All Eyes on Germany

Unbeknownst to many, if not most, Americans, the eyes of the rest of the world have been fixed on Germany for the past month. Recall the excited anticipation, the nervous nail-biting, the thrill of victory, and the anguish of defeat brought on by March Madness. Now raise all of those feelings to the thousandth power. That’s the World Cup. Fans of all 64 national teams who enter FIFA’s (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) quarter annual soccer tournament experience a frenzy unmatched by any other sporting event in the world. I can remember being awoken at 3:00 am by the tumultuous sound of San Jose celebrating a goal from the Costa Rican team during the last World Cup (2002); three weeks ago the country of Ghana actually mandated a half-day holiday so that its citizens could watch their team play the United States. I have to confess that all too often my days have been scheduled around the next big game; anyone who has seen the corner office down stairs knows this to be true.

Watching international events, like the World Cup, always elicits interesting comments from people. Though I am not one who enjoys listening to sports commentators, they have consistently made one statement throughout the World Cup that continues to interest me. For whatever reason, commentators want to praise players for their “goodwill” towards one another. Matches seem riddled by talk lauding the players and fans of various nations for their ability to coexist in that stadium peaceably. This sort of talk does not end merely with the match, but branches out into a collective sense of awe that so many different people (with differing worldviews, values, and interests) could gather peaceably in one place with a single focus. Commentators, further, speak in such a way that points to this as the archetype and ideal for the way the world should always function: “Look at how all of these different people can live together in peace! Can we not all live this way?!”

As great and hopeful as such an ideal may appear, we must not be duped by such nonsense. An ideal is just that—ideal. And to fall into the chorus of the commentators is a poor ideal, at best! A match ends after only 90 minutes and the entire World Cup lasts barely a month.
We as Christians know better. Nothing outside of Jesus Christ can bring anyone together in any sort of lasting peace.

Certainly this stands true within the church. Think of the early church—how else could Jew and Gentile, poor and rich, as well as slave and master have been melded into a single body? Only where the peace of Christ ruled in hearts, the word of Christ dwelt within, and a desire for the glory of Christ reigned could such a diverse group ever come together in peace and unity (Col. 3:10-17). I have been able to travel beyond the borders of the United States a handful of times. Each time, I have been reminded of the truth of unity in Christ that Paul knew so well. While I have very little in common with my Kazakh, Bosnian, Russian, Costa Rican, Polish, or Afghan brethren, we are able to share a perfect bond that does not wane. Our bond is sealed in Christ, the Head, “from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” (Eph. 4:16)

Ultimately, we understand that the unity and peace of diverse peoples in Christ exists for His exaltation. The apostle John testifies of this glorious truth when he witnesses a glimpse of Heaven:

“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude of which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ ” (Rev. 7:9-10)

Unlike a 90 minute soccer match or month-long tournament, the peace and unity of God’s diverse elect will last for eternity, to the praise of His glory. Truly, salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the risen Lamb, Jesus Christ.

Patrick Work
Berachah Bible Church