The Christian landscape is divided over the recent “He Gets Us” ad during the Super Bowl. This isn’t the first Super Bowl in which the ad ran, but it seems that more people are talking about it this time. And opinions are divided.
Some believe the ad is beautiful. Others feel it’s heretical.
If you haven’t seen it yet, here it is…
My views on this ad are more nuanced than what we hear from the left and the right today. Sadly, not many people listen today or think through things today very far. They just react — or look to their tribe to see how they should react. But I digress.
In a nutshell, here is my perspective…
The “He Gets Us” 2024 Super Bowl ad is a good (albeit flawed) conversation starter. It is nowhere near sufficient, however, to convey the full message of God’s love.
Most of the readers of this blog are probably (like me) on the conservative side of the ledger, especially when it comes to theological matters. So, let me talk to you – my fellow conservatives – for a moment.
You may be tempted to dismiss this ad as well as my saying it’s a good conversation starter. But before you do that, please hear me…
There are many, many people today who aren’t biblically literate, who don’t go to church, and who see Christians (especially conservative evangelical or fundamentalist Christians) as hateful, angry, and often bigoted and hypocritical.
And many people have been deeply hurt in the church.
What’s more, conservative evangelicals have a reputation (in America at least) as being more passionate about politics than about Jesus. And more committed to their political views or candidates than to love.
This is how many, many people genuinely see and understand Christians today.
This is also how some people in Jesus’ day saw the Pharisees. And with good reason.
Which is why Jesus so often took the Pharisees to task.
Before you get defensive on this, I agree with you that God condemns sin and will judge sin. I also agree that Jesus came to call sinners to repentance (more on this in a moment) and that the Bible is the inspired word of God. I’m with you on all that. And, at the same time, I believe you are delusional (love you, but hear me… I believe you are delusional) if you deny that the Christian church in America has a serious image problem.
This problem isn’t new and it’s not unique to America. Gandhi, after all, once said: “I like your Christ, but not your Christians.” Nevertheless, I’m speaking from an American perspective because I live in America.
Our churches are full of carnal Christians, immature Christians, perpetually angry Christians, hypocritical and corrupt Christians, “part-time” Christians, and fake Christians. And I’m just talking about the Christians who go to church. The picture gets both broader and bleaker when you consider all those professing Christians who rarely (or never) go to church and who accept no accountability for their lives!
God is the judge of hearts, but let’s not deny what we see. Let’s not deny reality. Okay?
We don’t have the best of reputations. We Christians need to do what God told Solomon that the Israelites needed to do:
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
II Chronicles 7:14, KJV
We need to do all of that. And…
I passionately believe that, in addition to all that…
When it comes to how we engage the world, including how we evangelize…
Christians must lead with love.
We must truly love the people in the world and show them that we love them. And we need to lead with love – not with condemnation of people’s sins.
Consider the story of Zacchaeus. He was a corrupt tax collector. He was despised with good reason. Yet Jesus went to eat with Zacchaeus. He did so before Zacchaeus repented and committed to restitution. Doubt me? Read the story. Look at the sequence. Jesus dined with Zacchaeus as his guest while Zacchaeus was still in his corrupt, sinful state!
Don’t miss that! It’s so important!
And then consider these verses…
- “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
- “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
- “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)
These verses make clear that Jesus came to save people from their sins, not affirm them in their sins, but at the same time… these verses make clear that God led with love.
Jesus starts with love.
Okay? You need to see that.
I believe the people behind this ad are trying to do that. Maybe a few of them aren’t. But I’ve seen some of the names of those behind it, and I’m willing to give at least some of them the benefit of the doubt.
Before we criticize the ad, let’s at least agree (with God as our witness and with the unsaved world watching) that we need to lead with love and not condemnation or judgment.
Okay?
Now, all that being said… and said sincerely…
Let me now turn to address those who loved the ad…
To say that Jesus “gets” us is an incomplete message.
To say that He loves us and that He washed feet is likewise an incomplete message.
It’s not enough to assure people that God sees them, understands them, and loves them. That’s not enough. It’s a good starting point, but it’s not enough.
What’s more, the ad says “Jesus didn’t teach hate.” That’s true, but…
It’s also problematic wording because it reinforces the idea in today’s cultural mindset that offensive or hurtful teaching equals hate.
It would have been better to say: “Jesus didn’t hate” instead of “Jesus didn’t teach hate.” And then follow that up with “Jesus washed feet.” But…even then…
It’s still problematic because…
The only record we have of Jesus washing feet is when He washed the feet of His disciples.
This is not an irrelevant point. Jesus called these men to follow Him and they did. (Judas would, of course, betray Him. And Peter would deny Him. Most of the others would abandon Him. But all, except Judas who killed himself, were restored). Jesus washed the feet of His disciples — His followers.
Did He heal people who weren’t His followers? Yes. So, I won’t push the above point too hard, but…
Jesus loves us. He also calls us to repentance. He doesn’t just want to “get” us. He wants to save us!
It bothers me when we lift up an image or caricature of Jesus that requires no sacrifice or repentance.
It should bother you too.
That is something all of us should “get.”
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