In the early 90’s (ya, ya, I’m dating myself) I really started to get into the music of Eric Clapton. He had been a guitar legend for many years. But in the 90s he came out with a record titled ‘unplugged’. Clapton took a bunch of his songs, stripped them down, and performed them acoustically. Tears in heaven might’ve been my favourite, plus a few other blues tunes he did. This was part of a wider movement of artists who began recording and performing their songs with less tracks, less effects, less noise, and simple arrangements and instrumentation. Some people might say that when we hear a song ‘unplugged’ we get to the heart of the song a little more. It allows the song to breathe.
Last week we started a series that could’ve easily been called UNPLUGGED. Instead we called it NAKED. A little more edgy, I know, but it really communicates something. We want to strip down to what’s important, to the heart of what the church is, and also what has brought the church to this point in history.
Last week we talked about The TABLE. The communion table, Eucharist. We were reminded that this table is set before us to remember Jesus sacrifice, but it’s also here to be an example to the world of a better way, a way of unity, and grace, and hospitality. (check out our recap online)
This week we talk about another essential, using another image. Well, two images if you will – a microphone and a towel. These two things together help us understand why worship is essential to the church’s past, present and future.
What do I mean when I say worship? Well…it means different things for different people.
for some it’s tradition
for some it’s music, singing, and creative production
for some it’s liturgy
for some it’s all about the TABLE
for some it’s not about any of these things, instead it’s only about what they do in the world, every day, to make difference in the things they touch.
Honestly, it’s all these things and more.
Know this…
To worship is human
To give something worth is at the core of how we make decisions
To acknowledge that you value or love something is at the heart of our personalities and humanness
You might say it like this, “You are what you love” “You are what you value” “You are what you worship”
Think about this: If we are what we love and we love what we worship, than we are what we worship! That might change the conversation for you?
Through out biblical history and through out church history, worship has been and continues to be, an essential. Worship happens through song, liturgy, prayers, action, serving, hospitality, and really through everything we do. At its core, worship is what we give value to, what we view as God in our life, who or what we bow to or give our time to or invest our money in.
We get started in the OT with a certain kind of language or narrative.
There is a constant comparison of GOD vs gods. Will you worship Yahweh, the living God or some small ‘g’ god that is as good as dead? The language is plain and simple, black and white at times.
God, Israel’s God, is ALIVE. Other gods are, well, dead. ONE can help, heal, deliver, protect, provide, be present, etc. The ‘others’…they can’t do any of those things.
We get one of our first glimpses into this, in Exodus 20, (part of the 10 commandments) You will have no other God before me. Exodus 34:14 says this, “Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” Jealous is a relational term. We see this kind of language in many of the prophets. (Almost like God is telling Israel to be a one man woman)
What we also read from the OT writers is a comparison of a God who made us and god(s) who we made. See the difference? One made us, the others were made by us!
Another prominent theme in the OT is that worship is not just about what you say, or sing or read or pray, but where your heart is found.
“These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is based on merely human rules they have been taught. (Isa 29)
Not just lips, but life / Not just words, but heart / Not just acknowledgement, but action
So even early in the biblical narrative, worship is not only important, but it’s bigger and broader than most people understand it to be.
Worship asks us the big question? What do you value, what do you deem worthy of your attention, your feelings, your time, your heart? What or who is it that you love? Because we are what we love – and therefore, we are what we worship. (this is a discussion all on it’s own)
The N.T. story around worship…
As usual, Jesus expands, and brings to completion, what the O.T. started. We’re only going to look at one place, Mark 12. Jesus is asked by Pharisees and Religious teachers, what is the most important of all the commandments (613 of them)? This is how he responds…
(quoting both Deuteronomy & Leviticus)
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (29-31)
Have you ever thought about what you’d do if your home as on fire? What would you take, if you could take anything? What would you grab as you escaped?
children (of course)
wallet, computer, passport, will (wise)
your favourite watch (if you have time)
one guitar…or two…or 3 (I leave one my the entrance in case)
These things are more valuable than furniture, TVs and clothing. Right? By identifying those things, you discover where you priorities lie.
