Bears fans and Muslim terrorists and you...
Well, as promised, my son Brent and I went to Soldier Field last night to watch the Bears demolish the defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks, 37-6! It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life, and I doubt I'll be able to adequately describe it for you - but I do want to make a few observations:
As our friends, Jeff & DC told us (we drove together since they knew the ropes and this was our first-ever experience with an NFL game), this really was a religious experience for many of the thousands of Bear's fans we encountered. I wasn't prepared for such devotion - but there's no other way to describe it - from the "Blues Brother's imitators" to the body-painting, shirtless guys, to the rude-and-rowdy-Seahawk-taunters - well, I now understand better than ever why they're called "Bear's fan(antic)s"!
I awoke this morning, not with a hangover (since Diet Coke was my beverage of choice last night), but eager to see the Daily Southtown's report from the game, only to see some other fanatics on the front page: a report of a video made in Afghanistan more than a year before 9/11, showing some of the radical Islamic terrorists who later hijacked the planes on that fateful day.
I was struck by the fact that neither football fans nor Muslim fanatics are deterred from acting on what they believe - no matter how radical or outlandish their behavior is to others - and it makes me question: are you a Jesus-fan? Or am I?
Given the 'season' we're in, I think it's time for all of us who name the name of Christ to be bold in our faith and lavish in our praise and radical in our obedience - since others are not inhibited from letting their 'light' (darkness?) shine, I'm determined to not be intimidated from fulfilling my mission either!
I never expected to make a spiritual decison at Soldier Field, but look at God!
As our friends, Jeff & DC told us (we drove together since they knew the ropes and this was our first-ever experience with an NFL game), this really was a religious experience for many of the thousands of Bear's fans we encountered. I wasn't prepared for such devotion - but there's no other way to describe it - from the "Blues Brother's imitators" to the body-painting, shirtless guys, to the rude-and-rowdy-Seahawk-taunters - well, I now understand better than ever why they're called "Bear's fan(antic)s"!
I awoke this morning, not with a hangover (since Diet Coke was my beverage of choice last night), but eager to see the Daily Southtown's report from the game, only to see some other fanatics on the front page: a report of a video made in Afghanistan more than a year before 9/11, showing some of the radical Islamic terrorists who later hijacked the planes on that fateful day.
I was struck by the fact that neither football fans nor Muslim fanatics are deterred from acting on what they believe - no matter how radical or outlandish their behavior is to others - and it makes me question: are you a Jesus-fan? Or am I?
Given the 'season' we're in, I think it's time for all of us who name the name of Christ to be bold in our faith and lavish in our praise and radical in our obedience - since others are not inhibited from letting their 'light' (darkness?) shine, I'm determined to not be intimidated from fulfilling my mission either!
I never expected to make a spiritual decison at Soldier Field, but look at God!
posted by Pastor Jerry McQuay at 10:41 AM
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