Friday, February 20, 2009

Forget Hollywood, Read the Gospels

So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.--John 8:59 (English Standard Version)

Maybe this thought was not particularly deep, but as I meditated on this section, this was what jumped out at me.

I saw the movie Taken recently and loved it. It's tense, suspenseful, and action-packed. However, the gospels present a story which might actually be more interesting.

Look at this incident. Jesus was preaching in the temple. We can sort of relate to this: pastor in a crowded church or, maybe if the temple was as commercial as it sounds, a street preacher shouting out calls to repentance in a busy subway station.

So picture it. The Pharisees are shouting at Jesus, and he's shouting back. "Now we know that you have a demon!" (John 8:48). "You are of your father the devil!" (v. 44). Then the kicker: Jesus says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." (v. 58). Then what happens? The Pharisees (and remember these guys are seminarians, not thugs) start getting ready to kill Jesus.

John only devotes one verse to Jesus' escape, but I have to imagine it was a complicated affair. Perhaps Jesus dove to the dusty temple floor and hid amongst the crowds of worshippers. Maybe he fought off an attacker with a well-aimed kick of his sandal. Whatever happened, I'm sure it was as exciting as an action movie.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Feeling Presidential (and a bit prideful)

I got back today from my weekend at The Master's College in Santa Clarita. I had a fantastic time going to chapel, visiting classes, and just hanging with other guys around my age. I went up to interview for a competitive scholarship which would really help me out financially.

P.S. Don't hate on me because the first three sentences of this post started with "I". I (yes, that word again) try to avoid personal posts like this one: they sound like they were written by someone with a last name longer than your forearm and a butler who makes more than your dentist.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Fred Sanders Reviews the Shack

Over at Scriptorium Daily, Fred Sanders has not one, but five reviews of William Young's best-seller The Shack. Read them not only to get a balanced view of The Shack but also to see a genius in action.