Jesus In Public?

I was listening to talk radio, non Christian station, where the talking head was having an interesting discussion over a guy named Tebow, on some sports team, always praising Jesus.  Hmmmmm.

It was pretty obvious that the guest speaking, even if he had been to seminary, really does not know his Bible well, nor the roots of Christianity.  In fact, I would list him as a non-believer being critical about something he sought and did not find.  The radio host I do not believe was a believer either, but was irritated that this guy would criticize someone for the faith being displayed in public.  You have to admit it has got to be interesting when two clueless guys are going to duke it out on national radio.  They both agreed to disagree in the end.

Now I have long held the belief that God really does not care much about sports.  Prayers and praises before and after are man's way of justifying his worship of something which does separate him from God.  It is a false idol and a sickness within the church.

We teach our kids to worship the "Christian" heroes of the game.  Funny, I would bet there are just as many Christians on the losing teams as well.  But, no one seems to want to hear them thanking Jesus for the loss nor as inspiring speakers.  We teach our kids that Sunday is a perfect day to duck out of Sunday School and services to go and play at games while they are young and then go to when they are older.  This is worship guys and you are teaching that your faith in Christ is not real when you willingly bow to any Sunday performance.  Sorry, but the faithless kid you just raised had a reason for being so.

As for some over paid adolescent whom utters ".....blah-blah-blah Jesus blah-blah-blah .....".  So what?  Is he also that full of praise when his team loses?  Is he that full of praise when his injuries mount up?  Doubtful.  He will go on in life in some form of "Christian Ministry" often recalling how great God was when he saved the XYZ game.....

Now God can do anything He wants.  If He wants a team to win, I would wonder why.  How is God magnified by any form of sporting event?  How is His justice, who He is, what He has done demonstrated?  How is the price He paid to bring us from sin discovered through a field goal?

Tebow may be an amazing Christian.  I have no idea.  I doubt I will ever meet him because I have met many sports superstars and they all are about themselves.  When they meet a non worshipper of themselves, they move along looking for the next ego hit.  So I then do know exactly where that "Christian Witness" is coming from - and it isn't the God I know.  And yes I am discussing those "Christian"sports figures here.

So the god we are really talking about here is the fluffy bunny/teddy bear, American Theology created Jesus.  You know the one whom gives you everything you want and you approach daily with your never ending shopping list of demands from Him.  Yeah, truly not the God I know.

You love sports?  More power to you.  But please stop pretending that God is somehow behind any sporting event.  You might even want to take a break from sports and see how addicted you really are, then how far from the living God you have grown, and perhaps have your eyes opened to see how you have wasted so much of your life at sporting events and in front of the boob tube watching more sports, and let us not forget those all important recaps and blooper videos!

Thirty years ago I adopted an older Christian man to be a model for me.  As I grew to know him better I was horrified that he was a sports nut!  Yes, he was one of those whom would sneak out of church at 11:45 so he could make the game on the TV.  No it just was not the same were he to record it on his VCR, he had to watch if live.  Then one day I was helping clean his basement and I found he had kept journals from 1951 to date of every game, by every team, by the school he loved.  Yes, he is a solid Christian man but no one in his family would tell you that he could not have used that time far better and had tons less stress in his life (which he tended to take out on others when all did not go well.....).

As for the whole argument this started with?  We are told to not be public in our prayers and demonstration.  We are to keep it between God and us.  No one should need to know how often you pray, what you pray for or what you do in service to God.  Yes, I  am one of those people whom prays over a meal, even in public.  Yes, I am someone whom prays with others prior to an undertaking.  Yes, I will publicly witness as lead - to an individual.  Would I write verses on my face to draw attention to myself and the cameras?  No.  If asked a question, would I always start with, "Thank you Jesus......."?  No. Would I ..... , indeed would I go to the extremes this guy seems to want to go, for the purpose of drawing attention to myself - even if I could convince myself that I was really doing this for God?  This guy is really setting himself up to give all of us Christians another public black eye.  Get your ice packs ready.

I think our relationship with God needs to be taken seriously in this age of apostasy.  If God says your right hand must not know what your left is doing - then no one else needs to either.  That is if your service truly is to God and not yourself.....