Articles
Make a Comeback in Christ!
Everyone loves a good comeback story. Last Sunday, Tiger Woods won his first major tournament since 2008. Famous former NBA star Michael Jordan said “Tiger’s comeback is the greatest I’ve ever seen.” It was a rough 11 years. Tiger’s father died. He was unfaithful to his wife, leading to divorce. He had serious knee injuries, four back surgeries, got addicted to the pain pills he was taking for his back, got arrested for DUI and had to go through drug rehab. Tiger thought his golfing days were over. The world thought it was over. It wasn’t. He flew to England for spinal fusion surgery and picked up a club again, determined to show his kids their dad refused to give up. When the final putt fell on Sunday, the crowds cheered, “Tiger, Tiger, Tiger,” while Tiger ran to hug his son in the same spot he stood hugging his father in 1997 after his first Master’s win.
As inspiring as Tiger’s story is, it’s not the greatest comeback in history. That title is held by Jesus. Tiger went through a lot, but he wasn’t crucified. The Romans were professional executioners and there was a well known fact in the first century; there’s no coming back from crucifixion. After hanging you on a cross for hours, sometimes days, the Romans would crush your knee caps to ensure you couldn’t push yourself up to breathe anymore. Even after death, they’d stab a spear in your side just to make sure there was no reaction. They didn’t crush Jesus’ knees because they saw He was already dead. They stabbed Him to make sure, and blood and water flowed from His side, indicating heart failure. “He said, ‘It is finished.’ And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30). Jesus was dead. People can recover from back surgeries and knee injuries; not from death.
Everyone thought it was over for Jesus, even His closest followers. It wasn’t. On the third day of His death, Jesus rose from the grave and appeared to His disciples in bodily form, eating with them and letting Thomas touch His wounds! It was the greatest comeback in history!
Here’s the most encouraging part: because of Jesus’ comeback, we can all make spiritual comebacks! “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11). Like Tiger, we’ve all messed up our lives with sin. We were all spiritually dead, but God “made us alive together with Christ” (Eph. 2:5). Even Paul made a comeback in Christ! When Christians saw him, they said “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy!” (Gal. 1:23). No matter what we’ve done in the past, since Jesus rose from the dead, we can all make a comeback! Let’s make it one of the greatest of all time!
