My spoiler-free review of "Avengers: Endgame"

It is unusual for me to see a movie on the opening day of its release, but today I had the wonderful opportunity to do so; I viewed the new film Avengers: Endgame.  It was very good!  I thought I would present my thoughts by asking and answering some questions you may have about it.

How many of the other Marvel movies do you need to see prior to this one?  The Marvel Cinematic Universe (or MCU) has been going strong since 2008 with the film Iron-Man.  There are now a whopping 22 films.  Do you have to view them all?  No, but I say you’ll have to see these: the aforementioned Iron-Man (2008); Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and the sequel Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014); also The Avengers (2012) and its follow-up Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015); Captain America: Civil War (2016); and Thor: Ragnarok (2017).

It is true that viewing other Marvel films will aid in the enjoyment, but as I see it, if you see last year’s Avengers: Infinity War, you’ll be familiar with a lot of the characters and the context.  Furthermore, the dialogue does an adequate job of explaining most of the plot points from prior films that the uninformed may not know.  I still haven’t seen movies like Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, or Captain Marvel and I was able to keep up (although differentiating between Marvel’s Captain Marvel and her DC counterpart Shazam – who used to be called Captain Marvel – was an item I had to thoroughly research; that’s a blog for another day).

Is Endgame too long?  It’s a 3 hour movie, but the pace and story is so good that it felt like it was only an hour and a half.  I say it is the perfect length.  Does Endgame have some troubling aspects to it?  It does.  I could mention a few things, but for just one example, I’ll bring up that there is much more foul language than is necessary.  I’m not a prude, but in one scene, they use a certain cuss word for comedic effect; the film has many humorous moments, but that wasn’t one of them.

One last question: Does Endgame end well?  Being careful not to reveal any spoilers, I will say that this film has a very good ending (and yes, in case you were wondering, I did cry).  Sometimes I feel like the word “epic” is way overused, but the ending is truly epic in every sense of the word.  The Marvel movies are sure to continue, but if they wanted to end on this note, I think every Marvel moviegoer would be satisfied with the way things were resolved.

 

Kevin

Celebrating an important part of my story

It’s interesting to watch a parent with their young child; when someone gives them a gift, they ask their son or daughter, “Now, what do you say?”  And the expected response is a “thank you.”  In time, the hope is that the habit forms in the child’s life and when they are given a present, they respond with a genuine statement of thanks.  But more than this, the parent hopes that the child will learn how important it is to have gratitude.  This day I want to express my deep gratitude and thankfulness to my Heavenly Father for the gift of life.

If you don’t know the story, it was on this day, back in 1982, when I was healed from a ruthless and terrible disease.  I was only a baby at the time, but it looked as if I wasn’t going to live to celebrate my first birthday.  But God, in His mercy, grace, and kindness chose to give me the gift of life.  He chose to completely heal me from the disease.  God gave me, to quote from the song my parents wrote about the event, “a future, to walk, talk and run.”  This amazing occurrence is an important part of my life story.  Today, I just wanted to stop and publicly thank the Lord.

To aid me in this, I want to quote from Rebecca St. James’ song I thank You.  She sings, “There was a time when I felt alone and afraid, but You came close to me and I’m forever changed…I thank You; You’ve given me Your all, and I will never be alone.  I thank You; You never stopped loving me…Your love is so amazing; beyond compare.  And now I can’t imagine life without You there.  For You have healed my spirit; I’m resting in Your loving care.  Something stirred inside me; something I just can’t deny.  For you have healed my spirit; Your mercy has restored my life.”

Time seems to move so quickly.  I’m almost 38 years old now.  I am passionate about using my days to point others to an amazing God.  He alone deserves all the honor, glory, and praise, not me.  It’s not about me; it’s all about Him.  If you want to read an enjoyable book, I commend Chris Tomlin’s book The Way I was Made to you.  In the beginning chapter, he writes, “You were made for more than this world sells.  All this world has to offer – no matter how appealing it is at the time – is temporary.  It leaves us still hungry, wanting more, because we were made for something greater.  We were created to shine the spotlight on God – to spread the fame of God everywhere we go.”  Amen and amen!

Kevin

The brevity and fragility of life

Sri Lanka is the grip of anguish, sadness, and despair today in the wake of a series of bombings that killed hundreds yesterday – the last death count I heard was 290.  When you lose someone you love to the here-after as I have, you quickly learn - to quote a character from the TV show The Flash - that you are a member of an exclusive club.  What the character meant by that is when you hear about incidents of loss, from experience, you already have a taste of the pain that the survivors must be feeling.  I certainly understand the intense grief that is present in hundreds of hearts as I compose these words; and frankly, this knowledge is weighing heavily on my own heart.

