“Football and Mountaintops” ~ Soup-er Bowl Sunday
Matthew 17:1-9
(quotes taken from the NKJV unless noted)
Wakelee Church ~ February 6, 2005
Note: Every time the word football was said during this service, it was the congregation’s cue to toss around Nerf footballs provided by the pastor.
Theme: In football the goal is to win. At Jesus’ transfiguration, the final play was called in Jesus’ ministry, so that we all could win.
Introduction – Pep-rallies
I enjoy a good pep-rally! Back in my high school days, we’d meet at the largest parking lot in town, which just happened to be the livestock auction, and have a huge bonfire. There would always be someone yelling through a megaphone and the crowd would roar whenever given the right cue from the speaker.
The event was always a success. Ravenna’s team mascot was the bulldog and our colors were blue and white. So there’d be people carrying banners, people wearing their blue and white outfits, and of course the *** FOOTBALL *** team would be there.
No one walked away from these events saying, “This was a dud, that it did nothing for me.” In fact, even though the players speeches weren’t all that inspiring, most everyone walked away knowing that we’d done our part by showing our support.
Pep rallies work because people who attend are not looking for what they can get out of it, they are there to be a part of it…there’s a purpose…appreciating and supporting the team..everyone understands why they are there.
Just before Jesus took Peter, James, and John upon the high mountain, which was probably Mount Hermon, which rises 9400 feet above see level, Jesus gave all the disciples a pep-rally.
After telling them about taking up their cross in order to follow, he tells them in vs. 27, “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.”
For the disciples, this was good news. For Peter, James, and John, it was the pep rally before the big play, which centered on the cross of Calvary and the empty tomb.
I – Jesus picked a team that could handle the assignment. (vs. 1)
It’s interesting to note who Jesus took with him to get this final leg of his ministry started. Peter, James and John (three of the four disciples first picked by Jesus) were now called upon to witness the inner-workings of the head office. It changed their lives forever.
It reminds me of the coin toss. Before most *** FOOTBALL *** games there is a coin toss to decided which team will kick off first. Normally, the visiting team gets to choose heads or tails, and if they win they can either receive the ball first, or kick the ball first. Nine times out of ten, the winner of the coin toss chooses to receive.
For Peter, James, and John, they had an opportunity to be in the game in a special way. Instead of kicking the responsibility off, they decided to receive. It is no coincidence that our Bibles have chapters that these men wrote.
Jesus picked a team that could handle the assignment…
II – Jesus knew the importance of the huddle. (vs. 2-4)
So, with his team, he headed up the mountain. And before the disciples could even figure out what was happening…Jesus changed big time. His face was so bright it hurt your eyes to stare at it. His clothes became so white that they looked like a thousand of those stadium lights were shining through them. And then…the huddle.
“In *** FOOTBALL *** they have a huddle, the goal of the huddle is to give you thirty seconds to call the play, that is why they give you a huddle.
(At a professional *** FOOTBALL *** game there may be ) Sixty thousand people watching you huddle, they don’t mind you taking thirty seconds to call the play. They understand that you have to get organized, you have to know where you are going to go, the ends need to know where they are going to go, the quarterback needs to know where he is going to go, the backs need to know where they are going to go. The huddle is important because it puts everyone on the same page.
But let me inform you if you do not already know, sixty thousand people do not pay $30 a ticket to watch you huddle. People come to see if their team can overcome the opposition.
The huddle of Elijah, Moses and Jesus represented all the players. Moses…the law.
Elijah…the prophets. Jesus…the fulfillment of both the law and prophets. What was about to happen next in the life of Jesus Christ, needed a huddle.
The King of kings, sat down with the lawmaker of lawmakers, and the prophet of prophets to verify the next play.
Now, the disciples, who were at this point sitting on the sideline, had no clue what the
play was. Peter, just being Peter, decides to rush into the action and call his own play. But since he hadn’t been in the huddle…it had no clue what he was doing.
Jesus, unlike Peter, knew the importance of the huddle.
