Growth For the Love of Football

[Sandy Zalecki]

We just finished watching the Super Bowl. It IS an American holiday. Football fans of all ages gather together on Super Bowl Sunday, plan parties, and watch the big game. Our church even planned parties for people to attend.

It is a media frenzy. For two weeks before the game the press goes wild on predictions and interviews. It is a wonder the players can even settle down to play the game after all that attention. Somehow they do and the game is played.

If you are a Seahawks fan you are celebrating today, but if you are Bronco fan you are licking your wounds. If you are a Jesus fan you are happy no matter what team you wanted to win.

We have many distractions in our world today and football is one of them. People really get into football. I saw some great pictures of fans dressed up to support their team. I even saw one picture of a guy that was willing to give away his sister for tickets.



Why is it that people will dress like idiots, go out in 30 degree below weather with no clothes on, and even give their sister away for tickets, but they won’t testify for the Lord because it might make them look stupid?

“Nevertheless, I have something against you, that you have lost your first love.” (Revelation 2:4)

 

[gr8grace3]

I guess I am not following you.

We can watch it? but we can't watch more than 2 or 3 games? What would be the right limit for a christian?

Can we buy a jacket with our team logo on it? Or is that to far?

I know a lot of Christians that love football. They have season tickets,jackets and even dress up for the games. Is this to far?

I know Christians that have gardens. They write articles on their Gardens, they spend countless hrs weeding. They build scarecrows,fences, work at keeping rodents out. And then go onto their flower garden! And they do not overtly witness Christ through their garden. Is this to far?

Did you see Russel Wilsons interview after the super bowl?

 

[Obadiah]

I didn't take the OP as a condemnation of enjoying a sport, but as a condemnation of those of us who show so little enthusiasm for Christ and for the great commission in comparison to our enthusiasm for these other things.

 

[for_his_glory]

I hear what you are saying Sandy. Christians can rally around their teams in exuberant excitement being seen by others as making a spectacle of themselves, but when it comes down to witnessing Christ to others they confine themselves to a comfort zone that confines them from witnessing to others. I would rather have no friends and witness Christ then to have unsaved friends that will miss out on Gods salvation.

 

[jasoncran]

im guilty of that. we all love that which is bad for us and hate that which is good for us by default. we must train the flesh to step aside and worship god as we ought.

 

[Sandy Zalecki]

I guess I am not following you.

We can watch it? but we can't watch more than 2 or 3 games? What would be the right limit for a christian?

Can we buy a jacket with our team logo on it? Or is that to far?

I know a lot of Christians that love football. They have season tickets,jackets and even dress up for the games. Is this to far?

I know Christians that have gardens. They write articles on their Gardens, they spend countless hrs weeding. They build scarecrows,fences, work at keeping rodents out. And then go onto their flower garden! And they do not overtly witness Christ through their garden. Is this to far?

Did you see Russel Wilsons interview after the super bowl?

I like sports to, but we need to put God ahead of sports. I was in a praise and worship service that lasted for about a hour. Some people were saying that it lasted to long. I told them that you will watch a football gave for 3 and half hours but you can't praise the Lord for an hour. It is all about priorities. If football is more important to you than the Lord then it is taking your away from your first love, Jesus.

 

[Deborah13]

I guess I am not following you.

We can watch it? but we can't watch more than 2 or 3 games? What would be the right limit for a christian?

Can we buy a jacket with our team logo on it? Or is that to far?

I know a lot of Christians that love football. They have season tickets,jackets and even dress up for the games. Is this to far?

I know Christians that have gardens. They write articles on their Gardens, they spend countless hrs weeding. They build scarecrows,fences, work at keeping rodents out. And then go onto their flower garden! And they do not overtly witness Christ through their garden. Is this to far?

Did you see Russel Wilsons interview after the super bowl?

Yes, I saw it, I'd say that young man is clearly a Christian and he isn't afraid to give the glory to God!

 

[gr8grace3]

I guess Sandy, this post just kinda rubs me the wrong way. Praise and worship, what do you do to praise and worship? Is it singing songs and raising your hand in the air and getting an emotional charge out of the soothing sounds and sights. This praise and worship, was it giving the Body a piece of the mind of Christ? Was it teaching doctrine to the sheep so they could better know Christ? If the praise and worship wasn't growing the believer, I would be one of those people who would rather be at a football game.However, if the praise and worship was teaching me about my Lord and helping me to get to know Him through His word, I completely agree with you.

