Christ and Champions

In just a little while the NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship game will be played between two great teams: Louisville and Michigan. The young men on each team will stride onto to the court with confidence, anxiety, and great excitement. And over the course of the following forty minutes of play a winner, a champion will be decided.

The Gospel Coalition National Conference 2013 is also taking place this week. Just moments ago Don Carson finished up his exposition of Luke 9:18-56. In it he reminded us of one of Luke's prominent themes beginning in 9:51, "Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem." He showed how the reader must read the rest of the narrative up to the cross in light of the looming cross. And there also a champion was to be decided.

"It is finished," was Christ's victory cry. Yet Christ's ultimate victory was not won on the cross, but in his resurrection. "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:55) as the apostle Paul put it. And Peter similarly, "God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it," (Acts 2:24). Jesus' victory, though being the Son of the Almighty, was not to be through a path of ease, as is fitting for a king, commanding soldiers to go here and there; but it was through death itself, and life thereafter. He set his face towards Jerusalem. And by his resurrection, Jesus conquered death and the grave and inaugurated a new age and a new covenant. For the joy set before him, for the glory to which he would return, for the pleasing aroma and sacrifice he would be to his Father, for these reasons and more Jesus the Messiah went to the cross to die, to rise again, and to triumph o'er his foes.

Without a doubt, there will be a great game played tonight. And I along with millions of others will enjoy it, as we should. But let us take pause, to remember Jesus who went to battle, not on a wooden court, but on a wooden cross. "He died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die." Such is our savior, our deliverer, and our champion! Greater than Gideon over the Midianites, greater than David over Goliath, and truly greater than any collegiate basketball star is our Champion, Christ Jesus the Lord. Glory, and honor, and power, and dominion be unto him forever and ever, Amen!