The Patriot's stunning comeback win in the 2017 Super Bowl was just one of the dramas in the big game. There was also the yearly conversation about Super Bowl ads. An NBC article noted that the 30-second, $5 million TV spots mark "the perfect opportunity for brands to showcase their latest big-budget commercials." But this year some of the ads seemed to trigger controversy around our divisive political environment.

For example, an ad for Budweiser beer highlighted the company's founder, an immigrant from Germany. An article in the New Yorker magazine claimed, "Arriving, as it did, on the heels of a tumultuous week—after the Trump Administration issued a travel ban on all refugees and on visa holders from seven Muslim-majority countries, and an outraged portion of the country rose up against it—the ad was interpreted as making a clear political statement. Lines were quickly drawn: people either lauded it as a rousing celebration of immigrants in America or else derided it as an example of a brand sticking its nose where it didn't belong." A representative for Anheuser-Busch tried to do damage control by reminding people that "We believe beer should be bipartisan, and did not set out to create a piece of political commentary."

Then the New Yorker article argued (pointedly and sadly): "Despite what Budweiser wants us to believe, beer is not bipartisan. Right now, nothing is … The nation's mood demands that lines be drawn, and that everyone from average citizens to celebrities to mostly faceless multinational conglomerates make a choice, announce where they stand and what they believe."

Possible Preaching Angles: (1) Peacemakers; Salt; Light, Lifestyle; Gospel—In the midst of our nation's turbulent times, as everyone draws lines and casts judgment on the other side of the line how do Christians act as peacemakers and bring the good news of Christ—good news that transcends political lines? (2) Convictions; Truth—The Church also must decide to take a stand on what we believe. Our truth goes beyond partisan politics, but it will alienate some and draw others in.