Good Monday morning...

 

… and a huge shout out to my sister, Lori, for the wonderful Super Bowl party hosted at her and Tom’s home in Riverside.  With a couple of my nephews and a couple teenage kids, Lisa and I spent the afternoon and early evening with Tom and Lori watching the game and half-time show.  All I can say about the game… outstanding defense on both sides of the ball.  DB Gonzalez of the Patriots and RB Walker III of the Seahawks were also noteworthy performances.  I was most impressed with my sister’s chili and cornbread, absolutely delicious!

I was reminded of the beauty and vibrance of the Latino culture during the half-time show.  While I don’t have a very big Spanish vocabulary (a truth many of my Spanish-speaking friends and colleagues know all too well) I did enjoy the story being told by the performance.  It spoke of joy and everybody is welcome to dance!  Many commentators will be challenged with the political messages of both half-time performances; the mere fact that there was an alternative half-time performance is a sad commentary on the divided nature of our country!

Biblically speaking, that reality is a digression from the will of God, and the truth the Scriptures proclaim of a united brotherhood.  In Christ, Paul wrote, “there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus.”  This gem from the early letter to the Galatian congregations was like an exclamation point against the divisiveness of the false teaching Judaizers who were demanding circumcision for a Gentile to be saved!  Can you imagine!  Paul was adamant about the nature and mission of the gospel he’d been entrusted by God to share with the Gentiles.  Neither race, rank, nor gender have any influence over one’s ability to receive the good news of redemption through the finished work of Jesus the Christ on the cross.  Faith alone in Christ alone is the message.

As a pastor, I really don’t care if you rooted for the Patriots or the Seahawks, nor do I care if you watched the Bad Bunny Halftime show or the Kid Rock alternative performance.  I do care if the politics of your choice conflict with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Because when you come into the house of the Lord, there is neither Democrat nor Republican, there is neither liberal nor conservative, there is neither red, yellow, black or white… for we are all one in Christ Jesus our Lord!

For His glory,

Pastor Mike