Sunday, November 27, 2011

November 28, 2011 - Diagramming Plays (For CHRISTmas)

The X’s and O’s of coaching: simply put, as a coach one is assigned the job of figuring out plays that will work against the opposition. He has to look at the obstacles the opponent puts in front of the team and the strengths of his players.

Once that game plan is determined, the coach will make sure he has the right player filling the right role. If X is supposed to bomb a three, you can bet the coach is looking for a great shooter to assign to that role. If X is supposed to pound the ball inside, you can bet he isn’t looking for the 5’9” guy on his squad. I think you get the picture.

In the grand scheme of life, God looked at the opponent and “diagrammed a play”. He had to find a “player” with the abilities to overcome the obstacles. He had to find a “player” that wouldn’t “turn the ball over.”

The obstacles the opponent raised involved the separation sin brought between man and God. The opponent’s desire: to keep man from God. Therefore God’s game plan was to bring peace and good will to men. God’s game plan was to insert a “Substitute”, a Savior into the “game.” (Read Luke 2:10-14)

The X in God’s game plan then has to be able to not turn the ball over and ultimately to save the game. Simply put that X is Jesus!

Merry X-mas! Now you can explain to the world what X equals - solve for X!

Side note: for over 1,000 years it has been common for Christograms to be used. These are abbreviations common in literature. X is very common as an abbreviation for Christ as the X is the first letter of His name. (X = Chi)

Side note #2: -mas in Latin literally means “Go, it is dismissal.” It is a charge to the church to go and tell God’s game plan to others. One author wrote, “These few words succinctly express the missionary nature of the church.”

Therefore team, it is time to break from the huddle; go onto the court of life; and execute the game plan of telling the world what X stands for!

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