The Greatest Ever
Week 44
John 14: 1-14
As is my normal routine I began to write this on Saturday morning but didn’t get very far. Inspiration seemed to desert me, and I wasn’t sure how to finish the passage I was writing. Then, my boyhood footballing hero, Sir Bobby Charlton, Died.
Whether or not you’re a football fan you almost certainly know who Bobby Charlton was. He was a legend and the hero of millions of football fans around the world. In my mind's eye, I can still see him scoring goals from twenty-five or thirty yards, kicking a ball that was bigger and heavier (particularly when wet!) than today’s footballs with absolute precision whilst wearing proper football boots that were also much heavier.
His achievements in football were amazing. In a career that spanned nearly twenty years and 758 games, Sir Bobby was never sent off and received only two bookings, one of which took 32 years to be confirmed! So, it’s not surprising he was known as a real gentleman. He won 106 caps, scored 49 goals for England, and won the 1966 World Cup. He scored 249 goals during 17 years with Manchester United, winning the European Cup, three league titles, and the FA Cup.
As might have been expected over the last twenty-four hours since his death was announced his footballing colleagues have referred to him as the greatest of all time. “United’s greatest ambassador”. “A Champion”. One pundit said Sir Bobby had achieved “footballing immortality” and the Prince of Wales said he would be “remembered forever”.
But despite achieving footballing greatness none of those many accolades will get Sir Bobby Charlton into heaven. No one has an automatic right to a place in heaven and none of us can work our way there through even the very best works in life. Goodness is no guarantee and belief in God alone isn’t enough – even Satan believes! The only way is through the greatest ever.
John 14 records Jesus very clearly telling His disciples that He is the only way to heaven. “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me,” He said. God loves us all so much that he gave his only son to die an excruciating death on the cross so that we can all spend eternity with Him in heaven.
Sadly, we don’t all go to heaven, even if that is the popular opinion. We all have an individual choice as to where we want to spend eternity – and that’s a whole lot longer than this current life. It is in fact, forever. You may not have another tomorrow so today is decision time. What will it be? A life of abundance with Jesus or the absolute opposite – forever!
We don`t know whether Sir Bobby Charlton had already chosen Jesus but many of his friends in the footballing community said, “Rest in Peace” and I really hope that he does.
Prayer: Father God, thank you for sending Jesus to be our saviour. Help us never to forget the sacrifice you made for us in your Son and to choose life with you forever.
Neil Bromage, 21/10/2023