Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Five-time Super Bowl MVP

This year’s Super Bowl pitted the Atlanta Falcons against the football dynasty New England Patriots. The franchise has been led seemingly forever by its legendary coach Bill Belichick and prolific all-star quarterback Tom Brady. The two are highly successful no matter who makes up the remainder of the team – a feat that is not easy considering how the way the NFL is structured today.

But anyone who follows football knows that this year’s big game had the potential to be historic for the New England QB. He already had the most Super Bowl starts with 6, but was tied with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw with 4 wins at that position.


And as we now know, Brady and company were successful in their bid to win the 51st version of the biggest sporting event of every year. But not only did they win, it was how they won that was impressive. The Patriots made the greatest comeback ever in Super Bowl history by scoring an amazing 25 unanswered points. And they won it in overtime, also a first for the big game.  

The effort put Brady and his coach alone at the top of their sport, and they are likely to forever remain there. It really was a stunning turn of events and made football history on a variety of levels. Not only so but it also largely put to rest, at least for most, any debate about who truly is the greatest quarterback of all time.

Several years ago after winning his 3rd championship, something only three other quarterbacks had ever done, Mr. Brady was interviewed on 60 Minutes. And after sharing some personal thoughts about his fame, he offered a rather shocking and sad admission.  He stated that, after all of his great success, he was feeling that there must be more to life and that he had no idea what that would be. If you care to watch briefly what this sports icon had to say, it can be found here on Youtube.

I have never met Tom Brady and have no idea where this super talented athlete is spiritually speaking after his 5th championship this past Sunday. His bid to stand alone on the Mount Olympus of the NFL at his position was secured in Houston. But if he has still not figured out the answer to his own profound question about there being more to this life, then he remains a famous man but one in great need! If he has never personally embraced Christ the way the Bible requires, then he is still missing that this life is largely about preparing for the next.  If he has never been born from above, he will still possess his five Super Bowl rings but does not possess eternal life.

Perhaps you can’t tell the difference between a football and a hockey puck. But if you are in God’s family and have Christ as your Savior, then you are rich in the things that matter most and that will never fade away or lose their value! Jesus Himself set the tone for life’s priorities in Matthew 6 where He said, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” In verse 33, He declared, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

It is an exciting thing to have one's name engraved in the sports record books. But that cannot even be compared with being written in the Lamb's Book of Life forever! (Revelation 20:12-15)

Bill Breckenridge

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