A number of years ago Amee and I were enjoying dinner in the home of some dear friends. Our host was an avid cyclist. He regularly rode Ragbrai. When he wasn’t on his bike he would go camping and fishing. At home he liked to work in the yard, landscaping and clearing trees. Though nearly 60, my friend appeared to be in excellent physical shape. But that evening as we talked, waiting for steaks to come off the grill, he excused himself to go to the bathroom, suddenly nauseous. It seemed to pass and he rested for a bit on his bed before finally rejoining us out on the patio. Our friend confessed to feeling short of breath and after a few brief moments told his wife, “I think I need to go to the hospital.” Thankfully, they were just minutes away because what he was experiencing was almost complete blockage of the Left Anterior Descending artery, one of the most deadly kinds of heart attacks, called the widowmaker. 

Though our friend looked physically fit, heart disease nearly cost him his life.

As we continue on in our salvation story we read that Jesus was the dinner guest of a Pharisee. Though by all outward appearances the Pharisees were good, moral people, they actually suffered from a deadly spiritual disease. Jesus diagnoses the problem and then describes the symptoms. Rather than heed his warning the scribes and the Pharisees would foolishly resist Jesus even further. Yet, if we’re wise we’ll all take preventative steps to stave off our own pharisaical tendencies.

“God, just give me a sign!” Maybe you’ve cried out those very words or something similar in a season of doubt, wondering if He was even there. Perhaps you've had to make an important decision; like a career change or whether or not to continue a relationship.

Don’t you just wish that God would write out his plan in neon lights across the night sky? That sure would make life a whole lot easier. Like bopping along to that 90’s band Ace of Base, I Saw the Sign. Indeed, life is demanding without understanding.

As we continue reading in our salvation story, Jesus confronts the non committal, those who just can’t make up their mind. They demand a sign. We’ll see that Jesus has already given the greatest sign of all, his resurrection from the dead. This episode contains a warning for those who refuse Jesus and his teaching. But, if you allow him, not only will the light of Jesus illuminate your life, it just might be the sign for someone else too.

On September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists killed nearly 3,000 people and injured more than 6,000 others. The worst foreign attack on American soil in our nation’s history.

Nine days later President George W. Bush addressed a joint session of congress, vowing to use every resource available to defeat global terrorism. He issued an ultimatum to Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers: turn over Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the attacks, or face the consequences. The President went on to famously say, “Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.”

And so, the battle lines were clearly drawn.

But does such an unequivocal distinction between good and evil really exist? Isn’t life more about living in the grey? 

As we continue on in our salvation story we read about a different kind of war going on, a spiritual war. Jesus was battling Satan and his demons. We often go about our day ignorant of the danger that exists or even our part in it. Jesus’ teaching reveals the seriousness of the situation as well as its singular solution. No one can remain neutral.

No matter who you are, you've probably prayed. Maybe you have whispered a silent prayer before an important exam or job interview. Perhaps you have read or recited a prayer at the funeral of a deceased loved one. Maybe you’ve cried out to God spontaneously in a moment of desperation. 

Prayer is a universal practice amongst all varieties of religions and peoples as an attempt to communicate with the sacred or holy. Some pray to their god. Others to a particular saint. For many, prayer is more about the mental and emotional benefit to the prayer. It’s a form of meditation and relaxation for the soul.

So what is unique about the prayer of a Christian?

As we continue on in our salvation story we read that Jesus’ disciples ask him to teach them how to pray. Jesus reveals the pattern, purpose, and promise of Christian prayer. Followers of Jesus have a loving relationship with their Heavenly Father who always gives good gifts. Therefore, we can approach Him confidently in our time of need.

Triage originates from the French word "trier," which means to sort or organize. French military surgeon Baron Dominique Jean Larrey, the chief surgeon in Napoleon Bonaparte's imperial guard, developed a system to evaluate and categorize wounded soldiers quickly during battle. Today, health care professionals all around the world utilize triage to prioritize patients based on the severity of their injuries. 

But prioritizing isn’t for emergency rooms only. Our lives are jammed packed with daily demands that scream for attention. So, what’s really important? What should we get to first?

As we continue reading in our salvation story Jesus is drawn into a dispute between two sisters with very different priorities. Jesus gently corrects the one and affirms the other, thus revealing the most important part of any disciple’s day. Mary devotedly sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to his teaching while Martha was distracted with much serving. We’ll discover the advantages of putting a priority on God's word.

Mr. Rogers was the epitome of nice. He spoke in friendly tones and wore conservative sweaters. He even changed his shoes when he came into the house. He was such a pleasant man. 

