So here is the latest update of the stuff i am trying to read outside of Scripture...
Books I am currently reading:
The Message of the O.T. (by Mark Dever) (I've read overviews on 3 or 4 OT books)
Knowing God (By JI Packer) (Ch 19)
What Jesus Demands from the World (by John Piper)
Institutes of the Christian Religion, Vol. 1(by John Calvin) (Book 1, Ch 6)
Numerous Jude Commentaries (for sermon preperation)
Books i've finished in the last year or so:
No Place for the Truth (by David F. Wells).
The Cross and Christian Ministry (by D.A. Carson).
Women's Ministry in the Local Church (by Ligon Duncan/Susan Hunt)
The Holiness of God (by R.C. Sproul)
Growing Up Christian (by Paul Graustein)
How America Lost Her Innocence (By Steve Gallagher)
From Pride to Humility (pamphlet by Dr. Stuart Scott)
Humility: True Greatness (by C.J. Mahaney)
Biblical Eldership (by A. Strauch)
Expository Preaching With Word Pictures: With Illustrations from the Sermons of Thomas Watson (by Jack Hughes).
The Reformed Pastor (by Richard Baxter)
Legacy of Sovereign Joy (by John Piper)
The Treasure Principle (by Randy Alcorn)
Friday, February 23, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
I preached my guts out
Typically you would say, "I preached my heart out" but when you preach to a teen congregation you try and speak their language as much as you can w/o undermining the clarity, authority, and depth of the Scriptures.
I spent my last 3 days at Twin Lakes Camp with 4 of our teens, Nate Merrick, and my family. I was able to preach to about 180 teens on "Biblical Friendships and Relationships." I preached 4 times on "How to be a godly friend." "Avoiding ungodly friendships." "What to do when people you trust let you down?" What to do when friends you trust let you down?"
I had a wonderful time with our kids and the other teens as well. Thank you for your prayers!!
Caleb
I spent my last 3 days at Twin Lakes Camp with 4 of our teens, Nate Merrick, and my family. I was able to preach to about 180 teens on "Biblical Friendships and Relationships." I preached 4 times on "How to be a godly friend." "Avoiding ungodly friendships." "What to do when people you trust let you down?" What to do when friends you trust let you down?"
I had a wonderful time with our kids and the other teens as well. Thank you for your prayers!!
Caleb
Friday, February 09, 2007
Compliment of the week
A parent from the church I currently minister at called me on the phone today. She wanted to let me know that she was listening to the Moody Founder’s Conference in the car with her 9 year old son today. John MacArthur was preaching (on the radio) so this lady told her son that John MacArthur was Caleb and Andrea’s former pastor. A bit later in the broadcast this little guy told his mom that Caleb sounds just like this guy. He said they both say a lot of the same things too.
I never thought a 9 year old could inadvertently hand out such a nice complement. Though I know it’s not wholly true, it still made me smile.
I never thought a 9 year old could inadvertently hand out such a nice complement. Though I know it’s not wholly true, it still made me smile.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
What's wrong with America?
I could not believe some churches wanted to broadcast the Super Bowl at church this past Sunday. Of course this is packaged as a wonderful chance to reach unbelievers. Offer people a huge screen, free snacks and at halftime you try and keep them in their seats and then have someone share the gospel message with them. I can appreciate the heart of those trying to be missional. The old bait and switch approach to evangelism is really nothing new.
But what happens when the commercials come on? I mean think about it! I did not even watch the TV ads this year (primarily because i was too nervous about the actual Bear's game) but i saw enough to confirm my fears. You want to project 9 foot images of pretty ladies running around in their underwear AT CHURCH?!? It is bad enough when people don't change the channel at home. Too many commercials focus in on sexual things, bathroom humor, etc, etc. Just watch an hour worth of prime time TV on any channel and you'll get the picture. I would be ashamed if my Church showed a bunch of perverse images in the sanctuary. Let's have a little more discernment Church.
