SUPERBOWL SUNDAY

 

Today is the big day for football fans and fans of cool commercials, some even with a message such as last years' Tim Tebow pro life ad. This is the day once a year big parties are held, bets are made, tons of food is consumed, and people gather round to cheer their favorite team on or just wait for the commercials to air. Even churches at one time got in on the action by hosting 'Super Bowl Sundays' and holding chili cook offs or other events around this big sports holiday of sorts. I was not aware til I started to write this daily blog that the NFL had 'pulled the plug' on churches hosting Super Bowl parties back in 2008 as it said it was a violation of copyright law to play the game on their big screen TVs.(Washington Post, 1 Feb 08,Jacqueline Salmon). Bars still aired the game on their big TVs so it seems to not really make sense. Something in the copyright rules exempted sports bars. Doesn't this just smack of discrimination against the church once again? Apparently if you have a smaller screen then it is allowed but other than that you must host parties in your home.  I am not sure if the law has been reversed as the Rutherford Institute had planned legal action citing discrimination against the churches and religious liberty issues. I hope in fact today if the law was reversed and found to be unfair then there are many churches in the US hosting parties as it is a great outreach tool to bring in the unchurched and unsaved in a non threatening way. I have been to a few and they are lots of fun.

 

We know the body of Christ is under attack. Today their are Christian legal groups defending the rights of students to pray in school, the rights of churches to meet in public places and on the list goes. There are always forces out there that want to snuff out the word of God as it is powerful. There are good forces  then there are forces led by the enemy trying to take away religious liberties. Philippians 3:18-19 says,"For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things." The Christians enemy are not the human forces trying to legislate against anything Christian but are something else. Ephesians 6:12 says "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." 2 Corinthians 3:17 says "Where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom." Many cases pending  today where people have to defend their beliefs because they are being trampled upon and threatened even by our own government. Our Constitution protects religious freedoms.  

 

Be thankful for the rights we have to assemble under the name of Christ in this country. In many countries of the world you could be arrested for assembling and preaching in Jesus Name. We take so much for granted. Read that Bible. Do not let it get dusty. Some day it could be taken away from you by forces who do not like God or the Bible. And above all if you are going to a church Super Bowl game day party tonight then enjoy being able to gather with believers and non believers alike knowing that this is America. May the best team win and may there be some good commercials for we who are not big into football.

PRAYER: Father thank you for the freedom we enjoy in this country to have television which is not censored by the government. To be able to sit with friends and watch a football game and even maybe enjoy a church party with it. Thank you for freedom in general. May we never take it for granted and may we stand up and speak out when it is threatened. In Jesus Name. Amen.