I was already planning to write about the brevity and fragility of life and then this terrible atrocity in Sri Lanka occurred.  I was going to acknowledge that, two days ago, the nation commemorated the 20-year anniversary of a mass shooting at Columbine High School – right here in Colorado where I reside. 13 people died.  I read a heart-wrenching article about the family and friends of those lost that day, who reflected on their lives 20 years later.  One person soberly noted, “I feel like we have come so far in so many ways, yet we’re still stuck in the same spot.  I never imagined that we would be where we’re at right now, where there are so many mass shootings that we can’t even keep up” (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/columbine-school-shooting-20-years-later-victims-families-reflect-what-n992536).

Of course, the brevity and fragility of life doesn’t always involve violence.  I think of how Pastor Rick Ferguson passed away, at the age of 46, because of a car accident.  I notice the signs on the road honoring the memory of young boys and girls who lost their lives because of a drunk driver (to say nothing of the dangers of texting and driving).  I think of men like my dad, who you would never predict was about to pass away because they are active, healthy, and physically fit.  And yet, I’ve heard dozens of stories of this happening.

A few weeks ago, I was in a church service where the pastor made a statement that gripped me and has subsequently been riveted to my heart.  He said, “God’s gift of salvation is a limited time offer.”  Why?  He went on to describe what I’ve brought up: the brevity and fragility of life.  Rebecca St. James once declared, “God is saying, ‘Even though, you’ve sinned against Me your entire lifetime, I offer you forgiveness.  I offer you the most profound healing you can ever experience…I encourage you, if you feel God’s tug on your heart, don’t put it off; because we don’t know how long we have on this Earth.”

I can imagine someone reading this, and angrily branding me as insensitive and conniving to mention these emotional subjects and then begin to speak of Jesus and salvation.  Please understand I’m not being frivolous or uncaring.  Trust me, if anyone felt the raw, visceral emotions of today’s content, I did.  To be transparent with you, a part of me didn’t even want to write this particular blog to begin with.  But someone needs to speak the truth, and speak it in love.  If you are still on the fence, I appeal to you to choose to say yes to Jesus.  The Bible says, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”    

Kevin

"Shout it out, Jesus is alive!"

I was musing on the film The Passion of the Christ.  Do you remember the very end of the movie?  After the events of the crucifixion and burial, there was a black screen, and it seemed as the end credits were going to start rolling.  Instead, one last scene showed the truth: Jesus was no longer dead!  He got up, and walked out of His tomb!  Roger Carswell in his fine work What is a Christian? states, “The only biography of anyone that does not end with death and burial is Jesus’.  He did something no religious or political leader could ever do, because He is the God-man.”

The disciples were in the throes of being grief-stricken and heartbroken over the unexpected loss of their leader on a cross.  But Jesus showed up in their midst; as Luke records it “for forty days after His death He appeared to them many times in ways that proved beyond doubt that He was alive” (Acts 1:3; GNT).  In time, Jesus ascended to Heaven, but not before commissioning them to spread the truth of who Jesus is, and what He did (Acts 1:8).  They did just that.  Even though, as a result of this, they were persecuted, arrested, threatened, and eventually all of them were martyred (except for John, who was exiled to an island; see Revelation 1:9).

This special day really is, as I heard a worship leader once put it, "Super Bowl Sunday" for Christians.  And yet, I'm sure that somebody is reading these words, and you’ve inwardly wondered (and perhaps you’ve even expressed it verbally) why the resurrection of Jesus is so important.  There are several answers.  But for the sake of brevity today, let me give two reasons that you can begin to chew on.  Reason one is because the resurrection validates that Jesus isn’t just a mere man; He is God.

  

In John 11, Jesus declares, “I am the resurrection and the life.”  These words are so familiar to many of us that they don’t hit us like they should.  “I am the resurrection and the life” isn’t something a normal person says, and if they did, they would be in serious need of the help of a psychiatrist!  But Jesus, to the shock of everyone that day, backed up His words by giving life to a man (His friend Lazarus) who had been dead for four days.  In fact, it was that miraculous event that led the religious leaders to begin plotting to murder Jesus in the first place (verse 53).  And of course, Christ was eventually crucified.  But Jesus had already shown Himself to have power over death, an attribute that only God has.  By rising again, He demonstrated that He is not only fully human, but also fully divine.