This question Jesus is asked, even though it’s about commandments or laws, is really about worship.
3 things about this text that helps us understand worship a little more…
Acknowledge God
Love God
Love others
Jesus says, essentially, I’m going unplug the loud speakers and the remove the layers. I’m going to strip away the stuff that doesn’t mean as much. Here’s the bottom line. Worship is about recognizing who God is, Loving him, and loving the people he created.
If it ever becomes about more or less than that, we have it wrong.
Jesus teaches us the posture of worship:
ONE hand UP ONE hand OUT
Worship is never about a place (church building) and position or pizzazz, it’s about posture!
Remember…if we are what we love and we love what we worship, than we are what we worship!
TAKE HOME:
So why do we sing songs then? Together? in gatherings all around the world? Well, there is some biblical evidence and inspiration for that, but let’s look at a cultural reason.
If you’ve watched the movie La La Land, you may have noticed that there is one song that is prominent through out. The movie starts with a broadway-esque version, loud, lots of people, lots of instruments. However, through out the movie, you here many different versions of the same song. Soft, slow, simple, jazz trio, just piano, just melody. Why? The writers are bringing us back to the theme of the movie. The song, repeated, reminds the audience of the main story, intertwined, weaved through, the many scenes of the movie.
That’s why we sing songs on Sunday. They bring us back to the story of Jesus. And give us a vehicle/instrument to worship – to say, God, you’re my God, and I won’t let other ‘g’ods take my attention.
But of course, worship doesn’t only happen in song, but with life and action and everyday stuff. Sing to God & Serve your neighbour. That’s the fulness of what it means to worship!
Worship…
Reflects (the story of Jesus)
Reminds (us of his love and grace)
Rejects (the ‘g’ods in our world)
Renews (our hearts and minds)
Restores (our brokenness)
Announces (the gospel story, the biblical narrative that leads us to Jesus, who said, to Love God fully, and Love our neighbour as we love ourself)
We are entering a season of layers. Clothing layers that is. When the cooler weather rolls in we begin to think about what else to put on, what else to wear, instead of simple shorts and t-shirt. Like me, you probably know some die hards who will wear their shorts all year round. You know the ones…you see them taking out the garbage in the middle of winter with flip flops on. I get it, to some degree, because it’s just easier to think about when getting dressed. Other than the essentials that we wear, everything else is layers. Layer uponlayer.
The local church, at times, may have gotten caught up in the layers, and by doing so, it’s easy to forget about the essentials. Nothing is wrong with layers, both in our wardrobe and in our churches, but let’s not forget what keeps us snug and kept together.
For the next few weeks we’ll be talking about the Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, and Calvin Klein of the local church. I love the layers we creatively add to advance the gospel, but whe
n it comes down to it, there are a few essentials…it’s those things that we’ll be stripping down to and talking about.
The Table / Microphone / Coles Notes / Bull Horn. I know, they don’t sound foundational, but they are.
First up. The Table.
We all love what cell phones do, don’t we. We appreciate the time they save us and the tools they offer. But one thing they also do is take us away from spending quality time with people. If you’re not careful, when out with friends, you may spend as much or more time on your smart phone than you do with actual living and breathing people. We have a little rule in our family and home. When we get to the kitchen table we are not allowed to have any cell phones within reach. If we sit down and they’re in our pocket, we have to get up and place it somewhere out of reach. Why? Here’s why – The Table is where people come together.
Depending on where you come from, you may have fond memories of your kitchen table…or you may want to forget the experiences around that table or the lack thereof. It’s intention, if used well, is for those who live in a home to come together and share a meal.
If you’ve skimmed through the scriptures you’ve noticed that food, meals, banquets, and tables are very important to the biblical narrative. They are metaphors for community, faith sharing, friendship, grace, and with the Lord’s supper, sacrifice. The prodigal son’s story ends with a banquet. Jesus invites us to a big dinner party. Jesus is accused of eating with sinners, and his final act with his disciples is a meal.
