See Sunday Bulletin Video You can't sit in a restaurant or hotel lobby, open the paper or browse the web, or even talk to a stranger without likely seeing or hearing something about the March Madness College Basketball Finals. A foreigner looking into our culture and society would easily notice that many in our nation literally have basketball on the brain. Upsets and underdogs are unbelievably victorious. But before long, the big show of the Big Ten Teams will all be over! March Madness victories tend to fade over time. They become old news. They are nothing but a routine highlight reel played now and again. Is that how your faith life tends to shape out throughout the year or even throughout the week? Is Christmas and Easter the only highlights that you are willing to replay now and again? Has your Sunday Sabbath day primarily become "resting" or taking a break from work to play, have your child play, or catch up on watching your sports? In Mark chapter seven Jesus warns about what kind of traditions we set for ourselves or our families. He says, "For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men -- ...All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition... making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." (Mark 7:8,9,13) Though the media is filled with basketball games, highlights, analysis, debates, stats, and on and on, little to no coverage is spent on the true madness of March - Jesus' Passion and suffering for our eternal, unfading victory! You and I might think that because of our often sinful neglect to take Christ and His cross as seriously as He has reminded, we would be the underdog when it comes to eternal life. But because of His victory on the cross for full and free payment of all our foul sins and Sunday morning turn overs, the March Madness of Lent is seeing Jesus' perfect obedience, sacrificial death as our substitution, and victory over the grave for eternal hope and joy! In Christ, "Death is swallowed up in victory!" (1 Corinthians 15:54) We are no longer the underdog because He has already won this victory for us! There's nothing wrong with getting pulled into the excitement and entertainment of March Madness Basketball or other sports or activities in our lives... but may our life in Christ never become old news. And may this unfading victory of Jesus our Savior be our heart's main focus, excitement, and conversation!