Column: ‘Believeland’ (Rhymes With Cleveland)

By Chuck Davis
Sentinel Columnist

I grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland. I grew up a sports fan. Before June 19, 2016, my response generally to the termination of a professional sports season was “wait until next year.”

And 52 years of waiting were rewarded in June.

In my lifetime the Browns have never played in a Super Bowl. During that period, New York City professional football teams have played in five Super Bowls and won four.

In my lifetime the Indians have never won the World Series. We have played in two World Series and we even came within one pitch of winning it all. During the 52 years of waiting, New York City baseball teams have been in 17 World Series and won eight championships.

I was in 5th grade when Cleveland received a basketball franchise. My English teacher wanted to give a couple of us boys ownership in the classroom, so we were given a bulletin board to track the entire season for the Cavaliers. That inaugural season, we went 15-67, the worst record in the league. And for 45 years I repeated the mantra “wait until next year.” The New York Knickerbockers have been in four championships during that time, winning two.

Believeland!

So you can imagine how rewarding it was for me to land in Cleveland recently and have the pilot announce over the speaker, “Welcome to Cleveland, the home of the champion Cleveland Cavaliers.” We are the champions!

Loss. We live a world that is marred by the curse of the Fall of humanity because of sin. Paradise was lost long ago. No matter how we dress it up, we are reminded regularly of the loss that perches imminently over our lives. A child dies too young. An emotional wound seems to hang on relentlessly. A friend, spouse, or child abandons us for seemingly incomprehensible reasons. Terrorists randomly disturb our peace. Angry politicians do not make us feel any better about our future. Age, disappointment, failure, sickness, trouble—all reminders that the echo of the curse of the original garden still greatly touches our world. As if all these external reminders were not enough, we hear the hatreds, fears, and “isms” of our own hearts.

But there is a distant echo that this world is not all that there is. There will be a new season. There is a kingdom that is not so broken. We taste it now, but it still lingers in the distance. Wait until next year. Believeland! There is something in us that refuses to throw the towel in to the brokenness, the loss, the death.

Whereas my sports hope was rooted in sports heroes who could offer no guarantees, my faith belief is rooted in something more enduring—the person and work of Jesus Christ. The offer was so sure that Jesus declared, “Believe in me.” He did not say to simply believe the information that he was passing on. He called people to put their trust and allegiance in him. In those moments he was declaring himself to be more than prophet and good teacher. He was taking on the mantle of Savior.

It was an invitation to trust him for the uncertainty of our todays and our eternity. The historical message of the church is not one of self-improvement or self-actualization. It is a message of rescue through self-abandonment. Trust in Jesus—believe—place allegiance, and find abundant and eternal life.

This is called good news. John writes in his gospel, “These things have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).

As a communicator of good news, I bear witness to the fact that Jesus has a way of turning all of our losses into gain. This includes the ultimate loss—death. His promise was for life that would continue on forever. Only a crucified and resurrected Savior can make such an offer.

Today, he is offering the same to you. If you want to know more how to experience this new life, I would be delighted to talk with you more. Give me a call at 203-661-4420.

Believeland!

The Rev. Dr. Chuck Davis is senior pastor at Stanwich Congregational Church.