Secondly, several Old Testament prophecies predict that the Messiah’s resurrection.  I really wish I could devote more space to this point; a lot of time could be spent here.  But to give just one example today, Psalm 16:10 says, “For you will not leave my soul among the dead; or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.”  This verse, in fact, is cited by the disciples in Acts 2.  The Apostle Paul also quotes it in Acts 13:35-37. “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren,” he said in verse 38, “that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all the things which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.”

I love the song Happy Day.  I love the celebratory mood of the song, as it proclaims the glorious Biblical truth of the resurrection of Jesus.  “The greatest day in history; death is beaten, You have rescued me.  Sing it out, Jesus is alive!  The empty cross, the empty tomb, life eternal, You have won the day.  Shout it out, Jesus is alive!  He’s alive.  Oh, happy day, happy day, You washed my sin away.  Oh, happy day, happy day, I’ll never be the same.  Forever I am changed.”

Kevin

The crucifixion aftermath

I recently watched a portion of a documentary on the final days of Jesus’ life.  While it was very interesting, there was a glaringly noticeable omission: at no point did the filmmakers give the faintest of hints about Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead.  In fact, the film seemed to assert that it was Jesus’ death that inspired the religion of Christianity.  I disagree.  In today’s blog, I want to lay out why I disagree with that idea.

First of all, make no mistake about it: Jesus was dead.  The notion of a ‘swoon theory’ which suggests that Jesus managed to survive the crucifixion is wrong.  The executioners at Calvary knew what they were doing; they wouldn’t make such a glaring mistake.  The Bible says that Jesus’ body being placed in a tomb is an essential aspect of the Gospel message (1 Corinthians 15:4).  Why is that?  One reason is because placing Him in a tomb indicates that His body really was limp and lifeless.  He was not just badly injured, only to appear to His disciples later, claiming to be resurrected.  No, a thousand times no.  He was dead.

Therefore, based on this, what was the mood of the disciples after Jesus’ crucifixion?  Did they high-five each other, so inspired by a heroic death that they subsequently went out and preached about the greatness of who Jesus was?  The answer is a clear and resounding no!  Actually, I don’t have to use my imagination on how they were feeling.  My life story includes unexpectedly losing a loved one to the icy waters of death.  It feels like someone has punched you in the stomach and you can barely breathe.  There's an intense pain, gripping sorrow, and profound loneliness; and it is so intense, you wonder if it will ever go away.  The disciples felt the same way, I'm sure.

Furthermore, going back to my Palm Sunday blog, these men misunderstood the nature of what Jesus was going to do.  They thought He was going to defeat the oppression they were under, and set up an Earthly kingdom.  Now that Jesus had been crucified, they thought it was all over.  In the booklet I quoted from last time Why Did Christ Have to Die? The author has this to say: “We are fortunate to be able to look back to the cross and see it in perspective.  The first disciples of Christ were not so privileged.  For them the crucifixion came as a terrible, heart-rending tragedy, their beloved Leader was dead.  Their hopes of a messianic kingdom had evaporated…Only later when Christ surprised them with His resurrected presence did the disciples begin to understand that the Old Testament pointed to a cross as well as to a kingdom.”

In conclusion, I’m not suggesting that the crucifixion of Jesus Christ isn’t important.  I think you know my views well enough to know that I wouldn’t say such a thing.  The death of Christ is very important.  But so is the resurrection of Christ.  You can’t have one without the other; they are two vital sides of the same coin.

Kevin 

"I'll cherish the old rugged cross"

Many people don’t know what to do with this day we call Good Friday.  Can you blame them?  After all, when you stop and think about it, the cross is, as the hymn Old Rugged Cross puts it, “An emblem of suffering and shame.”  Crucifixion was a barbaric, brutal, horrendous means of death.  Why then does the just-cited hymn say, “I’ll cherish the old rugged cross”?  The answer is you have to look deeper.  It’s not about the method of death that we Christians celebrate; it is the Man who died on that cross.  Jesus Christ gave His life, as He put it, to give His life “as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

I recently came across a helpful booklet from Discovery Series entitled Why Did Christ Have to Die?  At one point, the author writes, “This principle is illustrated by a story from American history.  In a tribe of Indians, someone was stealing chickens.  The chief declared that, if caught, the offender would receive 10 lashes.  When the stealing continued, he raised it to 20 lashes.  Still the chickens methodically disappeared.  In anger the chief raised the sentence to 100 lashes – a sure sentence of death.

The thief was finally caught.  But the chief faced a terrible dilemma.  The thief was his own mother!  When the day of penalty came, the whole tribe gathered.  Would the chief’s love override his justice?  The crowd gasped when he ordered his mother to be tied to the whipping post.  The chief removed his shirt, revealing his powerful stature, and took the whip in hand.  But instead of raising it to strike the first blow, he handed it to a strong, young brave at his side.  Slowly the chief walked over to his mother and wrapped his massive arms around her in an engulfing embrace.  Then he ordered the brave to give him the 100 lashes.”

