A pair of ads about Jesus aired during the Super Bowl Sunday as part of a Christian group’s efforts to spread a message of love and understanding to 100 million people.
Tim Tebow with the Denver Broncos in his signature position called “Tebowing” on the sidelines prior to the second half of a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Sports Authority Field at Mile Hile Stadium in Denver, Colorado on January 1, 2012. Photo Credit: Ed Clemente Photography, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
The $20 million advertising campaign was funded in part by the owners of the religious craft store chain Hobby Lobby, as well as Christian groups and other donors. The premise of the two ads features the message that when comes to Jesus, “He Gets Us.”
“It fits with our target audience really well,” campaign spokesperson Jason Vanderground told The Associated Press about the ads. “We’re trying to get the message across to people who are spiritually open, but skeptical.”
Vanderground also noted the ads are also targeted at Christians writing, “They are also designed to encourage Christians to live out their faith more authentically and exhibit the same confounding love and forgiveness Jesus modeled.”
Coach Joe Kennedy leading his team in prayer via King 5 YouTube
The campaign previously portrayed modern situations, such as the refugee crisis and its effect on families in relation to the life of Jesus. It relies on his story to lend an understanding of how those who struggle today are just like those in biblical times. The well-produced vignettes began appearing a few weeks ago online but will receive the biggest spotlight of them all on Sunday.
A previous ad depicts a migrant family being forced to flee from their home in order to avoid persecution. The ad concludes by revealing the story is actually about Jesus, his mother Mary, and her husband Joseph.
One of the two Super Bowl ads focuses on Christ’s instructions to his followers to love your enemies.
In Matthew 5:43-47, Christ says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.”
“For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect,” Christ instructed.
The second one focuses on Christ’s instruction to be as children as seen in Matthew 18: 1-5.
It states, “At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, ‘Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.'”
“We think Jesus is a big deal and we want to make a big deal out of it,” Vanderground said. “What better way to do that than to put him in the biggest cultural moment that we have the entire year?”
The Super Bowl is traditionally the most-viewed television program annually in the United States, often drawing more than 100 million viewers
This year’s Big Game saw the NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles defeated by the AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs 38-35. It took place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.