Easter is like
Opening Day in baseball: everybody has hope.
When Jesus rose from the dead that Easter morning, he gave you hope for
a new life. No matter who you are or
what you have done in the past, there is hope for you. It’s a new season. What matters now is: what is going to happen
in your life from this point forward.
I listen to a lot
of sports radio. A radio host named Scott
Van Pelt talks talks on his show about “One big thing”; it’s what he thinks is
the most important or interesting thing going on in Sports that week. Now guys, when you come home from work, do
you ever sit down and tell your wife, “Hey honey. Could you please tell me every single thought
you have about such and such a subject?”
Didn’t think so. But when it
comes to sports radio, I and a lot of guys just like me listen to the same
stories talked about again and again in different ways by different
broadcasters and somehow enjoy it.
Why? It’s simple. I’m a fan.
I’m a sportsfan.
When it comes to
faith, there is “One big thing” for you to take away today: it’s called “the
forgiveness of sins”. What is means is
this: no matter what you have done, you have hope. That’s what Easter is all about: the
forgiveness of sins and how it can change your life.
You see, the day
Jesus was crucified, nobody on Earth was a fan of Jesus. They were haters. They were either betraying him, crucifying
him or denying him. But on Easter Day, these
same people they found themselves believing in something they never could have
imagined before: No matter how bad they
were before, it was opening day all over again.
They had hope again. And Jesus
turned his haters into his biggest fans.
When you leave
today, I’m hoping for one big thing: that God, through His Holy Spirit, makes
you all diehard fans of Jesus Christ.
And not just fans, but followers of this man Jesus. No matter who you were coming in, I hope that
it is opening day for you when you are sent back out.
What does it mean
to be a fan of Jesus? I started
following baseball in 1987, when I was 9 years old. My dad and I lived in St. Paul, MN, so we
followed the Minnesota Twins. That was
the year they won their first World Series—and I’ve been hooked on them ever
since. I can’t explain why I’m a Twins
fans exactly—I just am. It’s a part of
my life that I can’t deny. Being a
Christian—being a fan of Jesus—isn’t necessarily something that you are going
to be able to explain to your friends. Jesus
said, “You did not choose me—I chose you.”
But when you realize that your sins are forgiven by this man Jesus
Christ, that one big thing might just change your life forever. I hope it does.
But it can be difficult. I’m not going to lie to you. Being a fan isn’t always easy. I may live in Iowa the rest of my life in
Iowa, but I’m still going to root for Nebraska every September. Even when I KNOW that I’m going to get picked
on sometimes because of it. That’s what
it’s like to be a Christian. Sometimes,
you are going to have to stick up for Jesus even when everyone else is against
you. Being a fan of Jesus is not for the
faint of heart.
Sometimes, being a
Jesus fan is like—well, it’s like being a Chicago Cubs fan. The Chicago Cubs haven’t seen a World Series
victory since they last won one in 1908!
That means that if you are younger than 104 years old, you were not even
born the last time the Cubbies won a World Series. They’ve lost 7 World Series’ since then, but,
if you are a Cubs fan, you probably don’t remember many of those because they
haven’t been to one since 1945—67 years ago.
To be a Cubs means “no glory”. Jesus
wasn’t a winner in his life either. He
was crucified and became a curse for us the Bible says. He doesn’t promise his followers prosperity;
instead, he says, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny
themselves, take up their cross and follow me.”
To be a fan of Jesus Christ, you must be willing to suffer on account of
His name. To give all that you have not
for earthly glory, but for eternal glory.
But being a fan of
Jesus isn’t all bad news. Today, Easter
Day, we remember that being a fan of
Jesus Christ is like being a New York Giants fan. World Champions! And Jesus was not just crowned champion for a
year . . . he was crowned King of King and Lord of Lords for all time—talk
about bragging rights! Cheering on Jesus
is like cheering on Kentucky this year in basketball—I mean, they were amazing. When you face sin, death and the Devil as a
Christian, you KNOW who’s gonna win!
Jesus Christ stands outside of the tomb like a prize fighter with his
championship belt—victorious!
But, the truth is,
when people first meet Jesus, they’re NOT his fans, they’re his enemies—his opponents! Jesus’
victory wasn’t just over sin, death and the devil . . . no, the truth is when
he rose from the dead he defeated you and me.
God could have sent us all to hell, for what we did. But then we hear that one big thing: your
sins are forgiven. And no matter how
unlikely his victory may look in your life—if you are addicted to drugs, if you
are riddled with anxiety or guilt, no matter if you don’t have enough money or time
or hope, when you put your trust in Jesus and in His power, he wins the victory
for you EVERY SINGLE TIME!
Are you a fan of
Jesus Christ? Yes, it means that you
will experience suffering. Yes, it means
that you might even be made fun of. Yes,
it’s not always easy, but as His fan you are cheering on the one and only world
champion of the universe!
It’s opening
day! Today, you have the opportunity to
follow Jesus. To become a real hardcore
fan. He’s chosen you even though you
once were His enemy. And, honestly, it’s
the chance of a lifetime. Because once
you start following him, all other allegiances start to fall away—they just
can’t compete. There’s nothing like
cheering for a champion! So get up on
your feet people and put your hands together for Him on this day Easter Day! Jesus Christ is Risen from the dead! I introduce to you, your Leader, your God and
your Savior Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!
No comments:
Post a Comment