Automatic Transcript Generated
Speaker 1
So Cynthia is asking, is it worshipping if you cheer on your home team hockey game while you are at the game? Thank you.
Speaker 2
This is an excellent question and we always get such good questions. And this one’s definitely one of those really good ones. And I want to first start off by saying there was a time where I would have said, you know, absolutely not a bad thing. Go ahead, do it, no problem. And really, God meets us where we’re at. So if you don’t understand the reasons why I’m going to give, that’s okay, just keep praying, get in, know God. And it’s out of the love that we should be motivated to do what we do for God. So let’s start with James 44. And James writes there, adulterers, adulteresses. Do you not know that friendship with God is friendship with the world, is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. So we have to then ask ourselves, is competitive sports, TV in general, movies, going out to the restaurants, almost any of these activities that we’re doing in the world, are those things that are bringing us closer to God? Are they connected with him? Are they holy? And sometimes they might be. Or are these things that are pulling us the opposite direction towards the world, what just everybody else is doing is distracting us from God?
Speaker 2
I think that’s really the question we always must ask for anything we do. And does sports bring us to that point? But the question here was one of worship. So Matthew 410 says then Jesus said to him, referring to Satan, away with you, Satan, for it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God and only Him shall you serve. So here Jesus is kind of equating or putting together worship and service. In effect, that word for worship used there in the Greek means to prostrate oneself in homage, thinking of just like totally just submitting yourself, bowing down, reverencing, profound reverence by like kneeling or prostration. Like these sort of are the concepts behind this word. So is this then going to be something where you’re just like throwing up your hands and you’re jumping and dancing? Or is this more a concept of, wow, God is a huge God. He’s so magnificent, he’s so wonderful. What am I? Who am I? But I should obey him. I should listen to him. By doing these things, I will worship Him. That latter concept is more the worship. God wants for us to be reverent, to be obedient.
Speaker 2
But why should we be so Matthew? Or why should we be? And what is it that God wants us to do in obedience to Him? Matthew 22, verses 36 to 38. Jesus or someone asked Jesus, teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart. With all your soul, with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. So is Jesus here saying just partially lovely, just come part way, just give me a piece of your time, just give me a piece of your heart? Or what does Jesus say if you are going to obey Him, if you want to prostrate to yourself, to Him, what does he want? He says he wants everything right, all of our heart. And Jesus says in John 1415, if you love me, keep my commandments. And so I don’t know if you notice it, but it’s kind of circular. God’s commandment is to love Him, but he also says only keep his commandments if you love Him. So love Him, but only love Him if you love Him. It’s kind of what God says.
Speaker 2
But of course we know we love Him because he first loved us. It’s a cycle that just should keep building, keep getting to know God, how much he loves you, but then we can love Him more. And by doing that, we’re keeping his commandment and we will then want to love Him more. And thus we’re doing this to worship Him. And Luke 1234 key text here says, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. So my question is, what is the object of your affection? Because that’s really going to be a measure of what are you really worshipping? Are you constantly turning into TV? Are you turning into YouTube? Are you tuning to other things for your attention, for enjoyment, for your instances that you’re giving care and love to? If so, then that could be your idol, that could be what you’re worshipping. But are you putting heaven first? Is it like that analogy, Jesus says, where there’s this treasure in the field and you’ll sell everything you have to buy that treasure to buy the field and get that treasure? And is it like a pearl of great price again that you will go and you sell everything because you want that pearl?
Speaker 2
Jesus says that’s like the kingdom of heaven that needs to be our relationship with Him. Seek you first the kingdom of God and then everything else will be added to us. Hope that answers the question.
Speaker 1
So just to clarify here, is playing sports going against God’s will or God’s plan?
Speaker 2
Maybe, maybe not. And the question here is cheering for the team, is that worship? Maybe not. But what I find is usually the people out there who are really gung ho about the sports. Really? Are you a Raiders fan? Are you this fan? And if so, I’m not going to listen to you. Whatever. Just so gung ho, it takes it.
Speaker 1
To a level where it might not be healthy.
Speaker 2
Yeah. Can we take that enthusiasm, that fanaticism being a fan, and apply that to God? What would that look like if you were that passionate about God? And are you that passionate about god.
Speaker 3
Can I be the devil’s advocate?
