EPIC FAIL!

Michael Rydelnik's mouth is as dry as the Sahara; his hands are moist, cool to the touch. The word is "clammy." He's as nervous as a mailman at a dog show.

It's 1973, and 16 year old Michael, a Jewish boy turned Christian, is standing in front of the Hebrew Club at his high school trying to defend his newly found faith in Jesus. Michael is one of 30 Jews in his school who've converted to Christianity and he's been their leader. Those 30 students have created a great deal of conversation within the confines of the school, so much of a stir that the Hebrew Club, a society within the school, has made its move to oppose the 30 by scheduling a speaker to come to one of their meetings and speak on the topic "Jews and Jesus: Why We Don't Believe in Him!"

One of the girls in the Hebrew Club, upset that many of her fellow students were believing in Jesus, went to her youth leader at her synagogue, a man let's call "Goliath." Goliath is a brilliant fellow with a Goliath education from one of the leading universities in the world. In fact, at the time of her contact, he was a graduate student in that well-known  university. He was knowledgeable in Judaism and the Bible.

In addition, this Goliath had a Goliath personality--he possessed that rare combination of talents given only to a few. He was both loquacious and eloquent, charming and persuasive with a keen sense of humor. No one knew it at the time, but this Goliath, like his ancient predecessor, was destined to become one of the impressive elite in American broadcasting. 

Goliath accepts the invitation to come to the Hebrew Club and things are set.

When Michael learns that Goliath is coming, he goes to the principal and asks if another speaker, a Jew who had converted to Christianity, could speak at the meeting.

The principal being a rarity himself, tells Michael that he cannot tell an on-campus club whom to have as a speaker, that they must decide for themselves, and that he cannot tell them to include "both sides" of an issue. (It's a rare principal who wants to develop mature students who can make mature decisions.)

Michael is disappointed in the principal's reaction, so he goes back to his group with the news. The group decides that this is too good of any opportunity to pass up, and, knowing that the meeting of the Hebrew Club will be an open one, they decide that they'll attend and speak up during the Q/A time.

Since Michael was raised in an orthodox Jewish home and has engaged several rabbis in discussions in the past year, the group selects him to be its spokesman. Michael isn't worried. He'd heard of this Goliath before, but knew only a little about him. Michael is confident.

The day arrives. Before the convening of the Hebrew Club, Michael and his group meet in an art room to pray between classes. They pray that a revival will break out in their school as a result of the up-coming meeting because for the first time, many of the students are going to hear how credible it is to believe in Jesus.

Goliath strides into the room and he speaks for 45 minutes to a hundred kids. Goliath focuses on the history of Christian anti-Semitism. His presentation is clear and compelling. Michael's heart is breaking because what Goliath is saying is true. The church does have a record of hating and persecuting the Jewish people.

When Goliath is finished, Michael stands up and identifies himself as a Jewish follower of Jesus. He admits that the record of the church has been anti-Semetic and horrific. But he tells them that that's not the issue, that the issue is whether or not Jesus fulfilled the predictions of the Messiah in  the Hebrew Bible.

It was then, Michael says, that things fell apart. Not for Goliath, but for him.

Goliath rises up, stands tall in his intellectual height, and challenges Michael to point out one specific Scripture that Jesus fulfilled. Michael takes out his Bible and begins with Genesis 3:15, which Goliath counters by saying that it's a "just so" story to explain why human beings and snakes attack each other.

Michael counters with verse after verse, which Goliath deliteralizes and spins. He takes the literal and makes it figurative and he takes the figurative and makes it literal, spinning every prediction and doing so with humor the kids love.

Michael knows that things have gone south. He can't speak as well as Goliath. He's not smooth and eloquent. Michael starts to sweat, his tongue gets tied up in knots, his hands are ice. But he keeps going and keeps getting shot down every time.

Finally the meeting is over. But Michael's misery is just beginning. Michael is angry, not at Goliath, but at himself. He feels that he's wasted an opportunity to represent Christ in public and he failed an epic fail. He chides himself for his lack of preparation, for his overconfidence, and his poor speaking ability. The only thing his fellow students saw was a bumbling, confused high school kid. He fears that God will put him on the shelf and he'll never be given such an opportunity again. This Goliath has defeated Michael's little David. Epic fail.

As the years pass, Michael pursues an undergraduate degree in Jewish Studies and the Bible and later graduates from Dallas Theological Seminary with a masters and a doctorate. Over the years, he sees that God hasn't put him on a shelf, but given him many an opportunity to lead a significant number of Jews and others to Christ.

