At the time of this blog post writing, the March Madness NCAA basketball tournament is underway, and so many coaches are drawing up plays. Some of these plays will be successful but others will not.
Yet when we think about life, God is the ultimate playmaker. There are six themes that run throughout the Bible that speak to the meta-narrative of scripture.
Understanding these six plays that changed the world forever can be communicated with a sharpie and a napkin. It is so simple that even a child can understand, yet so profound that theologians will continue to work through these themes until the end of time.
PLAY ONE
The first play that changed the world was perfect. God, in Genesis 1, created everything in heaven and on earth. He spoke everything into being and said that it was good. Humanity was created in God's image. God's plan was for humans to be His earthly family and to image Him as we live into the mission that He gave us to do.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 ESV.
Imaging God means being God's representation on earth. In the garden, humanity represented God very well until they didn't anymore.
PLAY TWO
This play changed the world, but it wasn’t a play that was originally drawn up by God. Everything was going great until it wasn't any longer. Humanity sinned and broke the right relationship that they had with God. From Genesis 3-11, one can see how brokenness happened when rebellion entered into the story.
This play was not made by God but was humanity's way of trying to take control of the playbook. This is what happens when we become the play caller, motivated by selfish gain.
The serpent tricked Eve and, in turn Adam, into thinking that they could be like God and control everything. When sin entered the world, they were ashamed of what they had done. Yet, their story was not over because God was still in control and desired to redeem them.
PLAY THREE
God's heart was broken because His human family had fallen short, but that did not stop Him from loving them. God picked up the playbook and began to draw a new plan.
God picked Abraham, a man of character, to be God's representation to the world. God's goal was to raise up a family out of Abraham to redeem the whole world. This nation that God established through Abraham was to be a holy nation and a community of priests to reach the other nations that rebelled against God.
God desired His people to walk in faithful obedience and be loyal to Him as they reflected Him to the rest of the world. Prophets, Kings, Priests, and many others would rise up to point God's people forward, yet many of God's family would continue to fall short. They continually would try to do like Adam and Eve thinking that they can make it on their own.
PLAY FOUR
Enter the true playmaker, Jesus! John 1:14 says that
"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us."
God, in the person of Jesus, puts on flesh and comes to do what only He could ultimately do. Jesus, the perfect image of God, shows the whole world how to truly live for God. Jesus does not stop there but does the ultimate play by going to the cross for the sins of the world, not the sins of Himself.
Love does that.
Jesus Christ came up out of that grave like He said He would do, so that we could have life once again as we had in the garden, not temporary but forever.
The life, death and resurrection of Jesus is the best news ever – we can experience life forever because of Him!
PLAY FIVE
The playmaker drew up perfect plays as He made disciples and called others to follow Him in the Kingdom way. The Church of Jesus Christ was established to be on a mission to reflect Him to the rest of the world.
The Church is God's plan to show the world what love looks like lived out in community. God did not stop with the Church but continues to make the play of new creation. God's love is continuing to redeem others. God is at work, and as He says in Revelation 21:5, He is making all things new!
The Church of Jesus Christ has been entrusted with the mission to continue the work of the playmaker, to spread the good news of the gospel, and to make disciples of all nations. This mission has been passed down through generations of Christians, and it continues to be the primary focus of the Church today.
The Church is not perfect, but it is God’s plan to bring about the redemption of the world.
PLAY 6
Finally, the sixth and final play is the ultimate redemption. God’s plan from the beginning was to bring about the restoration of all things. This final play is the culmination of everything that God has been working towards throughout history.
In Revelation 21-22, we see a glimpse of what this ultimate redemption will look like. God will dwell with His people, and there will be no more pain, suffering, or death. This is the hope that we have as Christians, that one day all things will be made new, and we will be with the playmaker forever.
The 6 Plays Summarized
As Christians, it is essential that we understand these six plays and how they fit into the meta-narrative of Scripture. By doing so, we can better understand God’s plan for our lives and how we can participate in His mission to redeem the world.
The creation of humanity in God’s image to represent Him on earth.
The fall of humanity and the brokenness that entered the world.
God’s plan to redeem the world through Abraham and his descendants.
The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the ultimate playmaker.
The establishment of the Church as God’s plan to spread the good news of the gospel.
The ultimate redemption of all things when God makes all things new.
May we continue to seek the playmaker and follow His lead as we live out His playbook in our daily lives. If you’d like to learn more about God’s playbook and dive deeper into the 6 plays that changed the world, let’s connect!
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