This is where I am Coming from. The church we used to go to did a two hr service(Just once a week!) It had 1 hr of praise and worship(songs and music with people standing up with their arms waving in the air) a 1/2 hour coffee break for some good old fashioned "how was work this week", a couple more songs and then a 20 minute sermon on sin.

IMHO God takes care of the believer who has lost his first love, God will bring Him back, it is not our problem. To the unbeliever, if our witness is "your god is football" we have already lost our witness.

 

[Sandy Zalecki]

I guess Sandy, this post just kinda rubs me the wrong way. Praise and worship, what do you do to praise and worship? Is it singing songs and raising your hand in the air and getting an emotional charge out of the soothing sounds and sights. This praise and worship, was it giving the Body a piece of the mind of Christ? Was it teaching doctrine to the sheep so they could better know Christ? If the praise and worship wasn't growing the believer, I would be one of those people who would rather be at a football game.However, if the praise and worship was teaching me about my Lord and helping me to get to know Him through His word, I completely agree with you.

This is where I am Coming from. The church we used to go to did a two hr service(Just once a week!) It had 1 hr of praise and worship(songs and music with people standing up with their arms waving in the air) a 1/2 hour coffee break for some good old fashioned "how was work this week", a couple more songs and then a 20 minute sermon on sin.

IMHO God takes care of the believer who has lost his first love, God will bring Him back, it is not our problem. To the unbeliever, if our witness is "your god is football" we have already lost our witness.

Thank you for this post. I am glad that this post rubs you the wrong way. Did Jesus rub people the wrong way? Yes, so much that they crucified Him for it. If I rub people the wrong way maybe I am getting through to them.

 

[gr8grace3]

Thank you for this post. I am glad that this post rubs you the wrong way. Did Jesus rub people the wrong way? Yes, so much that they crucified Him for it. If I rub people the wrong way maybe I am getting through to them.

Ok Ok. I am sorry. I come at things from a little different perspective because of what I have come out of. I came out of religion and into christianity.And when I see something attacked by christians I get red flags right away.

I agree with your first post, but I believe the approach is backwards....“Nevertheless, I have something against you, that you have lost your first love.” (Revelation 2:4)

People get saved and are never taught anything about their first Love. One needs to know Him to love Him. They are never taught about him so they go to football or anything else that fills the Gap.

Now remember I agree with your post but I believe it hinders your purpose with the approach. This is what I mean, there was not even a tidbit of a morsel about their first love. It was just a post about football with a verse at the end. How does that help anybody that has lost their first love?

I think as Christians our approach should have your verse at the beginning......

“Nevertheless, I have something against you, that you have lost your first love.” (Revelation 2:4) And then go on to teach something about their first love:

Grace

mercy

the Cross

the hypostatic union and so on.

I still wouldn't mention football or any other vice that I see. If we teach them and show them their first love, football and other vices will leave eventually.

 

[reba]

gr8grace3 tell us about your first love?

 

[gr8grace3]

For the love of football.

This was superbowl weekend! Are you a die hard fan? Do you go bezerk for your team? It was a good game for the seahawks not so much for the Broncos. Did you see Russel Wilsons interview at the end of the game? He is a Christian and Gives the glory to God. Let me tell you something about Russels God.

Christ and His Grace saved Russel and God still allows him to play football. It is a full time Job that occupies most of Russels time and free time. He eats breaths and sleeps football in order to play at his level. How can this be you ask? Has he lost his first love? No, because Russel's God, Jesus Christ gave him talent and passion for a game that puts him on a world wide stage to witness to millions. And Jesus Christ has given him freedom to make His own choices and privacy in His own priesthood.

Freedom and privacy for the believer from Christs perspective:
One concept of freedom and choices in the soul is privacy, which is the environment for the establishment of freedom. Freedom always demands that the individuals under it have their privacy. This includes for the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ the privacy of the priesthood. You have a double privacy. This concept of freedom and privacy in our personal volition protects us(the believer) from fruit inspectors and judgmental persons If one has this concept metabolized and applied in their lives.

Because of this freedom and privacy every believer has from Christ, (He may be a invisible hero) fruit inspectors may Judge that the believer is not saved or have lost their first love because that believer is operating in freedom and privacy.

. Gal 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free; therefore keep standing fast and do not become entangled again in the yoke of slavery.”

In Context ,2 of the points in this verse point to legalism and activism.

This is just a tidbit of my first love.


And it would be up to the Holy Spirit if the person would want to come back for some more.

 

[reba]

Thank you!