I’d like us to look at two places. One very quickly, and the other a little more in depth.
In Luke 24:30-32, after his resurrection, Jesus sits with his disciples, who still don’t recognize him. This is what we read…
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him,and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
My favourite thing about this story is that when Jesus breaks the bread, they recognize him. When he prepares the food, they see him, when they sit at the table, ready to eat, they realize that He is in fact, Jesus, their resurrected friend and saviour.
Why is the table so essential? Because at the table is where we see Jesus…for who he is…for what he’s done, for what he can still do, in and through us. It’s also at the Table, where we can truly see each other and be in community with others.
By the Table, we’re talking about communion, the Lord’s supper, Eucharist.
It’s Paul who brings light to how powerful and significant the Lord’s supper is. The scripture we read almost every time we share wine & bread is found in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. It’s here that Paul recalls Jesus’ words from the last supper…
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Paul tells us that he received this from Jesus, and he’s passing it on to us. It’s a moment that Jesus wanted us to remember, and also repeat. Of all the things Jesus chooses for us to remember him by, it’s a meal…something we eat around a table…food. He could’ve said something impressive or mystical…or spiritual. But that’s the beauty of this…it’s so simple.
Jesus picks the most ordinary of acts and ordinary of foods: Bread & Wine. Simple, yet significant.
We are reminded of Jesus gift to us – his life and his death. His love and his sacrifice.
How do we remember this gift? By receiving a meal and by gathering around a table and by doing it on a regular basis…so we don’t forget.
But what about the parts of this text we don’t read too often? (11:17-22)
In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good.In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat,for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk.Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!
Before Paul gets to Jesus’ words, he shares his concern with the Corinthians. Tough words. I have no praise for you / You’re doing more harm than good / Divisions / verse 19 is a sarcastic phrase “You’ll wanna make sure the important people stand out” (NTW)
He’s saying that if this is your attitude when you come together, when you receive the Lord’s meal, then it’s not the Lord’s meal you’re eating!!!
This is how vital and central this meal was to our faith and to the church – they had to get it right!!!
Paul continues to share his concerns…if you’re not going to share, you might as well be eating alone…somebody is hungry and another is full.
Know that Paul is also referring to the larger meal that surrounded the Eucharist meal. There was lots of food at this meal…potluck style, but the problem is they weren’t sharing. Not good. Not right. Not reflecting of what this meal is about.
As much as communion is about remembering & proclaiming Jesus’ death, it is also about being grateful and treating others as yourself. Eucharist, after all, means thanksgiving.
The Lord’s table must always be a place where the playing felid is levelled! Bringing rich & poor together, not to mention other diverse people!
Here are a few things we wanna take home…
Did you notice a few years back that Starbucks introduced a community table in their cafes? They intentionally removed some of the small, mostly two-person tables and added a table that fits 6, 8, or 10 people. Why? They wanted to encourage community. They figured that people are in need of community, and they would at least make an attempt to fill that need. Every time I see one of those tables I’m reminded of the Kingdom of Heaven. I wanna be one of those people who identify’s Kingdom values in everyday spaces. Big Tables filled with people are one of them!
Why is a TABLE essential in our understanding of the church?
– a table isn’t a structure that keeps people out, but a space that invites people in
– tables are welcoming
– tables are inviting
– tables are communal
– tables are for family…or friends who feel like family…or people who end up feeling like family after sitting at a table together for a while…
– THE WORLD needs this TABLE as much today as it ever does…
&
– the communion table reflects and projects: thanksgiving, community, faith, sacrifice, love, openness, hope, food, joy, satisfaction, …
So when you strip away the layers, this table, the Lord’s table, is one of our essentials that we can’t live without.
Summer is passing us by. This always seems to be the case of course. We are
surprised by July, shocked by August and sad with the thought of September. Why is
it that summer feels like it flies by so fast? Before you know it, we’re putting the
heat on in our homes and apartments.
