Bumper Sticker Theology –
Remembering God’s Word in a Cluttered World – Part 3
Isaiah 40:1-5, Billboard: “My Way Is The Highway.” – God (12/16/16)“My way or the highway” usually means that a person is inflexible and not open to suggestions about doing something differently than it’s always been done. According to the billboard, God says, “My way is the highway.” Isaiah says the same thing: “Prepare a way in the wilderness, a straight highway for our God.”
Micah 6:6-8, Bumper Sticker: Humankind. Be both (12/19/16)
The bumper sticker says, “Humankind. Be both.” Micah says, “O human being, love kindness.” Give kindness for Christmas this year.
2 Timothy 4:7-8, Bumper Sticker: Semper Fi (12/20/16)
Semper Fidelis, the motto of the U.S. Marine Corps, means “Always Faithful.” If you see a bumper sticker that says, “Semper Fi,” the chances are that you are following a marine or the family member of a marine. Wouldn’t we like to be able to say, with Paul, that we have been faithful to God?
Ecclesiastes 8:15, Decal with outline of a molar: Life is better with teeth! (12/21/16)
Most of the book of Proverbs and a fair amount of Ecclesiastes falls in a literary category that I would call “observations about life.” When I saw a molar-shaped decal that said, “Life is better with teeth!” I laughed and thought of the book of Proverbs. However, it turns out that I should have thought of Ecclesiastes.
Matthew 6:31-33, Bumper Sticker: I’d rather be driving a Titleist/be fishing/be golfing (12/22/16)
If you and I are fairly normal human beings, then no matter what we’ve got, we want something else, and no matter what we’re doing, we want to be doing something else. Hence the bumper sticker, “I’d rather be ....” Jesus says, God knows what you need and want. Do his work first, and the rest will come naturally.
Matthew 19:14; Mark 9:33-37, Bumper Sticker: Happy childhood: Never too late (12/23/16)
This weekend we celebrate the birth of Jesus into the world, and we celebrate our birth into Christ. “Happy childhood: Never too late.” Merry Christmas!
Matthew 11:28-30, Church Sign: If all is not well with your soul, Jesus can fix it (12/26/16)
The Christmas season is supposed to be exciting, wonderful, and enjoyable, but unfortunately, for many of us it’s a sad or difficult time. If you are carrying a heavy burden of sorrow, sin, or affliction, let Jesus exchange it for his own, which is light. “If all is not well with your soul, Jesus can fix it.”
Daniel 6:21-27; 2 Timothy 4:17-18, Paw–shaped Bumper Sticker: Who rescued who? (12/27/16)
I saw a bumper sticker in the shape of a paw, with “Who rescued who?” The idea is that rescue dogs and cats help their new owners as much as the new owners helped them. We know our rescuer is God and not the other way around, but maybe we could try a little harder to be his helper in spreading the Good News.
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Random Walk in a Gallery of Religious Art, Step 72: Daniel 6:16-27, “Daniel’s Answer to the King,” by Briton Rivičre” (9/9/15) I saw a detail of this picture a few months ago, but only one lion was visible, and I wondered what Daniel was looking at. Now that we can see all the lions and the opening to the surface, the whole picture is much easier to understand. Clearly the lions are being held at bay by some power they do not understand. You can tell from their poses and intent gazes that they’d like nothing so much as to eat Daniel. Daniel is unconcerned. He’s looking up at the king and saying, “May your majesty live forever! My God sent his angel and sealed the mouths of the lions. They have not harmed me, proving that I’m innocent before him. Also against you, your majesty, I’ve committed no offense.” It’s amazing how much difference a little context makes. In this study, I try to give you some context for each scripture passage that we read so that you can get a clearer picture of God’s plan of salvation. Previous Step. Next Step. |
 “Daniel’s Answer to the King,” by Briton Rivičre, from the Gamble family Bible, now in the private collection of Regina Hunter. Photograph by Daryl Lee. |
Have you ever had a blood transfusion? I got three pints after surgery a long time ago, from anonymous donors. So a blood-red tee shirt worn by a man at the State Fair caught my eye when I saw the message, “A Blood Donor Saved My Life.” Then he turned around, and on the back of the shirt was a cross. We’ve all received a blood transfusion from Jesus Christ, the lamb of God.
Genesis 1:1-5; John 1:1-5, Church sign: This day brought to you by Jesus (12/29/16)
The books of Genesis and John begin the same way: God speaks the universe into existence. God starts with light and calls it “Day.” So the church sign saying “This day brought to you by Jesus” is literally true. Thank God every day for every day.
Luke 11:5-13, Bumper Sticker: Friends don’t let friends drink bad coffee (12/30/16)
One of our alert fellow readers said she was sending the bumper sticker, “Friends don’t let friends drink bad coffee,” just because she thought it was funny. You wouldn’t want to drink bad coffee, though, and you love your friend the same way you love yourself, right? Jesus says that when our friends ask for coffee, we shouldn’t give them castor oil.
