Terraces v. Pews

It's been a day of mixed emotions - and I am not referring to the disillusionment that the devotees of Mr Harold Camping must be experiencing as, at the time of writing, 1800 hrs have come and gone over a major part of the globe, with no indication that it was the Father's time for the Rapture; or to the relief that some might have experienced that yet another prediction has been shown to be false!

No, the emotions to which I refer are those of the respective supporters of Motherwell Football Club (c'mon ye 'Well!!), and Celtic Football Club.  The former will, in spite of their team having apparently played well (no pun intended!) be somewhat despondent that the Scottish Cup was not returned to Motherwell this evening, while the latter will, doubtless, be relieved that they have, at last, picked up some silverware for this season.
I didn't watch the match, but am confident that, in spite of the inclement weather conditions, tens of thousands did so - and who knows how many were glued to their television sets in the comfort of their own homes.  I am also certain that there was a display of passion for the game of soccer that puts most of 'western' Christianity to shame!  Men, women, young people - all with an obvious knowledge of 'the game', and no embarrassment about displaying their emotions!

How different it will be in church buildings up and down the country tomorrow.  So many with sparse congregations - the majority of whom will be in the later stages of life; many of whom will know little/nothing of the basic doctrines of the Faith, or even of much of the Bible; few of whom will do more than 'go through the motions' of worship - "... holding the form of religion but denying the power of it." (II Tim 3:5; RSV).

Interestingly, the copy of a denominational magazine that arrived with my post this morning, was asking about the absence of men in the church.  Perhaps part of that problem is that we men who are "in the church" - especially we who have a personal, saving, knowledge of the Lord Jesus - are failing to display "Cup Final enthusiasm"!  It's just not seen as 'manly/macho' to allow our emotions to be displayed - unless we are on the terraces!

There was nothing un-manly about Jesus.  He showed the full range of human emotion as He walked this earth.  Yet He was, undoubtedly, a "man's man".  A carpenter, 2,000 years ago, had no power tools, but depended on physical strength.  Those hands that were to be nailed to a wooden cross were, already, hardened by years of working with wood.

Many years ago, the then Clerk to the Presbytery of Glasgow (Church of Scotland), the Rev Andrew Herron, published an article that, regretfully, I seem to have lost.  However, I do recall that he also drew this comparison between the attitude of football supporters on the terraces, and 'church members' in the pews.  He bemoaned the "animal passion" of the former - insofar as it was totally lacking in the latter!

When the Rapture does take place, it will be a momentous event.  And the heavenly dimension to which the true children of God will be instantly transported (see I Cor.15:52) will not be a place of sombre traditionalism.  It will be filled with the praises of His people as we worship the Lamb in that endless day that we call eternity.  It will, I suspect, be much more like 'the terraces', than like many of 'the pews' with which I am familiar!