My wife Susan and I recently went to see Overcomer, which is the newest movie out from the Kendrick Brothers who also produced War Room, Fireproo,fand Courageous. This is a movie about a young black girl who became the single member of a cross country track team for a Christian School. Of course, she overcomes all odds to excel in her sport and discovers herself and a family member she thought was dead. In some ways, the plot is predictable but in the end you still shed a tear and want to applaud as she overcomes an immense amount of brokenness.
Although the movie is based on a formula, I highly recommend it. The formula works time and again because it develops the theme of redemption. A person loses his way, makes terrible mistakes, hurts others, burns bridges, finally receives a second chance to do it right…and does it. Something in us wants to stand and cheer. If you think about it, a number of great movies through the years have developed that theme including the classic Ben-Hur, Les Miserables, the Rocky series, the redemption of Darth Vader in Star Wars, etc. I believe these work and we cheer the formula decade after decade because we all know deep within, that we personally need our own redemption.
The Word of God says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Eccl.3:11). The idea of setting eternity in the hearts of men can mean many things, but more than anything, I think it confirms that God has deposited within each man the sense that something lies beyond this life and beyond the physical realm. Within each of us there is a sneaking suspicion that when I take my last breath, a door is opened to another realm. I know that there are self-proclaimed atheists who argue that there is nothing beyond that moment of death, but I believe they had to convince themselves of that view…it did not come naturally.
With an inherent sense of eternity and the longing and even certainty of life after death, the next logical question is, “What does life after this life look like?” Historically, every culture has developed some answer to that in the form of religion and each one has imagined some kind of reward for righteous living and some form of punishment for the wicked…however that was defined by the culture. It is fascinating that every people group through the ages has struggled with their own mortality and has been concerned with their eventual destination after death. I believe that is confirmation that God has indeed placed eternity in the hearts of men.
I also believe that we have inherited a sense of defectiveness from our ancestors – Adam and Eve. After they both sinned against God, they were overcome with a sense of fear and shame…a sense that they were no longer acceptable to God. That sense of defectiveness haunts us all at some level. One response is to construct a system of good works, courageous exploits, self-sacrifice, or special knowledge that will earn us entry into the blessed realm of the next life. Every form of this option has us trying to earn our salvation, but men are still haunted by the fear that they have never done enough. Another option is to simply deny life after death and the threat of judgment through a disciplined mindset of atheism. If I can’t earn my way to God, I will simply deny his existence. The third option is found only in Jesus and that option believes that God is good and that he loved us enough to personally pay the price for our defectiveness. We cannot earn salvation but can only accept it through the sacrifice of Jesus. In a works religion, man keeps trying to get to God. In Jesus, God has come to man. In him and him alone is the redemption we all long for because we know we need it. Maybe we can’t verbalize it, but we sense it – we feel it.
When movies or stories hit that nerve, it resonates with our deepest need. We identify with the character who finds redemption and we experience the hope of redemption in that moment. Of course, it is only a movie or a book and that hope fades unless we have the abiding hope of Jesus. One reason the gospel is so powerful, is because it hits that nerve. As followers of Jesus, we have the story that meets the need. We should be eager to tell it and the truth of it will resonate in the hearts of men. Jesus is the redeemer and the hero of every story.
