The Elite Eight is set and the Madness of March continues tonight!

Although this tournament has showcased some amazing wins by under-the-radar teams, and we’ve enjoyed some fun upsets, we have three No. 1 seeds left, along with a No. 2 seed and No. 3 seed.

However, the most shocking element to this group of eight is the fact that the other three teams still alive are all from the Pac-12.

The Pac-12 hasn’t had three teams in the Elite Eight since 2001, so this is a big deal for their conference. USC as a No. 6 seed knocked out Oregon and are in the Elite Eight for the first time in 20 years.

No. 11 seed UCLA was forced to play in a First Four game and win an extra game, but they’ve been on a roll and beat Alabama in overtime last night.

Meanwhile, Oregon State may be the highest seed left as a No. 12 seed, but they just keep impressively winning game after game.

Part of the reason it’s so surprising these three teams are left is that many fans don’t see them regularly play or know anything about them.

Also, most national college basketball analysts probably have an east coast bias and didn’t give the Pac-12 much praise heading into the tournament. Based on the seeds the selection committee gave them, they didn’t know how good these teams were either.

UCLA, Oregon State, and USC are on the west coast with a different time zone, which means their games are on late and fans don’t always see what these teams are really doing throughout the year.

Heading into the tournament, we didn’t have a good enough grasp of what each of them was capable of, and most of us just generally overlook the Pac-12.

If we knew more about UCLA, USC, and Oregon State and experienced their games, maybe our brackets would look a little differently today.

This reality is a great parallel to having the proper view of God. When we know Him, experience Him for ourselves, and see Him for who He truly is, we can’t help but worship Him for His magnificence, what He’s capable of, and how good He is.

As followers of Jesus, our previous misconceptions change when we come to know God intimately. In other words, our eyes, hearts, and minds open to seeing the truth.

We’re also different from the world because we’ve been given the Holy Spirit who lives within us, guides us, teaches us, and reminds us of who God is.

Jesus says in John 14:17: “He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him.”

In context, John 14:15-17 (CSB) reads, “If you love Me, you will keep My commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.”

Jesus continues in John 14:25-26 (CSB), “I have spoken these things to you while I remain with You. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.”

The college basketball world is getting to know about the three Pac-12 teams that are playing in the Elite Eight. We are seeing them for ourselves and experiencing their greatness.

More importantly, we need to make sure we know and experience the God of the universe through Jesus Christ our Savior, and through the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

Today, let’s be mindful of the words John writes in 1 John 4:13-16; AMP (below)…and make sure we’re not overlooking the Holy Spirit like we do the Pac-12!

“By this, we know [with confident assurance] that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given to us His [Holy] Spirit. We [who were with Him in person] have seen and testify [as eye-witnesses] that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

“Whoever confesses and acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know [by personal observation and experience], and have believed [with deep, consistent faith] the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides continually in him.”

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing me to know You and experience You. I pray I wouldn’t overlook Your greatness and power, and that I’d continually abide in Your love. Thank you for giving me the Holy Spirit to open my eyes and provide the confident assurance that I am Yours. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

Discussion Questions for PACKS:

  1. What is your perspective of knowing and experiencing God?

  2. In what ways do these verses help you understand the Holy Spirit better?