A hidden gem of a movie from 2017

I have seen the 2017 film “The Resurrection of Gavin Stone” numerous times.  I’ll never forget the first time I saw this film on Netflix (although it’s not available on this platform anymore).  At that point, the only other project that I had seen with Brett Dalton – the lead actor on this film – was on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” where Dalton played Grant Ward.  In season 1 of that show, it was revealed that Grant was a wolf in sheep’s clothing; he was the Judas Iscariot figure who ruthlessly betrayed his entire team.  Grant continued to oppose the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D until he was killed in season 3.

Therefore, as silly as it sounds to me now (he is an actor after all; of course he can portray the good guy, or the irredeemable villain), because Dalton was so convincing in his role of Grant Ward, I honestly didn’t know what direction “The Resurrection of Gavin Stone” was going to take.  Would it be nothing more than a mockery of Christians and the Christian faith?  Spoiler alert: the answer to that question is no; it doesn’t mock Christianity at all.

In the film, Brett Dalton plays actor Gavin Stone, who can never get out of the shadow of a role he played as a child.  He gets in trouble with the law, and is assigned to do 200 hours of community service which he has to work off at a church.  He learns of the church’s annual play on the life of Jesus Christ; Gavin wants to audition for the role of Jesus, but is told that everyone in the play needs to be a Christian.  He lies and claims that he is a Christian, and soon he gets the role.

For the sake of those who haven’t seen this film, I don’t want to reveal too much about the plot.  However, since I’ve described the tension I felt when I watched this film for the first time, let me submit to you, for the record, "The Resurrection of Gavin Stone" is an excellent film.  In fact, as I said, I’ve seen it numerous times, and it never gets old, no matter how many times I view it.  To put it succinctly, because of the influence of his Christian cast mates, Gavin learns about grace, second chances, humility, and of course, Jesus Christ Himself.  Check out this film, if you haven’t yet.

To conclude, the church’s play in “The Resurrection of Gavin Stone” beautifully depicts a poignant exchange between Jesus and a woman caught in the act of adultery – this account can be read about in John 8:1-11.  This woman is thrown at Jesus’ feet, a group of people are ready to stone her to death – as the law of that day dictated.  And the Lord says, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”  One by one, they all drop the stones to the ground, knowing they are all guilty.  I love the compassion in Gavin’s eyes, as he portrays Jesus in that moment, “Where are your accusers?  Is there anyone left to condemn you?”  She answers no one.  “Neither do I.  Go and sin no more.”  To see the look of relief on her face, as she reacts to the forgiveness from Jesus, is one of my favorite scenes in the film. 

God bless,

Kevin

"His mercy is more"

There’s a tremendous passage in the gospel of Luke chapter 7.  Jesus is invited to have a meal with a Pharisee named Simon.  As they were eating, a woman – unnamed by the gospel writer – enters; we are told that she “had lived a sinful life in that town” (verse 37).  This woman proceeds to do one of the most poignantly beautiful acts done for Jesus in all the Bible, as I see it.  She washes the feet of Jesus, with her tears, and with the perfume she had with her (verses 37 and 38).  When Simon the Pharisee saw this, he reasons, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is – that she is a sinner” (verse 39).  Like so many, he had misunderstood what Jesus had come to do.

Jesus responds with a quick parable.  He tells of two men who owed money to a landowner; neither had the money to repay their debt, so he cancelled both debts (verses 41 and 42), “Now,” Jesus concludes, “which of them do you suppose had the bigger debt cancelled?”  Of course, the answer is the one who had the larger amount of debt, and that’s what Simon the Pharisee answers, and Jesus says that he answered correctly.  Jesus basically goes on to say, “You invited me into your house; you didn’t wash my feet and you didn’t anoint my head with oil, but this woman did.”  “Therefore,” He says in verse 47, “I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven…But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”  I imagine Jesus looking in this woman’s eyes with compassion, grace, and kindness like she had never seen before, as He says – in verse 48 – these liberating words to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Rather than reacting to this amazing moment with celebration, people at the table are confused at Jesus’ statement, and they wonder, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”  I say again, Jesus was often misunderstood.  However, perhaps someone reading this is also confused.  You are wondering why Jesus extended forgiveness to her.  Because Jesus, as God in human flesh, had the authority to grant her full pardon for her sins.  Further, Jesus knew His mission was to eventually sacrifice His life on a cross, and subsequently rise from the dead, to fully pay the price of humanity’s sin – including the sins of this dear woman in Luke 7.

The section in Luke ends with Jesus essentially ignoring the murmurs around the table, and instead He says to the woman, “Your faith has saved you, go in peace” (verse 50).  Talk about a mic drop moment!  I once heard from a pastor in a powerful sermon declare that faith is only as good as its object.  For example, after a dazzling pre-season, everyone in Bronco-land was putting their faith in rookie quarterback Bo Nix to lead the Denver Broncos out of the mediocrity they’ve been in.  Two weeks into the regular season with an 0-2 record, and an offensive output just as abysmal as ever, Bronco fans are strapping in for another long year.  But when you do as this woman in Luke 7 did, when you seek out Jesus, and you put your faith in Him, He will provide the forgiveness, hope, peace, and satisfaction you need.

In conclusion, sometimes I ponder what my life would be if I had never met Jesus.  It’s a humbling exercise, because it’s not a pretty picture to contemplate who I would be, what I would do, if the Lord had not revolutionized my life.  I would not be writing a blog proclaiming the incredible mercy, grace, and kindness of God, that’s for sure.  Then I come back to the reality, that Jesus saved me, and it makes me want to sing.  The beautiful song “His mercy is more” written by Matt Boswell and Matt Papa comes to mind.  Check out this stanza of the song: “What patience would wait as we constantly roam?  What Father, so tender, is calling us home?  He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor.  Our sins they are many, His mercy is more.”

