Was God in the Superbowl?

Events occurring and how they relate/affect Anabaptist faith and culture.
Post Reply
Valerie
Posts: 5309
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2016 6:59 am
Location: Medina OH
Affiliation: non-denominational

Was God in the Superbowl?

Post by Valerie »

I find this very perplexing- the Philadelphia Eagles have several players considered to be devout Christians- they have shared their testimonies- and give glory to God- & apparently 3 team members were baptized this season-
I have witnessed a number of Christians excited about this and that the fact that there has been a lot of broadcasting about the faith of these team members- it was well known to those who follow football & actually to those who don't and when the Philadelphia Eagles won the superbowl for the first time ever- the team members gave the glory to God-
Christians everywhere were excited about this- all the attention that God was getting, the players giving God glory, and sharing their faith-

So by all appearances- it seems God gave them favor to win-

We quit watching professional sports about 10 years ago- and it's always kind of bothered me about the NFL taking up Sundays- on the Lord's Day- more attention on football, than on the Lord-

Should we, like the players, and most Christians, see this as God being involved?
I'm really puzzled- my memory takes me back to the film, & true story "Chariots of Fire" where Scotland's Eric Liddell made world wide news for NOT running in an important Olympic Race because it was announced to take place on Sunday- against his convictions to do so on the Lord's Day (although he mistakenly called it the Sabbath at the time)- he was highly criticized for not running because of his convictions- but he did not compromise-



https://www.dailywire.com/news/26809/to ... =mattwalsh
Someone commented "We know it’s a work of God when the media starts criticizing and condemning Christianity"

http://blackchristiannews.com/2018/02/a ... -bowl-lii/
0 x
Sudsy
Posts: 5854
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:32 pm
Affiliation: .

Re: Was God in the Superbowl?

Post by Sudsy »

Valerie wrote: Should we, like the players, and most Christians, see this as God being involved?
Not me, I tend to not see God as micro-managing things like this or that their win was pre-determined from before the world was formed. Could God answer a prayer to win for one but not for another for His purposes ? I don't doubt He could. Did He ? Can we say He did or did not with any proof ?

However, giving God thanks for an ability to do a vocation that you enjoy I don't see as wrong. I wonder if the losing team Christians counted it all joy when they experienced the loss. We are to give thanks in all things. There is side to trials that we need to consider very positive says James. Is our faith being tested when we pray for an outcome and God does not cause it to happen ?

I was in a Baptist church a couple years ago and the preacher started his sermon mentioning the favoured hockey team's loss the night before which got a moan from the congregation. Then he said they shouldn't moan because God had planned that loss from before the world was formed. I mentioned this to a number of Mennonites who had just made this church their new church home that this view of God was not one I shared. I lean more to an open form of theism where God works His plans out in whatever choices man makes out of his free will.

Sports of sorts is an idol for many and pro sport people are often worshipped. Politics is similar. But I do believe a Christian can participate in both as unto the Lord but there will be many challenges to not make these vocations their Lord and to participate under Christian principles.
0 x
Pursuing a Kingdom life in the Spirit
User avatar
Josh
Posts: 23808
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 6:23 pm
Location: 1000' ASL
Affiliation: The church of God

Re: Was God in the Superbowl?

Post by Josh »

Quite a few Eagles players now live lives according to Christian principles (thanks to my Oneness Pentecostal friends). It seems logical to deduce a team will win football games if its players set aside drunkenness, debauchery, excessive political grandstanding, lawbreaking, drug abuse, and general immoral behaviour, and that seems to be the path a lot of Eagles are on.

So with that said, Go Birds.
0 x
Valerie
Posts: 5309
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2016 6:59 am
Location: Medina OH
Affiliation: non-denominational

Re: Was God in the Superbowl?

Post by Valerie »

Interesting replies- thank you.
From my point of view regarding the Super Bowl and for that matter, professional sports that is played every Sunday- I've often thought that because Sunday is the Lord's Day, and He is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5) my assumption would be that with this almost becoming an idol in America, and on the Lord's Day- where so much attention and time, money, etc- is spent on this entertainment- that God would not be pleased with a Christian promoting a sport, and all that is in the Super Bowl, it wouldn't be something He would want to be identified with. Or encourage people to spend their time watching- especially with some of the indescent things about it-

I find myself perplexed. God will use what He has to accomplish His purposes, I'm sure that the players have sincere faith in Jesus from all I've seen (just actually learned about them recently) but- I don't know- something about it really perplexes me if this is actually giving God glory-

Maybe it's just me- thanks-
0 x
User avatar
Josh
Posts: 23808
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 6:23 pm
Location: 1000' ASL
Affiliation: The church of God

Re: Was God in the Superbowl?

Post by Josh »

I don’t think God is worried too much about Gentiles keeping the Sabbath, and I really don’t think God is concerned with keeping Sunday holy.

The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. It’s a blessing to have a day of rest to focus on God, church, fellowship, and service. But God loves people just as much which don’t have or get such a day and he cares about them too.

