http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+16:24&version=NIV
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205:13-16&version=NIV
Tim Tebow. Maybe you’ve heard of him. Maybe you haven’t. Chances are that if you haven’t you will. Mr. Tebow is the current starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos in the NFL. He won his first game yesterday in a miracle come-back. Tebow, himself, is something of a miracle.
Tebow was born in the Philippines where his parents were involved in missionary work. During her pregnancy, Tebow’s mother, Pam, suffered a life-threatening infection. The drugs used to treat her had an adverse affect upon her placenta. Pam was advised to have an abortion. She refused. The doctors expected her son to be stillborn. God intervened. Tebow was born healthy, without any defects at all. Today he stands 6' 3", 230 lbs. I call that very healthy.
Tebow’s parents moved back to the U. S., settling in Jacksonville, Florida. Tebow excelled in football. In his Junior and Senior years in high school Tebow was named Florida’s highschool Player Of The Year. Tebow was heavily recruited and went to the University of Florida. In 2007 Tebow won the Heisman trophy as the best player in college football. The following year, 2008, he led his team, the Florida Gators, to the NCAA College Football Championship. Now, as I’ve said, he is the starting QB for the Denver Broncos.
On and off the field, Tebow is well-known for his character. He is kind and compassionate. Humble and honest. A hard worker and very polite. He doesn’t drink or do drugs. Doesn’t smoke or swear. In an interview not too long ago he confessed to being a virgin. Tebow works for and supports numerous charities. And he is well-known for his Christian beliefs. Ah, here is the problem.
Not every one appreciates this. In fact, some people downright despise him for it. The following are some comments about Tebow. From sportswriters. You would think that sportswriters would write about sports, right? Wrong. Today’s sportswriters feel perfectly free to go beyond athletic performance to critique and criticize other areas of an athlete's life as well. Consider the following:
In 2009, CBSSports.com columnist Gregg Doyel complained that, “Tebow's religion is seen as good because it is the religion of the majority. But it's not the religion of everybody. It's exclusionary, and just because you share Tebow's faith, that doesn't mean you're right.”
Later that year Huffington Post blogger Mark Axlerod found it "disturbing" that Tebow "has to bring that religious faith onto the playing field as a way of testifying to it, as a way of letting people know just how deeply religious he is. The irony of making faith a kind of religious highlight reel is that belief in God isn't a spectator sport nor is a football field a venue for religious politicking."
Yes, Tebow has more than his share of fans and admirers but he also has more than his share of detractors and haters. Whenever I read an article on the Internet about Tebow I like to scroll down and read the posts. I am shocked to see all the hate. The venom. One poster said that they wished that Tebow’s mom had gone through with the abortion! Really? You would write something like this? Now, granted we are talking about an athlete here, and so there are always going to be people who don’t like you just because you play for the ‘other’ team. But there is something much deeper at work here. Something more sinister.
Make no mistake. There is a very strong anti-God undercurrent in our country today. And it is increasing daily. As Christians, we still have the right to be a witness and to express our faith but a growing number of people resent this. They don’t want to see or hear a single word from us about our faith. And if they do, we are violating their right to be ‘religion free’. The day is coming when we will no longer be free to practice or live out our faith. Persecution is coming. It may not happen tomorrow. Or next week. But it will. Jesus said that there would be a cost to following Him. That we needed to be willing to pay that cost.
Now is the time to speak out. To attend church. To be involved in ministry. To give. To pray. To share our faith. We will not always have this right. That day is rapidly coming to an end. Darkness is approaching. When the going gets tough what will we choose? To follow Jesus? Or the world? We won’t be able to do both.
Lord, help me to take full advantage of the freedom of religion that I enjoy in this country. Help me to take my faith seriously. To live as You want me to live. To be salt and light in the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Tebow was born in the Philippines where his parents were involved in missionary work. During her pregnancy, Tebow’s mother, Pam, suffered a life-threatening infection. The drugs used to treat her had an adverse affect upon her placenta. Pam was advised to have an abortion. She refused. The doctors expected her son to be stillborn. God intervened. Tebow was born healthy, without any defects at all. Today he stands 6' 3", 230 lbs. I call that very healthy.
Tebow’s parents moved back to the U. S., settling in Jacksonville, Florida. Tebow excelled in football. In his Junior and Senior years in high school Tebow was named Florida’s highschool Player Of The Year. Tebow was heavily recruited and went to the University of Florida. In 2007 Tebow won the Heisman trophy as the best player in college football. The following year, 2008, he led his team, the Florida Gators, to the NCAA College Football Championship. Now, as I’ve said, he is the starting QB for the Denver Broncos.
On and off the field, Tebow is well-known for his character. He is kind and compassionate. Humble and honest. A hard worker and very polite. He doesn’t drink or do drugs. Doesn’t smoke or swear. In an interview not too long ago he confessed to being a virgin. Tebow works for and supports numerous charities. And he is well-known for his Christian beliefs. Ah, here is the problem.
Not every one appreciates this. In fact, some people downright despise him for it. The following are some comments about Tebow. From sportswriters. You would think that sportswriters would write about sports, right? Wrong. Today’s sportswriters feel perfectly free to go beyond athletic performance to critique and criticize other areas of an athlete's life as well. Consider the following:
In 2009, CBSSports.com columnist Gregg Doyel complained that, “Tebow's religion is seen as good because it is the religion of the majority. But it's not the religion of everybody. It's exclusionary, and just because you share Tebow's faith, that doesn't mean you're right.”
Later that year Huffington Post blogger Mark Axlerod found it "disturbing" that Tebow "has to bring that religious faith onto the playing field as a way of testifying to it, as a way of letting people know just how deeply religious he is. The irony of making faith a kind of religious highlight reel is that belief in God isn't a spectator sport nor is a football field a venue for religious politicking."
Yes, Tebow has more than his share of fans and admirers but he also has more than his share of detractors and haters. Whenever I read an article on the Internet about Tebow I like to scroll down and read the posts. I am shocked to see all the hate. The venom. One poster said that they wished that Tebow’s mom had gone through with the abortion! Really? You would write something like this? Now, granted we are talking about an athlete here, and so there are always going to be people who don’t like you just because you play for the ‘other’ team. But there is something much deeper at work here. Something more sinister.
Make no mistake. There is a very strong anti-God undercurrent in our country today. And it is increasing daily. As Christians, we still have the right to be a witness and to express our faith but a growing number of people resent this. They don’t want to see or hear a single word from us about our faith. And if they do, we are violating their right to be ‘religion free’. The day is coming when we will no longer be free to practice or live out our faith. Persecution is coming. It may not happen tomorrow. Or next week. But it will. Jesus said that there would be a cost to following Him. That we needed to be willing to pay that cost.
Now is the time to speak out. To attend church. To be involved in ministry. To give. To pray. To share our faith. We will not always have this right. That day is rapidly coming to an end. Darkness is approaching. When the going gets tough what will we choose? To follow Jesus? Or the world? We won’t be able to do both.
Lord, help me to take full advantage of the freedom of religion that I enjoy in this country. Help me to take my faith seriously. To live as You want me to live. To be salt and light in the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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