If Jesus was a coach…
I thought it would be interesting to imagine what Jesus would be like if he was coaching today. Obviously his teams would play with passion and without fear. They would be both strong and courageous, while unselfishly sharing the ball. Can you imagine the discipline and details? Jesus would likely recruit the under recruited and the humble. I could go on and on about their meekness, love for each other, and respect for opponents and authorities including the officials.
Would Jesus players hustle? A couple coaching principles that I agree with are “first to the floor” or “low man” usually wins. These go along well with the Biblical principles of kneeling or praying on your knees as well as elevating yourself by lowering yourself and elevating others. Surely Jesus would encourage hustle and playing with heart.
How many times in an athletic contest do you get knocked down or have to lay out diving for a ball? What would Coach Jesus say at that moment to his players? Thirty-eight times Jesus told people to “Get up” or “Rise up” in the Bible. The 39th time will be one I can’t wait to hear. In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, It says Jesus will tell us to “RISE UP” to meet Him in the air on last time as we join Him in Glory! I believe that I have painted a pretty clear picture of what Coach Jesus would say to a player who just got knocked down.
The number thirty-nine is an interesting number to me. It is said to be the number of lashes Jesus would have been given before his death on the cross, because forty lashes would kill a normal Jew. Thirty-nine is also the record number of consecutive wins God blessed us with beginning in 2009. An entire calendar year without a single loss is something few coaches ever experience, not Jesus; he never lost and remains undefeated to this day. That is the King we serve. I love the line in Lacrae’s song GET BACK RIGHT, “You and your gang versus me and my God, listen you ain’t fixin to win that!”
I was so thin growing up with very little muscle or meat to absorb the blow when diving on the floor or sliding into a base. I always had bruises on my hip bones or strawberries on my knees. One thing my dad would always say is “Get up son, never let your opponent see you stay down.” Plus the fact that if I stayed down for longer than 5 seconds my mother would be down on the floor praying for me. LOL
One of my pet peeves are players who seemingly are hurt and agonizing in pain, usually so they don’t have to get up to get back on defense, then ten seconds later they have miraculously been healed on offense. To me that is a huge sign of mental, physical and spiritual weakness. After taking a charge, diving for a loose ball, or even getting knocked to the floor, a shot of adrenaline fills your body and the pure joy of demonstrating the POWER inside of you to make that play should help you not only GET UP, but RISE UP quickly and even with a little SWAG.
I can imagine the authority of Jesus’ voice when he told a cripple or paralyzed person to GET UP. I love when he tells the cripple man in Acts 3 to GET UP. In verse 8, it says that he jumped up, stood on his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them to the Temple walking and leaping and praising God. That is exactly how Jesus’ players would respond from getting knocked down, after taking a charge, or diving for a ball, just like when you GET UP after making a hustle play demonstrating the Power you just displayed. Jesus has a desire for you to demonstrate God’s Power in you.
Lower yourself and God will raise you up higher. First one to the floor wins, first one up wins even more. In John 9, Jesus is walking along with His team of twelve and they see a man blind from birth. The disciples ask, “Rabbi, who sinned so that he was born blind, this man or his parents?” Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents. This happened so that GOD’S POWER might be displayed in him. Jesus goes on to heal the blind man by placing mud in his eyes. What seems odd to many, may just be the road less taken that God is calling you to take to find success in coaching and life. Jesus put mud and spit in his eyes healing him, so that “THE POWER of God could be seen in him.”
Let’s look at another time the Bible mentions the Power of God. How about the time in Mark 5 where Jesus is headed to Jairus’ house to heal his daughter. Because of the Power of the Spirit in Jesus, multitudes of people followed him hoping to get a glimpse of one of his miracles. His gym would be packed nightly! This time was no different. As Jesus made it through the crowd, a desperate lady who had been sick for 12 years fought her way through the crowd and touched the edge of his clothes. At the moment, Jesus stopped recognizing that POWER had gone out from Him as she was healed. Did you catch that? Earlier he healed the blind man so the Power of God could be seen and now the Power of God left Him healing the lady! I believe Jesus’ teams would play in such a way that they would be a demonstration of God’s power. My goal for my team is to do just that! GET UP, RISE UP and let God shine through our team in such a Demonstration of His Power that everyone watching recognizes and sees the Power of God in us.
Show me one time in the Bible where Jesus was timid, soft, or weak. He was all man and all God. He wept when one of his close friends died. He was weary and tired from walking, and stopped at the well to get water and meet the Samaritan woman. He was hungry and cursed the Fig tree for not producing fruit. He threw the gamblers out of the Temple. He drew in the sand to stop the men from stoning a woman caught in sin. Jesus was the epitome of strength and a day by day demonstration of God’s power.
Let’s look how Jesus handled adversity on the road. How about when opposing crowds were riding Him or even laughing at Him. I mentioned above in Mark 5, that Jesus was on his way to Jairus’ house to heal his daughter when he took the time to stop when the Power left him to heal the woman with bleeding disease. While Jesus was taking the time to heal the lady, Jairus receives the devastating news that his daughter has died. Why bother the teacher any longer? I love the fact that Jesus is called teacher at this point. It reminds me of Coach Wooden who always considered himself a teacher first. Of course Jesus overheard the scouting report and responds, “Don’t worry; just keep trusting.” They then continued on to Jairus’ house. Interesting note here, Jesus only allowed Peter, James, and John to go with them. (Stay tuned for my next blog post, which points out Jesus and his 3!) They arrive at their opponent’s house with all kinds of commotion. In verse 40, the opposing fans crossed the line. Never laugh at Jesus. The Bible says he threw them all out! GET OUT! He then says “Talitha koum”, which means, “Young woman, GET UP”. The opposing crowd made a mistake by challenging Jesus authority and power. He stepped up big as only Jesus can do. Resurrection Power, Game Over!
Coming off the big victory, Jesus and his squad go to his hometown of Nazareth in Mark chapter 6. It is one thing to be laughed at or mocked on the road, but Coach Jesus had to play the political game as well. The school board did not approve of Jesus teaching on the Sabbath, so he blows their mind and reveals who HE is. In verse 4 & 5, Jesus says, “Prophets are honored everywhere except in their own hometowns, among their relatives, and in their own house.” He was unable to do miracles, except he healed a few sick. He was appalled by their disbelief. That is some crazy stuff. Healing the sick is no big deal when you do miracles like walk on water. I have to laugh at the home crowd’s lack of faith, not Jesus, because it is not a lack of Jesus’ Power, but a lack of the people’s faith.
The last thought I will share is regarding one of my favorite showdowns with Coach Jesus and the administration. To me this was a championship moment for Jesus. The lawyers and Pharisees bring a young lady in who had been caught in adultery. By Mosaic Law she was condemned to be stoned. Jesus goes to the coaching chalk board and draws up a play that sends each one of the accusers home, as he added, “Let you without sin, cast the first stone.” What an awesome game winning play Jesus drew up!
The inspiration from this blog post came from a powerful message by Pastor Robert Madu. Confirmation then came from another message I heard from Pastor Michael Todd. When God reveals something to you, I encourage you to write it down. It can often validate your testimony later on or it allows you to share with others.
Pastor Robert Madu – Message GET UP / GET OUT
Pastor Michael Todd – Release PT 3
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