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Super Sunday
"I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day." (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)The first Super Bowl football game I can remember watching was in 1969 (when I was 9), as Joe Namath guaranteed the upstart New York Jets would beat the mighty Baltimore Colts. I remember my dad liked Johnny Unitas, the aging Baltimore QB, and said Joe Namath was a hippie, so I was supposed to pull for the Colts.
The excitement of the Jets' stunning 16-7 upset of the heavily favored Colts did not carry over to the quality and excitement of most of the following Super Bowl games, which in over 46 years, have not been closely contested or well-played games. Although there are notable exceptions, like in 2000 when the Tennessee Titans came up one yard short of a touchdown at the last second to lose to the St. Louis Rams. Yet, this year's game is an interesting rematch of the 2008 contest when the NY Giants beat the NE Patriots 17-14. I like Eli Manning, the NY QB, who seems to be a super nice guy.
The marketing of professional football, with huge revenues and highly paid players like all-pro QB Peyton Manning in the last year of his 7 yr., $92 million contract to the Colts, with also a two week run up to this main event of the NFL playoffs, has managed to make the Super Bowl an icon of American culture. It is the most watched sporting event in the USA, which has averaged over 100 million viewers the last four years, with 117 million viewers projected to watch this one. Last year, 163 million watched at least part of the game. A 30-second commercial will cost an advertiser $3.5 million.
Many churches felt like they didn't have anything exciting to offer to compete against the Super Bowl, so some started showing the game as part of their Sunday evening Service. Deacons would dress up in referee uniforms and hand out popcorn, etc. The NFL countered that it is illegal to show the Super Bowl on any screen larger than 55 inches and cannot be shown at any venue that wouldn't normally show sporting events, such as churches.
Hence, some churches have just canceled Sunday evening services on Super Bowl Sunday. One church in Houston, TX posted a comical video entitled, "Don't come to Church Sunday at 5 PM." The message says, "We know you want to watch the big game. We do too. So, stay at home and don't come to church. We won't be here." In the background is a "goofy" guy who didn't get the message and is running around in the empty church building acting silly. Huh?
Watching NFL football, if you record it, can certainly be enjoyable and a fun way to spend time with your friends. (Just be ready fast forward the recording if they show some morally questionable, lewd commercials or entertainment that you or your kids don't need to see.)
However, what is really "super" about Super Sunday?
Christ the Everlasting Victor Arose on Sunday
In the greatest contest of the ages, the Son of God defeated all the forces of evil that had conspired against Him to kill Him, causing Him to suffer and die a cruel, humiliating death on the cross. In joyful submission to the Father's will, as well as unfathomable love for us, Jesus bravely endured it all with shout of triumph, "It is finished!" (John 19:31).
Then, when religious hypocrites conspired to keep him secured in a sealed tomb with Roman guards to disprove His claims, He raised Himself miraculously from the dead in glory (John 10:17), which was done on Sunday (Mark 16:9, Luke 24:1,13,21-24). "On … the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, `Peace be with you.'" (John 20:19).
This highlighted the power of God the Father and the Holy Spirit, which worked to raise Him as well (Romans 8:11). It forever shows the power of God is far superior to the power of death and evil. His gracious death at the cross and glorious resurrection have forever demonstrated that Christ is the everlasting Victor: "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him" (Colossians 2:15). There is not enough power on earth or in hell to defeat God in the accomplishment of His redemptive purpose!
Each Sunday, we remember the sacrifice of the living, not dead, Christ, who will return for us so we can forever share in His eternal victory in heaven's winner circle. "We proclaim His death until He comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26). The early church, by apostolic example, remembered Christ in the Lord's Supper every Sunday (Acts 2:42, 20:7; cf. Matthew 26:29).
We today "believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification" (Romans 4:20-21). The early church overcame overwhelming odds to preserve through entrenched Jewish opposition and pagan Roman persecution. Justin Martyr, who wrote a defense of Christianity to the Roman Senate in 165 AD but was executed in 168 AD, said "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." Only those who have something worth dying for, then have something worth living for!
The weekly Lord's Supper helps to empower us to rededicate ourselves to Jesus Christ, the captain of our salvation, who gave His all for us. In Christ, we're life's true winners. "They overcame because the blood of the Lamb … And they shall reign forever and ever" (Revelation 12:11, 22:5).
In the greatest contest known to man, the conflict between God and Satan, we must decide which team we will be on. The Lord doesn't draft us to be on His heavenly team. It is an all-volunteer army to submit to His rule: "They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful" (Revelation 17:14).
So, each Sunday, remember Christ foremost to focus on being sure we overcome through Him! Jesus gives us divine reasons to celebrate His victory at the cross each Sunday, which was the conquest of sin and death. This is far greater and more important than being in or watching any temporal contest.
