The god of Sports just might have the largest following of any faith. Billions of faithful worship and participate in weekly, sometimes daily, services. The committed, carefully memorize the gospel of sports, considering each statistic, strategy, and technique. These followers diligently preach their favorite aspect of the gospel of Sports and gladly contend with those who fail to see their insight.
The god of Sports faithfully appointed diligent and powerful competitors. These preachers, loyally preach the gospel of Sport to every nation, every kindred. Indeed, one would be hard pressed to find someone who did not know a devout worshiper.
Truly, the god of Sports is the consuming fire of many today,
it's what they talk about with friends, it's what their mind dwells on, and
it's how they spend their free time, often hours on end. To many, sports are
the essence of who they are.
So What's Wrong Here?
The god of Sports is one of the gods of this evil world, but really anything, classic cars, food, horses, work/school, vanity/health, computers, sex, and MONEY make just as powerful of gods. Satan has employed all these "gods" to destroy and distract both Christians and non-Christians alike. But of all these powerful "gods," it would seem some are far more accepted and worshiped than others. The god of Sports being one of the more accepted "gods." I titled the article "god of Sports" mainly because the fanatic devotion some hold towards sports, made for a realistic analogy to a religion, but it could have just have easily been titled of the god of "Money" or god of "Classic cars, " etc.
Consider this, often even before and after church services,
many can only talk of their favorite team and its recent performance. For others,
it's their recent restoration project or other hobbies.... Don't get me wrong,
talking about sports or cars (even the weather... Shocking, I know) with friends
at church, is not wrong. The issue is not one of location, the issue is not
one of topic. The issue is where your heart is, is it on earthly things, or
spiritual things? This is a serious question: If you devote more time, have
more passion towards, your interests in sports or your hobbies, than serving
God, are you not worshiping these things?
Having spent time in several congregations, I would strongly suspect some who
could tell you every stat and player of their favorite teams, would struggle
to explain the Gospel plan of salvation to a non-Christian. The same goes with
many I have known who could tell me what motor came stock in a ‘64 Lincoln
Continental ( a 460), but could they tell me what verse in the bible reveals
confession of Jesus as essential to salvation? (Rom 10:14) Or could they tell
me what verse explains repentance as essential to salvation, besides Acts 2:38?
(Acts 17:30, Luke 13:3). This is important, is your passion and knowledge toward
your hobby more extensive than your passion and knowledge for God?
Please understand, as I said before the "god of Sports" is only one
of the gods of this evil world. I enjoy sports myself, I like to play basketball,
I like the NBA. I also like classic cars, I have a lot of interest in that hobby.
So please understand, the problem here is not sports, it's not collector cars,
and it's not hobbies. The real issue is: where is your heart, on the things
of the world or the things of the God?
God is to be our consuming fire:
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above....Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:1, 2). "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:28, 29). "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness" (Matt. 6:33) .
It can be honestly argued that if one expends most their time, money, and effort on "something," like cars, sports, women, etc. That "something" is the most important priority in that person's life. And, I can honestly say, that every non-Christian friend I can think of, has some sort of "god" which is the passion of their life. For many my age, it's the car, others it's their body, and still others it's their girlfriend/boyfriends. These "gods" are the way of the world, but these "gods" also creep into the local congregation .
Matt 6:19-21 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon
the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and
steal: 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth
nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21
for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also."
"For where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also" So where's
your heart? On things of this world, or on serving God and preaching His word?
A good scripture to always keep in mind is the parable of the Talents
Matt 25:14-30 "For it is as when a man, going into another country, called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey. 16 Straightway he that received the five talents went and traded with them, and made other five talents. 17 In like manner he also that received the two gained other two. 18 But he that received the one went away and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 19 Now after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and maketh a reckoning with them. 20 And he that received the five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: lo, I have gained other five talents. 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22 And he also that received the two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: lo, I have gained other two talents. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24 And he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou didst not scatter; 25 and I was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast thine own. 26 But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter; 27 thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest. 28 Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath the ten talents. 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away. 30 And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth."
We should individually consider the parable of the talents. God has given each of us time, money, and the Gospel. With all of these "talents" how are you performing? How are you spending your time and resources? Would you be the servant who dug a hole and threw his money in it, or would you be the servant who recognized that failure in these matters meant serious consequences? Remember the unprofitable servant was cast into the outer darkness (Don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like a fun place to spend an eternity).
To Conclude:
The whole point of this article was to encourage the reader to be on guard.
I can honestly say for myself, at times, I too have struggled with "the
gods" of this world. Hobbies, sports, cars, vanity, jobs, money, etc. can
choke you with the cares of this world. Each of us needs to take stock of how
we conduct our life and spend our time and resources. We all have friends, neighbors,
relatives, and co-workers/clients that need to hear the gospel. If you are too
busy with the cares of this world, if your heart is weighed down with the concerns
of the world, you will never find time to serve the Lord and preach the gospel.
Remember failure to preach the Gospel carries serious consequences Matt 25:30,
Ezk 3:18-19, Jms 4:17. As we part, please consider this question: Is your heart
on earthly matters, or spiritual matters?
Ryan Sollars