Our new intern recently asked me a very interesting question: “How do you explain to imperfect people (who believe there is nothing wrong with them) living in an imperfect world about Someone who is perfect?” Our intern also stated that many people in the church (lay leaders as well as those in the congregation) do not seem to understand that they are imperfect and need more than simply a religion. They need Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit working within them.
This thought intrigued me, so I began mulling over what our intern had said. I asked God to reveal to me how we as Christ followers can reveal to our neighbors – both inside and outside the church – that we are imperfect people living in an imperfect world. I also asked God to help me show others that the solution for this state is found in Jesus Christ.
As I continue to wrestle with this issue of recognizing and turning from our sinful state, I discovered an illustration of this challenge that we face.
As I pondered the issue, I watched the movie trailer for “Daybreakers,” starring Ethan Hawke. This may sound weird, but I had always been drawn to this movie trailer; now I think I know why. I have only seen the preview, and I am not a huge fan of vampire movies. However, the storyline that I understood from the preview is that being a vampire is normal, but being a human means that you are an outcast. Vampires hunt humans and harvest them for their blood. The vampires put a human into a machine as a “battery” and suck the human's blood over a long period of time. Thus, humans live their lives in this battery-like state and then die.
However, it is clear from the trailer that Ethan Hawke's character runs into some humans that have found a cure to transform vampires into humans again. Ethan’s character asks them, “Who are you?” The human character played by William Defoe says, “We’re the folks with the crossbows.”
The humans want to help the vampires become human again. Ethan’s character (who is a vampire) wants to tell the vampire world about this cure, but his boss and some in the vampire community care nothing for a cure. Ethan’s character says, “I found a cure; I can change you back.” His boss responds, “What’s to cure?” Some vampires want the cure but many think nothing is wrong with them. All they have known is their vampire state. In other words, they may believe, “This is how I was born,” or, “This is just how I am.”
After thinking about their perception of their life, I realized how relevant it was to my conversation with our intern. I believe it is a picture of the spiritual battle that we fight.
The humans with the cure stated, “We are the folks with the crossbows.” As Christians, we carry the spiritual “crossbows.” We have the Cure for the deception that ails the human race. The Cure's name is Jesus Christ, who lived, died on the cross, and rose again. He IS the answer (read John 14:6-7). As Christ-followers, we need to point people to the cross and to life in Christ. We need to share the truth with others – that we are sinful people in need of transformation through Jesus Christ. Many people will not understand or will reject the truth. A few will listen and accept the Cure. Once that happens, the healing and deprogramming process begins – discipleship.
Read Hebrews 3:7–19, paying close attention to verses 12–14.
Follow Christ in everything you are and do. It is time for all Christ-followers to hear and obey God’s leading.
1 comments:
So many things are accepted in this culture. Anything and everything seem to be fine except for a humble heart that seeks out the Lord. That must be rubbed out at all costs! It is too politically incorrect to humble yourself before the God of your salvation.
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