III – The owner called in the play. (vs. 5-6)
And poor Peter paid the price for it. One of my favorite passages of Scripture is found in verse 5. While Peter is rambling on about a building project, a voice coming out of a bright cloud overshadowed the scene and began to speak. The heavenly Father didn’t
wait for Peter to finish.
It was time to call the play, and the owner called it, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”
You know we all face warning signs in life…
At the theater, the house lights flash;
At an intersection, the green light changes to yellow;
At the airport terminal the final boarding call comes over the intercom;
At a railroad crossing, the lights begin to flash;
In the cargo bay of a C-140, a red light comes on;
During a ***FOOTBALL*** game, the two-minute warning sounds;
And when you’re standing on the mountaintop and God interrupts you, it’s a good sign that you might want to be quiet and prepare yourself for what’s about to happen. Amen?
(source: adapted from Guy Caley, Warning Signs www.sermoncentral.com)
God, the owner of it all, the dude in the head office, called the play…not for Moses, Elijah, and Jesus…they were in the huddle…they knew what was going on.
God was talking to Peter, James, and John…be quiet…listen…here’s the play, “This is my Son in whom I am well pleased…hear him.” The final push down the gridiron is about to begin.
IV – Jesus explained the play. (vs. 7-13)
And thankfully, on the way down from 9400 feet, Jesus took the time to explain the questions that the disciples had, making sure that the timing was right.
During a Monday night *** FOOTBALL *** game between the Chicago Bears and the New York Giants, one of the announcers observed that Walter Payton, the Bear’s running back, had accumulated over nine miles in career rushing yards. The other announcer was quick to remark, “Yeah, and that’s with someone knocking him down every 4.6 yards!”
(source: Bobby Schobey, www.sermoncentral.com)
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, he seemed to suffer every 4.6 yards, and he was quick to tell his disciples that although they couldn’t say anything now, that Jesus would suffer again, according the playbook.
It was Jesus who also told the disciples as a whole that “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33)
Conclusion – Are you ready?
It reminds me of one final *** FOOTBALL *** story…
“The attention of the country was recently focused on a high school game in McDermott, Ohio. In the final quarter, Dave Frants and Derek Dewit, the rival coaches called a timeout, conferred together, and agreed upon a highly unusual play.
On one team was 17-year old Jake Porter, a mentally-challenged player. In his 3 years on the team he suited up for every practice, attended every game, but never participated in a game.
Near the end of this game his coach called him to come on the field, and the quarterback handed off the ball to him. In a brief moment of confusion Jake hesitated, then began to run.
The opposing team gave way, without looking too obvious, and this young man ran 49 yards to score a touchdown. Then something unexpected occurred. Both sides of spectators stood up in the stands and began to cheer and even cry for joy, for this young man’s crowning moment in life.
Players from both teams celebrated, with helmets raised to the sky. Both bands began to play. Jake’s mom, Liz, a single parent, ran onto the field to embrace her son. At that moment, for both schools, it became more than a game.”
(source: Robert Leroe, www.sermoncentral.com)
Over the next forty days (starting this Wednesday, and not including Sundays) the church calendar calls us to a time we call Lent.
As noted in the announcement section of your bulletin, Lent is observed by many people in many ways.
Some give up things.
Some fast...
Some pray...
This Lent I want to make you the offer of joining the team.
Jesus knew that what was going to happen in Jerusalem. The disciples did not. Because of God’s Word, we know what will happen in Jerusalem. Unlike the disciples, we have a change to get ready.
Through Christ, we’ve been offering the training regiment…
Christ offers a spot on his team to all who will call upon his name in forgiveness and searching for God’s leadership in their lives.
Christ offers a chance to be in the huddle…to study His Word…and to share the salvation plan with those who will hear.
Christ offers an opportunity to follow God’s call upon our lives.
And Christ is more than willing through His Holy Spirit, to lead, guide and direct in order to explain the playbook.
It’s more than just a game. Through this mountaintop experience, the disciples gained a new insight into their lives. Jesus told Peter, James, and John to “Arise and do not be afraid.”
Because it is promised, that those who join the team, will join in the everlasting song, as we crown him Lord of all.
We have nothing to fear! The power is in our coach’s hand!
And the church says…Amen!
Closing Song #154 – All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name
