Was It Worth It?

You know, on the surface, inserting Jesus into the most-watched sporting event in the U.S. seems like a good idea.

If the goal is to evangelize there’s no better platform. Nothing else lets you reach so many people with so little time. And people who don’t even know they’re being reached. They’re sitting on sofas or barstools laughing with friends then catch a glance of a police officer on his knees washing the feet of someone he could just as likely have arrested five minutes before or after.

But at that moment he exemplifies service. He demonstrates compassion for someone who really needs it. He shows grace.

All of that is real, praise God. All of that is necessary. All of that is available because Jesus gets us. The message is all of those things, but it’s not complete.

Jamie Bambrick, the associate pastor at Hope Church, Armagh, Northern Ireland, posted his version of “He Gets Us” to his X page the Tuesday morning after the Super Bowl. In less than two days it had gotten almost 2 million views and more than 8,300 reposts.

It’s true that Jesus engaged with broken people, but Bambrick’s “He Saves Us,” version of “He Gets Us” focuses on Christ’s healing power to forgive sin. The video shows snapshots of people that viewers won’t fully appreciate until they see the overlayed text that tells them they’re looking at a “former gang leader,” a “former jihadist,” a “former KKK member,” a “former drug user,” and more.

“He Gets Us” donors are not listed on its website, but in 2023 Hobby Lobby founder David Green told Glenn Beck that his family was helping to fund the ads for last year’s Super Bowl.

“If you put millions of dollars into reaching hundreds of millions of people you should convey something that gets to the heart of the gospel,” Bambrick told show host Jenna Ellis. “I know there are limitations in trying to do that in 60 seconds, but I felt grieved overseeing that, frustrated. I think that’s how a lot of believing Christians felt about it, that it stamped a Christ-shaped approval sticker over the actions, thoughts, and mores of our day … as opposed to what the gospel is, which is Jesus does not come just to support us in our sin but to save us from it.”

Bambrick said on American Family Radio that he was motivated to act by what he called a “massive missed opportunity.”

It’s not possible to give a complete picture of Jesus Christ in a Super Bowl commercial. In 60 seconds you’ve got to hone in on what you want to emphasize.

In a world where hate most often has the microphone “He Gets Us” chose to amplify Christ’s less popular – by today’s worldly standards – virtues. The commercial’s subjects humbled themselves.

If viewers had seen footage of a church service with a preacher in the pulpit many would have not given the commercial a second look regardless of its message.

“He Gets Us” told them what they needed to hear but also what they wanted to hear. Perhaps some decided they wanted to hear more.

How many Super Bowl viewers saw that spot and wondered to themselves, if not out loud, if Jesus might not help them carry a burden or two that are dragging them down?

How many might have taken the extra step to make themselves vulnerable and approach a friend or a pastor with questions?

How many people like that would it take to justify the reported $7 million for a 30-second spot?

Jesus told us the shepherd left a whole hillside of sheep to go after the one that went astray.

But what if the goal wasn’t to evangelize?

What if the emphasis on Jesus’ acceptance was aimed at dividing Christians whom many in the world see as bigoted and intolerant? While Jesus ate with sinners he also called them out. He offered living water to the woman at the well, but he didn’t let her skate by with no mention of her troubled past. He didn’t put his arms around unethical money changers in the temple and give them a great big hug.

When the Pharisees presented false truth, saying that Jesus only drives out demons by the prince of demons, he responded, “You brood of vipers. How can you who are evil say anything good.”

He called out behavior that contradicted his teaching.

“I view this as a potential left-wing ideology toward a Christian audience as well. I don’t know that this was just evangelism toward unbelievers,” Bambrick said. “It may well have actually been intended in part to shift the conversation leftwards within believing Christians.

“You need to respond to (culture), but part of the response is demonstrating that the true gospel is a better message. The message that Jesus saved us from sin is phenomenal, and how that bears out in peoples’ lives is an incredible fruit.”

Bambrick is on the ball. It’s sad we have to think that way, but these are the days in which we live.

“He Gets Us” organizers, anonymous though they are, say their goal is not to advance leftist politics but to pique the curiosity of nonbelievers.

In a statement to Newsweek, a spokesperson said,

“Our intent is to share the authentic love Jesus showed with anyone and everyone. Our ads this year kick off a year-long focus on loving your neighbors, which will come to life through service events, art, advertising and engaging content, and experiences that bring people together. While we may use different words or methods than others, we hope that it compels people to be curious and explore Jesus’ story.”

That’s good news.

Jesus’ story needs to be explored by as many people as possible. As Christians, it’s our responsibility to tell it. When we set out to do that we need to tell it without room for this type of interpretation. We need to tell it with as much clarity as possible.

And if a Super Bowl spot isn’t enough time to do that, we might need to use that money in a more efficient manner.

It’s a great story. Let’s not mess it up.