Watch DVD: When the Game Stands Tall, Scene 1 (Start time-0:00—End Time-10:06) (10:06 min.)
Discussion Questions
1. In this clip, Coach Ladouceur said, “I don’t expect you to be perfect, but I do expect a perfect effort.” What do you think he meant by this? (That he didn’t expect the team to be perfect, but wanted players to leave it all on the field.) Vince Lombardi, legendary NFL coach of the Green Bay Packers, once said, “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.” Do you see any similarities in these two quotes? (Yes, both coaches realized perfection is a goal that can’t be reached.) Did the De La Salle football team give a perfect effort in this clip? (No. The wide receiver missed his block and was catching grief from a couple of teammates.)
2. Read Acts 5:40-41 and Daniel 6:16-23. Were things perfect in the lives of the people of God in the Bible? (No.) Explain. (The apostles were beaten. Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den to die.) How did the disciples and Daniel respond to these imperfect situations in their lives? (Verse 41 tells us the apostles rejoiced because they had been counted worthy to suffer for their belief in God. Verse 23 tells us that Daniel respond to his trip to the lions’ den by trusting in God.) Are things perfect in the lives of God’s people today? (No.) Explain. (Answers will vary.)
3. Read Genesis 1:31. Was the earth ever perfect? (Yes, God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. In the beginning, God’s creation was perfect.) Read Genesis 3:6-12. What happened to ruin God’s perfect creation? (Adam and Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit.) Where do you see imperfections in your school, community and world today? (Answers will vary.) What are the results of these imperfections? (Answers will vary.)
4. Read Matthew 5:48. Does God expect you to be perfect? (Yes.) Read Ecclesiastes 7:20. Can you be perfect? (No.) Name some areas in your life where you fail to be perfect. (Answers will vary but may include disrespecting parents, lying, cheating bad language.) Do those around you fail to be perfect in their relationships with you? (Yes.) How? (Answers will vary.) Read Romans 12:2. Although you and others fail to reach perfection while on earth, do you think God wants us to keep trying to reach the goal of perfection? (Yes, in this verse from Romans we are encouraged not to conform to the patterns of this world but to the perfect will of God.)
5. God expects us to be perfect, and there is no way we can reach perfection because of our sinful nature. I’d say you and I have a problem. Read Hebrews 10:14. What happened to help close the gap between the perfection God expects and the imperfection of our sinful lives? (Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins.)
6.Name some of the imperfect heroes of faith from the Bible whom God used to do great things for Him. (David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband, Uriah, killed; yet he still became the king of God’s people. Moses killed an Egyptian and still led the Israelites through the Red Sea, as well as brought the Ten Commandments to God’s people.) Though you fail to be perfect, can God still use you to do great things? (Yes.)
7. God is perfect in every way. We are not perfect, and at times this can cause us to become discouraged. Read Isaiah 25:1. When you fail to be perfect in your life, what encouragement from your perfect God do you find in this verse? (God is perfectly faithful in His promises to me and you.)
8. Read Revelation 21:4. When will you and I be perfect? (In heaven.)
9. Will you choose to strive to follow God’s command of perfection in your life this week? (Answers will vary.) When you fail to be perfect and sin, will you repent and turn to God for forgiveness? (Answers will vary.)
Closing Thought: Your life here on earth will not be perfect, but you can overcome those imperfect situations in your life by following the example of Daniel and putting your trust in God. Though you aren’t perfect, you can find comfort in knowing you don’t have to be because Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross guaranteed the perfection of heaven for all who believe!
Closing Verses
“He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He” (Deut. 32:4).
“His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:40-41).
“So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, ‘May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!’ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?’ Daniel answered, ‘May the king live forever! My God sent His angel, and He shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in His sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.’ The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God” (Dan. 6:16-23).
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day” (Gen. 1:31).
“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’ He answered, ‘I heard You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.’ And He said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?’ The man said, ‘The woman You put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it'” (Gen. 3:6-12).
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48).
“Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins” (Ecc. 7:20).
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom. 12:2).
“For by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Heb. 10:14).
“Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness You have done wonderful things, things planned long ago” (Isa. 25:1).
