Music Mondays

We are in the middle of March Madness. 

 

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is must-see tv for basketball junkies like me, to say nothing of the fans and alumni of college teams.

The basketball is not always pretty, but every year it provides great drama. So great, that you get this kind of reaction when teams are trading baskets at the end of a tie game:

To me, I find that whole thing amusing, concerning, and understandable. I would absolutely react the same way had it been my favorite team. It’s one thing to go crazy in the moment as a game is decided. It’s an entirely different issue when sports lead to this kind of thing:

Yesterday I preached (sermon upload coming soon) on how our society has made sports an idol and how that can lead to harmful results. But I also wanted to emphasize how Christians can properly view athletics. 

Sports aren’t inherently evil – don’t hear me saying that. They can be played and viewed with a balanced perspective. I believe God has given us things like sports to find joy in this life and to teach us spiritual lessons.  You can listen to my sermon for my biblical rationale, but I also thought this could lead into a Music Monday.

Admittedly, there aren’t a lot of sports-themed songs that really stand out (though feel free to comment if one does), but this song kind of fits the bill in a fun, silly way.

This is a classic “Youth Group” song of the 1990’s about heaven. And the unique thing about it is the line about how we’ll be playing football in eternity. Some more serious theologians may object to it’s biblical inaccuracy.  But really, who knows? 

We’re not given a ton of specifics about what heaven will be like beyond the glorious presence of God. But one can make the legitimate case that if God has given us elements in this life for our fun and enjoyment, what’s to say that there won’t be opportunities to play catch, shoot hoops, or something along those lines in heaven?

The bottom line is, we can play sports to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31, 9:24-27,  James 1:17), and when we do that well in the here and now, we’re really just practicing for eternity.

Sermon Snippets

"What will heaven be like?"

That question is just as likely to be asked by an adult as it is a toddler. We all are fascinated with the afterlife. The Bible actually speaks very little of it. In fact, Revelation 21-22 is the only major one to describe heaven in depth. 

If I were to answer that question biblically but succinctly, I would say, 'new'.

New. 

We love getting new phones, new clothes, new furniture, and what's better than a new car smell? 
Heaven will be new in every way. In fact, as Revelation describes it, heaven is not merely a 'new' dimension. It is actually a "new heaven and new earth" (21:1). Depending on how you read it, it will either be a totally new world or a renewed earth. But it will be transformed and transforming, either way. Everything will be new, and perfect, and right, and good.

All that is bad about our human existence will be gone. All that is good will be magnified. And best of all, we will be with God. 

We have had tastes of this - the tabernacle and temple, Jesus, the Holy Spirit's presence. But it will be complete and unfettered communion with all of the Trinity all at once.

There is so much more that will characterize heaven and I invite you to come Sunday to discover it (or wait til the recording is up). But for now, let's ponder the hope all believers have of a new existence in a new world.