Jesus, the Master Coach,

knows the team and the position you and I play

3rd Sunday after Pentecost

6.29.2025

[Texts]

1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21 Elijah says to Elisha, Follow me and do not continue plowing

Psalm 16 I have set the Lord always before me. (Ps. 16:8)

Galatians 5:1, 13-25 Love is the whole law, gift of the Spirit

Luke 9:51-62 Jesus says, Follow me and do not look back

Blessings of Sabbath to you, my dear church.

We continue moving through the Season after Pentecost, also known as Ordinary Time. But as we know, there is nothing ordinary about it. No season of the church year truly is. Whether someone calls themselves religious or spiritual, the daily walk of following Jesus in loving others and loving self as Jesus loves is never ordinary. Each life is precious in God’s eyes.

To help the world see life as God sees it, Jesus is determined to fulfill his mission. He is already on his way to Jerusalem, where the cross awaits him.

Today’s story from Luke 9 meets us on that road. It’s longer than the one we heard from Luke 8 last Sunday. And again, the context is not a Jewish village but a Samaritan one. The relationship between Jews and Samaritans reminds me of divorced parents who live next door but avoid all contact. That awkwardness, passed down from generation to generation, leaves descendants caught in the middle. They behave in ways that may not make sense to outsiders like us.

But for Jesus and his followers as Jews, the Samaritans’ rejection does not come as a surprise. Just like any place in the world, this Samaritan village is still God's mission field. And just like the conflicts we see in our world today, where differences in belief and values lead people to see each other as enemies. But God sees them all as beloved children.

In Luke, we see that Jesus knows each person. He knows where they are in their faith journey and what position they are taking when decisions must be made. Nothing escapes his eyes. To uphold their values and beliefs, some take on a defensive role, like James and John. Others step forward with offense, showing hostility toward Jesus and his disciples. Some prefer to belong to an established group and express a desire to follow Jesus. Others are ready to begin something new within their hometown or family.

Every person in God's mission field has a role. And each role matters if the Kingdom of God is to be seen and experienced in our world. Jesus is the master orchestrator, guiding his disciples toward success.

It makes me think of a sport. American Football.

What if, just for today, we imagined the gospel as football? And Jesus as the master coach? He knows each player’s strengths and struggles. He understands who is ready to be sent, who is unsure, and who needs time to grow.

Someone carries the gospel like a ball carrier. Some disciples are like kickers. With one faithful move, they launch the gospel farther than they may ever see. Some are like blockers who protect and clear the path for the one carrying it forward. And sometimes, teammates drift from their role in the mission or lose clarity about what team they’re on. They might kick in the wrong direction or block their own teammate.

But Jesus doesn’t stay on the sideline. He steps into the field and carries the gospel himself, like a quarterback. He shows us how to move through the field, reach the goal, and win. Not only for our sake, but most importantly, for the sake of God's mission. The same gospel he carries is the one we are learning to carry in the mission fields God has entrusted to us.

In Luke 9, Jesus names the strengths and the limits of those who want to follow him. The first seeks comfort. The second needs permission. The third is hesitant, and Jesus knows that hesitation could slow the work of God. And then there are James and John. Jesus sees their impulse to control and to call down fire, but he corrects them with love. He helps them see that discipleship means meeting people where they are and speaking the truth in love.

So here’s the question: What strengths and weaknesses do you see in yourself when you hear about those three followers, along with James and John?

For me, I’ve noticed something. I’m growing in quick mental recovery when serving in ministry. And I think that’s a bit like the skill of a quarterback.

In football, a quarterback needs more than strength. They need sharp mental focus. At any given moment, they are reading the defense, adjusting plays, and making decisions in a split second. If something goes wrong, like a fumble or a missed opportunity, they have to let it go. They reset. They lead. They press forward.

Doesn’t that sound like what Paul describes in Philippians 3:14? “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

Paul sees his life of faith like a race. He is not running without purpose. He is focused, determined, and moving forward, not looking back. His mental agility and mission focus are like that of a quarterback or a gospel carrier in the field.

Quick mental recovery is vital. It keeps the whole team steady. It is the discipline of staying calm, adjusting, and showing up for the next moment. The quarterback becomes the pivot that holds everything together.

It’s like a pastor and the church council who must recover quickly when the mission starts to drift. And Jesus, our Savior and our Master Coach, shows us how it can be done.

So, beloved church, as we step into another week of ordinary days that are never truly ordinary, remember this:

Jesus, the master coach, knows the role each disciple plays. He recognizes readiness and hesitation, strength and stumbling. And he does not remain at a distance. He is on the mission field, walking beside the faithful, carrying the gospel through weakness and resistance, and guiding each movement so God's mission continues through every willing heart.

This week, when you feel uncertain or weary, take a breath and reset like a quarterback. Refocus. Step back into the mission. The mission field is not a distant place or time. It is here. It is now. And your role in it is holy.

It is holy because it is set apart from the world’s concerns, especially those driven by the desire to conquer others. Our mission is rooted in compassion, dignity, and truth, to glorify God alone. That’s why it is holy.

May your spirit stay open, fully engaged with the Spirit of God. May your steps move faithfully toward the goal God has already prepared for you, just as St. Paul did, not looking back, but pressing onward with trust and purpose.

And when next Sunday comes, may you look back and say, “I was part of the mission. I showed up. I trusted the master coach, our Lord Jesus.”

Amen.