The Olympics Opening Ceremony
Sending & Recieving Important Messages
The 2024 Olympic Games are underway, and the eyes of the world are on Paris.
I enjoyed watching the Olympics on my lunch break with my kids today. (If anyone out there wants to explain judo to me, I’m all ears.)
I love sharing the Olympics with my family and being amazed as athletes compete.
I’m also very thankful I didn’t watch the opening ceremony with my kids.
The Olympics opening ceremonies celebrated debauchery. There were moments of greatness and beauty, along with moments of grotesque imagery and immorality.
The official internet sport, bickering, raged around the symbolism of the events.
What should Christians make of the symbols? How should these messages influence the Christian’s engagement with the games? What does this tell us about Paris and Europe?
No doubt, symbols matter. The Olympics is a time when that is unmistakably obvious. The flags, medals, and anthems represent people and ways of life.
The symbolism of the opening ceremonies should receive intense criticism and debate.
But I am concerned many Christians are missing the most important message sent in the opening ceremonies.
Many seem to read these symbols as permission to abandon cities like Paris or condemn our culture as doomed… to “cancel” the lost world.
These symbols do communicate condemnation, but not yet. The symbols do spell out doom for a lost culture, but not yet.
And that is the most important message the Christian needs to see–these symbols communicate great need that we have been commissioned to meet.
Christians should run toward this fire with the Gospel!
Paris put a dramatic “SEND HELP!” sign on the world stage without recognizing it.
Millions of lost people need the Gospel in that city. We cannot allow our moral revulsion (appropriate btw) to excuse a response like Jonah looking at Nineveh.
Instead, we should be grieved along with the Lord and move with the message of the Savior!
Some Christians call for condemnation on Paris, but I think God calls for the Great Commission!
God has not condemned Paris and her millions of lost because He is being patient for their repentance.
Will we abandon them to the fate of their sin or go toward them with Christ, the only Hope?
“8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:8–9