On Victory

After watching the Dallas Mavericks defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder to earn a trip to the NBA Finals, I started thinking about what I was feeling at that time and how I could turn my thoughts to Christ without completely renouncing what I had just done as a worldly activity. My thoughts turned to why human beings love sports. One word came into my mind: victory. Human beings love what has been called "the thrill of victory." We love to be a part of the winning side, and sometimes survival rests on being on the winning side, as in a battle. But there is always another side, the one that loses. Despite what many post-modern people say, not everyone wins. If there is a winner, there must by definition be a loser. But how does this aspect of sports, which almost all people connect with at some level, point to Christ? Ever since the Fall in Genesis 3, there has been a war going on, with conflict at multiple levels. On the cosmic level, there is Satan, always trying (and failing) to frustrate the divine plan of God. On the human level, the people of God war against their own idolatrous hearts. These conflicts must ultimately have a clear winner and loser. And this is where the gospel finds its way into this musing, because Jesus has defeated both Satan and sin conclusively through His death on the cross! And because of this, the Bible speaks of Him overcoming the world and believers overcoming the world through faith in Him. As I was watching the closely fought game tonight, I felt the tension that every sports fan feels when the outcome is in doubt. But there is no uncertainty with Christ! Victory is a complete certainty, and all who are in Christ are on the winning side! So watch sports, whatever it is, and feel the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. But let us remember as we do, that we will never have to feel the literal agony of final defeat and judgment, and let us exult in the sure victory that is ours in Christ!