Of all the smut that was shown during the Super Bowl CHECK OUT what was boycotted. I actually saw this comercial and thought it was wrong for much different reasons (see below)....
"A commercial for Snickers candy bars launched in the Super Bowl broadcast was benched after its maker got complaints that it was homophobic.
The ad showed two auto mechanics accidentally kissing while eating the same candy bar and then ripping out some chest hair to do something "manly." One of the alternate endings on the Snickers Web site showed the men attacking each other. The Human Rights Campaign and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation complained to the maker of Snickers, Hackettstown-based Masterfoods USA, a division of Mars Inc., which also makes M&M's and other candies.
The Web site also featured video of players from the Super Bowl teams reacting to the kiss.
"This type of jeering from professional sports figures at the sight of two men kissing fuels the kind of anti-gay bullying that haunts countless gay and lesbian school children on playgrounds all across the country," Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese said in a statement.
GLAAD spokesman Marc McCarthy said Tuesday the group believed "this kind of prejudice was inexcusable."
Masterfoods spokeswoman Alice Nathanson issued a statement in which she said the company would stop running the ad on television and the Web site.
"As with all of our Snickers advertising, our goal was to capture the attention of our core Snickers consumer," Nathanson wrote."
But what happens when the commercials come on? I mean think about it! I did not even watch the TV ads this year (primarily because i was too nervous about the actual Bear's game) but i saw enough to confirm my fears. You want to project 9 foot images of pretty ladies running around in their underwear AT CHURCH?!? It is bad enough when people don't change the channel at home. Too many commercials focus in on sexual things, bathroom humor, etc, etc. Just watch an hour worth of prime time TV on any channel and you'll get the picture. I would be ashamed if my Church showed a bunch of perverse images in the sanctuary. Let's have a little more discernment Church.
Of all the smut that was shown during the Super Bowl CHECK OUT what was boycotted. I actually saw this comercial and thought it was wrong for much different reasons (see below)....
"A commercial for Snickers candy bars launched in the Super Bowl broadcast was benched after its maker got complaints that it was homophobic.
The ad showed two auto mechanics accidentally kissing while eating the same candy bar and then ripping out some chest hair to do something "manly." One of the alternate endings on the Snickers Web site showed the men attacking each other. The Human Rights Campaign and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation complained to the maker of Snickers, Hackettstown-based Masterfoods USA, a division of Mars Inc., which also makes M&M's and other candies.
The Web site also featured video of players from the Super Bowl teams reacting to the kiss.
"This type of jeering from professional sports figures at the sight of two men kissing fuels the kind of anti-gay bullying that haunts countless gay and lesbian school children on playgrounds all across the country," Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese said in a statement.
GLAAD spokesman Marc McCarthy said Tuesday the group believed "this kind of prejudice was inexcusable."
Masterfoods spokeswoman Alice Nathanson issued a statement in which she said the company would stop running the ad on television and the Web site.
"As with all of our Snickers advertising, our goal was to capture the attention of our core Snickers consumer," Nathanson wrote."
Monday, February 05, 2007
SUPER BOWL REVIEW
I did not fall asleep for a couple hours after going to bed last night. Too many bad memories/replays from the game running through my head. One is left wondering...IF only they would not have fumbled the kickoff return in the 1st half when they had alot of momentum; if only Grossman hits Berrian on the deep ball in the 4th Qtr; if only Benson doesn't get injured and fumble on his first carry; if only Grossman doesn't fumble 3 snaps from center; etc, etc.
I should go back and review my "keys to the game" to see just how accurate i was (or wasn't).
Here is what i said last week:
1. Rex needs to make smart decisions (which he has done thus far in the playoffs); that means no stupid turnovers. THIS OBV. DID NOT HAPPEN! TWO REALLY BAD PASSES AND SOME SILLY FUMBLES FROM UNDER CENTER KILLED THE OFFENSE. ELIMINATE 3 OR 4 HORRIBLE PLAYS AND GROSSMAN ACTUALLY HAD A DECENT GAME.
