John 3:16 

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

The Rest of the Story 

The late Paul Harvey had a radio program called “The Rest of the Story” which consisted of stories presenting little-known or forgotten facts on a variety of subjects with some key element of the story held back until the end. The broadcasts always concluded with a variation on the tag line "And now you know the rest of the story."  Today there is a story behind the Gospel which bears telling.

Starting in 1977 a man begin to appear at major sporting events wearing a rainbow colored wig and did everything he could to draw attention to himself.” The broadcast networks tried in vain to avoid showing him on air but the man always managed to find a way to be where he could not be overlooked.

He started his campaign at the 1977 NBA finals and then appeared again at the 1979 World Series and then in 1980 he underwent a Christian conversion experience after listening to a TV based evangelist while cooped up in a hotel room.  Filled with the zeal common to recent converts, he began a crusade to convert the world showing up at major sporting events and holding up signs which read “John 3:17” anywhere a broadcast camera might be pointed. What began as lonely drive by one man turned into a nationwide sensation as countless others joined in on the campaign. In just a few weeks it became rare for a “John 3:17” sign to not be prominently displayed in the end zone behind the goal posts where they might be seen by millions during every field goal and extra point kick not to mention in the stands at baseball games or NASCAR race.

The seemingly ever-present appearance of the “John 3:17” in virtually every major sporting even has become a national phenomenon much to either delight or consternation of either approving or disapproving viewers.

There is a still valid question to answer as to how much good the public demonstration of John 3:17 really accomplishes. To some it smacks of street corner bullhorn evangelization which many people believe gives public evangelization efforts a bad name. Many others, in fact, most others, probably don’t even notice the signs at all. Some people, however, are curious and pay attention. There are reports that internet searches of John 3:17 tend to spike immediately after an instance where a 3:17 sign has appeared on TV. If true, then there is good to be found from the public display. We as Christians know that any encounter with a Gospel can change lives and the message of this Gospel is one with the power to alter the arc of a human life. We can be impacted by even the most obscure encounter with Christ.

Truly, when we read John 3:17, we are moved to ask if there is a more effectively telling of essence and purpose of our faith. To say God so loved the world he gave his son so we would have eternal life is to say it all. It is a perfect message from a God.

It is time to hear the rest of the story. The man who started the John 3:17 campaign with infected with so much fervor he would not be turned away from his single handed devotion to tell the world was named Rollen Stewart. The rest of the story tells us that as humans we are imperfect and broken messengers but we can still bear witness to a perfect message. Beginning with St. Peter we learn that redemption comes from having been broken and then seeking forgiveness. Our telling the story of salvation does come from the power of holiness but from our brokenness.

Today Rollen Stewart is in a California prison serving 3 long term sentences for kidnapping and holding three people hostage because he believed the rapture was immediately forthcoming and somehow taking hostages made sense to him. There are also reports of other abhorrent behavior which would not be surprising to hear about a man who believed wearing a rainbow colored wig and waving religious signs in public was a good idea.

And that, Paul Harvey used to say, is the rest of the story.

Prayer:

We are broken and sinful but we come to you to because of your promise that whoever lives the truth will come to the light, so our works may be clearly seen as done in you.