What is Good Friday about?  It’s about how sin has an insurmountable price tag that I can’t pay.  But Jesus Christ, the only sinless One, paid the price of my sin – past, present and future – by laying down His life.  The hymn The Old Rugged Cross says, “And I love that old cross, where the Dearest and Best, for a world of lost sinners was slain.  So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross.”

The author of that same booklet continues, “The result is that the person who trusts in Jesus Christ is changed in his relationship to God.  He is changed in his relationship to his own sin.  And his future is changed, both for this life and the life to come.”  It takes my breath away.  It brings tears to my eyes.  Don Moen, in his song Hallelujah to the Lamb, captures my heart’s cry: “There are no words good enough to thank You; there are no words to express my praise, but I will lift up my voice and sing from my heart, with all of my strength.”

Kevin

Thoughts on Jesus Christ’s triumphal entry (part 2)

Back in 2016, Pastor Bill Oudemolen preached the best Palm Sunday sermon I’ve ever heard in my life.  One highlight is when he explained the significance of the palm branches (a detail that only John records in the Gospels; John 12:13).  He said, “The Jews had a hero named Judas or Judah Maccabeus.  He was a zealot, who led a revolt against the Seleucid king Antiochus Epiphanies [a tyrannical madman who murdered many Jews].  What they did to honor Maccabeus is they minted coins, and the symbol on the coin of opposition to oppression was a palm branch stamped on the coin.”

The great irony of Palm Sunday is that nobody understood Jesus’ mission.  They were expecting Jesus to throw off the oppressors like Maccabeus, but Jesus didn’t come for that purpose.  In fact, Luke tells us that when Jesus was entering the city of Jerusalem on that day, He was actually crying (Luke 19:41).  He knew that the people didn’t grasp what He came to do, even His own disciples (John 12:16).  He had repeatedly told them, but they missed it.  In Luke 18, He stated, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.  For He will be delivered to the Gentiles…they will scourge Him and kill Him.  And the third day He will rise again” (verses 31-33).  But astonishingly, the next verse reads, “But they understood none of these things.”

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Jesus’ mode of transportation that day.  I came across a fascinating article where the author delves deeply into this topic.  “Jesus triumphal entry into to Jerusalem was not just an afterthought, using whatever animal was available.  This was a well-considered part of God’s plan for a specific purpose.  Although the use of the donkey was widespread in those times, Jesus’ riding on the donkey did not show Him to be a poor or common man, but a King…So Jesus, riding on a donkey, fulfills the characterization shown in Zechariah 9:9, that the King would be “lowly”… A man riding on a donkey is not looking for war, and in Jesus’ case, He came instead to save, carried on perhaps the lowliest of animals” (Source: https://www.bibletools.org/Riding-Donkey-as-Sign-Royalty.htm).

Another helpful Got questions.org article puts it this way: “The story of the triumphal entry is one of contrasts, and those contrasts contain applications to believers.  It is the story of the King who came as a lowly servant on a donkey, not a prancing steed, not in royal robes, but on the clothes of the poor and humble.  Jesus Christ comes not to conquer by force as earthly kings but by love, grace, mercy, and His own sacrifice for His people.  His is not a kingdom of armies and splendor but of lowliness and servanthood.  He conquers not nations but hearts and minds.  His message is one of peace with God, not of temporal peace.  If Jesus has made a triumphal entry into our hearts, He reigns there in peace and love.  As His followers, we exhibit those same qualities, and the world sees the true King living and reigning in triumph in us” (https://www.gotquestions.org/triumphal-entry.html).

What a statement!  "If Jesus has made a triumphal entry into our hearts, He reigns there in peace and love."  It makes me wonder if Jesus has made a triumphal entry into your heart.  Or, maybe like the crowd that day, you’ve somehow misunderstood Jesus’ mission.  I’ve heard Pastor Gino Geraci declare, “If you are wrong about Jesus, it doesn’t really matter what you are right about.”  From day one, Jesus had a mission to spill His blood on a cross, out of pure, unconditional love for you.  He did this because, as the sinless God in human flesh, only He could pay the penalty for all your sin and mine.  No matter what you’ve done, or where you’ve been, the unique God-man, Jesus Christ says, “I love you.  I forgive you.  I want to have a relationship with you.”  Through simple faith and trust in Him, you can have everlasting life.  If you haven't done that, I pray that you would do it today.

