Modern Ark

We saw the movie "Evan Almighty" recently. We weren't really sure what we were going to see, but were pleasantly surprised. It was a modern film in the sense that there was an ecological slant for protection of this planet. That was good. Amongst a whole lot of subtle comedy motifs there was the common story motif of a father not giving time to his family and a wife carrying that burden, which was resolved somewhat by the ark project.

Different theologies came to bear as well, because the character God played a part. There was creation theology, visually helped by the latest in technical imaging to bring in a multitude of pairs of animals from all parts of the world. For that reason alone it was worth seeing the movie. Divine providence seemed to be well handled, leaving a reasonable amount of choice with the human characters, but nevertheless it was God who won out in the end, saving crowds of humans and animals and still permitting a manmade disaster.

And the ark that the family built, to biblical dimensions, was sensational in its visual dynamics and scale. It took up a row suburban blocks (the multiple mortgage commitment never posed a problem throughout the movie), and there was some fun stuff with the (patiently waiting) exotic animals during its construction. Reality just had to be set aside.

When the flood came everybody in the effected area was saved. Such was the theology of grace presented in the movie, but the tsunami-like body of water must have killed thousands in its wake as it travelled to the sea. But one shouldn't think of those things.

It was a very local flood, so the leading question had to be: Why did so many exotic (non-local) animals have endanger themselves in this way? The trip was short and their dispersion afterward was left completely unresolved. But what the heck. They were like precious gems adorning the whole visual extravagance.

Men and Boys

Peter and Tyler (of High School Musical fame) shared a tent at a recent 'men and boys' camp. This was the time of the year when the men and their boys of another church got together for an outdoor adventure. This was a time for relaxed Christian fellowship shared by men, and an opportunity for their boys to fully experiment with fire.

It was Tyler's church that organised this camp, so Peter was technically a 'gate crasher' there. This was his third time for Peter and Tyler's forth time. Peter appreciates the welcome he always receives as the 'outsider' on these camps and has developed good friendships with many of the men of that church who commit to the camp. They are a great bunch of guys.

The food did not have to be airy-fairy, and the great challenge was not to burn it overly. There was plenty of fallen timber for fuel and one of the guys always brought his chainsaw. We were made!



The bonfire at right was the largest the boys made. We all learned while we were there that God was like a consuming fire [Hebrews 12:29]... jokes aside.

Resurrection Challenge

Spring is in the air and the bees are out, but there is a great storm potentially brewing. A particular eschatological (end times) focus is hanging over our world at the moment, and it misuses biblical prophesy about the destruction of the earth. Here is an absolute: Christ is risen. Another: we are not risen yet. If the dead are not already in bliss, they are at least sheltered in Christ waiting for the resurrection. Death's rule is still with us obviously.

And death will continue until Christ hands over the kingdom to God, and then death will be dispensed with. Both the living and the dead in Christ share the same hope. They also share the same peril. We (collectively) are not yet safe if the negative force of the Antichrist conquers by destroying this world. We are told in the Bible that the Antichrist is going about raging. That is to our peril.

There are those who have died who have strived against great injustice during their lives. Their efforts will have become meaningless if Antichrist thinking prevails over this world. The dead still wait for justice. If we repress the remembrance of the good that has been achieved, we unwittingly repress our future hope, and the hopes of those who follow us.

An eschatological focus on the destruction of the world, to the point of seeming to "usher in" the Great Tribulation (in excitement even) is actually playing into the hands the Antichrist thinking! The Antichrist wants to destroy this world not God, not Christ, and certainly not the Holy Spirit.

Jesus did predict tribulation but clearly said "the coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, 'Here it is', or 'There it is', because the kingdom of God is in your midst." [Luke 17:20,21]. That is a profound lesson to combine with the new reality that was created by Jesus' death and resurrection. We have only to follow Jesus in words and deeds to know what God has asked of us. The Gospels are an open guide book for all who want to be in Christ.

We are left with the sense that though Christ has won for us new life in a new reality, we still have to live and work in this world and die in this world too. If the world is going to fry (be destroyed) it will reflect a small (or large) victory by the Antichrist forces. It will not be God's plan. Though God may have given us description of tribulation in various parts of the Bible (especially the Book of Revelation), it does not become us to think and preach the damnation of the world, when Christ taught us to love, with a deep and true love, the same world. If anything, we must stand in the breach, against all Antichrist plans, to not let what has been predicted happen in our lifetime. That is our task. Are there enough of us? It may have been predicted in some measure but it is NOT what God wants. Destruction of earth does not reflect the God we worship.

Before us is the resurrection path: to be part of the body of Christ in this messed up world, to preach the good news of the kingdom of God that is already amongst us, and try to change things for good, and to fight against injustice on many levels, just as past generations have also tried to do. We owe it to our dearly departed to do this with all our heart.
Shalom.

Spring Visit

Bec, Gord, Piper and Jasper paid us a memorable visit last weekend and so it is about time that we upload some snaps of them for anyone interested. Both Piper and Jasper are going through developmental changes at a great rate of knots, as can be discerned from our earlier blogs.

They then went on to the Gembrook Retreat to help out with the work there.