Ah yes, March Madness. if this phrase is familiar to you then you know exactly what I am talking about, NCAA Men's Basketball. Once that football season is over I so look forward to the tournaments of March. Each and every year there is so much excitement in the air. Who is going to get the Number One seed? Who is getting into the "dance" and who is left out? What will the seeding look like? What road will my team have to go through to get there? And then of course that all important issue... the bracket.
The bracket, object of much consternation, sadness, despair and yet for those few who just seem to get it right, you know the ones who pick because of the color of the team, or they like the mascot, there might be joy. Yes, March is full of Madness.
But let me bring you into another form of madness in March. The madness of sin, of death and the work of the Devil. Through out the Passion Story of Christ we come in direct contact with the madness of the power of darkness. Luke's Gospel tell us about the darkness that surrounds the events of Jesus betrayal, His "trial," his beatings, His scorn, His suffering and even His death on the cross. Madness it all is.
Some would call it madness that the very Son of God would allow himself to be treated so poorly and left to die a criminals death. Yes, it is madness, the wrath of God, poured out upon Jesus on that cross, all for you, all for your forgiveness all so that you would be made right with God. And then three days later, even more "Madness" on Easter Sunday. The world would never, ever be the same again as Jesus is raised from the dead. Jesus on His own defeated the power of even death, victorious for all time, and every enemy will be laid out at His feet. (Phil. 2:9-11)
You talk about March Madness, well welcome to the life altering, eternal life changing craziness of Holy Week. The events that took place there in Jerusalem would leave a mark greater than any of those that a basketball tournament could ever provide. But unlike my bracket which I have no control over and do not even begin to guess it's ending, Jesus knew exactly what was going on and what needed to be done to gain our forgiveness. His path to victory looked like defeat, a place of sadness and pain and death but in reality the greatest victory of all time. It seems like madness and foolishness to many, but to those who believe it is the power of God unto salvation. (Rom 1:16) Foolish to some and to others a stumbling block that they just can't get past is the "Madness" of Christ crucified. (1 Cor. 1:23) The very fact that we still preach the message of Christ crucified at Emmaus leaves many mystified.
"4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;" (Isa 53:4 ESV)
Welcome to March Madness