God Is Not A Baseball Fan!

Jesus said, “If you continue in my Word you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

Colorado sports fans are in an unusual situation today.  How many Sunday afternoons have there been in late October, when instead tuning in to watch the Broncos, we’ve tuned in to the Rockies? 

Believe it or not I heard someone make this statement on a sports radio talk show this week:  "If God is a baseball fan then the Rockies will win the World Series."  All I can figure is he must have had in mind Jesus’ words from Mark 10:31, "But those who are first will be last, and the last first."  

I have thought about this and have come to this conclusion: If the Rockies do not win the World Series, it may mean one of two things.  It may mean either that there is no God, or that God is definitely not a Rockies fan.  Since I believe in God, for me it is the latter.  In fact, I not only think that God is not a Rockies fan, I don't think God really cares one iota about baseball at all!

The talk show comment is another example how small we make God to fit into our parochial views – the belief that God takes sides and God must be on our side.     

I don’t know about you, but I am getting weary of professional athletes who after hitting a home run, getting a big hit or make a stunning play go through a public pietistic ritual of pointing to the sky and other religious gestures.  I’ve watched closely, and so far I have yet to see an athlete point to the sky or genuflect after striking out or making a bad play.  I never hear them talk about God and faith after losing the game, but only after winning a big win. 

"If God is a baseball fan then the Rockies will win the World Series." 

Let’s push that “pop theology” a little. It must mean that God shows favorites; that some are destined to be losers and some are destined to be winners; that winning is some kind of reward for having faith in God; that there is more faith on the winning team than on the losing team.  

Let’s push it even further.  If God divinely determines the winners and losers in the World Series then God must also determine other things.  It must mean that some people are divinely determined to be privileged over others in this world; or some nations are divinely determined to be winners and some nations are divinely determined to be losers; that some are divinely determined to control and some are divinely determined to be oppressed; that some are divinely determined to be rich and some are divinely determined to be poor.  It must mean that the reality of 1 billion hungry and undernourished people on this planet is all a part of God’s plan.  Are we really ready to say that?  I hope and pray not.

But, as I look around our culture, I see Christians using God and faith to justify self-indulgent actions, schemes, values and life-styles.  I see Christians using God and faith to assert self and infer some kind of personal infallibility, that they can do no wrong.  More and more I see Christians use God and faith as a kind of good luck charm that will yield good fortune.  I see Christians use God and faith to justify what amounts to nothing more than bold-face idolatry!

 Today is Reformation Sunday. Today is the day that we remember Martin Luther who had the courage to stand up and take to task, at certain risk to his life, a self-indulgent church, a corrupt ecclesiastical hierarchy and a bogus theology that elevated a privileged few and oppressed the majority.

But we are doing way more than remembering history today.  The Reformation is not merely a period in history over 500 years ago, but also a way of being – now!  Reformation is a way for the Christian to live in the world every day; a state of mind and orientation of the heart. 

 A favorite biblical concept of Luther’s was where the apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:19:  “For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all…”   Luther’s life and ministry put the church in touch with the truth that, in Christ, we are called to emulate Christ and be a servant church; that we are to be Christ-like in our witness, values, life-style and attitudes.  And, if we possess any power at all, it is the power of sacrificial love.  To be Christ-like is be willing to empty self for the sake of the gospel and the sake of others.  I don’t see huge masses of Christians who are intent upon emptying themselves.  I see Christians who all too easily become obsessed with filling themselves; Christians who can be as materialistic as everybody else; Christians who, for the most part, mirror the values of culture.

 Jesus said, “If you continue in my Word you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

 A good place to at least begin the process of being rooted in Jesus’ word is open ourselves to what the Jesus says.  After all, He is the “Word become flesh” as John puts it so profoundly in his gospel testimony.  So, how about when he says,

 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” (Matthew 5:7)

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.” (5:8)

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (5:44)

 “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (6:1)

 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume them and where thieves break in and steal…” (6:19)

 “Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?” (7:3)

 God is not a baseball fan!  I don’t believe God destines winners and losers, but rather I believe God is more concerned about how the game is played.

 God is not a baseball fan!  God is concerned with whether or not Christian athletes making millions of dollars are being good stewards of their wealth by empowering the poor, helping alleviate suffering and building the kingdom of our servant Lord Jesus Christ.

 God is not a baseball fan!  God is concerned about nations who win to the detriment of other nations; business executives who win at the expense of employees; anybody who wins to the disadvantage of an innocent other.

 God is not a baseball fan!  God is concerned about the suffering and dying children of this planet than who wins the World Series.

 God is not a baseball fan!  God is concerned that His servants live with an attitude of humility than an over-inflated sense of self-importance.

 God is not a baseball fan!  God is concerned with how much we give and share, than how much we can pack away for our self-indulgent fantasies.

 God is not a baseball fan!  God is more concerned about how much we risk for his sake, than using Him as a good luck charm to keep us safe and comfortable.

 God is not a baseball fan!  God is concerned about the inward attitudes of the heart that God sees rather than the outward piety that the world sees.

Let’s face it.  We need an on-going Reformation.  The church needs it!  The world needs it.  In Jesus Christ we have been set free to serve.  We are called to follow our servant Lord Jesus who modeled for us the way of taking up a cross; emptying self in order to become full; denying self to find self; sharing in order to receive; and dying in order to be raised to new life.  Christ died for our sins.  We are saved by grace through faith, but motivated by such an outpouring of undeserved love, our lives take on the shape of our Lord’s - the posture of self-giving servant-hood.  Whenever and wherever that happens there is always an on-going Reformation.