If you watch the NFL, You’re familiar with the clip C’mon man! It’s a commentary of outtakes on different players in the league that do unconventional, uncool, or downright brainless things. These things violate the code of normal or proper conduct expected from professionals that are being paid the money they are to entertain us.
Unsportsman or non-professional conduct could get you on C ‘mon, man. You don’t want to be on C’mon man. One of my favorites, seen recently, was a fumble. Out of the scrum, a player darts back down towards the goal line with the recovered ball, his teammates following screaming after him.
The only problem is, he got turned around during the fumble recovery and he is running towards the wrong goal line, about to score a touchdown for the opposing team, or safety, however that works.
His screaming teammates are trying to stop him, not cheering him on. He isn’t listening however and one of his teammates has to tackle him scant feet before the goal line! C’mon man!
Bible C’mon, Man
In order to bring some humor to some sober subjects, I ‘m going to do some bible C’mon, Man! Perhaps some Christian C’mon Man! I could write a book on business C’mon Man’s! I’ve experienced. Christian ethics C’mon Man! I’ll start with;
Leadership and taking responsibility
The setting is in Exodus 32. Moses is up on the mount with God receiving the ten commandments. He’s taking too long, and the people are getting antsy.
The turn to idolatry
Exodus 32:1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron and said to him,
“Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
Israel was turning to idolatry, and Aaron ended up facilitating it. The high priest who represented God to the people, the priest who represented intercession for the sins of the people. Not the one offering the strategy to help them sin along with himself! C’mon, Man!
V. 2 And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.”
V. 3 So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.
All in, sin
V. 4 And He received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said,
“This is your God, O Israel, that brought you out of Egypt.”
V. 5 So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.” (His proclamation of the idolatry they would commit on the altar he built before the calf.)
V. 6 Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
Intercession
God is angry and ready to wipe them all out but relents after Mose’s intercession for them.
V. 14 So the Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.
Confrontation & lies
Moses comes down, sees the idolatry taking place, and becomes angry. He burns the calf in the fire and makes Israel drink the ashes that he sprinkles in water. He then confronts Aaron with the situation;
V. 21 And Moses said to Aaron “what did these people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?”
V. 22 So Aaron said, “Do not the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.” (Blame: it was the people…)
V. 23 “For they said to me, make us gods that shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him. (You took too long, it’s your fault.)
V. 24 And I said to them, “Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.” So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out. C’mon, Man!!
Aaron didn’t come clean with his sin, and it cost Israel greatly. 3,000 would be slain that day by the Levites, and the plague would come. V.28
Moses intercedes again for the people, even offering his own eternal life for them V.32
V. 35 So the Lord plagued the people because of what they did with the calf which Aaron made.
We don’t know this, but the outcome could have been different, at least less severe, if Aaron had come clean and taken responsibility for his own sin, instead of offering broken leadership by sinning, and not interceding. By fearing the people rather than obeying and functioning in his role as priest, He threw Israel under the bus as it were, instead of confessing and forsaking his own sin, along with theirs.
Stay tuned for more C’mon, Man.
Prayer; Lord, help us to flee from Idolatry and take responsibility for our sin instead of blaming those around us. Deliver us from going with the flow of ungodliness whether it’s in the world or within the church. Empower us with your grace to live clean lives, and wait on you. Give us the courage to be salt and light and not be ashamed of the gospel that calls sin for what it is. May we not become Israel that lost the ability to blush, like the world around us. . Keep us pure in your love. In Jesus’ name. XO