My turn to Tebow

Just a week after my warning that college sports can be an idol (and I stll think that), I read a column that showed how one Christian is using sports for the cause of Christ. It's a very different article about Tim Tebow than most I had read up that point, and you can read in in its entirety here.

In his entire story about Tebow, Rick Reilly never uses the words "Jesus," "religion," or "faith." No mention is made of Tebow's praying on the field or "giving glory to God" for his football skills and victories. This is not just because Reilly is not interested in those details, and he probably isn't. It's because Reilly is overcome by the effects of Christ (unnamed in the article) on Tebow's life. 

Here's my take-away from the article. Tim Tebow may be one of the first Christian athletes to seriously think about how to use this enormous wealth and world stage to demonstrate the life of Christ. Not many people can spend the money on these people that Tebow is able to afford (I'm not explaining who these people are, because I want you to read Reilly's article!). Not many people have access to the research and logistics that go into locating the cases, making flight arrangements, and designing gift baskets that I am sure Tebow can pay others to help him with. But Tebow is non-verbally saying, "If I can make this a priority on game day in the NFL, thus putting into perspective the eternal things versus the transient things, then you can take a little time out of your 'busy' life to visit a shut-in, give a small gift of encouragement, make a small sacrifice of service to someone."  

We can. We are the Body of Christ on earth. And Tim Tebow is showing us how to be His Body. Thanks, Tim.   

New sermon series begins today

And here is the text, from I Peter, chapter 1:

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

A Long Way to Go

This is the cover of the issue we will discuss tomorrow. The cover story, "The Year Ahead," begins on p. 33. For those who may feel (and they seem to be legion) that the status quo in our world is just fine, it won't be easy reading. For those of us who hate sin and love the truth, you will find lots to pray about. 

On your way to the cover story, take a quick gander at Joel Belz's editorial on p.3. In our last class we discussed Belz's social experiment, in which he interviewed WalMart shoppers, at some length. For those who missed it, Belz's conclusion was that the response of the "average American" to the question "What message would you like to send to Washington?" ranged from avoidance to shallow vulgarity. Belz's editorial in this issue concerns a reader response to this experiment that I would never have anticipated. Check it out.

   

Things we worship

It's always easier to point out other people's idols than

to repent of our own.

I say that first because I love college sports (from a fan perspective) as much as anyone I know.  It's entertaining without some of the jaded "standardization" that comes with professionalism. It's still connected (enough) with the world of education that it feels like an extension of what I do as a classroom teacher. It entertains in dozens of different ways, and it provides safe fields of combat for the warrior nature that is latent within most of us.    

Nevertheless, it took Pasor Ed referring to sports as idolatry in his sermon this past Sunday to get me to look through a different perspective. No matter how you look at college sports, it has become a religion for most of its adherents:  sportscasters who study the stats and playbooks more assiduously than the Council of Nicea or the Westminster divines studied the original autographs of scipture;  the millions of dollars expended in both direct expenses (uniforms, stadia, scholarships) and indirect (travel, fan gear, media, etc.);  the stature and weight given to the utterances of these (often poorly educated) inexperienced young men and women.  

I will still watch and enjoy college sports.  But I will add my voice to those who are correcty identifying  sports fandom as immature and time-wasting even at the best of times, and sheer and absolute idol worship at the worst.     

Better to call on Jesus BEFORE the flight!

When an Air Tran flight was delayed at take off because of a maintenance check, some passengers, who realized that most of the other passengers were the choir from Indiana Wesleyan University, asked them to sing something.  And here is the beautiful result. 

First Sunday after the Epiphany

Matthew 2:

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

The Latest PPT article: When "freedom" disappears

Here is my latest article for Presidential Prayer Team, concerning the most recent attacks on religious liberty in the U.S.