The Greatest Twist Ending Ever!

Whether it’s the Sixth Sense, Scooby Doo or Psycho- everybody’s a sucker for a good twist ending and no genre tries harder to throw viewers for a loop than mystery movies. A twist ending is an unexpected conclusion to a film that causes the audience to reevaluate the narrative or characters. In other words we are given a piece of information that turns everything we thought we knew to be true on its head.

Often the twist is hinted at very early on. Sometimes even the first scene gives us a clue that we usually have forgotten about by the time the twist ending comes. The best example of this in modern cinema is the ‘Sixth Sense’ were we see the main character shot in the opening of the movie but find him alive in the next scene. We assume he survived only to realize that he has been a ghost all along in the final scene.

Film is not the only place where we see twist endings. The bible itself is a mystery narrative. We are given hints from Genesis 3.15 onwards that someone is coming who is going to crush Satan. Predictions are made that this person would come and suffer for us, bearing our sins (Isaiah 53). It is only in the New Testament that this individual is revealed. Jesus Christ was the “mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but had now been manifested to His Saints” (Colossians 1.26).

Jesus disciples were given numerous hints that things were not going to end quite the way that they expected. Yet, even when they were told that Jesus would suffer, die and then rise to life three days later they did not truly comprehend His meaning (Matthew 16.21). Despite all his warnings and ‘clues’ Christ’s resurrection came as a huge surprise to the downcast disciples (Luke 24.37). It forced them to re-evaluate everything they thought they knew about Jesus. Paul reminds the Corinthians that more than 500 people saw the resurrected Jesus after his death on the cross and their lives were changed from that point on (1 Corinthians 15.6).

The resurrection still forces us to re-evaluate our thinking today! Think about what our lives would be like if that twist ending hadn’t taken place. Paul said that without the resurrection there was no way for mankind to be reunited with God (1 Corinthians 15.12-14). We need to be thankful for the resurrection of our Lord! If Christ wasn’t resurrected then there is no hope for our resurrection! Thankfully for mankind he was resurrected and his disciples have not been afraid to share the story with the great twist since!

Jesus: The Only Hero Who Will Not Let You Down!

Achilles had a weak ankle, Superman is allergic to kryptonite, and Batman tends to lose his temper and throw people off buildings. We might enjoy the first reel of the film where we see the hero showing off his powers; swinging from buildings, and saving screaming women from certain death. But sooner or later he will make a questionable decision or his skills will be tested and he will fail. On a long enough time span even the best hero’s will let us down. Can you imagine if they didn’t?

What if there was a movie with a hero who never made a mistake? It would be a box office flop. People like heroes that they can relate to.  Heroes that are human. Part of why we can empathize with Spider-man is that, despite all his powers, he has weaknesses and often fails. We can also empathize with the moral choices that he has to make.

On a long enough time scale all of our heroes will make a bad choice and let us down. With film this is necessary as it usually sets up the Third act of the movie – where the hero redeems himself and make up for his mistakes.

Life often imitates art in this respect. Recent turmoil in the life of Tiger Woods has confirmed that everyone has their weaknesses and sooner or later our heroes will let us down. Even if Tiger goes on to win every tournament for the rest of his life he will still be remembered for his mistakes off the golf course. Yet most of us want to see him return to success on the golf course.

Sometimes I think it would be nice to have a hero that doesn’t let us down?

What would the perfect hero look like? Simple! The perfect hero that wouldn’t make a mistake. He would treat people fairly, defend the innocent and even risk his life for the bad guys.

The problem is that no one would buy it! There isn’t a person on the planet who would do such a thing?

Hold on a minute! – 2000 years ago there was!

Jesus may not have been a caped crusader, an elite sportsman or a Hollywood celebrity. He wasn’t looked upon and admired (Philippians 2.6-7). He chose to use serve his disciples in ways that would be beneath our modern day heros – such as washing their feet (John 13.5). Yet this was the same man that had the power to heal men. Yet it was men that despised Him for His miraculous abilities and put Him to death out of jealousy (Acts 2.22-23).

In Christ we see a hero who is greater than any other. One who performs wonderful miracles and yet also has compassion. One who got up each morning and went to bed each night knowing that he served the same people who would kill him (Isaiah 53). These people were the bad guys and yet he still died for them. He continued on because of His love in the hope that they would obey him (John 14.15). Most importantly Jesus demonstrated the ultimate power – the power over death! (Acts 2.24). No celebrity, sports star or icon has ever been able to repeat that!

