They ran down the court the five from St Vincent Prep Academy. They were called the mighty lions. Down by 26 points no one gave them a chance with 5 minutes left. But their biggest fan little Johnny Wilkins knew in his heart that his Lions would not let him down. He had all the faith in the world that they would pull out a victory. He especially knew that the greatest guard in school history Jackie O’Neal would fight to the end.
In the huddle Jackie bravely told his classmates “every time we get down court just get the ball to me.” Sure enough they followed their fearless leader, “Pass to Jackie, he shoots from the three and it’s good, wait and there is a foul. Oh my, he truly is a legend. Jackie shoots and scores. Coming down the court the Red Robbins set up, Jackie steals! He rushes down and pulls up for a three. It’s good! Jackie is pulling off a comeback miracle.”
Johnny Wilkins could barely contain his excitement. He turns to his buddy Sal and exclaims “He’s a god I tell you, a god!” Jackie kept pounding the basket and before you knew it the Lions had come within 2 with 20 seconds left on the clock. The crowd was so loud you couldn’t hear yourself think. Jackie had turned everyone into a believer. Johnny knew who to keep his eyes on, they were fixated on Jackie.
Time stood still and with the clock running out Herb made the pass, Jackie shot and it was all net. Never had the arena been this loud. Never in the school’s history had the crowd been this crazy. They flooded the court. It was pure madness. Johnny hoped he could get close enough to his idol. He fought his way through, dreaming of at least a high five. It would be the greatest moment in his life.
He got to Jackie and standing before him he froze. He was in awe and could not think of a word to say. Jackie looked at him and turned to some of the cheerleaders “What a looser. Come on girls.” Jackie was gone.
Later that evening Mr. Wilkins found Johnny crying in his room. “Johnny what is the matter?” Johnny told his dad the entire story. “Johnny, I am sure Jackie is a great ball player and fun to watch, but we have to be careful who our heroes are and who our god’s are. There is only one God worth worshiping, one God who will never betray you, and one God who will always have time for you. He died on the cross to give us the greatest victory of all, victory over sin, eternal damnation and the Devil himself. With Christ we are more than conquerors indeed!” “I guess we can make a god out of anything right dad, even a high school ball player.” Dad nodded his head, he had made a god out of lot different things in his life.
8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
26 And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods.
“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
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