You may remember that we warned you about this earlier in June. We identified two
kinds of people, those who plan their summer and those who let their summer just
happen. We encouraged you to focus on two words this summer, kindness &
hospitality. How have you been doing with your homework? Have you been
intentionally kind? Have you looked for people who are in need of your kindness, a
neighbour, a friend, a barista at Starbucks or Tim Hortons? Kindness makes the
world better, and it makes us better too. How about hospitality? Have you had
someone over yet? Have you met someone for coffee or lunch and intentionally paid
for their meal? Have you accepted an invite to go to a neighbour’s house?
Hospitality goes both ways, opening your door is obvious, but walking in other
people’s homes can also be apart of the equation. (In light of recent events in Charlottesville, are these two words not more important than ever)
In July we walked and talked through 3 films: Arrival, Hidden Figures and The
Shack. We heard so much positive feedback about our Sunday conversations in July.
I think, no matter how much we believe that God is in the middle of culture, we still
have a hard time seeing him there. Making films the focus of our conversation
hopefully highlighted our God-bearing image, discovering that even on the big
screen, we can discover the values of the kingdom of heaven. The goal of that series
was simple, let’s celebrate kingdom values wherever we may discover them. Don’t
let it stop there, live them out loudly so that light overcomes darkness.
Here’s a refresher about church@home and why we do it.
-You’ve figured out by now that we do things differently in August. As we describe
this to friends in other churches, they quickly see that we aren’t just closing shop for
a month, but intentionally altering our schedules to better our church community
-Volunteers are our most valuable asset. We are fooled to think that buildings
or equipment are valuable. Nope, it’s people – people are valuable. In August
we give our volunteers a break from serving so that when September arrives,
and it’s coming, we can hit the road running
-We are community no matter where or how we meet. Try and make it to one
or more of our gathering points, house or café, it’s great to be together in a
more casual, yet still intentional way
-We’re still learning. Our video series is available for you to view online
through out the month. Know that we’ll be watching the last one together on
September 10 (so don’t go too far ahead)
-Finally – REST. We want you to rest, to take time with family and friends and
know that August is a great month to make that happen. So don’t let the
summer pass you by without seeing the people you wanna see and resting
your body and mind. September and October will feel a whole lot better if
you’re well rested.
We are looking forward to a wonderful fall season. September to December will be
full and exciting. Be praying now about who you might to invite to The Village this
season. Pray about it, and make the ask. Who knows what God will do! Here are some
things to be looking forward to! Our 5th anniversary, Fall series, Christa Hesselink
speaking in November, Small groups, Alpha, Kids & Students ministry, plus more!
Let’s keep becoming people who are known for two things: Loving God & Loving
Others. This is what makes the world better.
August is here and that means that our summer and Church@Home series is starting in just a few days. Click below to download the discussion questions or this week’s audio file to listen on the go! Your site host will have the video and discussion question printed in case you didn’t get a chance to review them before your gathering!
I gotta say, if you’re a fan of Motown music, music with soul, Miles Davis/Chet Baker style jazz, and Pharrell Williams, you will absolutely love the music in this music. (had to get that in first)
This movie is set in the 60’s in Virginia. It’s about Nasa’s first and second mission into space. Some might watch it and focus on accomplishments of Nasa, and they wouldn’t be wrong, because of the historical characters in the movie also celebrated the accomplishments of Nasa and the journey into space that they were a part of. But this movie is about so much more than that.
Three woman: Mary, Dorothy, and Katherine. They all worked in the computing department of Nasa. That might confuse some of you. It wasn’t the IT department…they were the computers…doing math and figuring out equations…all for the purpose of getting spaceships into orbit. This was common in Nasa, but also earlier in places like Harvard and companies that served the purpose of WW2.
These woman are real people who served their country and communities in a season of the worst segregation we’ve seen.
Each woman had their forte:
Dorthy was mechanically inclined and good with early computer programming
Mary had an engineering mind
Katherine was the true math wizard
They were all trailblazers of sorts…and all played such amazing roles in this story.
