Football Religion by Dr. Robert Meyer, Pastor November 16, 2009 | 12:59 AM A football commentator once made the statement on television: a new religion has come to our city. The commentator continued: The citys professional football team is more than just a team they are a religion! As the man looked out over the huge crowd gathered that Sunday afternoon, he said, Look at the loyalty of those people! But the commentator was wrong. Professional football is not just a religion in that city but all over the country. For that matter it seems that almost any sport has become a religion to its followers. Someone once said, Ones god is that which he loves the most and serves the best. Football a religion? Sports a religion? Do people love football more than God? Some fans spend hundreds of dollars on a weekend going to games. If you suggested to that same person to give that same amount to the Lord and His church, he would think you an unreasonable person. Seems like when attending a professional sports game its always money for food, money for souvenirs, money for hats, they are always asking for money. And yes there are always the hypocrites at a football game, those who though professing their love for their team immediately begin to boo the home team when they fail to score. Hypocrite! People sit in freezing stadiums to watch football, but must have a comfortable padded pew and a heated church building. Games last three hours, but some thinking an hour church service is too long, come late to cut the time. Or leave the service early to catch the game on TV. Church members who have caught the football disease need to compare their enthusiasm for the game with their enthusiasm for the Lords church and His work. Football players are praised, but are Sunday School teachers, pastors, and faithful attendees ever praised? Weather seems to have no bearing on football attendance and people who are often subdued in church are very enthusiastic at a game. Thats why they are called fans which is short for fanatics. How about fans for the Lord? Some people go hours early to a game, tailgate and have fellowship in the parking lot, but go late to a church service and are in a hurry to get home so they can watch their team on television. They will pay more for a seat on the 50 yard line but when it comes to church they sit in the back row when the Word of God is preached. If you miss the football game you want to see a re-broadcast, but are you as eager to get a CD copy of the sermon you missed? Remember the football coach never visits you when you are sick, nor do the team members help you with family problems. When you moved, it was not those big guys from the backfield who helped carry your furniture, but people from the church are usually willing to help. No football team visits the sick, or helps to feed the hungry, or comfort the hurting. Most important of all does the football team do anything to help keep people out of hell. But then the people of America have a way of getting things backwards, so its not so surprising that the game has become a religion and our religion has become a game.
Posted on: Sat, 30 Nov 2013 20:19:41 +0000
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