2. Rex needs to read the D better (blitz packages). He has not done a great job of this thus far. REX DID OK HERE.
3. Rex must keep drives alive (limit the 3 and outs); this means Rex has to have a higher completion percentage. THE COMPLETION% WAS GOOD, BUT HE DID NOT KEEP DRIVES ALIVE WHEN HE NEEDED TO. I DON'T KNOW IF THE COLT'S SECONDARY WAS THAT GOOD OR IF GROSSMAN MISSED OPEN RECIEVERS.
4. If given a golden opportunity Rex and Mark Bradley or B Berrian must connect on the deep ball. THE BEARS DID NOT CONNECT WHEN GIVEN THE OPPS (PART OF IT WAS THERE OFFENSE NEVER GOT GOING).
5. Did i mention no turnovers? 5 TURNOVERS COMMITTED BY THE BEARS. YOU CAN'T BEAT OAKLAND WITH 5 TO'S. THIS IS THE WORST PART ABOUT OUR EFFORT LAST NIGHT. 5 TURNOVERS (LOST)!!!
6. If Hester gives the Bears good field position on a consistent basis (via special teams) OR if the Bear's D can create 3 or 4 turnovers (like last weekend) the Bears will be in GREAT shape. THE BEARS DID CREATE 3 TO'S AND HESTER (AND GOULD) WERE AMAZING. HESTER GAVE THE BEARS O a CHANCE. THE BEARS HAVE THE BEST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER AND FIELD GOAL KICKER IN THE GAME.
Side note, did Peyton Manning REALLY deserve the MVP? He had a great first half but threw for less than 50 yards in the 2nd half. How do Manning's key numbers stack up with other Super Bowl MVP QB's? I know Brady's first MVP did not represent great numbers.
How many points did the Colt's offense generate (given the fact the Bears committed 5 turnovers)? Since you can't give an MVP award to an entire defensive unit the award should of gone to Rhodes. The Colt's running backs were the players of the game.
I should go back and review my "keys to the game" to see just how accurate i was (or wasn't).
Here is what i said last week:
1. Rex needs to make smart decisions (which he has done thus far in the playoffs); that means no stupid turnovers. THIS OBV. DID NOT HAPPEN! TWO REALLY BAD PASSES AND SOME SILLY FUMBLES FROM UNDER CENTER KILLED THE OFFENSE. ELIMINATE 3 OR 4 HORRIBLE PLAYS AND GROSSMAN ACTUALLY HAD A DECENT GAME.
2. Rex needs to read the D better (blitz packages). He has not done a great job of this thus far. REX DID OK HERE.
3. Rex must keep drives alive (limit the 3 and outs); this means Rex has to have a higher completion percentage. THE COMPLETION% WAS GOOD, BUT HE DID NOT KEEP DRIVES ALIVE WHEN HE NEEDED TO. I DON'T KNOW IF THE COLT'S SECONDARY WAS THAT GOOD OR IF GROSSMAN MISSED OPEN RECIEVERS.
4. If given a golden opportunity Rex and Mark Bradley or B Berrian must connect on the deep ball. THE BEARS DID NOT CONNECT WHEN GIVEN THE OPPS (PART OF IT WAS THERE OFFENSE NEVER GOT GOING).
5. Did i mention no turnovers? 5 TURNOVERS COMMITTED BY THE BEARS. YOU CAN'T BEAT OAKLAND WITH 5 TO'S. THIS IS THE WORST PART ABOUT OUR EFFORT LAST NIGHT. 5 TURNOVERS (LOST)!!!
6. If Hester gives the Bears good field position on a consistent basis (via special teams) OR if the Bear's D can create 3 or 4 turnovers (like last weekend) the Bears will be in GREAT shape. THE BEARS DID CREATE 3 TO'S AND HESTER (AND GOULD) WERE AMAZING. HESTER GAVE THE BEARS O a CHANCE. THE BEARS HAVE THE BEST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER AND FIELD GOAL KICKER IN THE GAME.