Speaker 2
I’m curious where this is going to go.
Speaker 3
Well, I definitely agree. We have to be very careful with the way we spend our time and the love and attention and affection that we give to anything, because in a sense, that is an act of worship. So you have to be careful. But at the same time, there are parents who maybe their son or daughter is on a baseball team or a football team. Is it wrong for them to cheer for their kid at those games? And I would say, between you and God, for me, I wouldn’t say that that’s an act of worship. I think that’s more an act of support to a family member. But at the same time, can you become obsessed? Yes. And it’s very I definitely agree there has to be a lot of caution when it comes to sports in general, I think, too, because things can definitely go from you liking your team and going yay to becoming obsessed. And like you’re saying, I can’t tell you I went to a baseball game before, and somebody literally murdered somebody from the other who was cheering for the other team. So, yeah. Can it go to an unhealthy level quickly?
Speaker 3
Yes, absolutely. All they did was wear the shirt of their team that was playing against this person’s favorite team. So there’s definitely a danger because it can get addictive, and anything that gets addictive can have that danger. But at the same time, do I think it’s necessarily wrong to support somebody who’s in your family that’s playing a sport? I think that’s a little bit different.
Speaker 1
I’m right there with you, and that’s kind of where I was.
Speaker 2
I feel like I was trying to say the same thing.
Speaker 1
I think you were living mostly in the mindset of with your commentary, with the people who are, like, taking it to a level of worship and saying that that’s not a good thing to do, because there certainly are people for whom it is a matter of worship. I mean, you see them, like, literally worshipping and bowing down and kissing the ground at the game as a sign of worship of the game.
Speaker 2
Whether they had a good day or bad day was, did their team win?
Speaker 1
Yeah. And certainly I don’t want to say that hockey that all hockey is bad, but I know that one of the things with hockey that does come up a lot is that it can get very violent, where, you know, there is a culture within professional hockey that is unfortunately very combative. And people like people go just to see that sometimes and see that aggression, and they worship that aggression. Well, that’s not worshiping God. That is something that we really do have to be mindful of. And it can be so easy for people to get caught up in those moments because of all of that energy that’s flowing there.
Speaker 2
Where is your treasure? What are you cherishing? What’s the object of your affection?
Speaker 3
And I think that’s totally kind of going back to your point, Jay, of just like love of the world is at odds with the love of God, and so are you loving the world in being too gung hole in these sports? Yeah, I totally agree with that. I think that’s a really good point. I guess in my mind I’m thinking about my family’s pastime because my brother was MVP football player. He was a Tribe varsity athlete. He did everything. We went to all his games and stuff. And it wasn’t like I was worshipping the teams or whatever, but I wanted my brother to know that I loved him, I supported him. I think that’s a little bit different.
Speaker 2
It takes someone like Tebow, who used his career as a way to share his faith, seemed to keep it central. We don’t know what’s in his heart, but maybe really that brought him closer to God. He was fulfilling his purpose. He’s ministering to people. Maybe there was absolutely nothing wrong with his doing and he’s actually doing God’s will for him. Yeah, for him. But again, it’s deep down within and only God knows what’s in people’s hearts. And it’s important that we also do searching and constantly ask, like, yeah, what is first in my life?
Speaker 1
Yeah. And I certainly have quite a few friends who were just very diehard sports people. And then as they grew in their relationship with God, they realized, wait a minute, I am actually worshipping this sport and these players, and I’m taking my focus off of God and that’s not good for me. And I’ve seen many friends go through that change and have that conviction and that realization. And so it’s not our place to say that someone is worshipping or not worshipping the game or whoever. That’s between you and God. But these principles, I think, are very relevant.
Speaker 2
And it’s interesting that Paul uses references to sports like the Olympics as examples for what our faith should be like. We should be running drills. We should be practicing. We should be as enthusiastic about our spiritual life as people tend to be about sports.
Speaker 3
Yeah, agree.
Speaker 1
That’d be pretty amazing.
Speaker 3
I do think just kind of going back to the points you were making, you really have to like you’re saying, where your treasure? Is that’s heart’s going to be? And I think of so many pastors are like, I hate when it’s football season because my church attendance goes down and if you keep the game over church, that’s kind of a red flag.
Speaker 2
That’s a good example.
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In His Service
BibleAsk Team
