Day 24: The Gospel According to Kobe Bryant or #24
Are you ready for the Gospel according to Kobe Bryant or Number 24? Ok, He wore jersey number 8 a while back, but today he wears number twenty four on his jersey. Yesterday we looked at the Gospel according to "MJ" or Michael Jesus. Today, we will meditate and study the Gospel according to Kobe Bryant. In case you don't follow sports are don't watch any television, Kobe Bryant is the most famous celebrity and basketball player in the world today. He is the Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird of our generation. For the 2011 basketball season, he will earn $ 24 million dollars as his salary! But there is more good news or Gospel than just his Salary! There are important lessons we can learn from Bryant's mistakes and redemption.
The Gospel means good news or good report, and in the life of Kobe Bryant there is a Gospel that you and I need to be reminded of today. Are you ready? Today in day number twenty four in our spiritual journey we look at the Gospel according to number 24, Kobe Bryant.
A Day in the Bible - Twenty four literal hours
Twenty four hours is the time it takes for our planet to fully rotate on its axis. Twenty four hours, 1440 minutes, or 86400 seconds. Twenty four hours is the time period that God used to create our world and human animal life in Seven Days, including the Sabbath. In God's Word, the Bible, whenever you find the word "yom" in Hebrews attached to a numerical (number), the word "yom" always refers to a twenty four hour literal day! While Roman society and our modern world calculate a twenty four hour day from midnight to midnight, the Bible's way of reckoning time is not according to man's standard but according to God's standard. In the Book of Genesis and throughout the Bible, a twenty four hour day is measured from "sundown" to "sundown." So the first day of the week, according to the Bible, is from Saturday sundown to Sunday sundown. The seventh-day Sabbath is from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. God's way of measuring time is different than man's way. God's way of measuring the success of a person's life is also different that man's measures of success. To God, success is not based on financial, career, or educational advancement (Matthew 6). To God, success is measured by the complete surrender of your life to Jesus, and your desire to walk daily in the footsteps of Jesus (Matthew 6). In the Bible, twenty four hours equals a day. Every day of Creation week, God (or Jesus) created something different. Here is the "reader's digest version" of Creation week, thanks to Pastor Dwight Nelson from Pioneer Memorial Church in Berrien Springs, MI.
1st Day = light
2nd Day = atmosphere
3rd Day = land and vegetation
4th Day = solar system
5th Day = birds in the air, fish in the water
6th Day = mammals for the land, and human beings (a male and a female)
7th day = The Sabbath Day
It took twenty four hours for God to create all that He did during the 7 day week of Creation. God could have done it in a day. In fact, he could have done it all in just one second. However, he chose create our world and race in seven literal twenty four hour days. Could there be a Gospel message in the story of Creation for us today? When things are failing and faltering in our life today, can God recreate our tiny world and our perspective in just twenty four literal hours? I believe He can! If your world seems to be chaotic, problematic, or faltering, don't forget that during Creation Week God brought order our of disorder, and clarity out of chaos (Genesis 1:1-2).
The Gospel according to Kobe - Redemption
If you have followed the career of most sports athletes, even super athletes who become celebrities, you will have discovered that all athletes are human and therefore susceptible to sin and temptation. Just recently, we had the sexual scandal involving Tiger Woods, Rape charges against Lawrence Taylor (football hall of famer), and also Bret Favre, who sent messages to a jets cheerleader while still being still married to his wife! Just because these mega athletes have money and fame, does not mean that they are not plagued by the same disease that we are, SIN. They need forgiveness, acquittal, and peace as much as we do.
With this in mind, you will remember the Kobe Bryant Sex Scandal that hit the news several years ago. While in Colorado undergoing knee surgery, Kobe Bryant had an adulterous affair with a hotel staff person. While Kobe Bryant was married to his wife, Vanessa Bryant, the temptation was too great and he succumbed to the temptation that most men are not able to say "no" to, fornication and adultery, except under the power of the Holy Spirit. Before we are quick to pass judgment of Kobe Bryant or any other "fallen hero", let's remember the Bible truth that "except for the Grace of God, there Go I" (Ephesians 2:1-10).
The young staff person, a blonde young woman, filed a lawsuit against Bryant charging him with "rape". Kobe Bryant denied such actions on his part, but claimed it was completely consensual "sex". A sin had been committed, but not a crime according to Bryant. How different it is according to God's standard. Sin is both a rebellion and transgression of God's law. God's sees all sins as a violation of His Commandments and will for our lives. Adultery and Fornication is not only a sin, but in God's view is also a crime against the government of Heaven. It is a sin against the God who created us to honor him with our bodies and sexuality (1 Cor. 10:31).
