It’s finally here—the climatic game of the 2015-16 National Football
League season. This Sunday the Carolina Panthers will take on the Denver
Broncos in Super Bowl 50—featuring a rising young quarterback in Cam
Newton and a fading, aging superstar in Peyton Manning. It’s being
called a “contest for the ages” that will draw in millions of new
viewers.
The ever-heightening interest in this annual clash of helmets is mind-blowing. For instance, in 2015, the Super Bowl drew a record-breaking TV audience of 114 million. Last year’s average price for a 30-second ad aired during the Super Bowl was $4.5 million—this year, it’s a staggering $5 million. Super Bowl related spending this week is expected to top $14 billion, as fans buy junk food, beverages, tickets, travel, televisions, furniture, apparel, decorations, betting, and more.
One dark side of football is the danger of massive injury to the players, a risk that increases significantly this late into the season. Indeed, this year has seen a spike in reported concussions, and now these weary, damaged players will dive headlong into the championship game for a shot at sports glory. Some doctors believe these brain injuries can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease associated with memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and eventually dementia. A recent study revealed that 87 of 91 deceased former NFL players have tested positive for CTE.
While plenty of jobs come with great physical risk, maybe Christians should be asking themselves: "Would Jesus watch the Super Bowl?" After all, it's a stretch to imagine that Christ would enjoy watching a game in which players are paid to inflict physical harm on each other for the purpose of a victory. The Bible says, “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10).
Of course, there are a stack of other issues hard to ignore this weekend—a half-time program that will glorify inappropriate sexuality; the mockery and cheers that come when an opponent is smashed to the turf; the unrelenting idol worship and sensual commercials… well, the list goes on and on, doesn’t it?
We're not here to pass judgment on football fans who are Christian, and each person must be free to weigh the balances in their own minds. It’s up to each Christian to determine whether the Super Bowl is worthy of his or her time.
But it’s never a mistake or too late to reconsider watching this annual Sunday ritual and to rethink our values. Let’s always do our best to live holy lives for God and to follow the advice of the Bible: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).
The ever-heightening interest in this annual clash of helmets is mind-blowing. For instance, in 2015, the Super Bowl drew a record-breaking TV audience of 114 million. Last year’s average price for a 30-second ad aired during the Super Bowl was $4.5 million—this year, it’s a staggering $5 million. Super Bowl related spending this week is expected to top $14 billion, as fans buy junk food, beverages, tickets, travel, televisions, furniture, apparel, decorations, betting, and more.
One dark side of football is the danger of massive injury to the players, a risk that increases significantly this late into the season. Indeed, this year has seen a spike in reported concussions, and now these weary, damaged players will dive headlong into the championship game for a shot at sports glory. Some doctors believe these brain injuries can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease associated with memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and eventually dementia. A recent study revealed that 87 of 91 deceased former NFL players have tested positive for CTE.
While plenty of jobs come with great physical risk, maybe Christians should be asking themselves: "Would Jesus watch the Super Bowl?" After all, it's a stretch to imagine that Christ would enjoy watching a game in which players are paid to inflict physical harm on each other for the purpose of a victory. The Bible says, “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10).
Of course, there are a stack of other issues hard to ignore this weekend—a half-time program that will glorify inappropriate sexuality; the mockery and cheers that come when an opponent is smashed to the turf; the unrelenting idol worship and sensual commercials… well, the list goes on and on, doesn’t it?
We're not here to pass judgment on football fans who are Christian, and each person must be free to weigh the balances in their own minds. It’s up to each Christian to determine whether the Super Bowl is worthy of his or her time.
But it’s never a mistake or too late to reconsider watching this annual Sunday ritual and to rethink our values. Let’s always do our best to live holy lives for God and to follow the advice of the Bible: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).
If you’d like to learn more about the true strength in a Christian’s life, listen to Pastor Doug’s sermon, “Power in Purity.”
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