I would believe God notices people in every arena (even sports) who do want to serve him and confess his name and try to obey what’s in the Bible. Even if they still work on Sundays and play sports on Sundays in a very worldly atmosphere, God will always bless the fruits of someone who is trying to follow him and be a witness to others for him.

Never thought I’d make this argument for the Eagles tho. :-) The testimonies of some of the players are really neat. Simple, but they do seem to be genuine. I’m glad there are pastors and teachers teaching them. The rest of the NFL is very much a religion-free zone and the players, owners, and others are badly in need of spiritual help.
0 x
User avatar
JimFoxvog
Posts: 2891
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2016 10:56 pm
Location: Northern Illinois
Affiliation: MCUSA

Re: Was God in the Superbowl?

Post by JimFoxvog »

I'm glad to hear about some Christians in the Philadelphia Eagles. I've had a bad predudice against them since I knew a nasty kid growing up; his father owned the team at that time, so I've always rooted against them when I paid any attention to football, which is infrequently.
0 x
Valerie
Posts: 5309
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2016 6:59 am
Location: Medina OH
Affiliation: non-denominational

Re: Was God in the Superbowl?

Post by Valerie »

Josh wrote:I don’t think God is worried too much about Gentiles keeping the Sabbath, and I really don’t think God is concerned with keeping Sunday holy.

The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. It’s a blessing to have a day of rest to focus on God, church, fellowship, and service. But God loves people just as much which don’t have or get such a day and he cares about them too.

I would believe God notices people in every arena (even sports) who do want to serve him and confess his name and try to obey what’s in the Bible. Even if they still work on Sundays and play sports on Sundays in a very worldly atmosphere, God will always bless the fruits of someone who is trying to follow him and be a witness to others for him.

Never thought I’d make this argument for the Eagles tho. :-) The testimonies of some of the players are really neat. Simple, but they do seem to be genuine. I’m glad there are pastors and teachers teaching them. The rest of the NFL is very much a religion-free zone and the players, owners, and others are badly in need of spiritual help.
Have you ever seen "Chariots of Fire" Josh?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariots_of_Fire

Do you see any difference between a Christian's athletes convictions and view on the Lord's Day in 1919 (Eric Liddell's refusal to run on Sunday during the Olympics- a very important run- ), and a Christian athleste's convictions in 2018? Is this 'personal' convictions? (Romans 14) .
I really wasn't referring to Gentiles and how they spend the Lord's Day, I'm thinking about all the focus on NFL & the very ungodly displays during the Superbowl, that a Christian doesn't have a problem joining in on- even if in their heart, it is for the glory of God-

What is the difference between how Anabaptists view Sunday and how to spend it- as opposed to mainstream Christianity, and how to spend it? Is there a difference?

(I'm old enough to remember a time when stores & businesses were closed on Sundays- and then the big change when malls started opening on Sundays- but not until 12:00 p.m. giving families & employees time to go to worship. Not long after, they started opening the same as every other day. Today- I can think of 2 businesses that have stood out as honoring the Lord's Day by giving up a day of business & money making- Hobby Lobby, & Chick-Fil-A- )

All that being said, the passage you quoted is one in our reading this morning- so we really tried to consider that- but the day was given for 'rest' wasn't it?

Of course I'm thankful too, for the testimonies of these young men who give glory to God- I'm just not sure how football in general- does that, especially when so much focus is on it- and very little time given to the Lord- church services in most evangelical churches have been shortened to an hour or 1.25 hrs- afraid people won't come otherwise-but no less than 3 hours given to entertainment & football?
Just wrestling with all this until I have a peace I guess one way or another-
0 x
Valerie
Posts: 5309
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2016 6:59 am
Location: Medina OH
Affiliation: non-denominational

Re: Was God in the Superbowl?

Post by Valerie »

JimFoxvog wrote:I'm glad to hear about some Christians in the Philadelphia Eagles. I've had a bad predudice against them since I knew a nasty kid growing up; his father owned the team at that time, so I've always rooted against them when I paid any attention to football, which is infrequently.
Yeah, it's given them a lot of attention- of course a lot of 'nasty' comments about their Christianity as well- and people finding it odd that they would give glory to God for winning (it was reported that the Patriots also have several Christians)

Of course we are always glad when God's name is exalted- absolutely- Jesus Christ- is being shared & apparently 3 baptisms in the last season because of the influence of these guys- I am trying to look at it as 'God uses what He has' or Apostle Paul's "I've become all things to all people that I might save some"-certainly their hearts are in the right place.
They're too young to realize that it is more recent that Sports have taken over Sundays. I feel sad when I drive to church and see soccer fields full of little ones to big ones- there was a time, when that just wouldn't happen.
0 x
User avatar
Josh
Posts: 23808
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 6:23 pm
Location: 1000' ASL
Affiliation: The church of God

Re: Was God in the Superbowl?

Post by Josh »

I personally do not watch organised professional sports and avoid talking about them too much. I don’t watch TV either and would definitely not attend a sports game on Sunday. I avoid working on my day of rest, but sometimes my neighbour has a donkey in the ditch and I need to help with that.

NFL viewership and attendance numbers are dropping and failing to gain new younger viewers, so that’s worth considering.
0 x
Post Reply