Jesus: The Ultimate Fighter

Haley has been trying to get me to post on this blog for some time now, so here is an article I wrote for my student ministries blog:

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is probably the fastest growing sport in the world. A major contributor to this popularity is the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), which now has its own reality show called “The Ultimate Fighter.” In a UFC fight, there are 2 guys who fight on their feet or on the ground, or anywhere for that matter, as long as they stay inside the caged octagon. The fighters fight until one of the fighters wins by submission (physical or verbal tap out), technical knockout (by the referee stopping the contest) or by decision via the scorecards.

All that to say, I was recently watching a UFC fight, and noticed that one of the fighters was wearing a pair of shorts that said, “Jesus Didn’t Tap.”

I later learned that this is a brand of clothing for Christian MMA fighters. They were some really cool looking shorts (they have some hilarious t-shirts too, so if anyone wants to get me a Christmas present…). So, this brand name got me thinking. What does that mean? I thought about it some more, and figured that they meant that Jesus didn’t quit. He didn’t cop out. He didn’t give up on his way to the cross. He endured the cross. He prayed that God would “take this cup from Him“, but He then said, “not as I will, but as you will (Matt. 26:39).” And he pressed on. He also lived a perfect life, and never gave in to sin. When he was tempted, he never submitted to the temptation (Heb. 4:15). So, in the sense of never giving in to sin, enduring the cross, and not giving up… “Jesus Didn’t Tap” is right on.

On the other hand, to “tap out” is to submit. As far as Jesus’ submission goes, Jesus lived his whole life in complete submission and obedience to his Father. And Jesus did willingly submit himself to the cross. He allowed himself to be killed by crucifixion. This is one of the reasons that the Father loves Jesus. His life was not taken from Him, but he willingly laid it down:

John 10:17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

In His death, in his execution, in his submission to the cross, Jesus was the dominant warrior. His death was on His terms. He died when it was His time. This is evident in his last words before He died:

Luke 23:46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.

He had all the authority, and He was destroying every rule and every authority and power (1 Cor. 15:20). He was showing himself to be the victorious one who conquered Satan, Sin, and Death. Because of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, “God has put all things in subjection under his feet” (1 Cor 15:26).

He is victorious over every weight class, he has earned every belt and title, and he is the reigning champion. He cannot and never will be defeated. His name will be praised forever. This is evident in this passage from Philippians:

Philippians 2:5-11 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus was the most humble man that ever lived. He was the king of heaven and yet he became a servant to men. And he submitted himself to the will of God and died for us. His life was one of complete obedience.

At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. I suppose you could say that everyone, in the end, taps out to Jesus - verbally (confessing that he is lord) and physically (kneeling). So my question to everyone reading this is, will you tap out (submit) to Jesus now, willingly and confess Him as your Lord? Or will you stubbornly refuse Him? Because in this case, Jesus is also the Judge (referee) who will one day step back into our ring (the world) and declare himself the victorious one, and all his people will praise Him for the glory of His grace. But those who do not submit will be forced to kneel and confess what they refused in life: that Jesus is Lord!

For the glory of Christ,

Tyler