Theme: Knowing “The rest of the story”
As I listened to God’s message, as delivered by Pastor Dan this past Sunday, I could not help but think of the great Paul Harvey and how he ended each message with, “And now you know the rest of the story.” In each case, we listeners believed we knew the subject of his message but soon discovered that we only knew a fraction of what made that person.
I also thought of the one video game I love and cannot wait for the latest edition. That, of course, is Madden Football. Many of you ask what that has to do with Pastor Dan’s message about the backstory of Jesus’ birth. Maybe nothing, but bear with me anyway, please.
If you are a football fan and see “Madden,” you will likely think of the video games. An annual, updated version of Madden NFL has been released since 1994, and before that, it was called “John Madden Football” (from 1988 to 1994). Many of the earlier game players, those up to 2009, would have heard John Madden’s voice providing commentary for football games on TV and radio. However, if you are old enough, you know that the man for whom the ever-popular video game is named was a successful head football coach for the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1978 and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After that, he was an NFL broadcaster for 30 years for CBS, Fox, ABC, and NBC. Before that, as only the oldest and most diehard Madden people can tell you, he was head coach of Hancock Junior College for two years (1962-1963).
What is my point? I often think of those game players in their teens, twenties, and thirties and how they associate the name Madden with only the game and likely have no idea why it is named that. “Madden” means one thing to a young player: Playstation and Xbox, and not his life’s journey and story.
The same is true with Christmas and Jesus and how various people perceive the birth of our Lord and Savior.
To the child, He is the theme of Bible storybooks, the answer to every Bible class question, and the subject of songs. To the skeptic or the searcher, He is an enigmatic religious figure who may be seen only as a teacher or a good man. To the nominal Christian, He is a mysterious figure, a stranger who happens to be the shadowy reason for the season.
Just as knowing John Madden brings true meaning to the game and the reason for its existence, knowing Jesus, His story, and God’s eternal plan and purpose are crucial to understanding the massive and earthshaking reason we celebrate Jesus’ birth. To know Abram and the history of Jesus' descendants gives depth to His birth. Abraham’s story and the rest of the Old Testament and Prophets reveal God’s grand plan for creation and us, bringing meaning to Jesus' birth, death, and resurrection.
God incarnated and invaded our world on a mission to destroy Satan’s hold on us, conquer the death that we so feared, and restore us to the original relationship we were created to enjoy. And He will come again, not as a human, but as the conquering King in all His Glory. When we know our Lord and Savior, His whole story, and the journey God the Father has given us, then, and only then, can we grasp the Joy of Christmas. Otherwise, we will have a holiday without “The rest of the story.”
Scripture: Isaiah 53:5 NIV; Micah 5:4 NIV
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
“He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.”
Prayer:
Father, it boggles our minds when we meditate on your universe and try to grasp your history. The sheer magnificence of your power, wisdom, and strength, combined with the fact that you created us, have borne with us, and forgiven us repeatedly, is staggering. This season, as we rejoice in the incarnated and miraculous birth of your Son, Jesus, give us the hunger to know His whole story and yours. Lord, let that knowledge lead to a deeper understanding and the deepest love for you we can grasp without exploding. Amen
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