Sacrifices for Love

I just finished up the three book series of Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  I admit, I didn't rush right out to see the movie when it came out, but am now eagerly awaiting the release on Blu-Ray.  I highly recommend the book series, and if you like that one, then also read Suzanne's Gregor the Overlander series.  She creates such believable unlikely heroes that compel you root for their successes.

This is not a story about successes, though.  This is a story about sacrificial love.  Katness Everdeen is a young girl put into the role of caretaker of her young sister, Prim and her fragile mother.  She hunts for them, provides food for them, and is the overall protecter, since her father died in a mining accident.  She lives in a world of post apocalypse, a world of ruthless oppression by a dictatorship.

Part of the dictatorship requires 24 child gladiators, two from each region, to participate in fights to the death of all but one.  Gladiators are selected by lottery.  It is a sentence of death for those selected.

Prim was selected.  Katniss is horrified and rushed to volunteer to go in her place.  This is sure death for Katniss.  This death will be full of pain, humiliation, and agony.  It would not be quick.

In the Bible, Christ understood what he had to do to pay the penalty for our sins.  He did not want to die in that manner, but he understood that was the only way to save us.  He had to take our place.  He had to die in a manner of beatings, pain, humiliation and agony.  Only in this way are we free from our own burdens of sin.  Christ would only do that in his great love for us.

I know many people would say they would die for another.  However, I wonder if the death included days of beatings, pain, humiliation and agony, would we be so eager?  I can hardly stand to watch or read about the kinds of torture that takes place in our world today.  Would I be able to endure that to save the ones I love?

Would you?

He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn't say a word.  Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheered, he took it all in silence.  Justice miscarried, and he was led off -- and did anyone really know what was happening? He died without a thought for his own welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people.  They buried him with the wicked, threw him in a grave with a rich man, even though he'd never hurt a soul or said one word that wasn't true.  (Isaiah 53:7-9 MSG)

Are you Hiding?

Who was the real hero of Gotham?

I was able to watch the latest Batman movie on the opening weekend.  As I watched it, I was compelled by the characters that surrounded the title hero.  I loved the way Alfred goads his employer to be better.  I was compelled by the rise of another moral police officer.  I even enjoyed watching Catwoman struggle between doing the right thing and doing the selfish thing.  The Batman character was well done, but for some reason, I couldn't identify with him.

I found myself instead focusing on the humanness of the character of Commissioner Gordon.  I pained with him in his longtime coverup of what really happened.  Of his compulsion to allow Truth to emerge.  Of his decision to allow personal pain continue for the greater good.  What really compelled me into his character was his continued resolution to justice.  He was always concerned about the citizens of Gotham.  He continued to work even in the dark days of snow, when all hope was lost.  And in his weakness, he was able to save Gotham.

How can someone so weak become someone so important?  He was able to motivate others to fight with him.  He found them hiding, and compelled them to come out and stand with him.  He would not hide.  His actions remind me of the events on 9-11 and what must have taken place on the fourth plane. These people stood together and fought.  They effected change for the greater good.  We need to live our lives championing for the rights of one another.  We cannot afford to run away and hide.  We will not tolerate the bullying of others.  We will stand together to fight.

If you are a believer in Christ, but you are afraid to speak about Him, or to live your life out loud for Him, then you are hiding.  Find others.  Stand together and fight for the lives of the lost.  They need you.

"Meanwhile, live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ.  Stand united, singular in vision, contending for people's trust in the Message, the good news, not flinching or dodging in the slightest before the opposition.  Your courage and unity will show them what they're up against: defeat for them, victory for you -- and both because of God."  (Philippians 1:27-28 MSG)

What is the Stuff You're Made Of?

The First Avenger

The Captain America story is one of my favorites.  Here is a synopsis in case you haven't seen it.  A scientist develops a formula that enhances all the qualities a person already has inside.  The formula will turn a good man into a great man, but it also turns a bad man into an evil man.  This scientist was forced to give the formula to a man already known as evil and somewhat mad.  The result was a villain known as the Red Skull.




The Red Skull terrorized the people of Europe in the dark days.  The scientist needed to find just the right man to defeat him.  The man who has intensive loyalty, goodness and bravery.

He found that man in 90 pound Steve Rogers.  Steve possessed a tremendous desire to protect others from bullies.  He could not stand the idea of others like him getting kicked around.  He would die to save others without hesitation.  The scientist administered the formula.  Steve transformed into a great superhero known as Captain America.

