“Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1
Corinthians 15:57
October marks the first full month of autumn, known for
cooler weather and brilliant colors. In Texas it means football. The Austin area’s largest display of
fall color isn’t the trees seen along the winding Hill Country roads. It’s the
rolling sea of burnt orange that crests downtown at the DKR-Texas Memorial stadium
on game days, friends and strangers celebrating the Longhorn
cause. It reminds me of a church service at MHC (my home church).
What does a football game have to do with a church service?
It sounds a little irreverent, but a stadium full of football fans and a
sanctuary full of worshippers both unite crowds of people with singing,
clapping and music for a common purpose. Sometimes the atmosphere is jubilant,
other times a hushed stillness falls over the crowd. The difference is why
they cheer.
Sports fans cheer for victories of temporary value. Losing to Oklahoma five years in a row hurt the Longhorns’ pride, but in the big scheme of things it doesn’t really matter. Compare that to the victory that Jesus has won. He defeated death. (1 Corinthians 15:54) There is no bigger win. He is the Champion, my friend.
Even better is that He also gives us the victory. (I Corinthians 15:57) Longhorn fans share in a win by wearing “Rose Bowl Champions” t-shirts. Jesus wants us to live in His triumph, eternally and abundantly. (Romans 8:37; Romans 6:23, John 10:10)
Each time we come together at MHC we can join with others to thank Jesus for His gift to us and cheer for others as they receive His victory. Almost every service someone chooses life over death. Now that’s something to celebrate.
I'm not recommending showing up at church with a "Jesus is #1" giant foam finger and a painted fance, but here's a challenge: if you like to hoot and holler for a sports team, be it a favorite pro team or your kid's soccer team, bring some of that enthusiasm to worship the King of Kings. After all, Jesus said that one of thegreatest commandments was to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength." (Mark 12:30)
I wrote this little diddy for MHC’s monthly magazine. It’s not an exegesis on worship. It’s more like a parable. It wouldn’t work in all church bulletins, but it works in MHC’s.
