The third weekend of October is like a national holiday when it comes to being a college football fan. Since 1901, the Alabama Crimson Tide and Tennessee Volunteers battle and leave it all on the field in an epic showdown. Me being a HUGE Tennessee fan, my childhood and adulthood alike is filled with mostly heartbreak as the Crimson Tide have “rolled” over the Volunteers the past 20 meetings with 17 wins over Rocky top.
Fans flood these games sporting their team of choice armor, bearing war paint of crimson and orange and shielding their bodies with the newest quarterback’s jersey as we put these players on an earthly pedestal. Now, I am guiltier than anyone else when it comes to “worshiping” these games, which made me realize… Why, as Christians, do we not have the same attitude towards Jesus Christ?
“…The love of Christ constraineth us…” (2 Cor 5:14 KJV)
In Chapter 5 of Paul’s second epistle to the Christians of Corinth, he is preaching of our “heavenly dwelling” we have waiting for us when our “earthly tent” or flesh is destroyed.
“For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion, that one died for all, and therefore all died. He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised” (2 Cor 5:14-15 CSB)
We give so much love and compassion to a sporting team that does nothing but win games for us, yet we do not show our love and compassion for the one who gave his life for us? We “preach” our adoration for the star player who threw for over 300 yards, but we do not preach our adoration for the One who bore all sin? For that… don’t we owe God everything? Our love of God should be “bold as a lion… It should give wings to the feet of service, and strength to the arms of labor” -Charles Spurgeon. Our Love for Christ can not be lukewarm, we owe it to God to be on fire for him beyond anything we have here on earth.
Paul continues with the Ministry of Reconciliation in verses 11-21. “For our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor 5:21 ESV) John MacArthur has a great breakdown of the great atonement in his commentary, but I have simplified it to 4 main points…
- Christ was sinless
- In His death, God made him bear the sin of all (i.e. sin offering)
- “For us” (in our place)
- “In Him” through the ministry of the Gospel, believers become the righteousness of God
Cambridge dictionary defines volunteer as “a person who does something, especially helping other people, willingly and without being forced or paid to do it”.
Jesus Christ volunteered to leave his heavenly riches and glory for Earthly poverty, and through his life, death, and crucifixion we “might become rich” – forgiven, reconciled, and blessed by the Holy Spirit. He was the ultimate Volunteer. We must volunteer for God as he did for us, dedicating all that we do, to him, and for him, with faith fueled love and surrender. Amen.