The University of Kansas had...
Illustration
The University of Kansas had just won the national basketball championship in Kansas City in the spring of 1988 and they were "coming home." A huge crowd came together ... one of the largest in the school's history ... to welcome the team home.
The coach gave a little speech and introduced the team. A number of the players had opportunity to speak briefly. School administrators told of how proud they were of "our" team. The student body president boasted of "our" team, and a huge celebration was held. The ten or so players who had competed represented them all. It was not simply a "team" win, but it was a "win" that the entire university ... the entire state, for that matter, in still other ways ... participated in. One would think that the whole population of the university and the state had been on the floor of Kemper Arena playing in the championship game to hear how the celebration went. They had sent forth "warriors" and they returned as "conquering heroes" whose feats were equally shared in by everyone!
How much greater the celebration in the heavenly halls when the "Conquering Hero" returned! How the great throng of saints and angels gathered around to sing the praises of him who died and overcame death, who was raised and returned as the Lord of Life! What Jesus had done became everybody's victory, everybody's celebration. They were not merely celebrating for him, but they were celebrating with him: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!"
The coach gave a little speech and introduced the team. A number of the players had opportunity to speak briefly. School administrators told of how proud they were of "our" team. The student body president boasted of "our" team, and a huge celebration was held. The ten or so players who had competed represented them all. It was not simply a "team" win, but it was a "win" that the entire university ... the entire state, for that matter, in still other ways ... participated in. One would think that the whole population of the university and the state had been on the floor of Kemper Arena playing in the championship game to hear how the celebration went. They had sent forth "warriors" and they returned as "conquering heroes" whose feats were equally shared in by everyone!
How much greater the celebration in the heavenly halls when the "Conquering Hero" returned! How the great throng of saints and angels gathered around to sing the praises of him who died and overcame death, who was raised and returned as the Lord of Life! What Jesus had done became everybody's victory, everybody's celebration. They were not merely celebrating for him, but they were celebrating with him: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!"
