When Jesus dwelled among us, one of his favorite ways to communicate his message was through story. In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark & Luke), one third of his recorded words were his parables—short stories designed to capture the attention of his audience and evoke a response.
Stories are a powerful tool for any communicator, because everybody loves a good story. Definitions are helpful; Explanations are important. But a story can take a truth and make it more memorable. A story can give it flesh and bones and make it practical. A story is like a breath of fresh air.
I see this on your faces every week. After a while of listening to my voice lulling you into a restful slumber, I’ll interject, “So the other day…” and you come right back to attention. Stories can be powerful vehicles for truth.
In our culture, movies are one of the most powerful examples of story. Good movies can make two hours feel like twenty minutes, because they tell stories about people with whom we identify, admire or empathize. The best movies leave us thinking about our own lives. And that’s where God comes in.
God speaks in many ways. He speaks through the Bible, through people, through circumstances. Sometimes he surprises us with his methods. Once he made a donkey talk to get his point across (Nope, not a reference to Shrek. Check out Numbers 22.). So why couldn’t he speak through Hollywood? Certainly, God doesn’t speak through every film. But often, filmmakers create characters, crises and comedies that compel us to look inward and upward.
Starting September 13 & 14, we will fire up the popcorn machine and begin our annual series God & the Movies. In this series, we will look at some of Hollywood’s films to see how God tells his story through their stories. Bring a friend and come ready to hear from God.
One practical tip: the popcorn tastes better with sweet tea…
NOTE: Because of copyright restrictions, we are unable to reproduce these messages on CD or post them on the Internet. Sorry for the inconvenience!
