Blockbuster Love
Who doesn’t love a good movie? Whether it’s a comedy, drama, or mystery, I like to get taken up in a good story. This is especially true if the movie is based on a historical event. There are two particularly powerful movies, based on a true story, that impacted and stayed with me a long time. In both films, the main character heroically gives his life for someone, but have very different final last words to those for whom he is dying . The two films, Saving Private Ryan (Tom Hanks) and Braveheart (Mel Gibson), were released only a couple years apart in the 1990’s:
In Braveheart, Mel Gibson plays the main character, William Wallace, a Scottish Patriot who led a revolt against England for the freedom of his country. At the end of the movie, he made obvious cinematic references to the crucifixion of Christ. He stretched out his arms and yelled, ‘FREEDOM!’ just before he was executed by beheading.
In saving Private Ryan, Hanks character, Captain James Miller, led a team of solders during WW2 into German held territory to save a young private, James Ryan. Just before Private Ryan was dramatically rescued, Hank’s character, dying from wounds he received in battle, says to Ryan, “Earn this”, then took his last breath. Captain Miller was saying to Private Ryan, I gave you my life, now live yours in such a way to earn that sacrifice.
If you have seen both these movies you know how powerful these endings are. Both earned among critics, high marks and won multiple Oscars .
These films have been compared to Christ’s sacrifice for us because Christianity has the ultimate hero who died for us in Jesus Christ. Many books, movies, and plays are said to have a ‘Christ figure’, someone who gives their life for another person or a higher good. These movies certainly have Christ figures, but with one enormous difference.
Christ never says “earn this’ like Hanks character did as he was dying. He never says, ‘I did this for you, now you have to do this for me.’ No, Christ was motivated to die for us to give “FREEDOM”, like Wallace yelled in the final moments of Braveheart.
Too often Christians take a ‘Saving Private Ryan’ view of their faith, always wondering if we have earned Christ’s death with our life. Wondering if they have done sufficient good works to justify Christ’s death.
Scripture is clear: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV
Christ broke the bonds of sin through his crucifixion to give us FREEDOM, not a burden of good works to carry. His life was given freely out of love. Our love is given freely back out of gratitude.
“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation (atoning sacrifice) for our sins.” 1 John 4:10 ESV
Our response to this love is to love him back. This includes walking in goodness and truth as he instructs us because ,“this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:3 ESV
So next time you see or read a Christ figure in pop culture or literature, make sure it’s giving the full Gospel story. The story of love and sacrifice that leads to relationship and freedom, not works and obligation.
Blessings and peace,
Rev Todd