And The Winner Is…

          Last Sunday night was the Academy Awards, the high, holy day of Hollywood.  Better known as the “Oscars” it is a night where the best movies, best actors/actresses and best everything in Tinsel Town from the previous year gets celebrated, highlighted and awarded.  It is also a night in which it is a free for all against all things conservative, Christian or remotely right wing.

It is interesting to me that movies are considered art and art is considered a subjective field in which evaluation is strictly based on personal preference and interpretation.  In other words, it is only “good” or “best” based on one’s opinion.  One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure.  ‘Rocky’, ‘The Godfather’, ‘Braveheart’ and ‘Lord of The Rings’ are generally considered “Guy Films” while ‘Titanic’, ‘Ghost’, ‘The Notebook’ and ‘Pretty Woman’ are known as “Chick Flicks” and never the twain shall meet.  Yet, somehow, on this night there are winners and losers.  That is why I like sports so much. The winners and losers are clear and not based solely on opinion or popularity.

Susan and I don’t go to the movies very often but we have been on a bit of a binge lately.  We take our Sabbath on Mondays so we have done “Movie Monday” for the last few months.  It is great.  We go to the matinee, sometimes as early as 11a.m.  The price in the Teaneck theater is $5.00.  In Ridgefield Park the price is about $6.00 but they have reclining, cushioned seats with lots of leg room.  Well worth the extra couple of dollars.  The last three movies we have seen are  ‘Fences’, ‘La-La Land’ and ‘Lion’, in that order.  And one was better than the other with Lion being the best.  At least in my opinion.  I thought it was fantastic.  Susan did too.  But if we had to vote, she might pick La-La Land as the best.  That would be her opinion.

When the apostle, Thomas, after seeing for himself the wounds of the risen Christ, proclaims: “My Lord and My God” (John 20:28), he was not expressing his opinion.  He was not stating his preference.  It wasn’t that he really enjoyed Jesus’ performance or liked how he felt when he saw Him.  He was realizing a truth and coming to terms with what this profession meant.  Jesus is Lord and God.  Fact.  And what your opinion is about that fact will determine your decisions.  But your opinion will not change the fact.

Jesus did not win a popularity contest among all the other gods out there.  He wasn’t voted Best Messiah Of The Year.  His story didn’t get Best Picture.  He is not Lord and God because people really like Him a lot.  He is not even Lord and God because the Bible says He is.  He is Lord and God because He is God incarnate; He was, He is and He always will be and the Bible proclaims it to be true.  But if the Bible did not exist or state it Jesus would still be Lord and God.  Jesus exists outside of the Bible.  Scripture supports the fact, It proclaims the fact. It does not make the fact.   Even without the Bible, even if He did not have one person believe Him or follow Him Jesus would still be Lord and God.

The fact is Jesus is Lord and God .  Lord of everything.  God of Gods.  And not just on days we want Him to be.  Or at times when we feel good about it.  Say it every day.  Let it flow from our lips throughout each day and watch how it changes the entire course of our lives.

Shalom!

What do you think?  How does it make you feel?

Blessings,

Steven