God's Coaching #244

God's Coaching #244

The final score made sportswriters all across America reach for their thesauruses. It was stunning, astonishing, unthinkable, inconceivable, and virtually any other word you can think of to describe what was once thought impossible: Appalachian State 34, Michigan 32.

On this day in 2007, Appalachian State’s football team pulled off possibly the greatest upset in the history of college football. The virtually unknown Mountaineers, a Division I-AA team from Boone, North Carolina, traveled to “The Big House”—Michigan’s intimidating 110,000-seat football stadium in Ann Arbor—and beat the mighty Wolverines. Michigan, then ranked No. 5 in the country, was considered a national-championship contender with a roster loaded with future NFL players. Appalachian State was the two-time defending I-AA champ, but no one expected them to beat Michigan. The Mountaineers’ victory was the first win for a Division I-AA team over a I-A team in 18 years!

What’s the Score?

The Bible includes many shocking stories and miracles. But there’s one that tops them all: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ resurrection, though, isn’t just a cool ending to a feel-good fairy tale. It’s an actual, real-life event that concluded a difficult journey on earth for God’s Son. The Bible says that after dying on the cross, Jesus rose from the dead three days later and then appeared to hundreds of eyewitnesses. On Resurrection Sunday, Jesus appeared to at least five women near his tomb (Luke 24:10), two travelers on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-15), and some of his disciples (Luke 24:35-36). Over the next 40 days, Jesus appeared to his disciples at least twice more (John 21:14), to 500 other believers at once (1 Corinthians 15:6), and to his half-brother James (1 Corinthians 15:7). Years later, Jesus also appeared to the apostle Paul in a miraculous vision (Acts 9).

The truth of Jesus’ resurrection is essential to the Christian faith. In fact, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:3 that it is “most important.” If Jesus wasn’t raised from the dead, the Christian faith would be “useless” (1 Corinthians 15:14). But Jesus isn’t dead—he’s alive! And that means Jesus really is God’s Son who can take away sins. Praise God!

On the Ball

Hold an “Easter in September” party! Read the Resurrection accounts in Luke and John, and thank Jesus for dying on the cross and rising from the dead.

Coach’s Comment

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4