Kevin

Thoughts on Jesus Christ's triumphal entry (part 1)

I know it’s a few days until we get to the holiday known as Palm Sunday, but I’ve decided to post the first installment of my thoughts a few days early.  I’m excited to get into this material with you because, if my memory serves me correctly, I have never posted any Palm Sunday content in this blog.  The website got questions.org has a good article on the holiday that I want to share.

“Palm Sunday is the day we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, one week before His resurrection (Matthew 21:1-11).  As Jesus entered the holy city, He neared the culmination of a long journey toward Golgotha.  He had come to save the lost (Luke 19:10), and now was the time – this was the place – to secure that salvation.  Palm Sunday marked the start of what is often called “Passion Week,” the final seven days of Jesus’ earthly ministry.  Palm Sunday was the “beginning of the end” of Jesus’ work on earth…

As Jesus ascended toward Jerusalem, a large multitude gathered around Him.  This crown understood that Jesus was the Messiah; what they did not understand was that it wasn’t time to set up the kingdom yet – although Jesus had tried to tell them so (Luke 19:11-12).  The crowd’s actions along the road give rise to the name “Palm Sunday”: “A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road” (Matthew 21:8).  In strewing their cloaks on the road, the people were giving Jesus the royal treatment – King Jehu was given similar honor at his coronation (2 Kings 9:13).  John records the detail that the branches were cut from palm trees (John 12:13).

On that first Palm Sunday, the people also honored Jesus verbally: “The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ / ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ / Hosanna in the highest heaven!’” (Matthew 21:9).  In their praise of Jesus, the Jewish crowds were quoting Psalm 118:25-26, an acknowledged prophecy of the Christ.  The allusion to a Messianic psalm drew resentment from the religious leaders present: “Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’” (Luke 19:39).  However, Jesus saw no need to rebuke those who told the truth.  He replied, “I tell you…if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out” (Luke 19:40)…Unfortunately, the celebration was not to last.  The crowds looked for a Messiah who would rescue them politically and free them nationally, but Jesus had come to save them spiritually.  First things first, and mankind’s primary need is spiritual, not political, cultural, or national salvation” (Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/Palm-Sunday.html).

There is more I want to say in the next blog, but for now it’s sufficient to state that the great irony of Palm Sunday is that practically everyone misunderstood the nature of Jesus’ mission.  I love the analogy that Jefferson Bethke gives in the foreword of Kristen’s Parrish’s devotional No Cape Required:

“He didn’t look the part.  He didn’t do what they thought a messiah should.  He had no form or majesty in him that would’ve drawn out anyone’s attention.  They wanted Superman, but it looked like they got Clark Kent instead.  In that last sentence, though, lies the beauty and mystery of this Jesus from Nazareth.  The beauty of Clark Kent is that he is Superman.  And while people might have called Clark names and thought he really didn’t do much, he was also the one truly saving the day and bringing salvation to Metropolis even though he didn’t get the credit as Clark.  In fact, most people thought Jesus lost at the Cross, but looking back we see that was the moment of his ultimate victory…He saved the day, not how people wanted, but he did save the day.”  This would be a good place for an “amen”!  My prayer is God would illuminate the heart so Jesus is seen clearly for who He is, what He did, and why He did it.

To be continued!

Kevin

"I am counting every blessing"

One point that God has been reinforcing to me is the importance of gratitude.  It is a Biblical idea to practice thanksgiving.  Psalm 100:4 says, “Enter into His courts with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.  Be thankful to Him and bless His name.”  1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will in Christ Jesus for you.”  Colossians 3:15: “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body, and be thankful.”

Maybe one of the reasons this idea is presented over and over again in the Bible is because God knows how prone we are to having ingratitude in our hearts.  I know this is true for me.  I get so caught up in the stress, exhaustion, and frustrations of life that I forget about all of the innumerable blessings God has given.  I’m not proud of it; I’m just being honest with you.  The truth is, no matter how bad a day I’m having (or perhaps it’s a bad week), I’m still breathing.  My heart is still beating.  I’m able to eat.  I have family and friends who love me.  I’m going to Heaven one day.  God is on the throne.  And on and on the list goes.

The group Rend Collective has a memorable song along the same lines of this subject.  In their song Counting Every Blessing, they sing words that I can identify with: “You were there in the valley of shadows; You were there in the depth of my sorrows.  You’re my strength, my hope for tomorrow.  I’ve been blessed beyond all measure.  I am counting every blessing, counting every blessing.  Letting go and trusting when I cannot see.  I am counting every blessing, counting every blessing.  Surely every season, You are good to me” (you can find the lyrics at this link)

Kevin