Tonight was the "Super Bowl," for the forty-fifth year in a row. The big game has come and gone once again. I'm a Dallas Cowboys fan…so I guess I was pulling mostly for the Stadium!! But the game was entertaining, especially for Green Bay & Pittsburg fans.
Duane Thomas, running back for the Dallas Cowboys in the early 1970's, was once quoted as saying, "If the Super Bowl is so super, why are they going to play it again next year?" I love that quote. There's a spark of reality in those words. Some things in the end just aren't as great as they're made out to be. Some things don't fulfill us the way we thought they would.
Our church had our "SOUPER BOWL" party again this year. We purchased the Halftime devotional video that is always made available for churches to use. John Kitna, longtime NFL Quarterback gave his testimony on this year's video. He was honest in the fact that only Jesus Christ has made a real difference in his life. Football alone wasn't doing it. I guarantee that many NFL football players who have won the Super Bowl through the years who didn't know the Lord Jesus as Lord and personal Savior were empty and unhappy again in just a few months after the game ended.
That's just the way it works. Remember…if the game is so great, then why are they playing it again next year?
As Pastor of our church, I have no regrets using the Super Bowl as an opportunity to bring unchurched folks into the fellowship of our body of believers. Tonight, we watched the game, ate food that was out of this world, played board games, and laughed and loved each other in wonderful ways. I mean, the reality is this…you can't beat the Super Bowl. So churches might as well use the game to reach someone and try and bring them into the love of Jesus Christ.
And no, we are not dishonoring the Lord by trying to be creative and touch a heart or two on Super Bowl Sunday.
And no, Mt. Olive Baptist Church is not going to let a faulty doctrine like Calvinism stop us from reaching out to those around us. Jesus Christ died for ALL people, by the way (2 Peter 3:9; Romans 10:13; Ezekiel 18:23, 32). Our church will always try and reach all people.
Remember the verses…
+ 1 Timothy 1:15…"Here is a trustworthy statement that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst."
+ Mark 2:17…'On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."'
+ Luke 19:10…Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man to seek and to save what was lost."
Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners. He talked with them, ate with them in their homes, and accepted them just as they were. Yet, today, many Christians and churches go out of their way to not have to have any dealings with the lost whatsoever. In fact, if a lost individual can't tithe and contribute to our budget, we're not real interested in them most of the time.
We live by an attitude at our church that says, "If it's not illegal or immoral, we'll do it" to reach others for Jesus Christ. Isn't that the reason we're here and the attitude we should live by? I hope we believe that and live that way.
Yes, we didn't have a normal Sunday PM Service. Today was a very secular day. But we met in the fellowship hall and fellowshipped and loved each other in the Lord just the same. Because that’s' what we've been called to do. And we honored the Lord in doing so.
So today really was a SUPER Sunday!!
God bless each of you!
Bro. Eric
Duane Thomas, running back for the Dallas Cowboys in the early 1970's, was once quoted as saying, "If the Super Bowl is so super, why are they going to play it again next year?" I love that quote. There's a spark of reality in those words. Some things in the end just aren't as great as they're made out to be. Some things don't fulfill us the way we thought they would.
Our church had our "SOUPER BOWL" party again this year. We purchased the Halftime devotional video that is always made available for churches to use. John Kitna, longtime NFL Quarterback gave his testimony on this year's video. He was honest in the fact that only Jesus Christ has made a real difference in his life. Football alone wasn't doing it. I guarantee that many NFL football players who have won the Super Bowl through the years who didn't know the Lord Jesus as Lord and personal Savior were empty and unhappy again in just a few months after the game ended.
That's just the way it works. Remember…if the game is so great, then why are they playing it again next year?
As Pastor of our church, I have no regrets using the Super Bowl as an opportunity to bring unchurched folks into the fellowship of our body of believers. Tonight, we watched the game, ate food that was out of this world, played board games, and laughed and loved each other in wonderful ways. I mean, the reality is this…you can't beat the Super Bowl. So churches might as well use the game to reach someone and try and bring them into the love of Jesus Christ.
And no, we are not dishonoring the Lord by trying to be creative and touch a heart or two on Super Bowl Sunday.
And no, Mt. Olive Baptist Church is not going to let a faulty doctrine like Calvinism stop us from reaching out to those around us. Jesus Christ died for ALL people, by the way (2 Peter 3:9; Romans 10:13; Ezekiel 18:23, 32). Our church will always try and reach all people.
Remember the verses…
+ 1 Timothy 1:15…"Here is a trustworthy statement that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst."
+ Mark 2:17…'On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."'
+ Luke 19:10…Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man to seek and to save what was lost."
Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners. He talked with them, ate with them in their homes, and accepted them just as they were. Yet, today, many Christians and churches go out of their way to not have to have any dealings with the lost whatsoever. In fact, if a lost individual can't tithe and contribute to our budget, we're not real interested in them most of the time.
We live by an attitude at our church that says, "If it's not illegal or immoral, we'll do it" to reach others for Jesus Christ. Isn't that the reason we're here and the attitude we should live by? I hope we believe that and live that way.
Yes, we didn't have a normal Sunday PM Service. Today was a very secular day. But we met in the fellowship hall and fellowshipped and loved each other in the Lord just the same. Because that’s' what we've been called to do. And we honored the Lord in doing so.
So today really was a SUPER Sunday!!
God bless each of you!
Bro. Eric