Bowling Green Covenant Church

The Traveler’s Advisory Friday 7 July 2006

“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.”—1 Corinthians 2.12 [ESV]

Over the past two weeks I have been watching the play downs to the final match of this year’s World Cup of Soccer, er, Football, as it is called in Europe. Most Americans don’t get Soccer (to call it Football is to really confuse the issue). It’s too slow. There is not enough scoring. We don’t know any of the players (maybe that’s why the great ones use only one name). Add to this our unfamiliarity with the rules and Soccer is not only a game we don’t get, it’s a game we don’t watch.

So why is all of Europe and most of the world, for that matter, so caught up in World Cup fever? Could it be they know something we do not? Can it be they get it? Yes. And we don’t. Furthermore we are proud of our ignorance.

As Americans we take pride in the fact we don’t get Soccer. And our pride is evidenced by the fact that we insist on calling it Soccer when the rest of the world calls the game by its proper name, Football. No, we insist, Football is a game played by two teams of eleven men wearing shoulder pads, helmets and cleats. It is played on field 100-yards long with two goal posts, we call them uprights, at the back of each end zone. If, as Americans, we are to enjoy Football (Soccer) we must be converted and become Football fans. For this conversion to occur, we must, if such a thing existed, receive the spirit of Football.

And now you can see where I am headed. There is a great similarity between the world’s attitude toward the Bible and the Church and our American attitude toward Football. People who know Jesus get what the Bible says because they have been converted. They have received the Spirit of God. They are given insight into the Bible and the nature of the Church.

How this conversion takes place is a mystery. How the Spirit of God is given to us and dwells in us is also a mystery. But it must take place or we will not understand the things freely given to us by God. Chief among the things God freely gives us is salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

It is the Holy Spirit of God who explains most clearly to us what it means to have redemption through the blood of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins. It is the Holy Spirit of God who empowers us to forgive others as we have been forgiven by God through Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who makes us a fan of the Church. It is He who converts us from those who don’t get it to those who do.

So the only question now remaining is do you get it or not? Football is a game. It will always remain so, national and international passion notwithstanding. Eternal life and the things freely given to us by God along with the power for insight and practice of the mysteries of our faith come to us only in this life.

And now, if you’ll excuse me, there is a Football match to watch. Viva Italia! Andiamo!

You think about that.

MM