On a long enough time scale every hero you admire will let you down, but one!

This week let someone know about  Jesus, the greatest hero that ever lived, and how much he loved them.

Why Christ’s Love Is Better Than Any Film Romance.

Most guy’s idea of a good night out at the flicks probably has something to do with a story of intrigue, a car chase and at least one enormous explosion. Girls on the other hand, usually have something different in mind. The fairer of the sexes will usually get their way, too. Meaning that at some point down the line all of us, both guy or girl, will have to see a romantic movie. Ugh!

While they may not be everyones cup of tea they certainly pay the bills for the film studios. Perhaps this is because, to an extent, you already are familiar with the story before you go in. The romantic movie sticks to a clear set of rules. Boy meets Girl, they have an argument, and then the pressures of life separate them. Rather than just kissing and making up we cut to a montage of a guy punching holes in a wall, or perhaps a girl throwing all the guys stuff into the trash. During their time of separation one or more of the two realize that they are, in fact, a good match and still have feelings for each other. Next comes the part that leaves no female eye dry – the ‘Grand gesture!’

The ‘Grand gesture’ is the part where one of the two makes some spectacular effort to declare their romantic love for the other person. It might involve rescuing the other from certain death, defending their honor or simply declaring their true feelings for each other. Whatever it is it has to be good! If one of the two people doesn’t go big then the audience will be inclined to go home.

As Christians we need to realize that the selfless love that the Lord has for the church wasn’t the type that we would see on some B-grade movie. As far as ‘Grand gestures’ go it is impossible to go bigger than giving yourself up to die for a group of people that you love. We have a Savior who has declared his love for us, forgave our mistakes and ultimately gave himself to die on our behalf (John 3.16). But the real kicker is that it was our mistakes that meant he had to do it in the first place (Hebrews 9.28).

Do we realize how big Jesus ‘Grand gesture’ was? What have we done to reciprocate?

Sadly, if God is looking to us to spontaneously come up with our own ‘Grand gesture’ he will probably be waiting a long time and find he himself extremely disappointed with our response. Fortunately he has communicated to us how he wants us to express our love for him. It is simple really; we are to live our lives for Christ. The writer, Paul, noted that it is Christ whom we should serve (Colossians 3.24). Christ himself said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14.15). We keep that commandment when we show love for one another, after all “if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4.11).

Romantic love makes fools of us all at some point and it is certainly fun to laugh at the misfortune that the ‘Grand gestures’ of love bring movie characters. But Christ’s selfless love expressed though his ‘Grand gesture’ of dying on the cross far exceeds anything that Hollywood can dream up. When we realize how ‘big’ Jesus was willing to go out of love for us it should motivate us to tell those who don’t know Christ about his great love for us. It should also motivate us to tell people we are close to why they are so special to us. Maybe you are like me and you have been letting the team down in this department lately. Let me encourage you to obey the Lord and put that right by letting people know how much you love and appreciate them.

Life Without Truth Will Make You As Mad As A Hatter!

`Have you guessed the riddle yet?’ the Hatter said, turning to Alice again.

`No, I give it up,’ Alice replied: `what’s the answer?’

`I haven’t the slightest idea,’ said the Hatter.

`Nor I,’ said the March Hare.

Alice sighed wearily. `I think you might do something better with the time,’ she said, `than waste it in asking riddles that have no answers.’

The huge box office returns of the latest adaption of ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ show that people are still interested in the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat and, of course, the Alice herself! While people may focus on the 3-D, the art direction or the crazy Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp). They are probably missing what makes this entire film tic – the script! The screenplay is based on Lewis Carroll’s 1865 book and is one of the most well known forms of ‘literary nonsense’ in modern popular culture.

It’s confusing when people disobey the rules of logic when they are trying to get a point across. Yet this is what the characters do continually in this film. Imagine if people in the real world spoke or acted like the characters of Wonderland.

Would you feel safe around the impulsively homicidal Queen of Hearts?

“Off with their heads!”

Could you make sense of the March Hare?

“Have some wine.” (When there was nothing but tea on the table!)

Perhaps this is why the novel has remained so popular -because it gives us riddles to solve that have no answers. No doubt we would end up just as exhausted and infuriated as Alice does by the end of the book!

In real life the reason why we find the nonsense of Wonderland amusing is that we know what the rules really are and we can turn off the T.V. at any time. The characters break the rules of logic and truth with every second word. In a world where there is no right and wrong, the characters speak perfect sense and nonsense both at the same time. While we can see this craziness in the wacky world of Wonderland we need to be aware that we can occasion give up on common sense well before we go down the ‘Rabbit Hole.’ When a person claims that there is no such thing as absolute truth, they may not realize it but they would fit right in at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

Occasionally we need to remind ourselves that we do not live in Wonderland! When we stop searching for absolute truth and say “you have your truth and I have mine” we might as well sign up as a character for the sequel. God has given us the truth through the Gospel of Christ (John 17.17), so we had better take it seriously! This means that when we approach the bible we are not looking into it in a relaxed and flippant manner. We should not ask, “What does this passage mean to me?”   When we ask that question it doesn’t matter whether our interpretation is correct because we are merely giving our opinion. Instead we should be asking “what does the Lord really mean and how am I to live it in my life?”

The benefit of having absolute truth from the bible is self evident. It acts as huge moral anchor in our society. It has provided the basis for our legal system and is the reason why we tell the truth. It is why it is wrong to steal and why do you go to jail if you commit murder? When we cut ourselves free from this anchor then God’s standard no longer counts and every man’s thoughts are as good as the next man’s. When we fail to stand up for the truth of God’s word we invite the chaos of Wonderland upon us. As Christian we need to realize that we can know that truth and it is that truth that sets us free from sin and confusion of this life (John 8.31-32).

For those who hold that there is no absolute truth, life is a riddle with no answer, But the Bible shows us that there are answers. We can break away from the Hatter’s Tea Party – if we will look for God’s answers to the riddle in his word.

Let’s share that answer with someone this week!

In Christ,

Jared Kyle

Watch out for Spiritual Zombies!

Has anyone noticed the wave of Zombie films to hit the silver screen in recent years? These films may be about the living dead but it seems the genre still has a very strong pulse. I wonder when George Romero first thought up the script for ‘Night of the Living Dead’ (1968) if he knew people would be making similar films forty years later. That is not to say that the films are exact remakes. In fact, in recent years zombies have changed. Film makers have realized that the only thing that is scarier than slow moving undead is fast moving undead.

Yes, Zombies now are in a hurry! But the problem is their lives are just as pointless and short sighted as they were in the first place. Film makers recognize this by continually trying to massage the genre. There are now zombie comedies (Zom Coms) and even romantic comedies with zombies (Zom Rom Coms). Yet the key difficulty lies with the Zombie itself -it doesn’t change! A problem Romero apparently tried to remedy in his forth installment in the living dead series in 2005 by giving zombies the ability to learn. Yet in most films, zombies still have no higher purpose, it seems their only desire is to eat the brains of others.

A zombie doesn’t ask:

“Will my life be better if I eat brains today?”

Or

“Is is morally right to neglect my family in the pursuit of brains?”– He or she instinctually does it.

Yet, when we stop asking what is the purpose of life we become exactly the same! When we have no good reason for pursuing the latest iPhone or fashion accessory, other than that we “just want it,” are we not acting just like spiritual zombies? The reality is that we can be just as guilty as zombies of living life without higher purpose. We all know people that are just in it for themselves and may even catch ourselves holding the same attitudes. When our focus becomes money rather than our faith, material things rather than family or fashion over friends – we are acting like spiritual zombies!

So how do we cure ourselves of this disease? In the movies a bullet to the head in the best solution! Thankfully, Spiritual Zombies can be cured without bloodshed or loss of limb. We need to take time to reflect on what really matters in our lives. Then we need to consider whether our actions truly line up to these values. Doing this is just a start but it will put us on the road to recovery. We also need to remember that eternity is a very long time in deed. If we choose to neglect our spirituality now we will have a very long time to regret it.

On your death bed will material things have any meaning to you when you are all alone because you have neglected your family?

On your death bed will you wonder what the point of life is and what is going to happen after you die?

For those of us who profess to be Christians we need to realize that these questions still apply to us. Sure we may think we have the right answers but have we closely examined them. And are we living those answers in our lives? The writer of Ecclesiastes was one of the richest men in the world. He had experienced everything that he wanted. But in the end, after an extended period of living like a Spiritual zombie, he came to his senses and said that every single thing we do in this world is meaningless (Ecclesiastes 1.2) with one exception. His conclusion: the only thing that has meaning is to “fear God and keep His commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12.13).

Your Avatar is not your own!

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few months you have no doubt heard about Avatar. James Cameron’s futuristic trip to an alien planet won 3 Oscars last week and was nominated for many more. It has been a popular film. In fact, based on yesterdays box office record of 2.6 billion internationally it is likely that you have seen it at least once. You’ve probably been amazed at the beauty of the alien world, terrified by its inhabitants, and wondered why that blue alien lady doesn’t put a shirt on!

Avatar is the story of Jake Sully, a disabled ex-Marine who is recruited to fill his recently deceased twin brother shoes and aid a mining expedition on the distant jungle moon of Pandora. This is because only his DNA will bond with the alien hybrid body, known as an Avatar, which allows humans to explore the toxic environment of the planet.

In the movie when Jakes consciousness is first transported into his Avatar, he goes wild with excitement. He hasn’t been able to walk since his injury. So as soon as he gets the chance he is out the door running. Yet his body is not his own. His colleagues constantly remind him that his Avatar is property of the government and that he is responsible for it and needs to take care it.

In a spiritual sense there is not as much difference between Jake’s Avatar and our bodies. Now I’m not saying that we all look like nine foot tall, yellow eye-eyed, half naked aliens. Although looking in the mirror does get scarier with each passing year! What I’m trying, and probably failing, to articulate is that we are given control of our bodies for only a span and we are accountable for them.

Fitness fanatics often claim “My body is a temple.” So they religiously watch their cholesterol, reduce their salt, and eat more roughage. Whether they realize it or not – they are paraphrasing one of the bible writers. Paul asked the question: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6.19). The Christian recognizes that his Avatar (physical body) is not his own. He has been given it by God. Not only must he exercise and feed it but he must also treat it in a way that pleases God.

How we treat our physical bodies says a lot about our self respect and the respect we have for the one who gave them to us in the first place. Do you feed your body well, dress your body appropriately, control the actions it takes and the statement it makes?

Why should we even care about doing this?

Firstly, we need to care because God does! We are valuable to God! “For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6.20).

Secondly, we will someday have to leave our Avatars behind and give an account for how we have used them.

You’ve been given something truly amazing.

Now will you glorify God with it

Echoes of Columbine: Do violent films make violent people?

Shots rang out at Deer Creek Middle School just 10 days ago. A lone gun man with a high powered rifle fired upon two 8^th graders before being subdued by a teacher. Fortunately, the students survived but for many in Denver this school shooting brought back horrific memories of the 1999 Columbine Massacre. Twelve people were not as fortunate on that April morning and those that survived such an ordeal no doubt still bear the emotional scars. Ten years is not enough time to wipe such a tragedy from people’s minds, nor has it dealt with the question that is often raised after such an event. What caused these gunmen to do such a thing?

In the wake of such loss it is natural to point the blame. In the case of the Columbine Massacre people were quick to point out that the shooters had constantly exposed themselves to violent films. Many pointed out similarities between their actions and a fantasy sequence in the 1995 film The Basketball Diaries where a black trench-coat wearing gunman shoots six of his class mates in the school’s hallways. People were also quick in alleging that the gunmen’s favorite film was Natural Born Killers which portrays two young lovers going on a massive killing spree. In both cases the characters kill without true purpose or remorse.

Columbine was not the first time that film has been blamed for violence. Stanley Kubrick withdrew his 1971 video nasty, A Clockwork Orange from Britain after it was found to have inspired a copy cat murder and rape based directly on the content of the film. It is says a lot about the changes in society and censorship when many new reviewers consider this film to be tame on its rerelease and wonder what the big deal was in the first place.

So does watching violent films turn you into a violent person?

Researchers have attempted to find an answer to this question for quite some time. University of Michigan professor L. Rowell Huesmann, argued that fifty years of evidence showed “that exposure to media violence causes children to behave more aggressively and affects them as adults years later.” Yet, Jonathan Freedman of the University of Toronto maintained that “the scientific evidence simply does not show that watching violence either produces violence in people, or desensitizes them to it.” Science, it seems, comes to a stalemate on this question so maybe we need to ask a different question. How about this one!

Does watching a violent film, filled with swearing and illegal acts make me into a better person?

Note that I am not asking whether it causes you to become violent. I am simply asking: – do you walk out of a violent film a better person? Most of us would understand that hanging out with criminals would probably have a bad influence on us. This why those of us who are parents are usually concerned who our children spend their time with. One of the bible writers noted that “associating with bad people will ruin decent people” (1 Corinthians 15.33- Google it). Yet when we spend two hours with James Bond for example – do we realize that we are spending time with a woman hating loner who clearly likes killing people. Clearly, this is not a man the average person would be comfortable spending time with.

Most people want to be better people – if this weren’t the case the ‘self-help’ aisle at the local book store wouldn’t be so large. Yet because we enjoy being entertained so much we fail to ask whether the latest adventure of our hero is really good for our minds. I realize that there may be plenty of grey areas in what I’m talking about. Different films will affect people differently and many of us may learn great cautionary lessons from violent war films. All the same before you swipe your card at the local red box consider whether the film you plan to watch is likely to help you in your desire to be a better person. Ask yourself: – will this film affect my ability to show greater kindness, friendliness and patience toward my fellow man?

Film is a medium that is capable of entertaining, educating, and enriching our lives. But it also exposes us daily to things that we should never ever wish to see in real life.

Choose what you watch carefully.

The Latest Vampire Craze: What the Cullen’s and the Christian have in Common.

“It was impossible… to stop. Impossible. But I did. I must love you.” With these words the vampire Edward Cullen made every female in the movie theatre fall deeply and madly in love with him. They barely noticed the retching noises that the males were making into freshly emptied boxes of popcorn in the seats next door.

Long before Stephanie Meyer’s ‘Twilight’ saga decided to turn vampires into mind reading, semi-vegetarians that shine like disco balls in the sun they were better known for their fear of crucifixes, tendency to burst into flames in direct light and, of course, an insatiable thirst for blood. Meyer’s novels and the movie cash-ins have effectively filed the fangs off the vampire myth but they still serve to highlight something that has been true for quite some time. We as a society are fascinated by vampires!

While young people may be falling in love with Bella and Edwards undead adventures – this trend is nothing new. The Twilight Saga is merely the latest in our society’s long line of morbid love affairs with vampires. Hollywood has been going crazy for them in recent years, with many new shows and movies gaining dedicated audiences. The long toothed ones capture our imaginations, it seems, and have done so for quite some time. Whoever holds the copyrights to Bram Stokers 1897 novel ‘Dracula’ is probably sleeping in a gold-plated coffin. This was the book that solidified the vampire myth into its current form. Its portrayal of vampirism as a contagious demonic disease and its undertones of love, blood and death, struck a chord with the people of the day in a time when contractible illnesses were a consuming fear.

So why is it that we are still interested in these creatures – they are, after all, nothing new?

Society’s vampire obsession speaks strongly of our fears and uncertainty about death and the fact that blood is precious to life – both for the vampire and his hapless victim. Meyers may have imagined her ‘Twilight’ vampires as friendly to humans but they still require the blood of animals to survive. Whether the modern vampire is worried about crucifixes and garlic is up for debate but one thing is very clear -the modern vampire is still completely dependent on blood for his survival.

In may seem a strange comparison but this is a characteristic that vampires and Christians have in common. Both desperately need blood for their survival. The vampire needs physical blood but spiritually speaking the Christian needs it too. Now before you think that I’m trying to start the first vampire-Christian cult, consider the following.

Christianity holds that it was Christ’s blood sacrifice on the cross that has atoned for the sins of mankind. Mankind, according to Christianity, is justified by the blood Christ shed on the cross (Romans 5.9 – Google it). Whether we realize it or not, Christ’s blood is essential to our ongoing spiritual survival.

The Christian should be grateful that Christ was willing to give his blood as a gift. A vampire has to forcibly take blood from his victim, but Christ’s blood is not something that can be obtained by force. It had to be freely given – and was! The Christian, by obtaining it, no longer has to endure the uncertainty and doubt about what happens after death. It is this fear that spawned the vampire myth in the first place. Yet for Christians, this fear is replaced by the knowledge that they are saved by Christ’s blood.