Football Glory = Political Victory?

It could cost millions for mere minutes. For some it is simply impossible. But for or others, it is doable but the price tag is just outrageous. Or is it?

For decades, the nation’s biggest ‘TV party’ has been the NFL’s annual Super Bowl classic. This event is pumped up through good football, massive media hype, huge half-time shows, and just the overall draw of one big party bash. But in recent times, another factor has entered the fray and become an equal lure of the contest. This ever-increasing popular component sometimes eclipses an occasional mismatched contest itself. It is the now famous, and sometime bizarre, commercials aired throughout the game.

Few would doubt the potential impact of an ad being shown before such a huge segment of the entire nation. This has apparently sparked the interest in some of the 2008 presidential campaign managers. Some are planning on buying a slice of the big-buck time since the all-important Super Tuesday vote is just 2 days after the Super Bowl. But of course, only those candidates having money to burn could even consider offering their message in such a high profile, although brief, manner.

The price and technique of advertising is largely based on the potential of reaching the target audience with the value of the product being offered. And while some might see the Presidency as the ultimate reason to spend anything needed for victory, there is another message and one having consequences that far outweigh even winning the most powerful position on earth.

The Bible ‘advertises’ a single primary product. If offers the spiritual consumer the solution to the problem of human sin. This is achieved by trusting God’s Son to forever and totally wipe the slate clear of sin and guilt. The gracious offer is without cost to man, but came with a price to Jesus Christ beyond man’s ability to fathom now or perhaps even in eternity.

The physical aspect of Christ’s sacrifice, while shockingly brutal, was not the main source of His deepest agony. Understanding His greatest pain would require the ability to grasp the depths of His unique position as related in 2 Corinthians 5. It would require knowing how a holy God would feel when His only route to man’s redemption meant accepting the unimaginable fate as seen in verse 21. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” This ‘imputing’ of the weight of sin by an entire race to Christ’s sin-free account was the reason for His agonizing cry of Matt 27:46. "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

The value of the gospel message is literally priceless. It is worth any effort required to present it. But unlike with politics, where the few well-known, well-equipped and well-financed tend to surface, ‘advertising’ the good news of salvation is the opportunity and duty of all who have embraced its life-changing content. In reality, winning others to the Savior is best done one on one by simple word of mouth. And a process of simple multiplication would show that, if every Christian could somehow win just a single soul to Christ each year, the sheer exponential surge would soon reach the entire world!

The question is clear. (Mark 8:36) The orders are firm. (Mark 16:15) The stakes are high. (1 John 5:12) And the rewards are sure. (Matthew 6:20)

The 2008 Super Bowl and Presidential election will come and go. The nation will someday soon be greeted with new faces, promises, teams and yes, those intriguing new commercials. But followers of Christ should remain anchored to the old message that brings new life. They should ‘stay on message’ and pattern themselves after those early model believers of 1 Thessalonians 1:8. “For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.”

Just imagine what conveying of a 21st century message, as did the church in that first century, could mean for today’s election process? But more importantly, think of the staggering potential of individuals simply reaching out with the message of a changed heart. And imagine the possibility of a repaired nation rising through Christ’s renewing power - not through elected leaders all offering their own political promises.

Bill Breckenridge