The football coach enters a subdued locker room as game preparations have begun.  The young men he’s spent hours teaching and training are heading into the biggest game against the toughest team they’ve ever faced. He knew they were ready, but by the looks on their faces, they didn’t believe in themselves.

Just hours prior, the university announced that the coach was fired and he wouldn’t finish the season.  The young men were crushed, their hopes dashed, and their anchor pulled up.  The questions ran through each of the players mind, of “how can we win?”, “how can we play?”, “how will we know what to do?”  They loved their coach, they were gaining momentum, and they were learning how to stand tall and win.

The coach calls the young men together and tells them:

“Lift your heads up!  You know what to do.  You’ve listened to me, you’ve learned, and you’ve worked hard to pull yourselves up to a higher level.  Don’t let what happens to me destroy all the gains that we’ve had together.  Don’t walk out on that field thinking you’ve lost… if you do… then you won’t have a chance to win.  They are bigger, they are stronger, they are faster, but that doesn’t matter.  You are ready.  You know their weakness.  You’ve studied how to win, you’ve won before.  Now all you have to do is put it into action!  I won’t be there on the sidelines with you, but I will be watching.  I can’t play the game for you, but if you want to honor our time together… you will give it everything you’ve got.  I’m counting on you to show the world that we are winners.  You can do this.  I believe in you.  It’s your game to win or lose.”

So here we are.  Monday after Christ Jesus rose from the grave.  The celebrations and echoes of Hallelujah! have faded into the walls of the churches where millions of people stopped and rejoiced at the King’s victory over death.

Now what?

Christ Jesus was appointed to that time, and it wasn’t something that he looked forward to doing.  He knew that those he selected would have a time of self-doubt and frustration.  Some would even go back to what they were doing before they met Christ Jesus… unchanged… unwilling to step out.

What’s next?  We’ve sung Hosannah!  We’ve shouted Hallelujah!  But what do we do now?

If we take lessons from the disciples of Christ and watch how they lit a fire that still burns, we find that it doesn’t take a perfect person.  We discover that it doesn’t require depth of education and knowledge.  We understand that the requirements are few, but the courage needed is immense.

Do we go back to our routine and our rut and hang our pretty easter clothes back in the closet?  Shame on us if we do.

Christ Jesus called his disciples together and told them: ” You can do this.  You must go everywhere and tell everyone you see that there is hope.  Let them know that they don’t have to suffer, they don’t have to be heavy in their heart, and that I have taken that away for them.  I have faith that you can do this.  In fact, I know you will do this.” [paraphrased teachings of Christ]

So I ask again.  Now what?

What can you do to honor Christ today?  What can you do to ensure that His suffering was not in vain?  I think you already know the answers to these questions.  Now you just need to execute the plays just like you’ve practiced.

May your day be an honor to Christ and each thing you do, say, and think be reflective of the person that Christ has trusted to carry out his Plan.

Peace,
Greg
Acts 4:31
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