Superbowl Ads and the Work of the Church
As Steve pointed out in his last devotion, a lot of controversy was raised over a Christian organization paying to run the Superbowl commercial series “He Gets Us”. It has been unique for me as a pastor to watch this, as it seems they want to focus with the “how” it was done, and for the most part want to ignore the “why” it was done. In the same way the focus is on “how” it was said, and not on “what” was said. I think Steve did a nice job breaking it down on Monday, I especially think his quoting of John 12:5 was appropriate.
John said, “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he is not following you along with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not try to stop him, because whoever is not against you is for you.”
So what am I going to write about today? I want to talk about one of the big attacks on the ad, and the church. It comes from a profound misunderstanding of the purpose of the church. This is a statement I find even members of the church nodding their heads with at times.
“How much good could you have done with that money?”
“How many poor people could that money have sheltered?”
“How many meals could that money have bought the hungry?”
These are valid questions. I don’t want you to think for a moment I am dismissing them. However, I think the question we should be asking first is “What is the first responsibility of the church? I think there are two key verses that give us direction. The first is the Great Commission. We are to go, teach, and baptize. The second is that as Christians we are to love the Lord with all our hearts, soul, mind and strength, and then to love our neighbor as ourselves.
So when confronted with outrage over how that money was spent, I simply have to shrug. Some resources will go to our first calling, to preach the Gospel, and some resources will be used to love our neighbor. Some will go towards proclaiming the faith, and some will go towards the works that show our faith is not simply words. And it should always be in that order. First proclaim the Gospel, and then meet our neighbor’s needs. Why? Because that is Biblical.
Jesus asks the question in Mark 8:36 ESV
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
And in Matthew chapter 26 Jesus admonishes Judas’ focus when:
- A woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. 8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.
There is a time to help the poor, there is even a responsibility. I will even go so far as to say there is a divine command. The challenge however is to remember it is not our prime directive. We are an organization, a church body, dedicated to the saving of ones soul.
All of that being said, I know this is simply a worldly attack.
If you spend money on promotion, they say “what about the hungry”
If you spend money on the hungry “this is just a hook you use to get people into church.”
If you spend money on one program they will say “What about that program?”
The church will always have its critics.
the world will always have a crisis.
Eventually we all die.
But we preach the words of Christ crucified.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
– John 10:10
Which life, and what does that mean to me?
Live God’s Love
Act God’s Love
Trust God’s Love
See you Sunday
-Pastor Dan