If you are living under a rock you may not know it’s Super Bowl Sunday, but it is and today it is expected that 119.7 million people will be watching the game worldwide. And they won’t just be watching, they will be eating too.

It is expected that Americans will eat 29 million pounds of cheese;

-1.47 billion chicken wings

-12.5 billion pizzas

-14 billion hamburgers

-139.4 million pounds of guacamole

-11.2 million pounds of chips

-3.8 million pounds of popcorn

-2.5 million pounds of nuts

Next to Thanksgiving , Super Bowl is the biggest day for consuming calories.

Then of course there are the commercials with 80 spots throughout the game costing $8million for 30 seconds. This year they will include Doritos, Uber Eats, Disney, Taco Bell, various beverages, and our own Reese’s. 

But the Super Bowl can also be a time of faith and fellowship. Around 1 in 5 Americans believe God determines the winners and losers in the Super Bowl.

Just like some nuns from Philadelphia: https://youtu.be/imPBYd5JiZI?si=Ma4z9bfCNg6Miyzr

I’m sorry to say we are not hosting a super bowl party like those nuns, but I’m sure some of you are and I hope you enjoy the fellowship. But doesn’t this spark a thought, does God answer football prayers? Does God pay attention to such details in our lives? What does scripture share?

In our gospel lesson we read the story of Jesus answering requests of those around him. First the text says that the crowds were “pressing in on him to hear the word of God”

So he gets into a boat and goes out for the crowds to hear him. After that the text shares:  ⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” ⁵ Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” ⁶ When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to burst. With this act of provision, Simon Peter is so amazed he falls on his knees and says “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” But Jesus comforts the sinner man with the words: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 

The needs met in this passage are 3-fold:

1- the crowds needing to hear from God

2- the fishermen to make a catch to help with their work and living

3- a sinner is offered new life

What I appreciate about this passage is no matter the need, it is met, even though it seems impossible. The crowds needed to hear from God, there were so many, how could they? Jesus preached from the boats, because water carries sound. The fishermen needed a good catch for the livelihood of their families. They had tried, did not succeed, but Jesus says try again, and its overwhelming, its miraculous. And a man who feels unworthy of being in the presence of God, assures him God is present and working with him. It’s almost like Luke is teaching his readers no matter the challenge, no matter the difficulty, no matter the need, never give up on God, because God will provide.

How do you feel about that today? Do you believe that? Do you believe it when you watch the news and something disturbs you? Do you believe it when your friend is diagnosed and you are unsure what to do? Does God answer football prayers? Does God pay attention to such details in our lives?

As we work through this sermon series on the glory of God revealed in the face of Jesus, I hope you are seeing that as God’s glory, God’s attributes are shown in Jesus: as followers of Jesus, we are show them too. So that just as Simon Peter and the disciples witnessed Jesus sharing the Word of God, increasing their livelihood, and offering grace, they go on to do the same. Because they experienced an epiphany of God in Jesus that day. 

Luke is inviting us to look closer and become aware that God is at work to meet our needs, too. To be open to those epiphanies where God is at work in and around us. And then be sure to share them with others so they too can learn to see God’s glory. A God who knows our needs before our asking; a God whose breath is our life; a God who is real and present.

Going back to the Super Bowl. A number of professional football players are pretty open about their faith. I want to share this video clip with you: https://youtu.be/0Z8_jWc_YKc?si=JGBPm4PnIMNHHkeb

If football players can recognize what they are doing is for God’s glory, shouldn’t we? We who live our lives out of the spotlight, but still in the light of Jesus? We who may not be worth millions of dollars in payroll like professional football players, but who are worth God’s thoughts and time?

Everything we do and can do, the simple and complex platforms we live in, should be pointing to God’s word, God’s miracles for our daily lives, God’s grace, so that those around us who are disturbed by what is going on in the world, can see us as followers of Jesus who will never give up, because we are aware, we trust and know, that God will never give up on us.