Side note, did Peyton Manning REALLY deserve the MVP? He had a great first half but threw for less than 50 yards in the 2nd half. How do Manning's key numbers stack up with other Super Bowl MVP QB's? I know Brady's first MVP did not represent great numbers.
How many points did the Colt's offense generate (given the fact the Bears committed 5 turnovers)? Since you can't give an MVP award to an entire defensive unit the award should of gone to Rhodes. The Colt's running backs were the players of the game.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Rex let me down....
I posted a few days ago the following
So IF i was not a die hard Bear's fan i would probably predicate the following:Colts 27-17 Bears
I was VERY close in my non-Bear's fan pick. Sadly, i was off in regards to Rex in the Super Bowl. He had a pretty good playoffs but made 2 really bad passes/decisions in the Super Bowl which ult. lost it for us. Manning was good but not great. The Colt's O-line took it to our D-line and the Colt's D played amazing all playoffs long. What can you say it was a nightmare game (da Bears lose and P Manning goes out a super bowl winner). I could not think of a much worse scenerio than that. Congrats to Colts fans on your first Indianapolis Championship.
So IF i was not a die hard Bear's fan i would probably predicate the following:Colts 27-17 Bears
I was VERY close in my non-Bear's fan pick. Sadly, i was off in regards to Rex in the Super Bowl. He had a pretty good playoffs but made 2 really bad passes/decisions in the Super Bowl which ult. lost it for us. Manning was good but not great. The Colt's O-line took it to our D-line and the Colt's D played amazing all playoffs long. What can you say it was a nightmare game (da Bears lose and P Manning goes out a super bowl winner). I could not think of a much worse scenerio than that. Congrats to Colts fans on your first Indianapolis Championship.
Super Bowl Post (game time)
It is a few minutes before KICKOFF. I am very nervous and very excited. I decided to watch the game at home, by myself (Andrea and Evie are in GA). I HOPE we can pull this one off. I am nervous it could be blowout but i really believe Rex is going to show up and lead us to the Championship!!!
Go Bears!
GSH
Go Bears!
GSH
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Ascol on "Losing the Gospel"
Check out this blog site for great insights on the Bible and theology
www.founders.org
Tom Ascol writes,
"The Gospel is all about Jesus Christ. I teach the people I serve to think of it simply like this: It is the message or Who Christ is, What He has done, and Why it matters. Answering these questions from the Scripture will provide an outline of the biblical Gospel.Here is a summary of my concerns about spheres in which we have lost or are losing the Gospel in our day.
1. In preaching
I took several hours last spring to listen to a number of SBC seminary chapel sermons. I heard lots about leadership, commitment, courage, faithfulness, sheep, shepherds, prayer and devotion, I heard very little of Jesus Christ. Often Christ was mentioned almost as an afterthought. I realize that this is far from a scientific study (but if you are interested in one that corroborates my concerns about Southern Baptist preaching, see Marsha Whitten's All is Forgiven) but the sermons were preached by well-known and highly respected Southern Baptist pastors. It is not unreasonable to expect that their sermons to seminarians would be carefully prepared. Assuming that to be the case, I came away from my exercise rather discouraged.Here is an experiment that I recommend. Get a simple outline of the Gospel in your mind and listen to the sermons preached in your church (even if you are the preacher!) or other churches and try to determine to what degree the Gospel is the basis of them. Too often only some facts related to the Gospel are tacked on at the end of a message in order to justify some kind of altar call, but the Gospel itself is not foundational to it. If a sermon would play just as well in a Kingdom Hall or Jewish Synagogue as it would in a Baptist church, you can be sure it is void of the Gospel.