God bless,

Kevin

A very special September 12th

Once upon a time, I bought a shirt for my father as a gift that says, “Dad not all heroes wear capes”.  I held on to that shirt all these years, for sentimental reasons, and I still look at it from time to time.  I’m bringing it up now because today is my dad’s birthday; he would have been 70 years of age.  Of all the things I could say about my dad right now, I stand by the caption on that shirt: my dad was a hero who didn’t wear a cape.  This is not inappropriate hero worship here; my dad was not perfect because no father is.  But Dad lived his life with gentleness, integrity, valor, and character.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The purpose of life is not to be happy.  It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”  That captures my dad so well.  He was honorable, compassionate, a difference maker, who lived well to the very end of his life.  I want those terms to define my life as well, as I run “with perseverance the race marked out for [me]” (Hebrews 12:1).  The very next verse speaks of fixing our eyes on Jesus.  I’m learning – even to this very hour – I can’t fix my eyes on my pastor, parents, or my past, but on my Savior.  However, that said, I’m encouraged and fortified by contemplating my dad’s example too. 

Today was special, but it was also bittersweet.  I miss my dad.  I still think of his faithfulness, his strength, his self-discipline, and of course, his amazing sense of humor that no one could ever duplicate.  Dad’s unexpected passing changed my life, because part of my life now is to take care of my mother.  James 1:27 speaks of looking after widows in their distress; I want to follow this Bible verse as this is an important concept, but also because – as I was recently telling some people at an event at church – my father absolutely adored my mother, and I know he would be pleased to know that I am looking after her.

In closing, I’m so grateful for the assurance that the grave is not the end for the believer in Christ.  There is an existence after death.  The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5 “absent from the body…present with the Lord.”  I miss my dad, but to think of him in the wondrous bliss of Heaven comforts my heart.  I mean, consider this: my dad, on those streets made of gold, finds himself alongside men like Billy Graham, Luis Palau, Jim Elliot, Truett Cathy, Charles Stanley, Adrian Rogers, beloved Christian singer Carman (and on and on I could go).  There is hope in this; not a wishful thinking kind of hope like we use it in English (“I hope it doesn’t rain”), but rather a determined certainty of coming good.  

God bless,

Kevin

"Scars are tattoos with better stories"

I was originally going to call today’s blog Hello September, until I went in another direction.  I intended to call it that because it is now officially a year ago that I returned home from the emergency room.  As I began mentally putting this blog together, I saw someone with a shirt that had these words: “Scars are tattoos with better stories.”  Amen to that!  What is a scar after all?  It’s a wound that has been healed.  To be transparent with you, even though I like the sentiment of that shirt, I wonder if what I endured a year ago, psychologically speaking, is a scar yet.  I wonder about this for a few reasons. 

First off, because sometimes I have what I call memory flashes of my time in that hospital and the aftermath.  Inwardly, I still wince whenever I see a character from a movie or TV show in a hospital; I know firsthand how traumatic it is for the patient and their loved ones to be in that stressful environment.  Or for another example, every time I drive on a certain road, my mind goes to my brother driving me home on that very same road last year, feeling so grateful to be alive, and to be out of that ER.  The emotional healing continues.

Another element of this whole idea of a wound healing to become a scar arose just last week.  On Friday (8/30), it was a normal work day, when out of the blue, I began to feel symptoms like I’ve never felt before in my life.  I began feeling dizzy and off-balance with every step (I’ve never been drunk, but I imagine that’s what it must feel like).  I promptly left work.  What ensued was vomiting 6 or 7 times, and being so fatigued that I basically slept from 3 in the afternoon to 12 Midnight.  The next day I was feeling better, as if nothing had been wrong.  I still have no explanation as to what happened; my best guess is a severe allergic reaction, or perhaps a 24-hour bug.  Ultimately, however, it doesn’t even really matter to me what it was.

I share all of that vulnerably with you to say this: I have my struggles.  I’m not perfect by any stretch of the imagination.  This year, for instance, anxiety can easily take over and convince me that I will soon be back in the ER again.  Whether it is the aftermath of trying to process what happened on Friday, or any other sickness I’ve had since last September; or even just to have some random pain in my stomach that amounts to nothing, it’s easy to spiral down a path of uncertainty, lack of trust in God, and fear.  I’m just being real with you.  But the Bible instructs me to “take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). 

Therefore, I have cited various Bible verses to combat the anxiety and fear.  I have quoted Psalm 31:15 where the Psalmist affirms to the Lord, “My times are in your hands.”  Or Psalm 27:1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?”  Or even the beginning words from the ever-popular Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd.”  I can testify to the absolute truth of Psalm 91:1-2: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.””

In conclusion, in 2018, the group “I Am They” released a song titled “Scars”.  I love this song; and I hear its truth, as it were, with new ears: “Waking up to a new sunrise, looking back from the other side; I can see now with open eyes.  Darkest waters and deepest pain, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.  ‘Cause my brokenness brought me to You, and these wounds are a story You’ll use.  So I’m thankful for the scars ‘cause without them I wouldn’t know Your heart; and I know they’ll always tell of who You are.  So forever I am thankful for the scars.  Now I’m standing in Your confidence, with the strength of Your faithfulness, and I’m not who I was before.  No, I don’t have to fear anymore.”

God bless,

Kevin