Matthew 21:1-11; Revelation 19:11-16, Bumper Sticker: My other car is a Ferrari (1/2/17)
Usually you see the bumper sticker “My other car is a Ferrari” on the back of a fairly low-priced, basic car. The driver wants us to believe that he or she could be driving the Ferrari, but for today, this low-budget model was fine. Now, horses were the Ferrari of the first century. They were expensive, high-maintenance, luxury transportation used by the wealthy, the powerful, and the military officers. Donkeys were ordinary, low-budget, basic transportation, and they were used by humble people.
Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem because he wanted his followers to understand that he was coming this time as a humble servant, not as a conqueror. But you know what? When he comes back, he will come as conqueror, and he’ll be on a horse. His other ride is a Ferrari.
1 Chronicles 29:15; 1 Peter 1:1-5, 2:11, Decal: Huge elk, “Just Passin’ Through” (1/3/17)
I admit that when I saw a decal on the back of an SUV that had a big, old, buck elk with the caption, “Just Passin’ Through,” I had no idea who or what was supposed to be passing through where. Was the elk passing through on his way to the summer range? Was the driver passing through New Mexico on his way to go hunting in Oregon? No clue. Nevertheless, I do know that we, God’s people, are passing through this life on our way to be with God in heaven. Like Moses and the children of Israel, we are strangers in a strange land (Exodus 2:22). The Old and New Testaments agree that we’re just passin’ through.
Proverbs 23:15-16, 24-25, Bumper Sticker: My child is an honor student at _____ (1/4/17)
Pride in one’s children is a near-universal trait, and we frequently see bumper stickers announcing that the driver’s child is an honor student at an elementary school, high school, college, or academy. I’ve also seen stickers saying how proud the driver is of a son or daughter in the military service, in an orchestra, or at a dance studio. The writer of Proverbs tells us that it’s easiest to be proud of a child who is wise and righteous before God. Maybe our churches should have bumper stickers announcing, “My child is an honor student at Sunday School”!
Proverbs 25:21-22, Bumper Sticker: Let your enemies do the worrying (1/5/17)
How long do you plan to let your enemy have power over you? Many of us let people who are long gone from our lives – even people who are dead – control our actions and attitudes when we dwell on their hatred rather than on God’s love. Nothing we can do about those folks except avoid them, forget them, or best of all, outlive them (snicker, snicker). As long as they are in your life, of course, the best thing to do is to be so loving and kind toward them that they will stop being your enemies. Or at least they’ll be embarrassed about it. Paul quotes this proverb in Romans 12:20, and today’s bumper sticker, “Let your enemies do the worrying,” paraphrases it.
Genesis 7:13-16, Car-Window Sign: Baby/Twins/No Baby/Child/Babe/Adults/ [Dog Breed]/Alien/Etc. On Board (1/6/17)
In our time, we see signs and stickers on car windows announcing that babies, twins, no baby, a child, some kind of animal, grownups, space aliens, or whoever, is on board. In Noah’s time, representatives of every kind of living creature were on board!
2 Timothy 1:1-5, Church sign: Children are like mirrors. They reflect our attitudes (1/9/17)
Many years ago, I went to a lecture by a developmental psychologist. He said, “I have good news and bad news. Your children will turn out just like you.” Paul agrees with the bumper sticker, “Children are like mirrors. They reflect our attitudes,” when he attributes Timothy’s faith to the example of his mother and grandmother.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matthew 22:35-38, I [heart] NY/my dog/my kid/my grandkids/my cat/my wife (1/10/17)
How often do you see a bumper sticker that says “I [heart] NY/my dog/my kid/my grandkids/my cat/my wife, etc.”? I see those often; however, I don’t ever remember seeing one that says, “I [heart] the LORD my God.”
Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39-40; Galatians 5:14, Billboard: “That ‘Love Thy Neighbor’ Thing, I Meant That.” – God (1/11/17)
Love God; love your neighbor. Because just as the billboard says, “That ‘Love Thy Neighbor Thing,’ I Meant That.” – God.
Luke 18:15-17, Billboard: “Tell The Kids I Love Them.” – God (1/12/17)
The billboard, “Tell the kids I love them. – God,” says it all. Just remember that you are a kid, too.
1 John 4:7-16, Billboard: “I Love You...I Love You...I Love You...” – God (1/13/17)
The Bible is God’s love letter to us. God loves you and wants you to know that. The billboard is exactly right when it says, “‘I Love You...I Love You...I Love You...’ – God”
More Bumper Sticker Theology
Bumper Sticker Theology – Part 1
Bumper Sticker Theology – Part 2
Bumper Sticker Theology – Part 3
Bumper Sticker Theology – Part 4
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