JESUS AT THE BASKETBALL GAME

Greetings -

This is fiction.

It is New Year’s Day at the Sterling Arena for the basketball home game in Los Angeles, California. The L.A. Giants will play the Philadelphia Tigers.  Friends Melvin, Santos, Jamal, Donald, and Leroy arrive pumped for the game.  They take their seats in the arena.  The guys are all single except for newlywed, Jamal.  His wife, Donna, went to church to give God thanks for another New Year.

Leroy is a backslidden Christian who lives next door to Donald, the “cool” one in the group.

Donald resides with his uncle Tyrone, a thoroughbred Christian who lives and breathes holiness – so much so that Donald is “too through” with his “unc.”  If it were not for his finances, Donald would be out of unc's house.

Melvin is the lover who boasts a bevy of beauties at his beck and call, while Santos is the jokester who is the life of the parties.

The friends eagerly wait for the player introductions.

Santos elbows Donald, “Here they come!"  They all look on.

The “prime-time” players are, for the Giants: Bryant “Popeye” Miles, and Matthew Teak, and for the Tigers: Mark “Jam” Harris, and Timothy “Shake” Minor.

The players for the Tigers come out from the tunnel first.

Some attendees greet them with polite applause while others yell out with “boos.”

When the Giants players appear, the fans roar with glee.

Anthony Cole, the Giants rookie, is on injured reserve.  As he gingerly limps onto the court, much of the crowd greets him with applause.

The fans erupt in ecstatic delight at the appearance of Popeye, the Giants slam dunk king.

Coach Evan Nelson, for the Tigers, huddles with his team to hastily review strategies and game plans.

The Giants’ coach, Otis Hart, strides to a seat on the bench while his players prepare for tip-off.

The ref, Sebastian, blows the whistle and it’s on -

SUDDENLY – a brilliant light shines throughout the arena.  The in-house screens blink three times.  Full blast trumpets are heard from every corner of the building.

People are completely unnerved – except for the Christians who deeply know God.  The saints are certainly curious but the whole armor of God renders them calm.

Next – on the screens, in resplendent glory, appears Jesus.

Leroy exclaims, “O my gosh, Jesus is on the mainline!"  Guilt consumes him because he knows he ain’t right.  He is seized with terror as he views Jesus on the screens at the basketball game.

Santos yells, “This ain’t no joke!”  He is captivated by the splendor of this jaw-dropping action from the heavenly realm.

On the screens, the words appear, “This is the Day” in vivid red hues.

Jesus speaks, “TIME-out - this is Jesus broadcasting from the heavenlies.”

Popeye stares, and says excitedly, “Man, that’s my grandmamma Bootsie next to Jesus up there!  She taught me the gospel but I went the other way.”

His teammate Anthony is too stunned to respond.

Jesus continues, “With Me in the heavenlies, to witness this grand occasion, are a few of My saints, Ellen “Bootsie” Cheers, Clinton Simmons, and Charles Miles.”

Now – Leroy is on his knees in repentance with godly sorrow – others in the arena join him in kneeled postures to repent for their sins.

The saints in the arena stand with their hands lifted – their faces aglow.

Jesus informs, “Also, this occasion features Ellis Minor, Doris Gallatin, and Thomas “Mickey” Wallace – none of whom made it up here.”

At the mention of Mickey, a fan, Mickey’s son Artis, runs out a door.

Jesus tells the crowd, “I have called this TIME-out to warn all of you that you have but a short time.  Satan already knows that his time is shorter.  His aim is to keep you deceived.  I came, on this New Years Day, to tell the truth to one and to all.”

People worldwide are watching this play out on screens everywhere.

From all corners of the globe, the message of Jesus appears.

Tyrone, Donald’s uncle, at home, is prostrate before the Lord joyfully sobbing on the floor in front of his TV.

Astonished folk are all over.  This is life-altering for sure!

From hell, in anguish, Mickey pleads to Jesus, “Please, deliver me from this horror.”

Jesus replies, “I cannot - it is too late.”

Jesus reminds Mickey of the numerous invitations that he received to accept the Lord Christ.  “You said no to me then – I must say no to you now.”

Mickey then begins to plead for his son.  “Please, I saw my son, Artis, run out of there.  Send some people to witness Your gospel to him.”

Jesus responds, “He heard it enough to make his choice.  The Word of God instructs in Isaiah 55:6, ‘Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.’ - neither you nor Artis did seek – therefore you did not find.”

Mickey screams out in agony, and fear.

Jamal is transfixed.  He wishes now that he had attended church with his wife.  He looks around at his buddies – they look scared out of their wits.

Clinton Simmons, on screen now with Jesus, had led Matthew to the Lord.

Matthew had promised to maintain the Lord as first in his life – instead, he went wildly astray.  Matthew stares at Clinton up on the screen.  He tells Coach Hart, “My heartbeat is furious!”

Coach Hart responds, “Who you telling?  I’m about to flat-line up in here!”

Doris’ children, watching from home, are grieved to learn the fate of their mother.  “She was a good mother.  Why was she not saved?”

Jesus lovingly answers, “She did not accept Me as her Lord.”

The children all began to wail in misery.

Jesus wept.  “I invite you all to accept Me as Savior.”

They agree and are flooded with His peace.

Everett Jitton was home alone, eating a meal, when he saw Jesus show up on his big screen TV.  He stood up and shouted, “What the …!  This is baloney, I don’t believe in this crap!”  Instantly, he choked on his food and dropped dead on the floor.

Meanwhile, back at Sterling Arena, Charles Miles speaks to Jesus as he stands there next to Him.

Charles’ Christian family is there at the game.  The appearance of Charles in company with Jesus brings them goose bumps galore.   His family members glow immensely from the glory of God.

Tenderly, Jesus smiles at the united holy group.

For them, there is no need for words to be expressed. They lift up holy hands and worship Him.

To be continued...

Copyright 2010