But still, that day in high school at the Hebrew Club is like a bone in his throat. He's still gagging.

What about Goliath? Goliath, having graduated, begins to write books, hosts a local radio program, and after not so long a time, a TV talk show. Today, Goliath is a nationally syndicated, famous, and well-respected radio personality, author, and lecturer. Michael listens to him occasionally and enjoys his persuasive style. You've probably heard him too.

Through the years, people have asked Michael to debate various Jewish leaders, but he declines because, as he says, "I find such debates to be unproductive." (I agree.) But he still finds himself wanting one more opportunity to approach Goliath with his messianic slingshot.

Three or four times, various radio and talk shows have offered to arrange another Michael vs. Goliath meeting, but each time Goliath refuses. It's not because Goliath is afraid. Michael thinks it's because money talks, that is, it's because Goliath has a national listening audience and he doesn't want to lose his Christian listeners.

It's now thirty-two years after the debacle at the Hebrew Club and Michael has just published a book on the Arab/Israeli conflict. A church asks Michael to come and do an all-day seminar on that topic.

Michael arrives at the church early on the morning of the meeting in Southern California and starts getting his computer and power point ducks in an obedient row when a Jewish man, around 60, comes up to him. The man tells Michael that he's a Jew who's trusted Jesus as his Savior and as Michael continues to work with his rebellious technology, he has the feeling that this guy is somewhat familiar, and assumes that he's met him in the church since he spoke there the year before.

Michael starts getting annoyed at the man because his computer and power point paraphernalia aren't cooperating with the set up.  He finally gets everything arranged and begins to talk to the man, giving him his full attention.

The man speaks with a heavy Brooklyn accent and admits to Michael, "I'm from there." He tells Michael that he had been a high school teacher in Brooklyn," and it was then that Michael it dawns on Michael that the man had been his guitar teacher at the school.

Michael bursts out, "You're Vince Salzman--you were my teacher in high school!"

The man didn't remember Michael, and both are pleasantly surprised and so happy that they begin to hug each other and pat one another on the back. The sessions are about to start so Michael has to begin his presentation, but he can't wait until the time would be over and he could reunite with Mr. Salzman.

An hour later, Michael is listening to his teacher recount how he came to faith in Christ. It all started with a fellow teacher at the school who just happened to be Michael's history teacher, a Jewish man who'd come to faith in Christ and had talked to him about Jesus.

The conversation with his colleague was of interest to Vince and he started to wonder about the claim that Jesus might just be the Messiah. During this time, Salzman heard that someone was coming to the school to speak at the Hebrew Club about Jesus and the Jews. Thinking this might be an interesting meeting, so he decided to attend.

As he was recounting the meeting, Salzman says to Michael, "You might remember the Jewish graduate student who came to speak; he's on the radio now all over the country," and he mentions Goliath's name.  

Michael told him that he did remember the Jewish fellow who spoke at the school three decades ago.

Vince continued: "I really don't remember what the speaker said, but I do remember that there was some kid there with a Bible. And he stood up and said he was Jewish and believed in Jesus and began to quote some Messianic prophecies. The funny thing is that this guy, the speaker, had an answer for every passage the kid cited. No matter what verse the kid showed, this smart guy knocked it down, showing why it absolutely couldn't be  speaking of the Messiah.

"He had an answer for everything. But this kid wouldn't stop. Every time a verse got shot down, he'd bring up some other verse. Finally, when the whole thing was over, I got to thinking that those verses sounded pretty messianic to me. So I decided to get a Bible and read them for myself. And, as I read the Old Testament, I began to see that it really was all about Jesus. So it took a couple of years of reading the Bible and studying the prophecies, but then I became a believer in Jesus."

Then Vince asked, "Hey, do you know who that kid was?"

Michael answered, "Yes, I do; it was me!"

What a reunion that was that day in Southern California.

Michael says that he learned much that day. He learned that 32 years ago God really did use his epic fail to help someone along the way to faith. Michael learned that it was not his unrealistic self-confidence, his persuasive arguments, or his skillful handling of the Scriptures like some high school Apollos and John Chrysostom rolled into one that carried the day.

"No," Michael says, "it was the power of God's Word alone, just as the Lord said through the prophet Isaiah so long ago: 'My word that comes from My mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do'" (55:11).

At the judgment seat of Christ when the Lord Jesus evaluates Michael's speaking at that high school club, He won't say, "Epic fail."

He'll say, "Well done. Well done."