Let me ask you a question, who has had a greater impact on your life - Michael Jackson or John Calvin? Now, I know that by this time many of you are saying to yourselves “John who?” And therein lies the problem. Over the past several weeks I have seen tons of people mourning the death of the King of Pop. Some have cried, others have been glued to their tv’s watching documentaries and old interviews, many have rushed to the music store and purchased Jackson’s greatest hits cd in order to preserve and relive their favorite Michael moment. I have even seen Pastors who have changed their preaching schedules to incorporate a Jackson centered sermon with catchy titles like “The Man in the Mirror”, “It’s Time to Make a Change”, or “Heal the World.” His eulogist described Michael as a saint “who taught us all how to love.” I must admit it has been hard not to get caught up in the wave of emotion over the loss of Michael Jackson. But when you really stop and think about it, as Christians, what did Michael do to benefit any of us spiritually? I don’t mean to be harsh or insensitive but I must admit that I am concerned that this generation of believers are in danger of violating 1 John 2:15:
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world
the love of the Father is not in him.”
Now back to this John Calvin guy. If you are a Christian, Calvin has deeply affected your life whether you realize it or not. Calvin may just be the greatest theologian of the protestant reformation period. Calvin, along with his contemporaries, helped to rescue the church from the gross sin and corruption which it had been engulfed in during the 1500’s. The Lord used them to bring Christianity back to being Christ-centered and to relay the biblical foundation of such truths as salvation by faith alone, in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone. It was on the backs of these great reformers that the Bible was translated into the language of the common people and the barriers that kept laymen from learning the word were removed. The reformation changed everything from government to education, from economics to marriage and family. By the time he was 27 years of age, Calvin had written an 1100 page volume entitled “The Institutes of Religion” which helped to provide one of the clearest systems for understanding the major teachings of the Bible. Calvin’s works have helped to illuminate the word of God for Millions of pastors, teachers and Bible students for the past 500 years. And last Friday, while the world mourned the death of Michael Jackson, small groups of Christians scattered around the world quietly commemorated the birthday of this theological giant. The sad thing is that many of us don’t even know his name.
Jackson and Calvin are simply symbols of a greater metaphor. They represent the battle between the world and the word for our hearts and minds. Just think about it for a moment, odds are that you have memorized more lyrics to Jackson songs than you have scriptures in the Bible. Doesn’t that bother you a little? More of us know the slogans to our favorite commercials than the sayings of our Lord and savior. Maybe the problem is that Jesus needs a better marketing firm or advertising campaign. But wait a minute, let’s not forget, he’s depending on us to be his mouthpieces and to get the word out to the world about all that he has done. But how can we do it if we are so enamored with the world and pop culture that we no longer have the time or motivation to read the Bible or share our faith with others. Now I’m not suggesting that you rush to the book store to buy Calvin’s greatest hits, or change your hairstyle or the way you dress to match Calvin’s form of fashion. But maybe we do need to ask ourselves a simple question, “Is my heart more attached to the world or to the word?” Even better, ask yourself, “Who am I more impressed with, the King of Pop or the King or Kings?”
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!
