Deep Roots

It was the picture of 2023 seen around the world. Even non-sports fans were impacted as Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest following a play on Monday Night. Medical teams rushed in. For 10 agonizing minutes CPR was administered. Finally, a faint heartbeat was detected. The remainder of the game – cancelled.

Players and staff from both teams took to their knees -a show of unity. Still others called it for it was – prayer. Live broadcasters were left stunned. But on the ESPN Sports Network, Dan Orlovsky, a former football player and devoted Christian prayed aloud these words.

“God, we come to you in these moments that we don’t understand, that are hard, because we believe that you’re God, and coming to you and praying to you has impact,” “We’re sad, we’re angry, and we want answers, but some things are unanswerable. We just want to pray, truly come to you and pray for strength for Damar, for healing for Damar, for comfort for Damar, to be with his family, to give them peace. If we didn’t believe that prayer didn’t work, we wouldn’t ask this of you, God. I believe in prayer, we believe in prayer. We lift up Damar Hamlin’s name in your name. Amen.”

The media didn’t know how to handle this. Some praised him for the prayer. Others were critical for his act of faith. Still other defenders said given the multiplicity of religions observed among NFL players, he did nothing wrong. After all they concluded - we all pray to the same God anyways.

Now that Damar is finally awake and speaking, I would like to circle on this statement that we all pray to the same God anyways. Or we ultimately all worship the same God anyways. Such thought is all too common. I’ve heard it the hospitals and the local schools with the crisis response team.

As well given our freedom of religion, we are much more likely these last decades to encounter people of other faiths. Sometimes clothing is a giveaway with a hijab head scarf or robe. Other times a greeting or farewell. Still other times something hanging nearby on the wall. Doctors, nurses, other medical staff, neighbors who come here for food, the person strolling in the park or even checking you out behind the counter.

A question from the 2022 State of Theology survey might aid us- 3020 self-identifying Christians answered this question. True or False? God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam?

In 2016: 40% thought that was true

In 2022, the number has jumped to 60% that God accepts the worship of all religions.

So in the context of football players taking a knee and praying. Does it matter? Was God accepting of all the prayers prayed on Monday night regardless of the faith foundation they came from? The answer is important when we consider the Great Commission given by Christ. If all religions worship the same God anyways, mission work should only focus on atheists who deny God exists or agnostics who know somewhat but at a distance. But then Jesus own words are called into question that there is no way to the Father except through him. Did he speak truth? Or was that just for Christians? Why if this statement is true would God take away Israel’s land through exile as punishment for their idol worship.

Our Catechism speaks to this – Idolatry is having or inventing something in which one trusts in place of or alongside of the only true God, who has revealed himself in his word. Anything other than the worship of the God of Scripture is named idolatry. Scripture – the special revelation of God – Old Testament and New is the source of truth. The problem is of course there are other holy books – Christians are frequently made sport of for having absolute beliefs and not leaving room for others. Yet the identity of our Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit could not be revealed from anywhere else.

Besides the Bible offers dozens upon dozens of consistent texts to reveal there is only one God. The Faceoffs between God and idol substitutes were one option. Elijah on Mt Carmel or say a Moses moment with Israel and Aaron’s Golden Calf. And then there are the prophets – particularly before Israel’s exile. Today’s passage was from Jeremiah 17 – I presume it comes as no surprise to you that God does in fact demand the loyal worship of his people.

The violation of the 1st Commandment is Judah’s national and generational sin. Chapter 17:1 – engraved permanently on the altar (a public place) – and on the heart (a private place.) Having warned Israel several times going all the way back to Moses and Joshua, the consequences of forsaking God would be the loss of their land. The Exile is coming. Verse 3 – I will give way as plunder together with your high places because of sin throughout your country. Through your own fault you will lose the inheritance I gave you. What is that inheritance? Their land.