Introduction
This week over half of everyone living in America will tune in to watch the Superbowl. It’s sure to generate conversation for weeks after, about the game, the commercials, the halftime show. I will offer a vision, an imagination of life; extravagant, exciting, meaningful. The show will be full of metaphors and symbols that invite us to believe and to buy into a way of being in the world, of accepting its vision as true. But before we indulge in this visual spectacle, we will gather at our normal time to celebrate and participate in a very different spectacle. No commercials, no breathtaking conflict, no over the top entertainment. We will offer an alternative vision, using our own symbols and metaphors.
Look, I’m not setting this up as an “us vs. them” situation, a David vs Goliath, God vs. the world thing. What I am inviting us to do is recognize and wisely interpret all we are being presented with, all we are being invited into. Of course, Paul has something to say about this. After our somewhat abbreviated gathering, we will head over to Jennifer and Justin’s to join the 200 million other Americans in watching the Superbowl spectacle play out. Let’s see what we can learn from it all.
Grace and peace, y’all,
John Ray and the teaching team
Text:
Lord’s Prayer
Christ, who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who’ve sinned against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.
