Lent 2 Tough Pre-Season – 25 February 2024

I never used to like pre-season training that much. All those enjoyable BBQ’s and beverages of the summer came home to roost as the coach got us moving again. It is basically extended suffering at the hands of the dreaded pre-season fitness coach. His goal was to create pain where we have never felt pain before!

Sometimes the coach would get in your face and tell you what he wants from you this season. Sometimes that would include the “feedback’ (blunt truth) about how you played last season and why this season needs to be different.

To get through it, you just needed to take all this and trust his vision of the game for you.

Of course, there was always a bloke or two who would trust the coach’s vision. They would push back. “What are we doing this for…again!”. “Who does this guy think he is, Mohammed Ali?!” “We are not playing for sheep stations – calm down!” “I am only here for the beer!”

The coach had a vision of what it would take to play well. The relentless suffering with all those fitness and team drills was preparing us.

I think Jesus is being the tough coach today. He has his vision of life in him for these band of followers, and he knows what it is going to take to live it faithfully and fully for himself, and eventually for them…and of course those of us who follow these followers. He knows the suffering of it, but also the goal and reward for living life his way. But the pre-season training is tough.

Peter found this out when he pushed back. He could not see the coach’s vision and did not like what he heard Jesus say about what following would cost him or Peter and the others. He takes on an authority that was never given to him as he pulls Jesus aside and begins to give Jesus some ‘feedback’!

Jesus’ vision?

Seems like certain defeat! If Jesus was my coach, I think I would push back too. Either that or decide right then and there that I won’t be coming back to training!

Peter began his rebuke. We don’t know what he actually said. Surely it would be along the lines of “What are we doing this for?!”. “Who do you think you are talking like that?!” “Jesus, we are not playing for sheep stations – calm down!” “I am only here for the beer!”

Surely Peter and the others all wanted the other Jesus – miracle worker, demon caster, winner, sharp winning words to all the people that matter, new king obviously on the rise, a road to national glory and untold rewards of the kind we all like.

But not this. Not this road of suffering, rejection by people, giving up our dreams, what we thought was his plan, what we thought would be his program reaching to the vision we all long for …

Jesus takes the opportunity to give Peter some ‘feedback’ back, and in the hearing of the others. As is often the case (thankfully), our misunderstanding or belligerence is a teachable moment for Jesus. He wants to get us to the goal.

Jesus’ vision and call is something quite alien to you that comes from outside you. I guess that how you know you are being called. You don’t call Jesus on your terms. He calls you on his and you feel that pull away from your own dreams and visions to some other thing all together.

But, horror of horrors, Jesus then says;

“Take up your cross”?! We have never witnessed a crucifixion up close. They have. Everyone knows what a dreadful thing it is. They have seen criminals carrying them out of the city under Roman guard and seen people dying on them for days in pain.

Two more times he speaks of this suffering weight he is carrying and will carry to its end.

The second time he spoke of his they still did not understand him, but “were afraid to ask him” (Mark 9:31), probably for fear of being rebuked again.

When they were going to Jerusalem, Jesus told them yet a third time of his impending death, this time with an even more grim and graphic description, namely that he will be condemned, handed to the Gentiles, who will mock him, spit on him, flog him and kill him, but that he will rise again (Mark 10:33-34). Listening to Jesus predict this ending for him must have been the worst three days of the disciples’ time with Jesus.

But friends, there is now ‘The Why’ of all this calling. It is almost hidden from our ears because of the heavy words on inevitable suffering with Jesus. But it is there;

That is this coach’s vision for himself and for those who follow his call – Rise; resurrection from whatever rejection, rising from any suffering and alive through death.

It is the rising that makes the suffering mean something.

It is the rejection that makes the eventual acceptance so sweet.

It is the rising that makes the dying recede to the back of your heart so you truly live now.

Rising: That is Jesus real vision, not the suffering and rejection. Suffering and dying are just how he and we get there. Rising is what he can see before he goes through that dark sea. Rising is what was impossible for Peter and the others to see……. until they saw it!

And see it they did. This is the best news in all this. Coach Jesus is not a disconnected coach who sits up in the corporate suits drinking champaign and making deals to feather his own nest as his team suffers through pre-season training.

He is the coach on the grass doing those press ups, stomach crunches, running those laps, doing those drills FIRST.

Our pre-season coach was like that. He did everything first before asking anything of us.

And here is the thing. When we got to that first full game of the season at the end of the third quarter you would realise you are actually still running, still contributing, still supporting your teammates because you are prepared – you are fit.

That is the reason for the seemingly harsh ‘feedback; he gives Peter this day.

He wants Peter fit for the purpose that will be his when he is empowered by the Spirit post-rising to be his sent man with his good news into his loved but dying and dark world. It all begins fifty days after that glorious resurrection victory of Jesus – Pentecost Day for Peter.

Friend, your Saviour has the vision of you, and he has achieved the victory over all your suffering and even your dying and told you so in this Word.

He is calling you to trust him in all of it by pressing on with him towards his goal for you (resurrection) playing this game of life his way.

See how Christianity is not a theory you understand, a set of ethics you follow as best as you can, a lifestyle you choose. it chooses and calls you.

At our centre is a person saying follow ME – not that or these. Not ‘follow a set of ethical standards, good ideas, religious practices, tightly argued theological points’.

Follow me, says Jesus to Peter and the Twelve. All else comes from that call.

The minute you and I assume authority you don’t have, like Peter did, authority to live the way YOU want according to your vision, you will lose it all, says the Saviour.

As you follow Jesus and not step away or ahead of his Word on how to live his vision, you will be and stay found, and you will be free in a hope-filled life of purpose and meaning because you know the certain goal of it all.

Friend, take his feedback today and run with him. He has his vision for your life, and he calls you to not accuse him or blame him or dismiss him or doubt him, but actually trust him. What would trusting him look like for you today?

Those followers could not have known this day that everything Jesus said would happen, would happen! We do. He did not deny them a thing. He is calling you through this thing. You can lose it all because he has won it all for you.

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