Is this what it means to be a Christian? Is this what it takes to get into heaven? 

As we continue on in our salvation story we read that Jesus is asked this very question by a highly respectable man, an expert in the Jewish law. Jesus' dialogue with this man reveals the deceitfulness of moralism. He then tells a well known parable whose hero would shock the listeners. We’ll see that a genuine follower of Jesus is not merely a moral person but rather a radically changed person who has a heart full of love that spills over to anyone in need. Won't you be my neighbor?

Were you ever that kid who rode the bench? You just wanted to get in the game. Like John Fogerty’s 1985 classic Centerfield, “Put me in coach, I’m ready to play…” The lyric describes a kid with his old worn out glove, a homemade bat, and shined up spikes longing to be a contributing part of the team. 

Perhaps you've felt like that at church. 

Idaho pastor and author Jim Putman wrote a best selling book entitled, Church is a Team Sport. When we become disciples we’re called out of the stands, down onto the field. Yet, a person might feel a bit overwhelmed, not quite sure what the score is or even what game is being played, perhaps feeling like a bench warmer. Is there a place for me on God’s team?

Continuing on in our salvation story we read that as Jesus traveled south, through the region of Samaria to Judea on his way towards Jerusalem, he sent seventy other disciples ahead of him to prepare the way for his arrival. Luke, the only one of the gospel writers to include this particular story, looks forward to the global scope of the church’s evangelistic mission and even perhaps to his own personal involvement in that missionary task. World evangelization would not just be the job of the twelve Apostles. Jesus would include other disciples as well. In fact, global missions is a task that involves the entire church, calling each one of us off the bench and into the game.

To be single-minded is to have only one purpose, goal, or interest. Like a young man who has fallen madly in love, she is all that he can think about. His buddies get annoyed because he used to always be down for a game of pick-up basketball. But now, he wants to spend his free time on the weekends with her. He’ll even go shopping and watch romantic movies. He picks up extra hours at work because he’s saving for a ring. The future suddenly comes into focus, because whatever plans and dreams he might have, she’s in them. 

This single-mindedness isn’t burdensome. He doesn’t pursue the love of his life begrudgingly. Rather, it flows from the heart. That doesn’t mean it’s effortless. In fact, as he’s gotten to know her more intimately than any other person on the planet he’s discovered many differences. But, part of the pursuit has been working through those differences and learning to appreciate them. 

Perhaps you might agree that if this young man were not single-minded in his devotion to overcome even the obstacles, that young lady should probably move along.

As we continue on in our salvation story we come to the second act in Luke’s Gospel. After ministering throughout the northern region of Galilee, we read that Jesus resolutely heads south towards Jerusalem to pursue the redemptive plan and purpose of his Heavenly Father. There were some who wished to go with him. But, we’ll see that following Jesus requires single-mindedness of us all.

Hey, senior! You have reached the pinnacle of your high school experience. You put in your time and learned to navigate the lunch room confusion, the awkwardness of which table to sit at. Maybe your books got dumped as an underclassman, but now you know your way around the hallways. Perhaps you sat on the bench all last season, but this year is your time to shine. You’re a survivor. You’re about to become the big man on campus along with all the special privileges being a senior affords.

High school is sort of like the wild wild west of human relationships. Everyone’s fighting to find and stay in their own lane. A pecking order develops. Everyone is divided into classes. Cliques are formed. It’s been called a metaphor for life.

But then Jesus comes along and upends the narrative declaring, “He who is the least among you all is the one who is great.” This runs completely contrary to our natural, survivalist instincts. 

As we continue on in our salvation story, Jesus, who had just revealed his future glory as the Son of Man, will once again foretell his suffering and death. However, the disciples fail to comprehend the way of the cross. We’ll learn that Jesus' humiliation provides a model for how all of us might live out lowliness amongst ourselves and with others.

In just a few weeks college students all across the country will experience a similar sensation; syllabus shock. The syllabus contains an overall description of the course, its objectives, the materials needed, and all the assignments that will be due throughout the semester. It can be quite daunting. But, the syllabus really is a good thing. It's a professor's contract with his or her students, and it's filled with clues about how to succeed in the course. Syllabus shock is also good and necessary, because it provides students a glimpse into the reality that lies ahead. Students can prepare for all the time and attention the course will require. It’s a chance to count the cost. Is it really worth it? As we continue reading in our salvation story, Jesus will shock his disciples with the full weight of all that lies ahead for himself and for anyone who might come after him, first, by revealing his imminent suffering and death, then by revealing his future glory. The life of a disciple may not be exactly what you imagined when you signed up for the course. However, the future reward will be worth it.