Joy & Jubilation

Usually this time of year we are celebrating the last four teams in the NCAA Final Four and commiserating our broken Final Four brackets and office pool losses... but this year, we are commiserating a lot bigger issues and concerns and searching for joy somewhere... anywhere.

Today, for few moments, let’s remember the joy... the jubilation of the Final Four... and Even Greater Things!

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations. - Psalm 100 ESV

I love this time of year. The apex of the college basketball mountain has just occurred. 68 of the top teams playing for one thing - The NCAA National Championship.

March Madness is like a basketball lover’s heaven. And this year, with really no clear favorite(s) to win and with a number of Cinderella teams qualifying, the tournament was going to be wide-open.

In the men’s tournament, we usually see a few of the higher seeds fall in exciting upsets. Adding to the excitement, we usually would see all but a handful of games come down to the wire, many won by last second heroics.

And after each victory, we would see the winning players dance in jubilation as they take another step toward the Final Four.

Victory... Memories that will last a lifetime… One Shining Moment.

With Easter a couple weeks away... as we begin to once again contemplate The Passion of Christ... we ultimately know that victory is at hand.

We recall the triumphant entry into Jerusalem with clothing and palm leaves laid down before Him.
“Hosanna”
“If they don’t, the stones will cry out.”

We remember the cleansing of the temple and His righteous indignation.

We recall the many parables and Greatest Commandment.

We recall the plot against and betrayal of Jesus, the Lord’s Supper, Gethsemane, the kiss and Jesus’ arrest.

We remember the trials, Peter’s denial, the beating, the mocking, the whip, the crown of thorns.

We can’t help but see in our mind’s eye - the Cross, the Blood, the Nails, the Crucifixion
The Death.
The Grave
The Stone...The Guard
The End

Or rather... The End of the Beginning
Three Days later
The Resurrection
The stone rolled away
The empty tomb
“Why are you looking for the living among the dead?”
“He’s Alive!”

Let the celebration and jubilant dancing begin - He’s alive indeed!

Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord All the Earth!

Keep the Faith... Carpe Diem