By Danny Minton

I missed the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Paris Olympics, which, based on what I’m reading on the internet, I’m glad I did. The big controversy is the parody of Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting of “The Last Supper,” which depicted the evening that Jesus was arrested and taken away to be tried and crucified. If you didn’t see it, Jesus and the disciples were portrayed by actors, including several questionable characters. Christians around the world have voiced their disapproval of what is seen as mocking a painting that has come to be representative of the most important time in Jesus’ life. It’s not the first time the scene has been used in a parody, but this time, it was before a worldwide audience. The intent was to show diversity, but in this manner, most Christians were insulted, and even what they saw showed disappointment with Paris and the Olympic organizers. 

Jesus loves everybody, and as Christians, we are also taught to love. However, Jesus did not always accept what people did or how they lived. Many believe you don’t love me if you don’t agree with me, my lifestyle, or my actions. For Christians, loving someone should never depend on what other’s lifestyle or actions exhibit. We should be careful not to judge by outward appearance. At the same time, people must understand that just because we don’t accept your practice doesn’t mean we don’t love you as someone Jesus loves. 

We discipline our children when they do something wrong and still love them. We disagree over political matters but still love each other. When disasters strike, people join together to help, not questioning beliefs or how people live. There is within the hearts of most people love and concern for everyone when people face desperate times. True love for each other is not something that comes from the selfish part of our minds but the part of us that comes from the part of our mind we call heart when we set aside differences and reach out.

I’m disappointed by what the Olympic organizers did. It was disrespectful to Christians but primarily disrespectful to Jesus. Jesus warned his disciples long ago that the world would hate them and be against what they were told to share. The organizers made a poor choice in how they wanted to depict diversity. We should expect things like this to pop up in our world. The world wants to change Jesus to fit its desires and ways. Christians want the world to follow Jesus’ ways and teachings. When the two collide, Christians should choose the ways of Christ, not accepting the world’s view but at the same time loving those who are in the world.

Several sites print that there are 2.4 billion Christians in the world today. According to the website Frontierpartners.org, a study by The Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Christianity has increased the number of Christians worldwide to 2.63 billion. Goodfaithmedia.org states that the survey projects Christianity to rise to 3.3 billion by 2050. At the same time, atheism is on the decline. This growth is scary to Satan because it means he is losing a foothold. Imagine if 12 men who preached the Gospel carried on the teachings of Jesus that spread to over 2.63 billion; what effect can 2.63 billion have on the world if we make the effort to share Christ in some way with others?

It was more insulting to Jesus to be mocked, spit on, and marched around with a crown of thorns than the parody of a painting. The one thing the Olympic event may have done was to wake up Christians around the globe to stand up for Jesus. 

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.” John 15:18-21 (NIV2011)

Danny Minton is a former Elder and minister at Southern Hills Church of Christ