfect—but they said “yes” to what Jesus revealed.

“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word…” – John 14:23
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only…” – James 1:22

You can hear a coach’s game plan, but if you don’t execute it—you lose. Talent doesn’t win games; obedience to the strategy does.

You might hear God’s Word in chapel, but are you living it out in your locker room? On the bus? At home? What’s the “play” God is calling you to run—and are you running it?

Friend, Jesus didn’t just reveal God through His life—He revealed Him through His death.

“God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
“He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” – John 14:9

On the cross, Jesus showed us the justice of God by taking sin seriously. And He showed us the grace of God by taking your place.

That’s the gospel: that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life, died in your place, and rose again so you could be forgiven, restored, and empowered to reveal God in your own life.

Have you responded to that gift? Have you surrendered to the Coach of the universe?

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Romans 10:13

Let me ask you:
•    What name are you playing for? Yours—or the Father’s?
•    Are you revealing God through how you compete, how you treat others, and how you lead?
•    Who are you discipling—and who’s discipling you?
•    Are you obeying God’s Word, or just listening to it?

Every play, every rep, every drill—can be a platform to glorify God. You don’t need a pulpit to preach—you’ve got a field, a court, a locker room, and a team.

Let your effort speak of His excellence.
Let your humility reflect His heart.
Let your courage show His character.
Let your game reveal His greatness.

Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Thank You for revealing Yourself through Jesus. Thank You that He came full of grace and truth, and that He lived in such a way that we could know You. Lord, help us as athletes to reflect that same heart. Help us to play for Your name, not ours. Make us faithful to Your Word. Help us invest in others like You did. Let our lives reveal Your glory on and off the field. And if there’s anyone here who hasn’t trusted in Jesus—draw them to Yourself today. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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