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.

Have you ever been given a task for which you felt ill equipped? Perhaps you felt this way as a first time parent, bringing that delicate little life home from the hospital. For the first 36 hours you relied on the expertise of an entire team of doctors and nurses. There was that reassuring hushed buzz in the halls of a hospital. But all of a sudden you step into the relative emptiness of your own home and suddenly you’re all alone. It’s just you and this baby that won’t stop crying. 

Or perhaps you’ve felt overwhelmed the first week at a new job. Of course you put your best foot forward throughout the interview process. You could do just about anything the employer asked. But now here you are in the new office. You don’t know the people or the processes, yet somehow you have to fill your position. You gotta perform.

Perhaps you feel ill equipped as a Christian. You know you’re supposed to do something; follow Jesus, be godly, don’t sin. But by what means? 

As we continue on in our salvation story we’ll read that Jesus sent out his disciples, assigning to them some seemingly impossible tasks. However, he was teaching and training them for a future, even more global mission. We’ll see that when God gives us a task, he also provides us the means, and they are always more than enough.

There is nothing more definitive than death. As the Book of Common Prayer says, “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” It is an inevitable part of the human condition. Death has been called the great equalizer. Regardless of ethnicity, social status, wealth, or personal accomplishments in this life, death is our common enemy. Perhaps you have had a personal brush with death. Maybe you’ve held the hand of a loved one as they died. You might be facing this cold, cruel reality right now as you battle a deadly disease.

The theme woven throughout Luke’s gospel is that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. But can he? Can we trust Jesus to save us even from death, the devil’s most powerful, terrifying weapon against us? As we continue on in our salvation story we’ll read the third of three episodes that exhibit Jesus’ power to save. Jesus not only commands the wind and the waves. Not only does he command the devil and his demons. Jesus has defeated even death. Therefore, you can courageously come to Jesus, trusting him with whatever you might be facing today.

Perhaps you, too, watch those home renovation shows in which the celebrity couple takes a bargain basement house and transforms it into a beautiful home. Typically, the remodel runs into some sort of a snag. They peak behind the walls or under the floors only to discover significant structural damage. It’s going to cost more money and take more time than originally thought. 

And so it is in our lives. There’s the stuff on the surface that you tend to the most and by which you’re often defined. But, there’s a whole lot more going on than what everyone else can see or than you might even be aware. In fact, there is a spiritual battle being waged for your very soul. You’re battling demons of which other people may never speak.

The theme woven throughout Luke's gospel is that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. But can he? Can we trust him to save us from even the deepest kinds of darkness? As we continue on in our salvation story this morning we’ll read the second of three episodes that demonstrate Jesus’ power to save. Jesus can be trusted to save because he dominated and defeated demons.

Nebraska lies in what is referred to as tornado alley. So, we’re prepared for severe weather events. We have emergency signal systems that warn of the approaching danger. But will they alert people in time? Will the warning be heeded? You build a storm shelter. But will it withstand the force of 165 mph winds? You have homeowners insurance to replace that hail damaged roof, but will the policy pay out as promised? The theme woven throughout Luke's gospel is that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. But can he? Can we trust him to come through when it really matters? As we continue on in our salvation story we’ll read the first of three episodes that demonstrate Jesus’ power to save. With experienced fishermen struggling for their lives at sea, Jesus exhibits his power over nature. He is stronger than our own natural abilities.

If you’re a parent you know the feeling of being heard but not heeded. You shout down the stairs that lunch is ready. Your middle schooler who is currently engrossed in a video game replies, “Ok!” You wait patiently, but after a few minutes there is no sign that the message was truly received. As we continue on in our salvation story, we read that Jesus was going through Galilean cities and towns proclaiming the word of God. Many would hear but most would not heed the message. Jesus uses one of his most famous parables, the parable of the sower and the seed, to teach his disciples why they should pay attention to how they hear. Careful hearing results in greater understanding of God’s revealed word; but careless hearing, results in loss. Wrapped up in this account is the rejection of Jesus by the Jews and the upcoming mission to the Gentiles. Jesus' death and resurrection would usher in a new era of gospel proclamation, the establishment and expansion of his church. Jesus' true family is made up of those who hear and heed the word of God.

Love is observable, expressed through actions. You’ll see this at a wedding. The bride and groom solemnly swear in the presence of God and witnesses to love one another “until death do us part.” But the intimacy enjoyed by two young lovers isn’t merely a recitation of time worn words. Their love is plainly visible in the way she gazes into his eyes or in the tender way he whispers in her ear as they dance. They embrace. They kiss. They are so obviously in love. This is true in all relationships; parent to child, siblings, or best of friends. So it is for Jesus’ disciples. As we continue on in our salvation story we’ll read about one woman’s vivid display of loving gratitude towards Jesus. Luke contrasts her expression of love for the Lord with the cold, dead religion of a pharisee. In the previous episode we read that those who turn and trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins are called the children of wisdom. Now we’ll see that one can identify children of wisdom by their expression of love towards Jesus. They don’t merely practice religion but rather possess (and nurture) a warm, life-giving relationship.