Player or Spectator
NF L football season is underway. In our area purple jerseys with players names, both past and present, on them have popped up all over. Mixed in are a few Packers jerseys. I only know of one Denver jersey.
In spite of all the jerseys, I do not know a single NFL player personally. In my life, I have only known two and those were a long time ago We have a cult of supporters but few who actually play the game. We have far more spectators than participants. At many games there will be 100,000 in the stadium, millions watching on TV and only 53 players on each team actually involved in the game. A lot more spectators than those engaged in the outcome of the game. But we whoop and yell and get emotional as if we were a player. But we are not.
NFL football is primarily a spectator sport with few actual participants who affect the outcome.
As Followers of Jesus in many ways, we have changed Christianity from an activity into a spectator sport. Good Christians are those who attend church on Sunday and watch. The really devoted are part of a small group committed to Fellowship and/ or Bible knowledge. Few churches heavily promote groups focused on ministry to non-church people.
Jesus never once talked about attending church services, but he talked constantly about healing the sick and feeding the hungry. That is what it seems to mean to be a follower of Jesus. —Richard Rohr
Jesus never intended his followers to focus on church attendance. He said his followers would be involved in bringing the Kingdom of God to people today. Jesus seemingly focused on the needy: those needing food, clothing, friends and people to stand up for them
Gentile Christians were not given a list of “do’s and don’t’s. They were only asked to remember the poor. Other NT writers told us to remember orphans and widows: neither had resources or power. Often they were the forgotten ones in society. Jesus, who touched the untouchables, told us to remember the prisoners.
Ask yourself, who do these represent in our society?
Are you involved in ministry to them?
Stop watching: get involved in the needs of the world. Start by looking at those on the periphery of your congregation.