Knowing the Final Score

Pastor Tim Keller once shared a story on his podcast entitled “Union with Christ” that beautifully illustrates the ultimate hope for Christians.

He spoke of a friend named Archie—a devoted Dallas Cowboys fan. Archie loved his team so much that watching games live was almost unbearable. This was the 1970s, when the Cowboys were dominant and their quarterback, Roger Staubach, had a knack for winning games in the final two minutes. Those games were thrilling, but they were also stressful. Every snap to Archie felt like a heart attack waiting to happen.

Then Archie entered the service and was deployed to a station in Japan. From there, he followed the Cowboys, but something changed. The games were broadcast on delay. Before he ever sat down to watch, Archie had already read the final score in the newspaper.

And because he knew the outcome, everything felt different.

When the Cowboys fell behind, he didn’t panic. When the clock ticked down and things looked bleak, he wasn’t anxious. Why? Because he already knew how the game would end. The victory was certain. What once caused intense stress now became something he could actually enjoy.

Keller used this story to point us toward a deeper and far more important truth: we also know the final score.

For those who are united with Christ, our future is secure. Scripture tells us where history is headed. We know that a day is coming when there will be no more tears, no more pain, no more fear, no more hunger, no more sadness—and no more death. The game has already been won. The victory is not in doubt.

That doesn’t mean the middle of the game isn’t hard.

Just as some Cowboys games looked lost before the final drive, life can look bleak for us too. Illness, loss, uncertainty, injustice, and suffering can make it feel as though defeat is inevitable. But appearances are not the same as outcomes. What feels overwhelming in the moment does not define the ending.

When you know the final score, you don’t have to live with constant anxiety. You can face the ups and downs of life with a steadiness that doesn’t come from denial, but from hope. Not wishful thinking—but a promised future secured by Christ himself.

1 Corinthians 15:57: “But thanks be to God!

He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”.

Union with Christ means his victory is our victory. His future is our future. And because of that, we are free to live with courage, peace, and confidence—even when the game is still unfolding.

The clock is still running. There are difficult plays ahead. But the outcome is settled.

The game is won. And the victory is ours.