2. In Christian living
Very often the Gospel is viewed only as the threshhold into the Christian life by which one must enter the kingdom. Once in, however, the Gospel loses its importance. Where this happens in conservative churches moralism tends to gain preeminence and Christianity tends to be conceived in terms of rules and requirements. In moderate and liberal churches sentimentalism tends to reign and attitudes and actions are evaluated in terms of how "loving" they feel. Do not misunderstand--the Christian life includes both rules and especially love (rightly understood, of course), but the Christian life is based on neither. It is based on Jesus Christ--who He is, what He has done and why it matters. That is why we are called to live by faith. Faith in what? Or whom? The person and work of Christ. This is also why Paul could write, "For to me, to live is Christ." Christ was life for Paul because the Gospel had come to him in power. Read the ethical portions of the New Testament to see how the Apostles exhorted the early church to holy living. It wasn't by moralistic teaching. They teach the law on the basis of the Gospel. I see very little concern for the relationship between law and Gospel in Southern Baptist life today. The reason, I believe, is due to the removal of the Gospel from the heart of Christian living.
3. In our churches
The Gospel is the power of God to save all who believe. Churches are to be comprised of those who testify to having experienced this saving power. Of all the sectors of evangelicalism, Baptists most certainly should stand firm on this point. Yet, simply take an honest look at our churches--even good, "Bible-believing," "flagship" SBC churches. What do you find more often than not? Bloated church rolls with twice as many members as regular attenders. The overwhelming majority of our churches have neglected Gospel order, taking cues more from the marketing world or corporate America or therapeutic professions than from Scripture. John Dagg, the first writing theologian among Southern Baptists put this in his Treatise on Church Order, "When discipline leaves a church, Christ goes with it." If he is correct, then how many Christless churches might we have within our ranks? Read Revelation 2 and 3 to see that Jesus Himself warns of this possibility. If the candlestick has been removed from a local church then the Gospel has been taken with it.So, have we lost the Gospel? I think we have, in many ways. I know this seems like a harsh judgment, but I do not make it with any joy or intent to harm or even embarass. Neither am I suggesting that every church or evangelical (or denominational) entity has lost the Gospel. Rather, I am suggesting that the Gospel has been forgotten, misunderstood, undervalued and marginalized by many churches and ministries that consider themselves evangelical. We can no longer assume that we know the Gospel and prize it as the transforming power of God that saves all who believe. Such assumption, I fear, has contributed to the Gospel's demise in many churches.Why even raise this question, knowing that it will inevitably provoke the angst of some brothers and sisters whom I respect and tempt them to dismiss me as a crank or some kind of helpless malcontent? I do so because it is simply too important to leave unaddressed. Too much is at stake. The glory of God in the salvation of sinners is at stake. So is the eternal destiny of many who may think that they are right with God but who are merely religious (Matthew 7:21-23).If I am right in my suspicions, then all of the many other issues that are clamoring for our attention right now in SBC life and beyond are minor in comparison to this. If we have lost the Gospel, or are losing it, then nothing else matters."
www.founders.org
Tom Ascol writes,
"The Gospel is all about Jesus Christ. I teach the people I serve to think of it simply like this: It is the message or Who Christ is, What He has done, and Why it matters. Answering these questions from the Scripture will provide an outline of the biblical Gospel.Here is a summary of my concerns about spheres in which we have lost or are losing the Gospel in our day.
1. In preaching
I took several hours last spring to listen to a number of SBC seminary chapel sermons. I heard lots about leadership, commitment, courage, faithfulness, sheep, shepherds, prayer and devotion, I heard very little of Jesus Christ. Often Christ was mentioned almost as an afterthought. I realize that this is far from a scientific study (but if you are interested in one that corroborates my concerns about Southern Baptist preaching, see Marsha Whitten's All is Forgiven) but the sermons were preached by well-known and highly respected Southern Baptist pastors. It is not unreasonable to expect that their sermons to seminarians would be carefully prepared. Assuming that to be the case, I came away from my exercise rather discouraged.Here is an experiment that I recommend. Get a simple outline of the Gospel in your mind and listen to the sermons preached in your church (even if you are the preacher!) or other churches and try to determine to what degree the Gospel is the basis of them. Too often only some facts related to the Gospel are tacked on at the end of a message in order to justify some kind of altar call, but the Gospel itself is not foundational to it. If a sermon would play just as well in a Kingdom Hall or Jewish Synagogue as it would in a Baptist church, you can be sure it is void of the Gospel.
