Is it right for Christians who are famous to use their fame as a way to share the gospel of Christ? Is it fair for them to use their fame as a platform for God?
God Uses the Least
It is interesting that most Christians are those who no one knows about. They are considered the least of the world. Paul tells believers to “consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
One thing that stands out in these verses is the fact that God does not call many who are mighty, not many of nobility, and not many who are powerful but just the opposite. Maybe because pride causes God to resist them and He gives grace only to those who are humble (James 4:6). He chooses the foolish, the base things, the least of all people so that God would be more glorified. Since the world thinks little of us God thinks much of us because we don’t think much of ourselves. If we did, God would not be able to work with us because the Holy Spirit cannot easily penetrate a prideful heart.
The Wise of the World
God does not consider human wisdom a thing of any consequence. In fact God says that
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor 1:19-25).
One thing that a lot of education can do is to puff up a person’s self-worth where they overvalue themselves. People who have higher education can be full of pride and God despises man’s wisdom since even the wisdom of man is foolishness to God. In fact, God says “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight” (Prov 4:7) and “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov 1:7).
Fame and Fortune
What about those who are known as celebrities like actors and actresses? Should they use their fame as a platform for proclaiming Jesus Christ? Why not? Tim Tebow is a supreme example of someone who is well known and uses his fame as an avenue to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Even when he played for the Florida Gators, he would display certain Bible verses and those verses made people who didn’t know God want to look them up in the Bible. Whatever gets someone to open their Bible is never a waste of time. Tim Tebow is frequently made fun of because of his faith but that is a price he is willing to pay. Have you been willing to be made fun of or joked about because of your faith? At my former job, I was known as “Jack the Baptist.” It really didn’t hurt my feelings though because they knew that I professed the name of Christ and shared the good news of the gospel. It’s interesting that those same people who made fun of me behind my back would sometimes come to me when they were having some very serious problems. Religion wasn’t funny anymore. Anyway, if we are persecuted, we are in good company for they also persecuted Christ, Paul, Peter, Tim Tebow, and many other celebrities like Denzel Washington, Tyler Perry, Patricia Heaton, Martin Sheen, Angela Bassett, Kristin Chenoweth, and many others. There is also nothing wrong with politicians using their name to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord either. If God has chosen to save them and they have repented and trusted in Christ, why not use their visibility to make visible the God Who can save those who are lost.
Prepare to be Hated
If you do share the gospel, you had better realize that you’re going to be despised, ridiculed, scorned, made fun of, and yes, even hated. Jesus Himself said that
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause’ (John 15:18-25).
Conclusion
Jesus Christ is the most famous name of all time…and He is so much more than a superstar. He is the Bright and Morning Star spoken of in Revelation 22:16. His name is the Name above all names, and it is He,
“Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:6-11).
You will bow down to Him some day and so will I and in fact everyone will, including non-believers. You can bow down to Him today if you have repented and trusted in Him because He is your Savior…or you can bow down to Him and He will be your Judge (Rev 20:11-15). It is easy to see which the best choice is. Choose Him and live.
There are many famous men and women who are not ashamed of the gospel. My question is, am I? Are you? Here is a warning to any Christian that claims the name of Christ yet denies Him before others: “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matt 10:32-33). That’s very serious isn’t it?
Related Post- 9 Famous Christian Actors
Guest Post By: Jack Wellman
Resources- Youtube, photo credit: Gage Skidmore via photopin cc