Dorthy worked her way into a supervisor role and became the first African American to become a supervisor at Nasa. Mary worked around a broken system to get her credentials to finally become an engineer. It didn’t come without hard work and lots of courage. Katherine was the only woman (and African American) in the launch team math room, and became the most important person in that team.
Each woman makes a difference. Each woman breaks boundaries. Each woman doesn’t let circumstances hold her back. Each woman doesn’t accept the limits society unjustly puts on her, instead push through to leave their mark and make their dent on society. (TRAILER)
What are the themes that really stood out to me? What parts of the story speak to truth?
One huge take home for me is right in the title. Hidden figures…those within the cracks…the un-usual suspects contribute as much to the story as those who are in the spot light.
In the public, who got all the attention and credit? The Astronaut. No one is knocking him for that either.
There’s an amazing scene where the Astronaut will not board the spacecraft unless he knows that the numbers, the math, the equations that assured launch and landing, was confirmed by Katherine. She’s a computer…in a math room…using chalk to draw and write…BUT he won’t board, with out her.
Something we can take from the narrative of scripture is this truth: You don’t have to be the leader, the point person, the singer, the speaker, in the lime light, on the stage, or in front to make a difference – YOU can be hidden and still change the world. You can be HIDDEN and still change your and others circumstances. This doesn’t excuse the injustice of those who think of themselves as better, but it does help those who may feel hidden or slighted to move forward anyways, with confidence.
So many come characters come to mind, but for this movie, I think Ruth may fit best.
The OT book of Ruth:
it’s about a mother, Naomi, who lost her husband and sons to death.
She’s left with two daughter in laws
One of them, Ruth, insists on staying with her, even though Naomi wants her to return to her people.
Ruth was not an Israelite. She was from Moab.
Ruth worked hard in a Boaz’s field. She proved herself and was known as a woman of noble character.
Boaz takes Ruth to be his wife. They have a son. Obed. Who who father’s a boy named Jesse, who father’s a boy named David, King David.
Fast forward to Matthew’s gospel. Ruth is found in the genealogy of Jesus. Another woman is found there – Rahab. Unlike Ruth, Rahab was a prostitute, like Ruth, she chose well and helped God’s people. Both of them are included as figures who become part of the grand story of salvation. Both could’ve easily been hidden from the records, one for being a Moabite, the other for being a prostitute. In the story of Jesus, even the hidden figures are recognized for their contribution.
Which leads us to our next take home…We all Play a Part…we all contribute…at least we all should.
Every single person in Nasa played a part in getting the first Astronaut into space – The Math team, the computers, the secretaries, everybody.
Why is it that in 2017 we still can’t figure out that every gift and skill we offer the world is a contribution to the greater whole?
If there’s any place that should understand this better, it’s the church. (Body theology / Body of Christ / Spiritual Gifts / We all play a part)
I’ve saved this for last. What an unfortunate reminder that our past, and our present is filled with discrimination, segregation, racism, injustice, etc. That said, this movie is also a beautiful reminder that we, as humans, are all the same. That we should love our neighbour as our self. That we must know deep in our hearts, that every one we meet eyes with matters to God, and therefore, matters to us.
(Watch these scenes: THIS & THIS)
This is of course the biggest take away from this film, that our past is stained by how people have been treated by other people. That we can’t seem to get past even the simplest of differences. That we can’t appreciate others for who they are and what they contribute to the world we live in. And finally, and thankfully, that there are courageous men and women who have stepped up to make a difference.
Two of my favourite parts of the movie are when Mr. Harrison (Kevin Costner) walks over to the small coffee pot and removes the label (coloured) on it, and then when he breaks down the sign to the coloured washroom and says, “at Nasa we all pee the same colour”.
