The Final Goal: The Greatest Turnaround

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Read: John 2:13-22

After He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered He had said this. – John 2:22

World Cup Finals are often a time for the unexpected. In 1966 the world watched incredulously as the little-known footballing nation of North Korea defeated Italy on the way to a quarterfinal match with Portugal. The crowd of 52,000 at Goodison Park were even more stunned when North Korea went 3-0 up against Portugal in the space of just 24 exhilarating minutes. Could this be an embarrassing exit for one of the tournament favourites? But Portugal star Eusebio and his team performed one of the greatest turnarounds in Cup history to win the game 5-3. For the next 36 years, North Korea’s improbable run made it the most successful Asian team in the history of the World Cup.

Israel expected that their long-promised Saviour would ride into Jerusalem as a conqueror and they would be set free from Roman rule. They didn’t expect Him to die on a cross.

Then everyone assumed that death had defeated Him as He lay in the tomb. But in the greatest turnaround that history has ever known Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. Death was the loser; Jesus the victor. When we put our trust in Him we are the beneficiaries—just as God had planned. —Kevin Gregory

There is no need to fear our greatest enemy, death,
when we put our trust in our greatest champion, Jesus.