2. In Christian living
Very often the Gospel is viewed only as the threshhold into the Christian life by which one must enter the kingdom. Once in, however, the Gospel loses its importance. Where this happens in conservative churches moralism tends to gain preeminence and Christianity tends to be conceived in terms of rules and requirements. In moderate and liberal churches sentimentalism tends to reign and attitudes and actions are evaluated in terms of how "loving" they feel. Do not misunderstand--the Christian life includes both rules and especially love (rightly understood, of course), but the Christian life is based on neither. It is based on Jesus Christ--who He is, what He has done and why it matters. That is why we are called to live by faith. Faith in what? Or whom? The person and work of Christ. This is also why Paul could write, "For to me, to live is Christ." Christ was life for Paul because the Gospel had come to him in power. Read the ethical portions of the New Testament to see how the Apostles exhorted the early church to holy living. It wasn't by moralistic teaching. They teach the law on the basis of the Gospel. I see very little concern for the relationship between law and Gospel in Southern Baptist life today. The reason, I believe, is due to the removal of the Gospel from the heart of Christian living.
3. In our churches
The Gospel is the power of God to save all who believe. Churches are to be comprised of those who testify to having experienced this saving power. Of all the sectors of evangelicalism, Baptists most certainly should stand firm on this point. Yet, simply take an honest look at our churches--even good, "Bible-believing," "flagship" SBC churches. What do you find more often than not? Bloated church rolls with twice as many members as regular attenders. The overwhelming majority of our churches have neglected Gospel order, taking cues more from the marketing world or corporate America or therapeutic professions than from Scripture. John Dagg, the first writing theologian among Southern Baptists put this in his Treatise on Church Order, "When discipline leaves a church, Christ goes with it." If he is correct, then how many Christless churches might we have within our ranks? Read Revelation 2 and 3 to see that Jesus Himself warns of this possibility. If the candlestick has been removed from a local church then the Gospel has been taken with it.So, have we lost the Gospel? I think we have, in many ways. I know this seems like a harsh judgment, but I do not make it with any joy or intent to harm or even embarass. Neither am I suggesting that every church or evangelical (or denominational) entity has lost the Gospel. Rather, I am suggesting that the Gospel has been forgotten, misunderstood, undervalued and marginalized by many churches and ministries that consider themselves evangelical. We can no longer assume that we know the Gospel and prize it as the transforming power of God that saves all who believe. Such assumption, I fear, has contributed to the Gospel's demise in many churches.Why even raise this question, knowing that it will inevitably provoke the angst of some brothers and sisters whom I respect and tempt them to dismiss me as a crank or some kind of helpless malcontent? I do so because it is simply too important to leave unaddressed. Too much is at stake. The glory of God in the salvation of sinners is at stake. So is the eternal destiny of many who may think that they are right with God but who are merely religious (Matthew 7:21-23).If I am right in my suspicions, then all of the many other issues that are clamoring for our attention right now in SBC life and beyond are minor in comparison to this. If we have lost the Gospel, or are losing it, then nothing else matters."
Super Bowl predictions
IF i was not a die hard Bear's fan what would my predication be for Super Bowl XLI? Hard for me to think what IF especially since i have been a Bear's fan since childhood. This is the one team i'll never betray. :)
So IF i was not a die hard Bear's fan i would probably predicate the following:
Colts 27-17 Bears
But seeing I live in reality zone here is my real life prediction:
Bears 24-21 Colts
May the best TEAM win. GO BEARS!!!!!!!!!!