The lawsuit, case, and investigation lasted for over a year, and many people, including Kobe's endorsers and advertisers, doubted his innocence. Many, like Nike, stopped using his image to endorse their products while the case was still unsettled in court. Bryant's name and reputation were stained from an ideal and perfect hero, to that of a fallen but restored husband and father. In the end, the young lady dropped the charges against Bryant, and He was able to continue his multimillion NBA basketball career without having to face any prison time for the charge of sexual rape. His innocence in the eyes of our earthly judicial system is presumed. In the end, only God, the young lady, and Kobe Bryant may know the real truth. Our job is not to judge an individual, but we can learn some important lessons, a Gospel if you will, from the life and redemption of Kobe Bryant.
After the turmoil that engulfed his life for over a year, Bryant was able to return to playing basketball at the top of his game, and has won two championships without "Shaquille O'Neal, who was his counterpart in the early days of his basketball career in winning three NBA Championships together. Bryant now has five championship rings, as opposed to "O'Neal's" four. "I got one more than Shaq now" says Bryant!
Redemption is sweet! How different life may have been for Bryant if he has been convicted as guilty of the charge of sexual rape. The Gospel (or Good news) according to Kobe Bryant is that upon having given a second chance, a person is able to reform, repent, and rededicate his or her life to success and faithfulness to a worthy cause. A person is able to rededicate his or her life to God and to honoring and glorifying God's Holy Name!
Just like Bryant confessed his sin in public, and apologized to his wife in public, we also can experience a second chance, "a redemption", if we will confess our sins "privately to God, and apologize to those that we have injured or hurt because of our actions or words. Just like Bryant reformed, repented, and rededicated himself to his wife, daughters, family, marriage, and basketball career, so you today can experience "a second opportunity" or chance to repent, reform, and rededicate your life to God, your family, and your church. Redemption is sweet!
Redemption takes place when something that already belonged to you, but you lost, is bought back a second time. You and I belong to God because He created us, and today God want's to redeem us and buy us back to Himself through the death of Jesus on Calvary! Notice the beautiful verses in the Bible that describe our redemption.
Just like Bryant confessed his sin in public, and apologized to his wife in public, we also can experience a second chance, "a redemption", if we will confess our sins "privately to God, and apologize to those that we have injured or hurt because of our actions or words. Just like Bryant reformed, repented, and rededicated himself to his wife, daughters, family, marriage, and basketball career, so you today can experience "a second opportunity" or chance to repent, reform, and rededicate your life to God, your family, and your church. Redemption is sweet!
Redemption takes place when something that already belonged to you, but you lost, is bought back a second time. You and I belong to God because He created us, and today God want's to redeem us and buy us back to Himself through the death of Jesus on Calvary! Notice the beautiful verses in the Bible that describe our redemption.
Hebrews 9:12Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
Ephesians 1:7In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
Psalm 77:15You have with Your arm redeemed Your people,The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
Psalm 107:2Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
Isaiah 43:1But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob,And He who formed you, O Israel: “ Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
Isaiah 44:22I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, And like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”
Peter 1:18-19Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Revelation 5:9And they sang a new song, saying: “ You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
Conclusion
Redeemed, how sweet the sound! Make no mistake about it! Today God desires for you to belong to Him no matter how far you may have walked away from Him. Instead of running from Him, why not try running towards Him. He is waiting for you with open arms today!
Practical Steps
1. Recognize that you belong to God twice. He created you, and He also redeemed you (bought you back) with the blood of Jesus Christ.
2. Live in a manner that glorifies and honors God! Bring God glory in the way you live! May others see God in you today!
3. Accept your new life and status in Jesus! You are no longer a "nobody" but now a "somebody". Live like a somebody who is Heaven bound, and not like a nobody that is not going anywhere for eternity!
4. Be a gracious person. Just like God forgave you, forgive others. If others don't dress like you, talk like you, eat like you, or worship like you, be accepting of variety, change, and God's work in people's life. God is patient with you, so be patient with others. Exude an atmosphere of grace and acceptance with others. Make people feel loved and accepted in Jesus. Be nice to everyone whom you meet today in the next twenty four hours.
~ Pastor Sal Garcia
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