While watching my beloved Georgia Bulldogs play their final regular season game this past week against their in-state arch-rival, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, I happened to catch a television commercial that I found somewhat intriguing.
The ad is titled “How GameDay Got Its Signs”. It tells the story of Bobby Mersed, who was the very first person to hold up a sign in the background while ESPN’s GameDay was airing their kickoff program. The year was 1994, and GameDay came to the campus of the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.
Mersed made a sign and then held it up high as he boldly walked back and forth behind the sportscasters on live television. The campus police immediately told him “No signs!” But as Bobby puts it: “It was too late… I had already changed the world!”
Indeed he had. Nary an episode of GameDay airs today without an absolute plethora of signs - some funny, some provocative, some frivolous - but all vying for preeminence and camera time. Indeed, the spectacle has since become one of America’s most beloved pre-game traditions. In the minds of many, GameDay just would not be complete without it.
As I reflected on this commercial, I was reminded that everything - every story, every issue, every movement – has its beginnings somewhere. And most often, this beginning is with just one or two people daring to act. The same is true with regard to the sharing of the Gospel message. It too started somewhere at some time by someone or ones.
As the Christmas season unfolds, many of us will reflect afresh and anew upon the words of Luke’s New Testament Gospel in chapter 2, verses 1-16:
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
These words are familiar enough to most of us. And well they should be; for they contain the greatest news that has ever been given!
But an often overlooked part of the story is found in verses 17-18…
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
The King James Version says they (the shepherds) immediately “made known” these things. Other translations say they “spread the word”, spread the message”, “proclaimed abroad”, and “told everyone” what all they had seen and heard. The shepherds were obviously caught up in the moment. But one wonders if they truly knew and understood that the message they were spreading would one day change the world. Yet, that it is exactly what it did!
As the story goes, Bobby Mersed was not sending any message about Nebraska football that fateful day. Instead, he was sending a simple message to others whom he loved and cared for. (See below.) And yet, look what came of it!
Perhaps our most basic task this Christmas is not so much to gather with others and discuss and/or promote our personal views on how to solve all the world’s problems. Perhaps, instead, it is simply to let them know that we love them, and that we have found the One Who can indeed solve all the world’s problems, including theirs. And then, to tell them His story!
Who knows? In so doing, we too might just wind up changing the world!
I leave you with words of Kurt Kaiser, who arguably changed the world himself with a simple song he wrote back in 1969…
It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
and soon all those around can warm up in its glowing.
That's how it is with God's love, once you've experienced it;
you spread his love to everyone;
you want to pass it on.
I wish for you my friend
This happiness that I've found;
You can depend on God
It matters not where you're bound,
I'll shout it from the mountain top - PRAISE GOD!
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.
I'll shout it from the mountain top - PRAISE GOD!
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.
TELEVISION COMMERCIAL SOURCE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG2oAspsQ00.
SEE ALSO:
https://www.thesportscol.com/2023/10/how-the-gameday-signs-tradition-got-started/.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/kjv/luke/2.htm.
SONG LYRICS SOURCES:
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-pass-it-on;
https://www.hymnlyrics.org/newlyrics_p/pass_it_on.php.
The ad is titled “How GameDay Got Its Signs”. It tells the story of Bobby Mersed, who was the very first person to hold up a sign in the background while ESPN’s GameDay was airing their kickoff program. The year was 1994, and GameDay came to the campus of the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.
Mersed made a sign and then held it up high as he boldly walked back and forth behind the sportscasters on live television. The campus police immediately told him “No signs!” But as Bobby puts it: “It was too late… I had already changed the world!”
Indeed he had. Nary an episode of GameDay airs today without an absolute plethora of signs - some funny, some provocative, some frivolous - but all vying for preeminence and camera time. Indeed, the spectacle has since become one of America’s most beloved pre-game traditions. In the minds of many, GameDay just would not be complete without it.
As I reflected on this commercial, I was reminded that everything - every story, every issue, every movement – has its beginnings somewhere. And most often, this beginning is with just one or two people daring to act. The same is true with regard to the sharing of the Gospel message. It too started somewhere at some time by someone or ones.
As the Christmas season unfolds, many of us will reflect afresh and anew upon the words of Luke’s New Testament Gospel in chapter 2, verses 1-16:
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
These words are familiar enough to most of us. And well they should be; for they contain the greatest news that has ever been given!
But an often overlooked part of the story is found in verses 17-18…
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
The King James Version says they (the shepherds) immediately “made known” these things. Other translations say they “spread the word”, spread the message”, “proclaimed abroad”, and “told everyone” what all they had seen and heard. The shepherds were obviously caught up in the moment. But one wonders if they truly knew and understood that the message they were spreading would one day change the world. Yet, that it is exactly what it did!
As the story goes, Bobby Mersed was not sending any message about Nebraska football that fateful day. Instead, he was sending a simple message to others whom he loved and cared for. (See below.) And yet, look what came of it!
Perhaps our most basic task this Christmas is not so much to gather with others and discuss and/or promote our personal views on how to solve all the world’s problems. Perhaps, instead, it is simply to let them know that we love them, and that we have found the One Who can indeed solve all the world’s problems, including theirs. And then, to tell them His story!
Who knows? In so doing, we too might just wind up changing the world!
I leave you with words of Kurt Kaiser, who arguably changed the world himself with a simple song he wrote back in 1969…
It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
and soon all those around can warm up in its glowing.
That's how it is with God's love, once you've experienced it;
you spread his love to everyone;
you want to pass it on.
I wish for you my friend
This happiness that I've found;
You can depend on God
It matters not where you're bound,
I'll shout it from the mountain top - PRAISE GOD!
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.
I'll shout it from the mountain top - PRAISE GOD!
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.
TELEVISION COMMERCIAL SOURCE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG2oAspsQ00.
SEE ALSO:
https://www.thesportscol.com/2023/10/how-the-gameday-signs-tradition-got-started/.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/kjv/luke/2.htm.
SONG LYRICS SOURCES:
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-pass-it-on;
https://www.hymnlyrics.org/newlyrics_p/pass_it_on.php.