Perhaps the best result of what happened during the Olympic Opening Ceremony was it got people to think. How should a Christian react? Interesting to scroll through social media and see various people post articles and videos defending their point of view, and often bashing Christians in the process. At least it's causing them to think. What would Jesus do?
God is love. Jesus invites everyone to His table. These are true. But our Lord is also a just God. In His word God clearly spells out good and evil. God hates sin. Loves the sinner, for sure. There is a penalty for sin. Many pointed to the woman at the well, but failed to mention Jesus' parting words to her: "Go and sin no more".
I am a sinner. We all are. That just wasn't the movie I thought I'd be watching. It's okay that I was offended. Less than 5% of the French attend church services. Less than half believe in God. While I shouldn't expect non-Christians to act like Christians, those were scenes I don't wish to see in an Olympic Opening Ceremony. Do these people remember the story of Sodom and Gomorrah?
This is the world we live in. Should we have been surprised? Not if we were aware. Many have pointed out that no one mocks Islam, the religion of peace who tortures and murders gays and women having babies out of wedlock.
Many picked nits, saying the scene was not the Last Supper but a celebration of the false god Dionysus. Does this make it okay? This supposed god of pleasure, the god of ecstasy, of madness, orgies, and wild frenzy. Depicted as a cross dresser.
Should Christians turn the other cheek? Laugh it off as those crazy Frenchmen? Hey, it's just "art", right?
As usual, Jim Denison offered a well thought out, Biblical perspective of the event: Sadly, the artistic director considers Christianity not something to be persecuted, but outdated and irrelevant. The opening ceremony's depiction of a bacchanalia included drag queens, a transgender model, and a naked singer. Piers Morgan posted, "Would they have mocked any other religion like this? Appalling decision." Elon Musk called the parody "extremely disrespectful to Christians."
A read well worth your time: Olympics use drag queens to parody "The Last Supper" (denisonforum.org)
On Saturday Andy Stanley was trending on Twitter, receiving rare praise from the Christian community for his tweet. He later deleted it, perhaps after he learned it "incorrectly" referenced the Last Supper.
I am far from a theologian. Just kinda pecked away at this to assemble some thoughts. Like politics these days, so many are taking things out of context, taking one Bible verse while ignoring others. Attacking people who don't share their same view. Deleting posts containing replies with dissenting opinions and their own erroneous takes. Expecting perfection from imperfect people in an imperfect world.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Romans 6: 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your moth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 8:1 therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 2:6-7 as therefore you received Christ Jesus as Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
CAL RIPKEN [SABR Bio] - on 14-Sep-1987, after 8,264 continuous innings of game play, Cal was lifted from the game. The Toronto Blue Jays hit 9 home runs to set a one game record. Fred McGriff added a 10th, and the record still stands. Ripken was the AL MVP in 1983 and again in1991, an 8-year gap which is a AL record. Brother Billy Ripken is known to most who watch the MLB TV channel.
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