SO WHAT IS YOUR PREDICTION? Winner and score? (see comment 1 for my great predications back in Jan 07)
So IF i was not a die hard Bear's fan i would probably predicate the following:
Colts 27-17 Bears
But seeing I live in reality zone here is my real life prediction:
Bears 24-21 Colts
May the best TEAM win. GO BEARS!!!!!!!!!!
SO WHAT IS YOUR PREDICTION? Winner and score? (see comment 1 for my great predications back in Jan 07)
Christian Movie Review
So I watched the movie “One Night With the King” this week with my wife and mother in-law. I was excited to see a full-length picture on the book and life of Esther (Hadassah). Sadly, by the time the movie ended I was very disappointed (this was the consensus of everyone who watched the flick as well). I do not recommend you invest 2 hours to watch this movie.
Why? I understand that when you take something from black and white (the Biblical text) to color, that you are going to have some interpretation. I’m talking about poetic license here. Sometimes you have to try and interpret how someone said what he or she said (what was the fluctuation in their voice, etc, etc); Even in Biblical exposition we must admit this often (needs to) takes place. I did not mind this aspect of the film (in my mind the director has to make an educated interpretation in certain places). The first hour of the film was dedicated to the first two and half chapters of Esther. The second half of the film covered ch 3ff. In many instances, the second half of the film did not stick close to Biblical text. As I was following along in my Bible I found myself saying that’s not what happened too many times. The romance story between Esther and the King (Ahasuerus) was (in my opinion) not very well done. It made a great romance story look cheesy (think Star Wars 2 cheesy). That is the potential danger (especially) with small budget films like this one.
The one thing I love about movies like this one is that they motivate me to be more familiar with the Bible (or with church history in the case of “Luther”). This movie pricked my interest numerous times. I hope to spend some time in the book of Esther in the near future. It really is a neglected book in the neglected Old Testament.
With that said, I believe the story of Esther is not so much about Esther’s faith or Mordecai’s courage but about the invincible hand of Providence (Gen 50:20, Rom 8:28, Esther 4:14). It is also another powerful illustration of how God always provides for His covenant people (Israel). The Jews have been hated throughout history (Egypt, Babylonians, Assyrians, Romans, Germans, etc) yet God has preserved a remnant (Rom 9-11, Zech 12-14). Esther is a wonderful real life story of how God uses an amazing woman to preserve His chosen people from the genocide of Haman.
Why? I understand that when you take something from black and white (the Biblical text) to color, that you are going to have some interpretation. I’m talking about poetic license here. Sometimes you have to try and interpret how someone said what he or she said (what was the fluctuation in their voice, etc, etc); Even in Biblical exposition we must admit this often (needs to) takes place. I did not mind this aspect of the film (in my mind the director has to make an educated interpretation in certain places). The first hour of the film was dedicated to the first two and half chapters of Esther. The second half of the film covered ch 3ff. In many instances, the second half of the film did not stick close to Biblical text. As I was following along in my Bible I found myself saying that’s not what happened too many times. The romance story between Esther and the King (Ahasuerus) was (in my opinion) not very well done. It made a great romance story look cheesy (think Star Wars 2 cheesy). That is the potential danger (especially) with small budget films like this one.
The one thing I love about movies like this one is that they motivate me to be more familiar with the Bible (or with church history in the case of “Luther”). This movie pricked my interest numerous times. I hope to spend some time in the book of Esther in the near future. It really is a neglected book in the neglected Old Testament.
With that said, I believe the story of Esther is not so much about Esther’s faith or Mordecai’s courage but about the invincible hand of Providence (Gen 50:20, Rom 8:28, Esther 4:14). It is also another powerful illustration of how God always provides for His covenant people (Israel). The Jews have been hated throughout history (Egypt, Babylonians, Assyrians, Romans, Germans, etc) yet God has preserved a remnant (Rom 9-11, Zech 12-14). Esther is a wonderful real life story of how God uses an amazing woman to preserve His chosen people from the genocide of Haman.
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