The Harvard-Yale alumni have returned home annually for The Game since the 1870s. However, Missouri is credited with planning and hosting the first “coming home” celebrations around 1910. Jeopardy! and Trivial Pursuit claim Mizzou’s Athletic Director Chester Brewer was the first to invite alumni to their football field to celebrate by “coming home.” Brewer organized the homecoming with parades, parties, a pep rally, and a football game against Mizzou’s longtime rival, the University of Kansas. More than 10,000 alumni and fans attended, making Mizzou’s homecoming an example for others across the nation.

Zechariah 1:1-6; 2; 12 – Restored Hope

Zechariah describes a different kind of “homecoming”—Jews returning from around the world to their homeland. “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord” (Zechariah 2:10). Zechariah was one of God’s prophets who told the Jews to return to Jerusalem after the exile. They were encouraged to keep building the temple despite opposition. Zechariah was given eight-night visions revealing that God would restore their city and their relationship with Him. Eventually, He would give Israel the final victory over their enemies. 

Zechariah’s prophecies point forward to Jesus. He would be the one who was crucified for the sins of mankind, and through Him, the final victory over sin and death was achieved. He also foretold the coming of the Holy Spirit. Now that’s worth celebrating!

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete find peace and hope through their relationship with Christ.

Bible Memory Verse – “For behold, ‘the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every worker of wickedness will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them aflame,’ says Yahweh of hosts, ‘so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.’” Malachi 4:1 (LSB)

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