Rethinking A Christlike Response

I’m sure by now most of us have seen the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France or a picture similar to this which bears a resemblance to Davinci’s Last Supper. But instead of Jesus and His disciples, it was a woman in a halo type headdress flanked by drag queens.

When I heard about it and saw the picture I must confess my initial thought was this was a tasteless and “in your face” mockery of Christ. Others say that in fact this had nothing to do with Davinci’s art but was taken from “The Feast of the Gods”, the work of Jan van Bijlert in the mid 17th century depicting the Greek Gods on Mount Olympus – which given the history of the Olympics, I must admit, makes sense.

But then I thought, “Even if so, why didn’t anyone connected to the Olympic committee see this controversy coming and perhaps leak some information about Bijlert or Greek gods ahead of time; something that might have averted this problem?” Well…they didn’t and here we are.

I knew I didn’t want to be reactionary, so I prayerfully took a deep breath, stepped back, and tried to look at the big picture – especially the “sides” being taken – which are doing nothing to promote the gospel of Christ. And I knew I had to look to Scripture to formulate my own response (perhaps influential as a pastor) asking the familiar question, “What would Jesus do?”

Jesus we know was surrounded in controversy. From healing on the Sabbath, to claiming He and the Father are one. Yet in all that time, I do not recall Jesus stirring up the crowds to take up His offense and defend His ministry. Instead, He made the lame walk, the blind see, and preached the gospel of the kingdom.

So, even if this depiction at the Olympics was a direct mockery of Christ, I don’t see Jesus needing or wanting His followers to take up His offense, berate the organizers of this presentation, and get in fights over social media about what it does or doesn’t mean.

The question is, is there any instruction from Jesus Himself as to how to handle this situation? I believe there is. First of all, we should not be shocked. Jesus told His disciples – including us – there would be hatred from the world. (John 15:19) He further said, “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” (John 15:20). We have brothers and sisters in Christ facing physical abuse and the loss of jobs, property and even their lives due only to their faith in Jesus. If there’s anything we should spreading the news about and getting into productive discussions about and working for change in, it’s that.

The next question is, how did Jesus tell us to respond to persecution; by showing anger and disgust? No. Jesus said in the face of persecution that we are to “rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.” (Luke 6:23)

And then what? Demand our “rights” as a religious “minority” to alleviate this persecution? No.
Jesus said in that day that the Helper – the Holy Spirit – would bear witness about Him. And “you also will bear witness…”(John 15:27) Our focus then should be on how we can turn this situation into an opportunity to witness for Jesus.

What will actually be accomplished if we get in discussions with people in person or on social media and rant and rave about the situation. Will it not only create more distance between us and unbelievers? What if we instead take Christ’s advice to let the joy of the Lord be our strength and then partner together with the Holy Spirit to be a witness to the true Jesus? To show His love and grace to people. To take this public discussion of Jesus and the last supper as an opportunity to let people know of the new covenant the last supper represents. A covenant of reconciliation with God based on His grace rather than our ability to keep all the rules. And follow that up by telling people of the difference Jesus has made in our own lives. Talking about the peace and hope we walk in no matter what is going on in the world. Maybe offering to pray for them for something going on in their lives, giving God an opportunity to reveal Himself to them.

I have always been amazed at the attitude of the early Christian leaders. When the persecution began and they were jailed and threatened, how did they pray? “God, get them!”? Hardly. Instead “they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:24-30)

I don’t know about you, but that sounds to me a lot like following Jesus’s instructions to respond by working with the Helper to be a witness for Jesus!! Let’s raise a rally cry to do just that!!

-PR