Jesus came to remove the label(s)…
the label of sin
the label of doubt
the label of fear
the label that others put on us
God’s label for us is – CHILD & FRIEND
Jesus’ label for us is – ONE (we are community in him)
When are we going to stop putting labels on people? That’s not our job. Only God has that job. He does it well. Let him do it. If you’re going do it, then borrow from his practice and offer labels that encourage, and inspire and build up, not diminish, hurt or tear down.
If anyone should get this…it has to be the church. Our communion table levels the playing field…we are ONE in Jesus.
We are so thankful to woman like these who showed courage and dignity and brought us closer to a better understanding of what it means to be a human being who bears God’s image. In the same light, forgive those (perhaps us) who have been too stubborn and ignorant (and sinful) to see or live out the values of God’s kingdom by loving our neighbour as our self.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
There is so much more to say, but this post will not allow it. Hopefully we’ve spurred on some dialogue and questions for you to work through. Below are some other scriptures to read and work through.
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Romans 2:11For God does not show favoritism. Galatians 2:6 As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism… Ephesians 6:9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. James 2:1-9My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in.If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,”have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong? If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
What if you could see the future? What if you knew what was coming in 5, 10, or 15 years? You knew the joy around the corner, but you also knew the pain that was waiting for you?
This is the gift Dr. Louise Banks was given. Unless of course you view it as a curse. To each there own I guess.
For the next 3 posts we will be using Movies as our context and seeing if we can discover truth on the Big Screen. Our first movie –Arrival.
To be honest, I’m not a SCi-Fi fan. I definitely don’t read sci-fi for fun. But this movie was drawing me in. I had heard many good things about it, and then a certain friend told me that I had no choice but to watch it. So…I did. It was pretty clear that it would make the cut for this series. There was so much going on in this script.
What is it about?
It starts with the main character, Louise, having what look to be flashbacks. The scene quickly changes to what the gist of this movie will be about, Aliens visiting planet earth. 12 different space ships with two Aliens in each of the ships have arrived.
Louise is a linguistics professor who is called on to learn and decipher the Alien’s language. She’s joined by a Physicist (Ian Donnelly). They are the only two people who really make any progress in understanding what these Aliens (Heptapods) were trying to communicate to the world. After much work and hours of looking at their written language, Louise and Ian have some major breakthroughs – they are beginning to understand each other.
While this is going on, Louise is having, what we think to be flashbacks, but what is becoming increasingly clear are actually visions of her future. These visions are so real, she is experiencing the future like it’s happening in the present. Her contact with the Heptapods have given her a gift to look into the future – more than that, to experience time like it’s all before her, no past or future.
The US army, who is organizing all this work and mission, are tempted to do what governments normally do, blow things up. It seems like violence is always the first response in any tense situation. This is the case here as well. However, with the help of Louise and Ian, the governments of the world avoid a war against these Aliens, who are in the end, peaceful.
Arrival is essentially a Sci-Fi movie about a linguistic professor who defies the government, while passionately and skilfully working to understand this Alien presence…always working on the basis that you can’t come to any full conclusions about your enemies and those who are different than you are, without fully seeing them for who they are and what they are actually trying to communicate.
When you come to think about it, this idea and method could work well in any area of conflict resolution.
What are the themes that really stood out to me? What parts of the story speak to truth?
Language…
Ian quotes Louise in their first conversation, “Language is the foundation of any civilization…it’s the glue that holds people together. It is the first weapon drawn in any conflict”
In their first crack at the problem, Ian throws his scientific approach into the ring. Louise responds with, “How about we talk to them before throwing math problems at them.
What drew me most to this story was Louise’s undeterred drive to ‘UNDERSTAND’
– how can one ever make a conclusive decision on someone else until they really understand who they are and what they’re attempting to say.
– Language is so key in conflict resolution
We are often tempted to understand something quickly without really understanding something fully.
A theme that has resonated with me, when it comes to understanding and working through our human differences, while at the same time trying to convey the good news, are found in these two words, GENTLENESS & RESPECT. (1 Peter 3:15) As people who follow Jesus, we have got to be the better person, the one who actually attempts to understand where our neighbour is coming from, who they are, why they may act in the way they do. Maybe that’s why this part of the story impacted me so much.
