The Super Bowl and Matthew Parties*

      The hype over the Super Bowl has come to a fever pitch.  The tickets to the Super Bowl are said to start at $6,ooo and go up to $10,000, and are expected to become even more expensive as the event draws near.  This Super Bowl is taking place in Las Vegas, or "Sin City", perhaps being a good reminder that the Church needs to repent even more than the heathens! (see 2 Chron. 7:14). The quarterbacks of both teams are Christians and say so publicly. As the event draws near, one pastor made the suggestion that believers use Super Bowl parties and get-togethers, not just to watch a sporting event, but as an opportunity to share the Gospel, calling them "Matthew Parties" instead. In considering "Matthew Parties", we should begin by looking in the Book of Matthew.

     In the Book of Matthew Jesus told a parable about the kingdom of heaven being like ten virgins, five wise and five foolish, who had lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. In this parable, the bridegroom refers to Jesus Christ. He said that five of the ten virgins were wise by having oil for their lamps, and five were foolish because they had no oil on hand to light the lamps that would be required in order to meet the expected bridegroom when he came. This was the custom of the Jews, that the bridegroom would go and prepare a place for his bride, and then return to get her. In the parable, while the bridegroom tarried, all of the virgins slept. The Church has also been asleep, waiting for the return of Christ. Suddenly, a cry went out, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." The five wise virgins arose, with their lamps prepared and full of oil (oil symbolizing the Holy Spirit), ready to meet the bridegroom. The five foolish virgins asked the five wise to give them some oil, but the five wise told them that they would have to acquire some on their own. The five wise virgins that were ready met the bridegroom when he came, went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. This reminds us of Noah's Ark. Just before the flood judgment began, Noah entered the Ark, and God shut the door. In the parable, the five foolish virgins eventually obtained the needed oil for their lamps and came saying, "Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not." Jesus concluded by saying, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." (Mt. 25:1-13). Even though we do not know the day nor the hour of Christ's return, we can see the signs that He told His disciples about, which we will read later. Does anyone want to be one to whom Christ says, "I know you not"?

     The marriage of the Lamb, who is Christ, and His Church, is also described in the Book of Revelation. In Chapter 18, Mystery Babylon full of wickedness, who controlled the wealth of the world at the cost of the blood of the prophets and the saints, and all that were slain on earth, is judged and destroyed. "And after these things", begins Ch. 19, there is a great celebration in heaven with the voice of a great multitude declaring that "...the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.' And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb...These are the true sayings of God." (Rev. 19:7-9). Chapter 19 continues saying that after this great event, Jesus returns from heaven on a white horse to rule and reign the nations, with His armies following Him, who are clothed in white linen.  Jesus has come to judge and make war: "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." (v. 11-16).

     Coming back to the Book of Matthew, Jesus told a parable comparing the kingdom of heaven to a man travelling into a far country, who called his servants together and gave them the care of his goods. (Mt. 25:14). To one man, he gave five talents, to another man, two, and to a third man, he gave one talent. While talents refer to money here, they also represent all of those things which God has entrusted to us, including not just money, but spiritual and natural gifts and abilities that are to be used to spread the Gospel and grow the kingdom of God. The men who were given the talents in the parable produced various results and gave them to their master when he returned after being away a long time. The man who had been given five talents invested them wisely and doubled the five talents to ten. The man who received two talents was able to increase his talents by an additional two for his master. To each of these two servants the master said, "Well done good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (v. 15-23).

     However, the man who was given one talent, could only give back his master that same one talent.  When his master questioned him about why he had not been able to grow the talent into more like the other two men, he answered: "Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine." (v. 24-25). The master was not happy with this man's answer and rebuked him for not increasing the one talent which he had been given saying, "Thou wicked and slothful servant...". The master then gave that one talent to the man who had given him back ten talents, saying: "For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and great gnashing of teeth." (v. 26-30). Too many Christians are timid about their faith. We are each here with and for a purpose. What are you doing for the kingdom of God? 

     In the next part of Matthew, the Lord taught yet another quality that He was looking for when He returns in His glory with all of the holy angels with Him. He will judge the nations and separate the sheep to His right hand from the goats placed on His left hand (Mt. 25:31-33). To the sheep He will say, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (v. 34). What was it about the sheep that caused the Lord to say this? The Lord told them that they had fed Him when He was hungry. They had given Him something to drink when He was thirsty. They had shown Him hospitality when He was a stranger. They had clothed Him when He was naked, and had visited Him when He was in prison. (v. 35-36). These righteous sheep were confused and asked the Lord when had they done all of these things for Him? "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (v. 40). These sheep were called "the righteous" by Jesus. (v. 37). A righteous servant treats others with as much care, compassion and honor as they would treat the Lord Himself. The goats on the other (left) hand, however, had neglected to do these same things for Him (v. 41-43). They also asked the Lord when had they failed to do these things for Him? "Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me." (v. 44-45). The Lord then told what would happen to the sheep and the goats based upon these things: "And these (goats) shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous (sheep) into eternal life." (v. 46). 

     We live in a perilous age, when there is a grave nuclear threat among the nations, particularly Iran, whose stated goal is to destroy Israel and the United States, calling them "the little Satan" and "the great Satan". There is a rise of wickedness and witchcraft in our nation, particularly being directed towards our young people. It is especially important now to take the opportunity of changing our Super Bowl parties into Matthew parties.

     Matthew 24 is a chapter that is a prophetic Word from Jesus to His disciples telling them ahead of time what the signs will be of His return and the end of the age. As we read it today, we are struck by all of the signs that we are already seeing coming to pass. Jesus says: "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." (v. 33-34). Our generation is this generation, and it is passing from the scene. Jesus says again: "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." (v. 42). He taught again about the faithful and wise servants who are watching well over the Lord's household while He is away, and will receive blessing and rulership as a result, and the unfaithful, evil servants who are abusing and misusing the Lord's household while He is away. Those evil servants will be cut asunder and will receive a portion of suffering with the hypocrites (v. 45-51). Included is this warning again: "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh." (v. 44). Jesus describes His return: "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (v. 30-31). 

     The Gospel of Luke says to watch and pray that we may be accounted worthy to escape and to stand before the Son of man. He is coming when we don't expect it. Let us use every opportunity, even the Super Bowl, to tell our friends and families that if you believe in your heart, and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, you and your whole household will be saved.

     *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 2/11/24 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on Dr. Stevenson's Facebook page. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook.