Reckless Abandon

Jesus Words’ Bible Study

Blog Host: Jay Martin
September 1, 2010
Scripture: Matthew 3:13-15;
                Matthew 4:3-4; 5-7; 8-10



           Welcome to Jesus’ Words Bible Study. I am so glad that you are taking the time to read our blog. I love having a chance to discuss this reading with you. Please send your thoughts today, also.

            I love September. For me, September means that Fall is just around the corner, with cooler temperatures, and beautiful Fall leaves. September also marks the return of one of my passions: football. I played football seven (7) years, throughout Junior High and High School, first for the mighty Mabelvale Junior High Red Raiders, and then for the McClellan High Lions. High school football wasn’t nearly as much fun for me as Junior High. It might have something to do with the fact that I didn’t get hit as hard in Junior High as I did in High School.

            One reason Junior High football was so special was because of a coach I’ll just call Tom W. Coach W. told us a story about his friend named Reckless Abandon. It was kind of a hoaky story, but Coach W. always looked for ways to teach us about commitment. One time, when one of our players wasn’t getting it in practice, Coach W. ran through a play full speed without pads or a helmet. He capped off the play by head-butting a guy with a helmet on. For the rest of the practice, he brushed away the little stream of blood that was running down into his eyes.

           His football philosophy also embraced this abandon. Now, you don’t have to be a football expert to understand what I am about to tell you. In football, when a kick-off happens, the receiving team has a guy who catches the ball and tries to run back as far as he can. The rest of his teammates form a wedge around him, so that they can pick off people on the kicking team who are trying to tackle him. On our team, Coach W. found the craziest guy—the guy most like him to be on the kick-off team to be the “wedge buster.” This guy would sprint down the field, and aim his body right at the five or so guys who made up the wedge. It was sacrificial. The “wedge buster” would almost never make the tackle, but he made it possible for others to make the tackle after he busted the wedge.

         When I was in the Eighth Grade, I got to play on the Varsity team, which was made up of a few Eighth Graders, and all the Ninth Graders. One of the Ninth Graders was a guy named Sonny Ithipatisha. I’m not sure that is the right spelling of his last name. He wasn’t that big, but he was totally committed to the game of football. He was the “wedge buster” for us. He became my model, and by the time I was in the Ninth Grade, I became the “wedge buster.” I learned that the job was a dubious honor. I still have some scars to prove it.

           I am sure that you know the truth that I keep reminding myself: football is just a game. And while I learned some amazing lessons about abandon and commitment by playing the game, at the end of the season, no one gets healed because they watched football. No one gets their marriage put back together or gets set free from their sin by doing the “Hog Call.” All of those amazing things and more come from the One who was recklessly abandoned to us—to redeem us, heal us and set us free. He is Jesus!

           From the very beginning of our reading, Matthew 3:13-15, we see that Jesus’ words are extreme. John was a powerful evangelist, with an interesting diet and wardrobe. Yet he made it clear to his disciples that someone was coming who was more powerful than he. He was not worthy to even strap his sandals. So, imagine how unworthy when that someone, Jesus Christ, who is God the Son, came to him to be baptized. John has a real problem baptizing the One who came to forgive sins. When he hesitated, Jesus tells John to baptize Him because it was up to them to fulfill ALL righteousness. Just this first verse sticks out to me—the first reading convinces me. Jesus was sold out. He was recklessly abandoned to God’s purpose for His life.

           We all have an enemy. If you struggle with making a complete commitment of your life to Jesus, you are not alone. Everyone struggles with total abandon—with reckless abandon. For most of us, part of that hesitation is just being human. Our worst enemy may be ourselves. But I also know for each of us, we have another enemy—satan. He comes to us at weak moments and challenges our resolve.

          That is certainly how satan came to Jesus. Satan came to tempt when Jesus was hungry, after fasting for forty days. (Matthew 4) Again, the reckless abandon and extremeness of Jesus’ words comes shining through: “man does not live by bread alone but on EVERY word that comes from the mouth of God.” Also, “worship the Lord your God, and serve Him ONLY.” Jesus addresses each temptation with the written word of God, and He uses all or nothing language.

           We see Jesus’ commitment to us and to God’s plan of salvation through Him in every word. Now, I don’t think Jesus ever played football, but Jesus came as a “wedge-buster.” He came not for some trivial matter, but He came to bust through the wedge of our complacency and self-focus, through the wedge of the enemy, satan’s domination of the human race through sin and suffering. Jesus exhibited His reckless abandon by going to the cross, being nailed and hung on wooden boards, and dying in our place. Yet He rose in power!

            It is my prayer that over the course of the next sixteen weeks as we read through Jesus’ Words, that we will grow. It is my prayer that we will all recklessly abandon ourselves to Jesus. Not to just know about Him, or study Him or His words, but to know Him—to develop intimacy with our Risen Lord! Thanks for coming. Let’s enjoy this ride together and GO HOGS! Sorry, that was a slip of the typing fingers! God bless you! Jay