Also worth noting: The comparison of Genesis 11 & Acts 2. In Genesis 11, different languages confused and divided people, in Acts 2, with the Spirit’s empowerment, languages actually brought people together. The good news was to be shared with all people and all languages.
Response & Reaction to conflict or differences…
Why is it that so often our first response to conflict is violence.
“He pulls a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of your guys to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue.“ (Untouchables, Jimmy Malone & Elliot Ness)
This theme seems to to come around a lot doesn’t it? Why can’t peace be our first option?
As a follower of Jesus, I want to do my best to be a Peace Maker…a person of peace. The argument is always, what if this happens, and what about this scenario, but can’t we at least be people who think PEACE first, not SHOOT first?
(movie quote) “If all I ever gave you was a hammer??? Then everything is a nail.”
Louise, in one of the final scenes, goes into the Alien ship, to be in close proximity with the Aliens. Here’s the thing: We often try and fix problems and conflicts from the outside, shoot from far away, attack from the outside, instead of taking a step closer and fully understanding our differences before discerning what the next steps are.
Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the…PEACE MAKERS… Ephesians 2:14-15 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace…
What if you could see the future?
Here’s the wildest theme of this movie. If you could see the future, if you could see the JOY and the PAIN, would you still walk into it knowing that Joy & Pain will go hand in hand?
Would you say NO to the potential joy, because you want to avoid the pain?
Would you say NO to love because you want to avoid the struggle.
Louise has to make a choice. She can continue to walk into her future, knowing full well what it will be, or she can walk another direction and avoid the hurt she sees on the horizon. If she does, she’ll also miss out on the Joy. The indication is that she embraces the future, JOY & PAIN.
But what would you do?
Here’s where the gospel story might connect the most. Who is one person who knew how things would turn out, knew the pain that came with his mission, knew the struggle that he’d face in the future, but still chose love and relationship and community?
God the Father & Jesus the Son.
God knew that Jesus would suffer…and he knew that humans would disappoint, but he chooses to experience it anyway.
Costello, one of the two aliens in the ship, who had the gift of foreknowledge and seeing the future was injured and eventually dies. Even though he knew his future, knowing the pain and struggle awaiting him on earth, he comes anyways, to help, to save – sounds a little (or a lot) like Jesus.
God makes his choice. He chooses me. He chooses you. He comes, through Jesus, and speaks our language. He comes, through Jesus, to reconcile us to him (not push us further away).
If nothing else about this movie moves you, I hope these final words do.
Arrival is a fictional story, about aliens and humans, about conflict and peace, about language and understanding, about love and pain. How much can you take away from a story like this?
Next time you’re in a theatre or watching a movie on TV, look a little deeper, who knows what you’ll stumble on.
In the early 90’s (ya, ya, I’m dating myself) I really started to get into the music of Eric Clapton. He had been a guitar legend for many years. But in the 90s he came out with a record titled ‘unplugged’. Clapton took a bunch of his songs, stripped them down, and performed them acoustically. Tears in heaven might’ve been my favourite, plus a few other blues tunes he did. This was part of a wider movement of artists who began recording and performing their songs with less tracks, less effects, less noise, and simple arrangements and instrumentation. Some people might say that when we hear a song ‘unplugged’ we get to the heart of the song a little more. It allows the song to breathe.
Last week we talked about The TABLE. The communion table, Eucharist. We were reminded that this table is set before us to remember Jesus sacrifice, but it’s also here to be an example to the world of a better way, a way of unity, and grace, and hospitality. (check out our recap online)
For the next few weeks we’ll be talking about the Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, and Calvin Klein of the local church. I love the layers we creatively add to advance the gospel, but whe
What if you could see the future? What if you knew what was coming in 5, 10, or 15 years? You knew the joy around the corner, but you also knew the pain that was waiting for you?
What drew me most to this story was Louise’s undeterred drive to ‘UNDERSTAND’