By Andrew Chesteen
On April 6, 2026, the NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship game will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Two teams will compete for the championship trophy after navigating their way undefeated through the Rounds of 64 and 32, the Sweet Sixteen, the Elite Eight, and the Final Four.
Surviving the tournament, commonly referred to as March Madness, is a great feat of athletic success in itself. But on the night of April 6, only one team will hoist the trophy in Indianapolis and be hailed as the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Champion.
Tens of thousands of loyal basketball fans will travel from around the country to Indianapolis and pay other-worldly prices to secure a ticket to the big game. When the final buzzer sounds, approximately half of those fans will erupt in exuberant celebration. Confetti will fall from the ceiling above, fight songs will ring out from the school band, and fans will cheer with jubilation for the great victory their basketball team has won for their school.
Outside of Lucas Oil Stadium, there will be many others who do not even know a victory has been won. There will be mothers and fathers finishing a long day of work, preparing supper, and assisting with homework. There will be businessmen and women gathered in conference rooms hastily working to finalize an important project. There will be university students in their campus libraries writing papers and preparing for exams. There will be children begrudgingly going through their bedtime routines. Travelers will be driving through the city on the intersecting interstates making their way to their destinations. Countless people will be going about their lives, facing their own battles, and completely unaware that a great victory has been won.
On April 5, 2026, millions of Americans will gather in our church buildings for an event much more important than any basketball game. We will don our Sunday best, take memorable family photos, and enjoy gourmet meals. As it is each year, Resurrection Morning will be the highest attendance churches have all year.
In our church buildings, we will sing enthusiastically in worship to our resurrected Savior, preach and hear sermons about Jesus and His salvation, and fellowship with our church families in great celebration of the victory we share in Jesus. What a day that will be!
Outside of our church buildings, there will be many more millions of our neighbors who will not even know a victory has been won. They will be going about their lives, doing normal things, facing common struggles, suffering from persistent problems, and they will not even know a great victory has been won. Jesus has won a great victory for them, but they have not heard this good news, because we have not yet told them.
As we approach Resurrection Morning, we must keep on our hearts both the celebration of our victory and the urgency of our mission. We must without reservation celebrate with gratitude what Jesus Christ has done for us! As the apostle Paul asserted, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law, but thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Cor. 15:56-57)
We must also use the opportunities this season affords us to announce Christ’s victory to our lost neighbors. Paul argued the news of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection is of first importance (1 Cor. 15:3-4). We all know family members, friends, acquaintances, and neighbors who go on living under the power of sin when Jesus Christ died and rose again to give them victory. They are waiting on someone who has the victory to share the victory with them. God has entrusted to me and to you not only the celebration of Christ’s victory, but also the proclamation of Christ’s victory.
Lord willing, our hearts will be stirred and our tongues will be loosed to share the Gospel with our neighbors and there will be more victors to celebrate Jesus Christ on Resurrection Morning.
Chesteen is pastor of First Church, New Albany, and president of the Mississippi Baptist Convention.
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