This is the time of
year when celebrity worship reaches its peak. If you haven’t the stomach for TV
anymore, you’ve missed these worship services: Golden Globes, SAGs, and Grammys,
with the highly exalted Oscars and Super Bowl Sunday worship services yet to
come.
This adulation of celebrity stems from man’s longing for excellence.
Created to worship, Adam was an enthusiastic spectator of God’s glory. But sin
changed the object of veneration—from Creator to creature: “We will make a name
for ourselves” (Ro. 1:25; Gen. 11:14). Mankind is a worshipper by nature. Enamored with
youthfulness, strength, beauty, and intelligence, his thirst for excellence
is unquenchable.
The sons of Adam search in vain for ‘something’ worthy to worship on this earth. Sadly, many believers are also easily deceived and captivated by these futile fetes. Please understand that I am not saying it is wrong to watch the Super Bowl or the Oscars. But in light of worldly adoration, it behooves us to watch our hearts so we won't unwittingly fall into the worship of celebrity. It's not worth it!
Have you seen the pictures of starving children in Somalia (the latest victims of famine), the kind of images that make you want to turn away and think about something else? Of course there are legitimate reasons for our reaction: it hurts to see such pain and feel so helpless to do anything about it.
Unfortunately, it’s become all too easy for Americans to avoid the suffering beyond our borders. The so-called “creature comforts” we enjoy occupy our thoughts and redirect our emotions to more pleasant things. We have mastered the art of distraction—we call them pastimes. Some of our pastimes are national, like baseball, basket ball, and football. We devote days of distracted celebration to them (World Series, March Madness, Super Bowl). But each of us has our own favorite distractions that serve to anaesthetize us to the suffering of those across the sea, across town, or even across the street.
During His time on this earth, Jesus was never deterred from His mission by vain distractions. Can you imagine Him sitting in a movie theater to escape the intensity of the world’s suffering? Yikes! Now that’s getting a little too close to home! But I am not saying it is wrong to enjoy a dinner out, a movie and popcorn, or a day at Candlestick. But given the myriad of distractions available to us in this wealthiest of countries on the earth, we must be extremely careful not to get caught up in all the distractions. Since Jesus was the epitome of single-mindedness to the Father’s will should we not also be single-minded in our devotion to God? Only those who unwilling to be distracted by pleasures on earth will hear what the Lord calls them to do, whole-heartedly and without distraction.
All over the world, people are suffering due to natural disasters. This year has already seen some of the worst natural disasters in 100 years, and some have no precedent. And isn't it significant that in our sophisticated age when we can conquer space, we are powerless to do anything about life on planet earth?!
Isn’t it obvious that God is at work? We are an independent people—we even celebrate our independence!—a national hallmark, the American spirit. What will it take for us to confess our helplessness and express our unqualified dependence on Him?
To all who can receive it, God is giving a revelation of our weakness, to bring us to the end of ourselves. Perhaps the day after U.S. Independence Day is good day to be reminded of our dependence. At a time of helplessness, God spoke to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for [My] power is perfected in [your] weakness." Paul’s response was “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about [celebrate] my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” Contrary to the modern independent spirit, Paul was celebrating his dependence. Perhaps we should have a day called “Dependence Day” when we all celebrate our weakness and His power.
People everywhere are celebrating upon hearing the news of the death of Osama bin Laden. But many born-again Christians are confused about celebrating a person’s death. God says: “Do you think that I like to see wicked people die?” says the Sovereign Lord; “of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live” (Ezekiel 18:23).
No one will ever forget “911” when Osama bin Laden’s band of radical Muslim terrorists—al Qaeda—flew into the World Towers and the Pentagon. President Bush called them “evildoers.” Did that create an impression that they were less than human? Since then the evildoers have become more ‘real’ to us—more human, as their pictures have been displayed in the papers—they do not look evil. They look like your next door neighbor, or the person standing in line at Walgreen’s.
What was Jesus’ attitude toward evil doers? “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matt. 5:44). Forgiveness is the hardest of all Christian acts. It has no limit. No boundaries. The question is whether the Christian can forgive a murderer, a mass murderer, even — as in the case of Osama bin Laden. Although his death was seen as a victory in the war against terrorism, Christians should remember that Osama was a sinner, being held captive by Satan to do his will. And the loss of even one life to Satan is nothing to rejoice about. These are just my thoughts on the matter. I welcome your response.
The word “Christmas” is a compound word made up of the name “Christ” plus the word “mass”—which means celebration. "Christ" is not a name as much as a Greek word or title, meaning "anointed"—equivalent to the Hebrew word "Messiah." Based on the words of the prophets, the Jews of Palestine were waiting for the day they would celebrate the promised Messiah—they were waiting for Christmas.
Although Jesus came 2,000 years ago to deliver us from sin, we are yet waiting for His second coming when He will truly be celebrated by Israel (and the whole world) as the Messiah. It is then we will truly celebrate Christ—it will be the authentic Christmas! And that ‘day’ will go on forever.
But that Christmas day will only be celebrated by those who love His appearing (2 Tim. 4:8), who have been eagerly waiting for His glory and to be revealed as His sons (Rom. 8:18-19). On that Christmas day death and sin will be no more (1 Cor. 15:54). On that Christmas day we will be changed forever (1 Cor. 15:51), and receive eternal rewards (1 Cor. 3:14; Rev. 22:12). On that Christmas day, we will be given to Jesus by the Father as His long-awaited present—His virgin Bride (2 Cor. 11:2). We are still waiting for that Christmas—when the curse will be lifted, the saints glorified, Christ worshiped, and the whole creation liberated.
What a sadly watered-down version of Christmas day most people (even Christians!) will be celebrating tomorrow—without fully appreciating the one yet to come: the Christmas day we are waiting for.
