The Slam Dunk

John 1:6-8, 19-28:

A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?” He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.” So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?” He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Blog:

In Basketball, a slam dunk is a move where a player jumps-up so high that they are able to thrust the ball into the goal rather than shooting it from farther out on the court. The percentage of success in scoring points via a slam dunk move is almost 100%, whereas shooting around from the rest of the court averages somewhere in the 25-35% range on average (when you sum-up all of the shots taken in a game or season). The closer you are to the goal, the higher the percentage chance that you will score points and, the more points that you and your team score, the better the chance is that you and your team will win the game. If you’ve ever seen an adult being baptized, you know how Amazing of an experience it is for all involved, but especially for the person being Baptized. It’s Contagious in a very, very Good Way. The slam dunk in basketball is one of the most emotional moves a player can ever make in a game – often turning the tide of the game, if even for just a few minutes. Tides in a river like the Jordan are very powerful things – just look at what the Rio Grande River has done over time with the Grand Canyon in the U.S. What happened at the Jordan with John and His Disciples (as they were “Dunking” people in the water in the Name of God) must have been so beyond the experience of what we see at basketball games after players slam dunk the ball. And, it Eternally-altered the Tide of our Games. If you’ve never been Baptized, stop shooting from around the court and come to the River in your circles, my Brothers and Sisters, for the Eternal Slam Dunk that will change the Tides in your life and lift your Game (and Faith) to New Levels and Heights that you and I could never fully-dream of and/or understand.