1 QUOTE

“Those who cannot do it right, do it fast.”

- Coach Ken Matsuda

1 NOTE

Coach Ken Matsuda, tennis legend Michael Chang’s tour trainer, would begin every workout with ’25s’. Laying on our back, we would do 25 leg-lifts in three directions. Coach Ken assigned ‘25s’ as a staple to strengthen the core. He could always tell who did their homework and who was bluffing. If you started sweating bullets during ‘25s’ he knew you weren’t doing them on your own. One morning at the Matsuda Dojo I was caught bluffing. I was trying to get through my ‘25s’ and he was scratching his head. He told me to stop and shared with me something I will never forget, “Pastor John, those who cannot do it right, do it fast. Slow down and do it right!” And so it is with Bible study.

Our ‘Win Your 20s’ group recently studied Jesus’ prayer in the Gethsemane garden. We learned so much by going slow. More than a few of us were blown away at Jesus’ humanity. Even though Jesus proclaimed with unwavering resolution that he would suffer, be rejected and be murdered (Mark 8:31), Jesus did not want to die. When it was time to suffer, Jesus asked his Father to take away the cup. Like Jesus, none of us want to die. 

One student made a brilliant connection to Jesus and the young rich ruler (Mark 10:17-31). Jesus and the rich man both were given a major faith test. The rich man was called to give away his money. Jesus was called to give away his life. In both passages Jesus says all things, even obedience and passing faith tests, is possible with God. Many conveniently interpret this to mean God will adjust the standards or look the other way. But God’s will in both passages are clear: the rich man give away his possessions to become a disciple and Jesus to sacrifice his life as a ransom for many. Both Jesus and the rich man are sorrowful. 

The great contrast in the two passages is that Jesus prayed but the rich young ruler allowed his flesh to control his will. (Next week’s 1-1-1 focuses on what Jesus prayed and how that helps us submit to God.) The rich man was so close to the Kingdom of God but did not want to fulfill the conditions of discipleship. Spoiler alert: Saving his life cost him his life. Jesus, the King of the Kingdom, lost his life and saved it. Jesus prayed to God, and the Father made all things, even embracing the cross, possible. Jesus of Nazareth shrunk himself and made it through the needle of the cross. Glory!

1 QUESTION

Are you going slow (hopefully with a group of friends) as you live in the Book?Until Next Tuesday,

John