Thank you, Barnabas Piper, for putting into words the feelings that so many of us are having about JoPa’s legacy: “Conflicted. Complex. Complicated.” Piper writes:

There is no single side to the memory of Joe Paterno any more than there is to any other person. He was good and he was bad. He did great and wonderful things for hundreds and thousands of people, and he failed miserably in a moment of great need. But beyond this is the reality of eternity. Defining the reality of Joe Paterno cannot be limited to the space between birth and death but must be recognized as eternal.

Read the rest here.

John 3:16 showed up again in during last night’s game between the Broncos and the Patriots. But this time it wasn’t the number of Tebow’s passing yards (not by a long shot!) or a verse printed on his eye-black. It actually didn’t have anything to do with what happened on the field.

Focus on the Family sponsored a commercial that appeared during a break in the second quarter. The ad features several children quoting the text of John 3:16. I thought it was very well done. Not only did it communicate the simple truth of the gospel in John 3:16, it also emphasized a pro-life message. The pro-life overtones were illustrated in the children who did the reading, in the stress on God’s love for “every” person, and in the emphasis on the term “life.”

I am not sure if the average viewer would have perceived the pro-life message, but the gospel message was very clear. You can watch the commercial above.

But Tebow wasn’t in to conventional wisdom, much less into losing. He went on to lead the Broncos to seven more wins and to secure a place for them in the playoffs. Tebow led his team to victory often in spectacular fashion, in amazing and improbable fourth quarter comebacks that we hardly ever see in the NFL. In spite of the fact that he does not have the passing skills of a prototypical NFL quarterback, Tebow believed. He led his team to believe. And they won game after game.

After three disappointing losses at the end of the regular season, it looked like the Tebow magic had finally burned out. No one expected the Broncos to be a match in the first playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the defending AFC champions. It was win or go home, and John Elway told Tebow before the game to “pull the trigger.” And pull the trigger he did. Tebow completed 10 passes for 316 yards. And the guy who would “never make it in the NFL because of his poor passing” won his first playoff game in the first play of overtime with an 80 yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas.

Tim Tebow is a great leader, and he is a devout evangelical Christian. His faithfulness off the field has been as impressive as his determination on the field, and it is what has made him America’s quarterback. I haven’t had this much fun pulling for a professional team since Roger Staubach was playing for the Dallas Cowboys. This is a special year to be a fan thanks to Tim Tebow.

What do I think will happen in tonight’s game? Can the Broncos win? Yes. Do I think it is likely that they will win? No. If I were a betting man, I would have my money on the Patriots. I don’t think Denver has the secondary to hold Brady under 40 points. But that won’t keep me from pulling for the Broncos. Nor does it really matter what I think anyway. Tebow and the Broncos have already shown that they know how to demolish conventional wisdom. I would love it for them to prove us all wrong once again.

P.S. For my whole life, I have loved NFL films. The historic footage, the grave narration, the sideline chatter, the tell-tale slow-motion playbacks, and that music. I love all of it. NFL films has already produced a short on the Bronco’s improbable victory over the Steelers last Sunday. Don’t miss this one. You can watch it here.

P.P.S. Here’s the scripture Tebow posted on his Twitter account before today’s game:

Romans 8:37-39 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There are many more 3:16 connections that others have pointed out, but Michael Medved highlights one that I hadn’t seen yet. Hebrew reads from right to left, which makes 316 into 613–the exact number of commandments in the Torah.

I’m not saying it’s a sign. Just sayin’.

Back in the mid-80′s there was a really popular movie called “St. Elmo’s Fire,” and one of the songs from the movie soundtrack reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and received a Grammy nomination. The song was written and performed by John Parr and was titled “Man in Motion.” It’s quintessential 80′s fare, and there’s not a Gen X’er reading this that doesn’t know the song.

It turns out that John Parr is still alive and kicking and has become a fan of Tim Tebow. So he rewrote the lyrics to the song as an ode to Tim Tebow! John Parr explains,

I was inspired by Tim Tebow so I wanted to modify the lyrics…in his honor of the way that he lives his life as being a great example.

What are the new lyrics? You can listen to them yourself above, or you can read the lyrics below. But yes, he does change “St. Elmo’s Fire” to “Tim Tebow’s Fire.” He also says, “Gonna be a man in motion, all I need is my Broncos team.” Enjoy!

Tim Tebow’s Fire

Original Lyrics by John Parr

Growin’ up
Gotta keep your eye on the ball

Make it fly,

Give it everything, give your all

But maybe sometimes if you feel the pain
You’ll find you’re all alone
Everything has changed

Play the game
You know you can’t quit until it’s won
Soldier on
Only you can do what must be done

You know I’m out there

Down on one knee
a prisoner
And I’m tryin’ to break free

CHORUS:

I can see a new horizon
Underneath the blazin’ sky
I’ll be where the eagle’s
Flyin’ higher and higher

Gonna be a man in motion

All I needs my Broncos team
Take me where my future’s lyin’
Tim Tebows Fire

Oooh…

Burnin’ up
Don’t know just how far that I can go
(Just how far I go)
Soon be home
Only just 4 downs to go
I can make it
I know I can
You broke the boy in me
But you won’t break the man

(CHORUS)

I can see a new horizon
blazin on the Mile High
I’ll be where the eagle’s
Flyin’ higher and higher

Gonna be your man in motion

All I needs my Broncos team
Take me where my future’s lyin’
Tim Tebows Fire

I can climb the highest mountain
These Broncos cant be beat
I can feel St Elmo’s Fire burnin’ in me
Burnin’ in me

Just once in his life
A man has his time
And my time is now
And I’m comin’ alive

I can hear the music playin’
I can see the banners fly
Feel like a man again

I’ll hold my head high
Gonna be a man in motion
These broncos can’t be beat
Take me where my future’s lyin’
Tim Tebow’s fire

(CHORUS)

I can climb the highest mountain
Cross the wildest sea
I can feel St. Elmo’s Fire burnin’ in me

Burnin’
Burnin’ in me
I can feel it burnin’
Oooh, burnin’ inside of me

Sensing the excitement and loving his message, Tebow is also being courted by Republican presidential candidates. The quarterback recently told The Associated Press he’s been asked by more than one of the contenders for his support. He wouldn’t name names, but did say he’d declined the offer.

“I think you have to have so much trust in who you support, just from product endorsements to endorsing a candidate because if that person or company does something (bad), it reflects on you,” said Tebow, who’s a pitchman for Nike, Jockey and FRS energy drink.

Everybody’s trying to cash-in on Tebow’s popularity, but I’m glad he’s rebuffed the pols so far. Read the rest here.