I get text messages from the local TV station on my cell phone. They are called “breaking news” and sometimes they are what I would call important: a local hostage situation, the capture of bin Laden, or even one telling me that I-75 is closed because the President is in Toledo.
On Monday, I got one of those that personally did not mean much to me, but I knew would have significance to my community. I am a pastor, so I like to have the pulse of my congregation and my city. I like to stay in touch with what’s going on. (That’s why I read People magazine every chance I get. I like to keep up on the important stuff J). This was the message on Monday: “Ohio State Football Coach Jim Tressel resigns.”
Now, I will confess, I did not know entirely the ins and outs of this story, but I have lived in Toledo long enough, here on the border, with the Ohio State Michigan Football rivalry and the Ohio State football obsession, to know, that this was news of EPIC proportion.
Some of you know the rest of the story, but for those who don’t, here are a few highlights: he had an amazing winning record over 10 seasons, a national championship, and a few wins over that school to the north that shall not be named out of respect for my church members who are Michigan fans (oops).
But this is what brought the man down. He knew that six of his players, including star quarterback Terrelle Pryor, had violated rules of the National Collegiate Athletic Association when they traded memorabilia at a Columbus tattoo parlor. Not only did the coach fail to report the infractions. Apparently there is a time every year when a coach has to sign an NCAA compliance form stating that he knew of no player violations. He signed the form, which was a lie. Tressel, a respected coach, who by the way, is a Christian who often speaks in public about his faith, lied.
Oh, and people have been talking about it – of that you can be sure. I heard about it on the side lines at my son’s baseball game this week. Should he have lost his job or not? That is the question. Because, of course, we know he’s not the only coach whose players get perks for playing. He’s not the only coach who crosses his fingers behind his back and signs the NCAAform, right? Come on, this is football!!
I grew up in Texas, with Texas high school football. I was a band geek and even I understand the pressures of a winning football team.
But here we have a man who was a role model to young people. He spoke for example at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes event in Perrysburg a few years ago. He was a Christian role model. And now we find out he had systematically lied and covered up, to keep his athletes protected and to keep his winning record.
Now of course, he is not the only one involved. What about the adults who offer these gifts to athletes? What about parents and other school officials who see this happening do nothing? The NCAA even postponed a punishment against some of these athletes for a similar infraction last year so they could play in the Sugar Bowl. I could go on and on.
I don’t know Jim Tressel, and I do not mean to attack him personally. He is part of a system. I can only imagine what sort of process of soul searching, self-reflection he might be going through right now.
Here at The Village we say “there are no perfect people” and so Mr. Tressel is simply one more example of that. God has already forgiven Jim Tressel, just as God forgives us when we make mistakes, little ones, and huge ones.
But this is what I hope we can learn from this story. Jesus came to turn the world upside down, or right side up whichever way you want to think of it. Jesus came to give us the power to do the right thing – even when the systems of the world – and the ways we have always done things – are not right. We all know there are traditions out there, systems, “good old boy networks” and such that are not right. They are downright DISHONEST. And yet we all just go with the flow and let them happen. We don’t want to be the one who stands up and says “ENOUGH.” Because we are afraid.
Listen again to these words from the scripture for today (Luke 12:49-56 (Message) for those following along at home).
Jesus said: 49-53"I've come to start a fire on this earth—how I wish it were blazing right now! I've come to change everything, turn everything rightside up—how I long for it to be finished! Do you think I came to smooth things over and make everything nice?
Jesus came to start a fire! That fire is us. This fire of the Spirit of Jesus living in us, gives us the power to do the right thing in those tough situations in our world. They might be situations a work, in our neighborhood, or even in our family. If nothing else, that fire of the Spirit living in us gives us the power to be honest.
Can you imagine what this world would be like, if we would all just be more honest with one another? Think about it. Just pause for a moment to consider how much better our world would be, if we would all just follow the rules that we have all agreed, for the most part, are good to live by. Respect one another. Don’t take what is not yours. Don’t lie.
Jesus said he came to turn the world rightside up. That’s because the world was – and still is – so messed up. But he goes on to say some things that have always been really hard for me to hear. When I was younger, this was a part of scripture that I just wanted to skip over this scripture because it made absolutely no sense to me.
Jesus says: Do you think I came to smooth things over and make everything nice?
Not so. I've come to disrupt and confront! From now on, when you find five in a house, it will be—
Three against two,
and two against three;
Father against son,
and son against father;
Mother against daughter,
and daughter against mother;
Mother-in-law against bride,
and bride against mother-in-law."
What? Those are really hard words. It is counter-intuitive for us to think that Jesus would turn family members against one another. But here is what he is saying. He wants us to choose his way: the way of honesty and respect and doing the right thing. And if our family members won’t go there with us, then we need to follow Jesus and leave them behind. It’s hard, but we have to choose the way of life. And honestly, they will see the fullness of life in us. We can hope and pray that eventually they will choose this life with Jesus too.
But we have all seen what it is to live that other way – trying to live without Jesus – and to live by the values of the world. It does not work. It does not bring life – it brings death.
Trying to go for the win, at any cost, did not work out so well for Jim Tressel and his players in the end. Finally, his career ended abruptly, in an embarrassing scandal. I am glad he has faith in Jesus and I hope and pray he will find his way to a new life in Jesus, because we all deserve a second chance (and a third, and fourth, and whatever it takes).
So what does this scripture mean for us today? I believe we all have situations where we need to follow Jesus by creating some disruption in the status quo. We need to set things on fire. We need to be Jesus’ instruments to turn things right side up. Maybe there is a situation where we need to speak the truth where no one else will. Maybe there is a place where we need to be more honest and we have not been. Or maybe there is a cause that is burning in our hearts that we have not acted upon because we have felt powerless.
But here is Jesus’ message to us, we have the power. We have the fire. We have the Spirit of God living in us. And that powerful Spirit of God is limitless.
In response to the message today, We gave each other a few minutes to talk in small groups, about how you might be feeling called to respond. Sometimes it’s good to test out our thoughts and feelings by saying them out loud to some other people.
Listen once again to these words from Jesus:
"I've come to start a fire on this earth—how I wish it were blazing right now! I've come to change everything, turn everything rightside up—how I long for it to be finished!
Now, at home, you’re not going to have a small group. So think about this for a few minutes. What situation in your world is Jesus calling you to turn rightside up? And what might that look like?
Want a place where you can explore this? We’re at the corner of Central & Monroe Sunday mornings and out in the world the rest of the week. We’ve got lots of chances to help change the world, and we’re always looking for creating more, or connecting people with more chances to do so.
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