Why is Halloween is so popular in retail? Because there’s big money in Halloween sales. Man’s propensity to love darkness has lined sinful pockets with billions of dollars.
January 24, 2024
After an NFL player put the name of our ministry on his cleats (as his favorite nonprofit), we contacted him, found that he was in Los Angeles playing the LA Rams, and hosted lunch with him. Jordan Kunaszyk is a linebacker for the Cleveland Browns, and it was thrilling to hear how he came to faith in Christ. It was also a reminder that all the fame in this world is nothing compared to what we have in Christ.
The 2023 Super Bowl—wherein the Kansas City Chiefs emerged victorious over the Philadelphia Eagles—was watched by over 115 million viewers in the United States. This was not only the most watched Super Bowl in history but also the most watched TV program of all time in the United States.
How, then, can we merge the two? How can we get from the Super Bowl to the gospel in a way that won’t make us (or the person to whom we are speaking) feel uncomfortable? To answer that question, let’s look to a food that Jesus said was good fodder to give to children: eggs (see Luke 11:12-13). Eggs are a power-packed energy food that I eat daily. (We have 24 chickens that keep us with a constant fresh supply.)
Here, now, is the egg lesson. For many years, I made the mistake of cracking eggs on the edge of a frying pan. The egg should rather be cracked on a flat surface because this will keep its broken shell clinging to the film that God has placed on the inside of the shell. Cracking it on the edge of a frying pan breaks that film, and the result is the distasteful experience of finding a piece of shell in your scrambled egg.
“Arguing with someone about the existence of God, the exclusivity of Christ, the infallibility of Scripture, the hypocrisy within the Church, the issue of suffering, etc., may seem like the right path, but it more than often ends up being a distasteful experience.”
There’s a right and wrong way to crack open an egg, and there is a right and wrong way to open a sinner to the gospel. It’s wise to do it the right way because there is a shell to crack. The Scriptures tell us that there is none who seeks after God (Romans 3:11). Not only do they love the darkness and hate the light, but their carnal mind is in a state of hostility toward God (Romans 8:7). How, then, do we break through?
Let’s look first at the wrong way: It is to stay with that hostile mind. If we focus on his intellect, we will eventually get shell in our egg. Arguing with someone about the existence of God, the exclusivity of Christ, the infallibility of Scripture, the hypocrisy within the Church, the issue of suffering, etc., may seem like the right path, but it more than often ends up being a distasteful experience.
Instead, we should imitate Jesus. That’s the right way. We see Him use two powerful principles in His preaching and in His personal interactions:
- He spoke directly to the human conscience (using the moral Law).
- He spoke to the will to live.
You can see Jesus do this throughout the Sermon on the Mount, in the story of the Good Samaritan, with the woman at the well, with the accusers of the woman caught in the act of adultery, with the rich young ruler, and elsewhere. Dogs, cats, horses, and cows have no interest in the subject of salvation from death, but we certainly do—because God has placed eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Every sane human being will therefore gravitate to a credible offer of immortality. This is evident in the rich young ruler’s question: “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). It’s also evident in Jesus’ words spoken to the woman at the well: “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water” (John 4:10).
How, then, can we bring these profound thoughts up with godless Uncle Arthur as he watches the Super Bowl? It’s not as hard as you think. Simply wait until the game gets a little boring (or during the adverts further into the game), and say, “Uncle Arthur, I have a question for you. Do you think there’s life after death? I’ve often wondered what you think about that subject.” You haven’t mentioned God, the Bible, Jesus, Judgment Day, Hell, or sin—things that often cause people to become uncomfortable. Instead, you’re simply asking for his opinion. And that’s both unthreatening and an appeal to his ego.
After he shares his thoughts, ask, “Have you ever read the Bible?” No matter how he answers, say, “In the Old Testament, God promised to destroy death, and in the New Testament, we’re told how He did it. Did you know that?” With some forethought on your part, and with the help of God, you can do this.
Space doesn’t allow me to take this further, but if you would like to know what to further say to Uncle Arthur, watch the Living Waters YouTube channel. It will help you in your gospel endeavors.