Last week, the 2024 Olympiad opened in Paris. As a kid and young adult, I watched almost every Olympic event that was covered on TV. At the time, it was network TV functioning in a world without Cable, Internet streaming, or social media. The stories that came out of those Olympic Games of the past were always inspiring. In many ways, the Olympics, like all sporting events, served as a unifying force among an allegiant fan-base, much like our local teams do from youth sports right up through the professional ranks. But unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that it wasn’t an Olympic sporting event that has sparked division (getting worked out online in big ways), but the opening ceremonies themselves.
Several Olympics ago, my culture-watching tendencies began to focus more and more on the game’s opening ceremonies. As I continue to teach youth-workers in skills of culture-watching discernment, those who desire to see and respond to things through the lens of the Gospel need to follow in the steps of the Apostle Paul, taking the time to look carefully around at the landscape upon our arrival, just as he did when he set foot in the pagan city of Athens (Acts 17). Over the years, I’ve found the opening ceremonies to serve as a reflective mirror of where our culture has come from, where we are, and where we are going. This year’s opening ceremonies did the same, and they deserve our careful attention.
On Friday night, my friend Todd Pruitt, cohost of the Mortification of Spin podcast with Carl Trueman, put up a Facebook post lamenting what folks have been arguing over on social media: the was-it or wasn’t-it a drag queen parody of the Lord’s Last Supper on the eve before His crucifixion. I shared Todd’s post along with a two-word comment: “No words. . . ” (Todd’s continued to provide helpful updates and commentary on his Facebook page).
While many believe that my comment on Todd’s post was a case of proud and closed-minded disdain, it was something more. It was a statement of lament piled on top of years of lament over the growing spread of lostness and even bold-faced rejection of the Good News that gives life and freedom. Even this morning I was reminded of this as I read today’s entry in the Ligonier Ministries’ TableTalk devotional, all about Paul’s provoked spirit as he entered Athens and saw a city that was literally smothered with idols. What was Paul feeling? “The Greek word translated ‘provoked’ refers to a deep vexation. It is used in the Greek Septuagint translation of Isaiah 65:3 and Hosea 8:5 for God’s anger at idolatry. Paul could not merely tolerate idolatry in a passive manner; rather, it deeply upset him. He was filled with righteous anger, the kind of anger that is motivated by both the horror of seeing the glory of the one true God compromised by false worship and the compassionate pity that one should have for those trapped in soul-damning religion.” Shouldn’t we feel the same wherever we see idolatry rear its ugly head?
As I’ve continued to process the depiction itself and the ensuing social media battle, I am reminded that for those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ, we should never expect God-glorifying behavior from those who do not know Christ. But still, we are to be saddened. . . deeply saddened. . . but not surprised. What we saw on Friday night and what we encounter all around in our daily comings-and-goings are cultural artifacts that are both directive and reflective. As directive forces, they teach the easily-influenced among us what to believe and how to behave. As reflective forces they teach us where our culture is at and where it is headed. That’s why, like Paul, we need to pause, look around, take it in, and understand the landscape in which we’ve been providentially placed as salt and light.
This morning, our friend Carl Trueman offered up a short bit of commentary on the opening ceremonies that I find compelling and spot-on. Carl is a keen culture-watcher with a discerning mind and a pastor’s heart. I encourage you to take a couple of minutes to listen to or read Carl Trueman’s very helpful words here.
I found some good words of guidance this morning at the end of the TableTalk devotional. It reads, “Let us ask God to enable us to hate idolatry and what it does to men and women.” We are all vulnerable. May the Lord guide and direct us all into His will and His way. . . how to live it and how to speak it with grace and truth!