Winning Life Coached by the Holy Spirit: The Quarterback Substitution

Let’s look first at what a quarterback is and the role a quarterback plays. My primary source is the quarterback entry on the For Dummies website (last accessed 1/2/2017).

Except for a field goal attempt, the quarterback touches the ball on every offensive play. The goal is driving his team toward the end zone to attempt scored points. As a result, the quarterback mainly throws the football and encourages his teammates to play well.

As team leader, the quarterback relies on the coach for the plays. However, the quarterback may change the play at the last minute to increase the likelihood of success.

With the exception of certain special plays too technical for the non-football fan, the quarterback has three options:

• Throw the ball to a receiver down field
• Run with the ball himself
• Hand the ball off to a receiver close to him

The Old QB Adam

God created Adam for eternal fellowship with Him. God made one play call: Don’t eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. After deception by the opposing team, Adam changed the call. He dropped the ball, resulting in a fumble that eliminated him from God’s planned role. Adam was on the injured list. In addition, all humans since Adam and Eve sin and fall short of God’s plays for life.

The Substitution

The Protoevangelium is the Owner’s first announcement of a new quarterback. In Genesis 3:15, we see the play’s groundwork: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

The New QB Jesus

The new quarterback would be unique, different. The Owner’s Son Jesus would quarterback. This special quarterback would only do the Father’s will and only make the plays the Owner called. As Jesus Himself said in John 14:10–11 (NIV):

Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

St. Paul describes the supremacy and leadership of this new quarterback in Colossians 1: 15–20. In effect, Jesus was the physical image of God the Father. He participated in the Father’s creative work, and Jesus holds authority over all things, including the church. Christ’s perfection allowed the Father to make another play that would reconcile man back to Him.

St. Paul further testifies to the uniqueness of Jesus as quarterback in Philippians 2: 5–11 (NIV). You see, although all the fullness of God dwelt in Christ, Christ humbled Himself and became a man to further the Father’s plan:

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Old Versus New QB

We’ve now explored the old and new quarterbacks. I’d like to share one more passage from Scripture that clearly contrasts how different they were, as well as previews the game-changing play, from Romans 5:12–19 (NIV):

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned — To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

How the new QB plays the game

In Acts 3:22, we can read how Jesus played the game: “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.”

Throughout the Gospels, we can read what Jesus said and did while He lived life as a man, walking with all kinds of men. He healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, accepted those on the fringe of society, and challenged hypocrisy.

Just as Adam fell and could not follow the playbook, Jesus made play after play within the Father’s will. But the hardest play was yet to come.

Questions for Reflection

• Were there times in your life when you played on God’s team?
• Were there times in your life when you played for the opposition?
• How are you like the first quarterback Adam?
• How are you like the second quarterback Jesus?