From the Pot Hole

The example comes from my favorite TV show in the world, Seinfeld.
I’m certain you can watch Seinfeld re-runs multiple times throughout the day. I own the DVDs, so I just watch them whenever I want.
Before you watch the clip however, please look at a couple passages from Scripture.

Reference: Psalm 40:1-11
The psalmist depicts how we were in a pit of destruction and how the Lord heard our cries from the pit and rescued us from out of the pit. Keep that in mind, in particular.

Reference: John 12:27-36
From this keep in mind what Jesus says about being lifted up from the earth, and drawing all people to himself.

Now to the clip, you are about to see a series of four clips, you’ll see George Costanza who has lost his keys. On his key chain he has a toy that when you squeeze it, comes the voice of famous New York Yankee announcer Phil Rizooto saying “Holy cow!” George is tracing his steps trying to figure out how he lost his keys and where they might be. You’ll see him trying to get help to get them out, and you’ll see him drilling to get them, and succeeding in getting them, well, sort of. Let’s watch.

Watch Clip (A link to the clips or simply where you can watch them will soon be available.)

Now, let us paint the metaphor. In Psalm 40, we hear that we are or we were in the pit of destruction. In other words, we’re in a pot hole that was sealed up and now we’re stuck.
God hears our cries from the pit and he hears them from the pot hole, much like George heard his key ring chiming “Holy Cow” every time a car runs over the pot hole, so also does God hear us as we cry out in need of help. He knows we’re stuck in the pot hole and he wants to get us out, and he knows how to get us out. He knows how to help us.

And how does he do that? Our heavenly Father sends Christ to bring us out of the pot hole, and how does Christ succeed, by going into the pot hole with us. This pot hole represents our own sin and our own death that is a result of our sin. Christ comes into the world, into our pothole and takes on all of our sin, and through the cross, takes on our death as well.

And then what happens? George comes along with a jackhammer to get his keys out of the pit. To rescue them out of the pothole.
George Costanza is like the Father in this instance, and yes, it happens more than you might ever dream.
George jackhammers down to get his keys out of the pot hole. In the same way, the Father, bursts open the tomb and Christ walks out resurrected, after being in the pot hole with us.
When Christ is lifted up on the cross, we are lifted up with him out of the pit.
When Christ bursts from the tomb, we burst out from our own tombs of death with him.
Because Christ laid down his life, we are lifted up with him.
And now what happens since Christ was lifted up on the cross and then lifted out of the empty tomb. What does the text say, John 12:32 “And I, When I am lifted up from the earth will draw all people to myself” And that’s exactly what Jesus does in his death and resurrection. Christ draws all people to himself and he says come with me into heaven.

George probably drew quite a crowd himself while bursting that water line, but the power of the resurrection is able to draw more than just an angry mob from a New York City street. It is able to draw all people from all ends of the earth, both living and dead, both slave and free, both men and women, both young and old. All people are drawn to Christ and are given the power to come with him as his children and be raised from the dead and spend eternity with their eternal Father in heaven. Amen.

Delivered September 14, 2007