I did some fun stuff to focus on a spiritual truth. We shared some of our favorite scenes/lines from sci/fi movies, including; The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951), The Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1957), To Serve Man (1962 TZ), The Gift (1962 TZ), Spider Man & SM2; Spy Kids (Game Over); The Lord Of The Rings (Return/King). There were others, maybe some of you will share your choices.
#1 BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE
#2 ILLUSTRATIONS FROM MOVIES/SHOWS#2a ILLUSTRATIONS FROM MOVIES/SHOWS...
#1 BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE
#2 ILLUSTRATIONS FROM MOVIES/SHOWS#2a ILLUSTRATIONS FROM MOVIES/SHOWS...
#2b ILLUSTRATIONS FROM MOVIES/SHOWS...
#1 BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE...
2 Peter 1:3
(3) According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
However, men think they can modify God's plan without loosing the end result.
We cannot change the building blocks of life, without changing the life that is built. We cannot change the blueprints of a building without changing the building. We cannot eliminate the components of a structure without violating that structure.
God has given us everything that is essential for life and godliness. It is not our prerogative to pick and choose what we want. If we want God's plan, blessing, we must follow God's will.
Sinners think they can still go to heaven without trusting Christ as their Savior and Lord. They want eternal life without turning from sin. It won't happen.
Believers think they can still be acceptable to God and indwelt by the Holy Spirit even if they do not follow God's revealed will for a victorious life.
They want to skimp on personal Bible study, private prayers, intense meditation, corporate devotional experiences, worship, praise, fellowship, service, sacrifice, Christ-likeness, witnessing. However, God will build us in His fashion or we will not be built in the faith. To reject God's way is to reject God.
People want to have strong faith, but they do not want to have their faith tried and tested. They want to be conquerors, but they do not want to have any conflicts. They want to be pure, but they do not want to turn from sin. They want to be Spirit filled, but they don't want to surrender fully to God.
People will sooner follow false deliverers than follow Christ.
Choose ye this day whom you will serve.
Joshua 24:15
(15) And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
#2a ILLUSTRATIONS FROM MOVIES/SHOWS...
The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)
When humans were offered help with the problems of life, by the alien visitor, they responded with suspicion and violence.
Likewise, humans resist and reject the messengers of God with suspicion and violence. In fact, we are told that this was the response people had toward Jesus Himself (Mt. 21:33-44).
The Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1957)
When someone warns society that they are being overtaken by sinister forces, society responds by scoffing, rejecting and despising the one who warns them.
This is consistent with the way people respond to the the Christian warning that the world is not a human friendly system. Those who try to alert their friends are often maligned (Jn. 15:20).
To Serve Man (1962, Twilight Zone)
Humans are skeptical when an alien race comes to earth, though they are offering advanced technology. When code breakers discover that the aliens have a document entitled To Serve Man, they become totally cooperative. The aliens schedule large numbers of humans to be taken to their paradisaical planet, where they expect to be served with great respect. Only when it is too late does someone find out that the document, To Serve Man, is actually a cook book.
People are so self oriented that they will ignore the facts when Satan seeks to take them captive to do his will (2 Tm. 2:26).
The Gift (1962, Twilight Zone)
An alien aircraft crashes on earth and the alien is taken as an enemy. He is killed by local law enforcement and his document is destroyed by fire, except for the title, which says something like, "To the people of Earth, we give you the chemical formula for all forms of cancer."
Again, we see humans eager to destroy something or someone who has only come to give deliverance from man's greatest problem.
Spider-Man
The phrase, "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility."
This is a great Biblical truth as well.
Spider-Man-2
The statement, "I believe there's a hero in all of us that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble and finally allows us die with pride. Even though sometimes we have to be steady and give up the thing we want the most - even our dreams."
Again, this has some great Biblical truth concerning the saved person.
I will try to get back and share some more.
#2b ILLUSTRATIONS FROM MOVIES/SHOWS...
SPY KIDS (GAME OVER)
Elijah Woods suddenly shows up as, THE GUY, the anticipated hero of the video game that Juni and Carmen have entered. Poor Juni was mistaken early in the movie as THE GUY, but he could not live up to the expectations. THE GUY has been a larger than life character that the other players thought would lead them to the end of the game and to victory. When THE GUY, THE REAL GUY arrives, he swaggers in and boasts that he will lead them riches and victory. When Carmen says that the game is unwinnable, THE GUY gives a great pep speech that stirs them all to march into the jaws of the enemy (one of my favorite scenes in all of movie entertainment. As soon as they enter the next level THE GUY is struck down and eliminated from the game. Immediately the true believers turn back to Juni and say, OK, you are THE GUY again.
There is so much in this one scene.
There will be false deliverers arise (Mt. 7:15; 24:11).
People are looking for a deliverer (Mt. 24:24).
People will appoint their own savior (2 Tm. 4:3; 2 Pe. 2:1-2).
People will not listen to the facts (Mk. 13:15).
People will follow a new and better polished, self proclaimed savior (Mk. 13:22).
When their savior fails, they will find another one quickly.
My favorite part of the scene is the pep speech. It is filled with hope, bravery, commitment. The words are right, but the object of their faith is inadequate.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS (RETURN OF THE KING)
KING THEODEN'S BATTLE SPEECH
King Theoden rally's his troops before battle with a call to commitment. He point out that there will be death, but his warriors are to throw themselves into the battle.
Too often, those who who claim to follow Christ are only willing to follow their king if it does not actually require suffering and loss. Of course, we do have the promise of victory and eternal reward, but we should be motivated by the love of our King rather than the love of personal gain.
ARAGORN BATTLE SPEECH AT BLACK GATE
Here is another one of the great battle speeches in movies. Aragorn tells his troops that there is going to be a last day and a day when they will die, but this is not that day.
Christians should look beyond the present trials and dangers. By faith we can trust our Captain of the Lord's army to lead us into victory.
My main point is, people want the victory but they don't want the path that leads to victory. Sometimes people will make great sacrifices to reach their goals, but they have set their sights on the wrong prize or they have chosen the wrong path to spiritual success.
Victory is possible, but it only comes to those who live under the Lordship of Christ and follow His directives.
Lydia mentioned a scene from LOTR and we mentioned others as well. If any of you from Wednesday night read this and want to add to these comments, please do.
