Followers

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Is there a Doctor in the house?

What is it about certain entertainments that just hook us, wrap us up and leave us almost panting for more? We are dazzled by spectacle, enraptured by clever stories and enslaved by tales of things that could not possibly be true, at least not yet. See, I simply have a weakness for really decent science fiction. Films like The Matrix and Star Wars just suck me in every time. I have been a long-standing fan of TV’s Star Trek, and have forgiven Paramount Studios for the few very cheesy Trek films with which they have milked our wallets while emptying our souls.

But there is another. It is the single longest-running science fiction television series extant, and it is admittedly a ridiculous romp through space and time about a self-appointed “mad man with a box.” I am speaking of course of the one and only Dr. Who. This crazy British series, difficult to follow and infuriating to understand at best, is silly, fun, exciting, chaotic, and totally impossible and I love it. It centers on a man known only as The Doctor, who has had many incarnations since the 1960s. He is of an extinct race known as Time Lords from a now non-existent planet, travelling through time and space with various human companions in a time machine (known as the TARDIS, short for Time And Relative Dimension In Space) disguised as a 1950s-era London Police call box, which is much larger on the inside than the outside. I know, what’s the point?

On Saturday night, yet another new Doctor took over the series and it looks as though yet another incarnation is going to be hugely entertaining and absolutely captivating in the intricate storylines woven by the writers. However, today I read something disturbing on Wikipedia about Doctor Who. It would seem that with each new incarnation, an argument ensues among fans - especially with regard to the spin-off literature and other tripe that accompanies a cult hit – over issues of canonicity.

What was that? Canonicity, as in, on the same level as the Bible? Whoa, here, now hold on just a second. Maybe the writer of the article used the wrong word, but I don’t really think so. The concern is always whether or not the new character or the novel based on the show or the new merchandise or the newest fan magazine fits seamlessly into the mould of the original design; whether or not the spirit of the original theme remains intact. The arguments can get ugly, too, and people end up accusing the others of not being “real fans,” and it got me to thinking about something Paul said in his letter to the Galatians when a new gospel had begun to be preached in that region. He said,

6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! (Galatians 1:6-9)

All around us, people are going along inventing new ways of understanding the spiritual while purporting to follow Christ, going so far as to create new visions of Christ himself, ones more palatable to their post-modern sensibilities. As we float along, not wanting to offend anyone, we see a whole myriad of the lost actively preaching these ‘new gospels’ to whomever will listen, all the while saying to anyone who dares breathe a word of the true Word that their worldview is ‘archaic, unenlightened, sexist, and arrogant.’ We dare not say they aren’t ‘true Christians,’ so we pray, which is a really great start! After all, according to the true gospel, Holy Spirit is the one who will prepare hearts to receive Christ! Yet, we need to go further. These new ‘gospels’ tend to be poorly thought out, and worse, can be adapted whenever their integrity is threatened. Nowadays a person’s beliefs are sacred only to them, and they are encouraged by worldly society to be as original and creative about them as possible. Basically, they can be made up as one goes along, and changed to fit new paradigms.

So what can we do? Well, again, we can pray, not only for the lost but for a keener understanding of the Scriptures we hold dear, and even a keener desire to walk closely with the One of whom they speak, our Lord Jesus Christ, who “is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). We can study the gospel in a more dedicated fashion than we ever have before, learning and absorbing what God tells us in the Bible. I believe that only through a solid knowledge of the Word that we even stand a chance of resisting the onslaught of all the new religions popping up seemingly everywhere and every hour. More importantly, we can trust that his Word is true. His is the only gospel that is trustworthy 100% of the time. You know it. You’ve read it, haven’t you?

Certainly if people are willing to shout insults and e-mail nasty jargon at each other for a slight variance or two in the theme of a silly TV serial from the UK, then certainly we can stand up and politely tell people, those who would alter the precious gospel for their own purposes, that such alterations will not stand up to the power of sin in the world. Only the true gospel will. You believe it. I believe it. Let’s make sure we know it. And for goodness sake, let us speak the truth in love.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Free!

13And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. 14But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 15Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 16And he took them up in his

arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16 KJV)

            I have a short message for you. You know, the other night after Good Friday service, I had the distinct pleasure of watching an old film from 1973, The Gospel Road. The legendary country singer Johnny Cash and his wife June put this piece together with very few special effects and a cast of unknown actors. The story of Jesus was narrated by Johnny Cash himself and there was very little dialogue, except a line or two from a few very important characters, like John the Baptist and Mary Magdalene (who was portrayed by none other than June Carter Cash herself).

The movie was old and very dated. The wardrobe people had not spent a lot of time making sure the costumes were perfect and some of the imagery was out of line with how we read the gospels today. The actor portraying Jesus was a blond-haired and blue-eyed Scandinavian, for goodness sake! Many of the actors were white Caucasians and the depictions of the miracles were quite unimpressive visually. The score was purely old country gospel sung by the man in black, and the Scripture read by Mr. Cash was from the old-style King James version with all the ‘thou’ and ‘shouldst’ and ‘shalt’ permeating the syntax. In short, a movie audience these days might have come out of the theatre shaking their heads and laughing, if any were left by the end of the movie.

Now it comes to it. This little film was quite possibly the single most beautiful film rendition of the gospel story I have ever witnessed. I can’t remember when I have shed so many tears for so long a time in my life. The scene that touched me the deepest was near the middle, where Jesus played along the seashore with a group of happy children, clapping his hands and smiling kindly, and even shedding a few tears as he surveyed the clean and trusting hearts of God’s most beautiful creatures. Johnny narrated the above Scripture and then sang while in the background as Jesus and the kids splashed and ran in the water with such joy. I found this scene on YouTube, so you can see for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3RNg_YdDkw

As I write this, it is Easter Sunday and I can’t help but stay choked up, playing that scene over and over in my mind. The hope of Easter, which has hit me harder this year than ever, is for me that Jesus suffered and died on a cross two thousand years ago and then came out of the tomb on the third day, destroying the power of sin and death so that we would be free to become as children once again, and again, and again if necessary, with clean and trusting hearts, that Jesus would joyfully receive unto himself with a tear in his eye and a loving, fatherly smile, saying, “Welcome home.” So go forth as little children and receive the kingdom of God, because Jesus has set you free. See you next time.