TEAM JESUS, Part Two: "We Can All Make the Team!" - The Grace of Being Chosen

Luke 19:1-10
Ephesians 2:1-9

 Bill Belichick, head coach of the New England Patriots, calls you and informs you that you have been chosen for the team.  You don't have to try out; you don't even have to have any athletic abilities.  It's a done deal.  All you have to say is yes.

 The door bell rings.  As the UPS truck pulls away, you find a treasure chest on your door step.  The attached note says you are the recipient of the most precious treasure known to humankind.  It's tax-free, with no strings attached.  You haven't earned it, but it's yours forever.  All you have to do is open it.

 Such is the mystery of God's love in action in the lives of people everywhere.  The thing about Team Jesus and the blessings it brings is that we can all make the team!
Is a "fair catch" a quarterback who isn't currently in a committed relationship?

Is a "nickle defense" a poorly paid lineman?

Oh, I do know this one.  A "sack" is what they carry the footballs in to the game.  Right?

Okay.  I don't know a lot about football, but I do know about grace, and while some of you may not be able to define grace, I know that all of you have experienced God's grace in your lives.  Otherwise, why would you be reading this?

Whether Zacchaeus knew it or not, like all people, he had been experiencing God's grace working in his life from the time he came into being.  Otherwise, he would have never climbed that sycamore tree.

John Wesley described this action of God's grace in our lives as "prevenient"  --  the unconditional love of God pouring out to all people on earth before we even know or love God.

It is similar to what head college football coaches do.  They sent out scouts to the high school to attend games and look for promising, potential players.  The difference is, that to God, all people are promising, potential players worthy to be on Team Jesus.  Even the Zacchaeuses of this world, and people like me and you.

The movie "Blind Side,"  is the story of Michael Oher, NFL offensive lineman, and his his adoptive parents, Leigh Ann and Sean Tuohy.  During his senior year, the coaches become relentless, coming to his home, making offers and trying to persuade Michael to say "yes" to playing on their team.  It's like they're courting him.

Neither Michael or his parents seek out the coaches; the coaches seek them out.  That's the same with God.  For years, I thought I was the one who found the Lord.  All the while I thought I was was seeking God, God was seeking me.  As the John Newton wrote in the hymn, "Amazing Grace," "I once was lost but now I'm found."  Faith is the gift of God's grace.  It's not something we give ourselves.

Another misconception is that we have to be "star players" to be chosen for Team Jesus.  Far from it.

"Grace is the undeserved, unearned, unrepayable gift of the god who loves us enough to meet us where we are, but loves us too much to leave us there."  (James A. Harnish, A Disciple's Path Companion Reader, Abington Press, Nashville, TN, 2012.)

Jesus meets Zacchaeus where he's at -- a disreputable, cheating tax collector who worked for the Romans, up a tree.  He looks up at the little man (not down at him) and announces he is coming to Zacchaeus' home, inviting him into a relationship with him, to be on his team.

Zacchaeus says "yes," by turning away from his former life and turning to God, making things right with God and right with the people he had cheated.

In the crowd, there were "grumblers," those who disapproved of Jesus hanging out with people like the little tax collector.  For the benefit of the "grumblers," Jesus says, “Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham! For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost.”
(Luke 19:9-10, MSG)

Here he is, Zacchaeus, son of Abraham.

All who, like Abraham, who respond to the grace of God and follow Him in His ways to bless all peoples.  Grace is the love of God at work within us to transform each of our lives into a unique expression of the the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ, so that we become participants in God's transformation of the world."  (James A. Harnish, A Disciple's Path Companion Reader, Abington Press, Nashville, TN, 2012.)

Through grace, no matter who we are, no matter where we come from or what our first language is or our ethnicity, we are all given the opportunity to make Team Jesus.


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