Captain America continues Steve's great traits of loyalty, bravery and goodness.  He uses his enhanced traits to save many men from the evil ones.  I find myself wondering if I was given the formula, what would be enhanced?  Would the formula enhance my good traits or my hidden bad traits?  Would I be good for the world or would I harm the world?

I have to admit to myself, my enhanced traits would not be pretty if I did not have the Spirit of God dwelling in me.  My sin nature is proud, selfish, willful and rebellious.  I am unable to love others in this sinful state.  God has transformed me into a person that can love (with his help).  I can be a person who gives humbly, but only with his help.  Bottom line, I can only be good in Christ.  No formula will do it, since my natural state is not good.

"Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (John 13:35 NLT)
"This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.  There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:12-13 NLT)

Resurrected!

Gandalf the Grey became Gandalf the White

Most of the time when you die, you stay dead.  That's a blunt way of looking at things, I admit.  Even superheroes have to die sometime, right?

Gandalf the Grey in the "Lord of the Rings - Fellowship of the Ring" sacrificed himself to fight to the death with a Balrog in the mines of Moria.  He was bitterly grieved by his companions on the journey to send the evil Ring of Power back to its source.  You don't see his fate until the beginning of the second movie, "The Two Towers."  Here you see Gandalf was resurrected into a brilliant white being, much more powerful and focused than he had been as Grey.  He is now Gandalf the White.  That kind of thing only happens in fictional stories, right?

Wrong.  We have evidence in our history that Jesus himself was resurrected following his death on the cross.  Simply read the eyewitness accounts in the books of the Bible by the people who were there.  Here we see a man without sin, who took on our sins, paid our penalty, and then died for us.  If the story ended there, it would still be a pretty awesome account, because it is always a great story when someone dies for someone else.  But that wasn't the greatest part.  Indeed, the greatest part was that three days after his death and burial, he rose again in a new and glorified body.  He became greater and more powerful in his death.  People who saw him in his glorified state didn't always recognize him, but he was still the Jesus they remembered.  He had all the memories of the times they shared prior to his death.

If you want to read great true story about sacrifice, death, and resurrection, read about Jesus.  He was a radical man, who was also the Son of God.  You can find the story in the book of Luke.  The last two chapters (if you like to skip to the end) are specific to the death and resurrection.

"Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread.  And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them.  'Peace be with you,' he said.  But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! 'Why are you frightened?' he asked. 'Why are your hearts filled with doubt?  Look at my hands.  Look at my feet.  You can see that it's really me.  Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don't have bodies, as you see that I do.' As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet." (Luke 24:35-40 NLT)

Defeating Oppression

Locutus of Borg... or is he still Captain Picard?

Ah! I just love the Star Trek series.  The series is based on the idea of exploring new worlds and new civilizations, and to boldly go where no man has gone before!  Many people hotly debate which of the Star Trek series is the best series, and which of the Star Trek captains is the best captain.  Me, I'm partial to the Next Generation (TNG to my fellow Trekkies).  I just absolutely adore the character of Jean-Luc Picard.  What a stalwart man.  Honor and duty was his calling.

I was fascinated by the storyline of his transformation into Locutus of Borg.  If you are curious, just google it, as there is a wealth of information about this topic.  Bottom line, he was taken by a race of cybernetic beings and forced to assimilate into the collective hive.  When people were assimilated, they lost their sense of self.  But, Locutus (or Picard) retains a sense of individuality.  This assists him with accessing the person of Picard that remains under the hive mind.

I see this cybernetic modification and connection to the collective hive as an illustration of demonic oppression in the mind of the individual.  Have you ever struggled with the haze of repetitive thoughts? Maybe it is a song that plays over and over and over again?  Maybe it is intrusive thoughts of the last negative thing your significant other said to you?  Whatever it is, it prevents you from clearly thinking and performing your day to day work tasks.  I believe these are oppressive thoughts from a demonic source, and must be addressed.

Locutus was eventually defeated, and Picard emerged again, but only by defeating the hive mind and using his individuality.  He was able to communicate his needs to his people, and with their help, Locutus disappeared.  We need the prayers and support of our believers, words from the scripture, and a system of focus to defeat the demonic oppression we find ourselves under.  Only with prayer and scripture can we be free from oppression.

Sustain me, and I will be rescued; then I will meditate continually on your decrees.  (Psalm 119:117 NLT)