Issue 1510 – Reactions – July 29, 2024
Intentionally or not, the opening ceremonies at the Olympic Games caused quite a brouhaha. Was it a blasphemous depiction of the Last Supper or a celebration of Greek gods?
I didn’t watch the ceremonies, and I don’t know.
I don’t doubt that the celebration was designed to create controversy. Was it in poor taste? Probably, but taste is a subjective matter.
If it was an attempt to mock God then He will deal with it. What matters more is how we reacted to it as Christians. It’s crucial that we each take a moment for personal reflection before responding.
My social media pages were filled with angry Christian tirades running the gamut from condemning the tastes of others to condemning the people involved to hell. There were a few voices of reason in the mix, but they seemed vastly outnumbered by those who were offended.
When we choose to be offended—and make no mistake, being offended is always a choice—the uglier parts of our nature come out. As Christians, we are works in process, but God does call us to some standards.
Jesus died for all sinners, and I hold onto the hope that some of those involved in the controversial event may find the truth and become believers. That’s the compassionate side of the cross.
Christians know of the reality of hell. We ought to be doing everything we can to keep people from going there, not trying to send them there. I can’t imagine a fate worse than rejecting Christ and then spending eternity separated from Him.
We are called to love and forgiveness, not angry outbursts and condemnation. We must remember that without the intervention of the Holy Spirit and the sacrifice of Jesus, we, too, would be headed for a dismal eternity.
Jesus has given us an earthly task with eternal consequences.
Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:14-16
I understand that we can react in the moment and our reactions may not be holy. I have been guilty of that more times than I would care to contemplate. Yet, in the aftermath, let’s confess our sins and move forward to doing the work God has given us.
May the world know us for our love, not what offends us.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV)