Emptied & Humbled: Guardians of the Galaxy – Choice

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Lent is about Choice. Choosing between what is best for us and what is best for others. Choosing between our own selfish ambitions and sacrifice.

Guardians of the Galaxy is also about choice.

Just about every character in Guardians of the Galaxy wants something.

Star-Lord (Who?), Gamora, and Ronan all wanted the Infinity Stone. Some wanted it for the money, others wanted it for the power.

Drax wanted revenge on the person who killed his wife and child.

Rocket just wanted to be wanted and to be normal.

Super Hero Jesus

What did Jesus choose? Jesus chose us – you and me.

Jesus, the God of all creation, chose to become one of us. The Son of God who is also the Son of Man.

Jesus, the King of Kings, chose to become an infant.

Jesus, the God of Life, chose to die on the cross.

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourselfEach of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be graspedbut emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himselfby becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every nameso that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:3-11)

Jesus chose us.

With what choices are you currently faced?

What choices are you currently making at home, on the job, or with friends?

With every choice, we make a sacrifice. What are you being asked to sacrifice?

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

 

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Emptied & Humbled: Wreck-it Ralph – Glory

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Lent is about glory. Or in movie terms, the happy ending.

Yes, part of Lent is solemn, contemplative, sorrowful. This is the time when we consider sacrifice and death. But part of Lent is also celebratory! We mourn for Good Friday, but we celebrate the happy ending of Easter Sunday!

Jesus has won. Death has been defeated!

Where, O death, is your victoryWhere, O death, is your sting? (I Corinthians 15:55)

We mourn the death but celebrate the glory.

But (Jesus) emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:7-11)

Everything Jesus did, he did for the Father’s glory.

He emptied himself for the Father’s glory.

He humbled himself for the Father’s glory.

We saw that Ralph was willing to sacrifice himself to save Vanellope. In doing so he saved all of Sugar Rush and even got to be part of his Fix-it Felix, Jr community.

All Vanellope wanted was to be able to race! She ended up being a princess, the daughter of the true King and got to be part of the Sugar Rush community.

Both Ralph and Vanellope received their glory, they received community.

What community are you a part of?

What community should you be serving?

What should you give back to your community?

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

 

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Emptied & Humbled: Wreck-it Ralph – Identity

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Lent is about identity. Like Jesus, the choices and sacrifices we make tend to reveal our true identity. This is doubly true in Wreck-it Ralph!

The Good Bad Guy?

Yea, Ralph is the bad guy in Fix-it Felix, Jr. But by his actions – by his sacrifice – Ralph shows himself to truly be the hero!

His position did not define him, his choices and sacrifice did.

You’ve seen this, I’m sure.

Leaders lead. Just because someone has the word leader in their title or position does not make them a leader. Conversely, we all know people who lead well, even without position or title.

The same is true for pastors, right? Just because someone is a pastor doesn’t mean they are a pastor or a shepherd. At the same time, you probably know someone who is a true pastor – a real shepherd – even though they are not one by trade or title.

The same goes for Ralph. He is the hero – the savior – because of what he did, not because of who he is.

The Real Princess

One of my favorite parts of Wreck-it Ralph is when we find out that Vanellope is really a princess!


(Watch before you continue.)

As I’ve written before, Sugar Rush is under the control of a counterfeit king, King Candy. Sugar Rush is “fallen.” King Candy has reprogrammed Sugar Rush so that no one knows how it used to be or how it should be.

When Vanellope crosses the finish line, something miraculous – something biblical – happens; Sugar Rush is restored and transformed! The curse is lifted and Sugar Rush is restored to its original creation. When this happens we find out that Vanellope is really a princess, the daughter of the true king!

Ralph’s sacrifice saved Vanellope and revealed to her her true identity. Vanellope, the sweet little “glitch,” is really the daughter of the true king!

That’s us!

We are the sweet little “glitches” that, when we trust Jesus, become children of the true King!

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fearbut you received the Spirit of adoptionby whom we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s childrenAnd if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ) — Romans 8:15-17

Because Jesus emptied and humbled himself to the point of death on the cross – and rose again! – we can be adopted into God’s family!

Because of that sacrifice, we know our true identity – we are God’s adopted children!

Lent is about our adoption into God’s family. Lent is about our true identity.

Today, take the time to consider that if you have trusted in Jesus, you are one of God’s kids and a fellow heir with his only begotten son, Jesus.

If you have not yet trusted Jesus, then today is the day!

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved! (Acts 16:31)

Jesus loves you.

If you have questions about Jesus, the faith, or Lent, please reach out to me.

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

 

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Emptied & Humbled: Wreck-it Ralph – Death

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Lent is about Death. We anticipate Jesus’ death on Good Friday and then celebrate his defeat of death on Easter/Resurrection Sunday!

As we said yesterday, Ralph emptied himself and humbled himself. So much so that he was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. Ralph emptied and humbled himself to the point of death.

Yea, I know he didn’t die.

But he was willing to die.

He thought he was going to die.

And he did it anyway.

Ralph made the ultimate sacrifice.

This sacrifice is the point of Lent.

During Lent, we stop and remember what Jesus did for us. We stop and consider what Jesus sacrificed for us.

We ponder what he emptied himself of. We wonder at how the creator God could humble himself.

Somewhere during Lent, we remember that what he did, he did for us. What he did, he did for me.  What he did, he did for you.

In the same way that Vanellope had he “glitch,” we have our own glitches.

We know our crap. We know the stuff we usually try to hide.

Even with all that stuff, Jesus loves us. Jesus loves us so much that even while we were still dirty, rotten sinners, he died for us.

Yes, Lent is about death.

Not just Jesus’, but also the little deaths we die to every day.

The death of our pride. The death of our own selfish desire. The death of our ego.

What in your life needs to die? What are you holding onto? What do you need to let go of?

This Lent season – today – think about what Jesus did for you. Then consider what you should do for Jesus.

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

 

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Emptied & Humbled: Wreck-it Ralph – Sacrifice

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Ralph had a choice to make. Would he help Vanellope or would he pursue his own desire, to take a hero’s medal back to Fix-it Felix, Jr and join the community?

While Spider-man sacrificed his wants, Ralph chose to sacrifice his life.

King Candy, now the “Lord of the Flies” bug-like creature, has Ralph high above Candy Crush. Vanellope, who cannot leave the game, is about to die at the hands claws of the demon-like bugs from the game Hero’s Duty.

Ralph knows that the bugs are drawn to light, that if he can crash the Mentos into the Coke River, then he can erupt the volcano and draw the bugs away from Vanellope.

The catch, however, is that he would have to sacrifice himself. And that is what he does.

Ralph breaks free of King Candy and falls to (what he thinks will be) his death. On the way down he crashes through the Mentos, igniting the Mentos/Coke volcano.

This is exactly the attitude that Jesus has in Philippians 2.

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourselfEach of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be graspedbut emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himselfby becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:3-8)

Ralph, like Jesus, thought of others – specifically Vanellope – as more important than himself.

Ralph, like Jesus, emptied himself of his own desire – to go home a hero – and became a servant, serving Vanellope to the point of death.

(Yea, I know he didn’t die, but he thought he was going to die. He was willing to die and chose to sacrifice himself thinking he would die.)

This is how Jesus loves you.

Jesus emptied and humbled himself for you.

But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Today, instead of thinking of what you need to sacrifice, thank God – thank Jesus – for what he did for you!

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

 

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Emptied & Humbled: Wreck-it Ralph – Choice

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Last week we looked at Spider-man 2, Philippians 2, and saw how they both apply to Lent. This week will look at Disney’s Wreck-it Ralph.

Ralph wanted something that we all want; Ralph wanted friends, Ralph wanted community. Ralph, the bad guy of the video game Fix-it Felix, Jr, wanted to be a part of the community. He simply wanted to be friends with Felix and the others.

When Ralph crashed an anniversary party, he found out that he would only be invited if he was a hero, if he won a medal. The problem was, there was no way to win a medal in his game. To win a medal, Ralph had to “go Turbo;” that meant he had to leave Fix-it Felix, Jr and enter a different game.

In the world of Wreck-it Ralph, “going Turbo” was a very bad thing.

And now Ralph had a choice to make; would he stay in his game or would he “go Turbo” to try to win a medal?

In the context of this movie, it is easy to see that the characters in Fix-it Felix, Jr are in the wrong. What Ralph wants is a very good thing. We are all made to live in a community.

First, we are made in the image of God and God lives in a community.

Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness...” (Genesis 1:26)

Before we were even a thing, God lived in a community. God – in the Trinity – lives in a community. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – the holy three-in-one – live in a perfect community. A perfect mix of unity, equality, and submission.

And we were made in his image. It is good for us to live in a community.

Ralph’s desire – his ambition – was a good ambition. Regardless, Ralph still needed to choose between his desire – community – and something greater. That something greater was Vanellope.

Ralph wanted the medal so he could join the Fix-it Felix, Jr community. After he met Vanellope, he had to choose between his own desire and her’s.

He wanted to take the medal back so that he could join the Fix-it Felix, Jr community.

She wants to enter – and win – a race.

What did Jesus want?

So what did Jesus want? What did Jesus give up? I don’t know, to be honest.

But (Jesus) emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himselfby becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:7-8)

We know that he emptied himself and took the form of a slave. Yea, I don’t know everything that this means, but it sounds to me that he gave up being the master. Jesus gave up being in charge to being a slave.

We also know that he humbled himself. The creator God, the God that created even life, humbled himself to the point of death. The Lord – the God of Israel – humbled himself to the point of death.

Jesus gave up a lot.

What do you want?

So what do you want? What are you in the middle of choosing between?

Spider-man wanted the girl, grades, and a job. All good things.

Ralph wanted friends. Certainly a very good thing.

But both choose something greater.

What is your greater?

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

 

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Emptied & Humbled: Spider-man 2 – Glory

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

No pain, no gain the old saying goes. This certainly rings true for our spiritual lives. Sacrifice and death are the”birth pains” of the glory. No pain, no glory.

Think “beauty from the ashes” or the glorious phoenix rising from the ashes.

Knives, Plants, and Babies

Have you ever seen someone sharpen a knife? It is kind of brutal, to the knife. Depending on the way you sharpen a knife you can even see the sparks caused by the grinding and friction.

But you don’t get the sharp blade without the pain of sharpening.

As iron sharpens ironso a person sharpens his friend. (Proverbs 27:17)

Have you ever pruned plants? Again, it is kind of brutal, to the plant. My wife and I have a vegetable garden and grape vines. Not only do we have to prune the dead vines and branches, often we have to prune living vines and branches. We literally cut off part of the plant.

But you don’t get the fruit without the pain of pruning.

Jesus even used this metaphor about our own spiritual lives.

I am the true vine and my Father is the gardenerHe takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. (John 15:1-2)

Speaking of birth pains, we see the same in the beautiful birth of a child. Yes, childbirth is amazingly beautiful, but (so my wife says) it is also quite painful!

But you don’t get the beautiful baby without the birth pains.

Spider-man and Jesus

 

We see this same idea play out in Spider-man 2.

Because he is the hero, Peter Parker chooses to sacrifice his own desires. He empties himself and he humbles himself to the point of death (yea, I know he didn’t die, but he did what he needed to with no regard for his own being). It is only after this sacrifice that the world sees his true identity, that he is both Spider-man and Peter Parker. And it is after this sacrifice that Peter Parker gets the girl. It is after this sacrifice that Peter Parker gets his glory.

Peter Parker’s glory only comes after the pain of sacrifice.

We know this is true, right? We want life to be easy, we want it to be painless. But we know – we truly know – that life is hard and that good things don’t come easy.

We see this in artists, musicians, dancers, and athletes. The best of these work HARD. Harder than most of us are willing to work. Their glory comes from the pain of practice and discipline.

We even see this in Philippians 2 in regards to Jesus.

But (Jesus) emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human natureHe humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every nameso that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:7-11)

“As a result,” did you catch that? As a result of Jesus emptying and humbling himself – as a result of his ultimate sacrifice and eventual death and resurrection – God the Father exalted him and gave him the name above every name so that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, all to the glory of the Father!

Glory comes from the pain of sacrifice.

Resurrection comes from the pain of death.

This idea applies to both your relationship with God and with others.

Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:27-39)

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

What is standing between you and God? What glory is waiting for you “as a result” of your sacrifice? What does God want to do in you and through you?

Lent is the perfect time to get right with God.

Lent is the perfect time to choose the sacrifice.

Lent is the perfect time to empty yourself of your own ambition.

Lent is the perfect time to humble yourself before your God. (After all, someday we will all bow down and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…)

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”

What is standing between you and your neighbor, your spouse, your family, your friends, your boss/employees?

What glory is waiting for you “as a result” of your sacrifice? What does God want to do in you and through you in light of these relationships?

Lent is the perfect time to get right with your neighbors.

Lent is the perfect time to choose the sacrifice.

Lent is the perfect time to empty yourself of your own ambition.

Lent is the perfect time to humble yourself before your neighbor.

 

Emptied and Humbled

Spider-man 2 is an amazing Reel Parable. It entertainingly teaches us about Philippians 2.

Choice requires sacrifice.

Sacrifice often leads to death.

Sacrifice and death reveal identity.

The pain of sacrifice is required for the glory.

As you observe Lent, examine your own life in light of Philippians 2 and Spider-man 2.

What choices are you being asked to make?

What sacrifices do you need to make? What wants, desires, ambitions do you need to kill?

What glory awaits you at the end of this process?

But (Jesus) emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human natureHe humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every nameso that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:7-11)

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Emptied & Humbled: Spider-man 2 – Identity

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Who are you? If you are like me, there is a certain tension to your answer.

I am a husband, a father, a son, and a brother. I am an employee and a volunteer. I am a writer and a poet. I am a dreamer and a procrastinator (not a good combination). I joke with my wife that I am a lover who can fight and a fighter who can love. I am a sinner and I am a saint. I am a Christian and an heir with Christ, but I am also a working stiff chasing the American Dream.

 

A Holy Tension

The tension comes from choice and the resulting sacrifice, in choosing between what we want and what we will sacrifice.

Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and stealBut accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and stealFor where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

The tension comes from choosing between earthly treasure and heavenly treasure. Do you want earthly treasure or do you want heavenly treasure? Are you willing to sacrifice earthly treasure for heavenly treasure? Or will you sacrifice your heavenly treasure for earthly treasure?

And this begs the question, what is earthly treasure?

My wife is fond of our home and my kids like to eat. I enjoy movies (obviously!) and really like my TV. Yesterday I bought the newest release from a favorite band. Are these earthly treasures?

Notice that the storing up of treasure happens now, here on Earth, and not sometime off in the future. Regardless of if it is earthly treasure or heavenly treasure, the storing up of the treasure happens now. This is not some pie-in-the-sky escapism. This is not an excuse to bury our heads in the sand and ignore what we don’t like. This is not an excuse ignore – or distance ourselves from – the world. Instead, this is a reason to empty ourselves and humble ourselves and to choose others needs over our own ambition.

Will you choose to invest in earthly treasure and sacrifice heavenly treasure?

Or will you choose to invest in heavenly treasure and sacrifice earthly treasure?

If you are like me, then there is an ongoing tension between what I want and what God wants.

Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2)

This is the tension.

Son of Man and Son of God

It is during his greatest act of sacrifice that Spider-man is revealed to be Peter Parker. This utmost example of emptying and humbling is when we see his true identity; he is just a boy but he is also the hero.

 

This is true for Jesus. Yes, he is the Son of Man, but he is also the Son of God.

We see Jesus’ identity fully realized in Lent.

Jesus is the Son of Man who can forgive our sins. A man – and a sympathetic savior – who has been tempted in all the same ways as we are tempted. (Hebrews 4:15)

Which is easierto say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up, take your stretcher, and walkBut so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” – he said to the paralytic – I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.” And immediately the man stood up, took his stretcher, and went out in front of them all. They were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:9-12)

Jesus is also the Son of God – the Lamb of God – who came to take away the sin of the world.

On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

Now when the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place, they were extremely terrified and said, “Truly this one was God’s Son!” (Matthew 27:54)

Choice > Sacrifice > Death > Identify

The choices that we make result in sacrifice. Often that sacrifice ends in death; the death of desire, the death of a dream, the death of our pride. This death reveals our true identity.

Let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

Spider-man’s deeds revealed his true identity, so do ours.

Jesus’ deeds revealed his true identity, so do ours.

Our deeds reveal our true identity. Do our deeds – do your deeds – point people to God?

What do your deeds reveal about you? Do your deeds accumulate treasures here on earth? Do your deeds accumulate treasures in heaven? Do your deeds point others to God?

Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of GodKeep thinking about things above, not things on the earthfor you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in GodWhen Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with himSo put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passionevil desire, and greed which is idolatryBecause of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedienceYou also lived your lives in this way at one time, when you used to live among themBut now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouthDo not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created itHere there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all. (Colossians 3:1-11)

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Emptied & Humbled: Spider-man 2 – Death

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

But (Jesus) emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! Philippians 2:7-8

Lent is about choice and sacrifice. Sometimes the choices and sacrifices are small (time, money, wants), but sometimes they are huge.

 

Peter Parker wanted a job, a girlfriend and to get good grades in school. All of these are good things.

Instead of chasing after his own ambition, Peter Parker emptied and humbled himself. Why? Because Spider-man was the hero. And like Jesus, he humbled himself to the point of death.

In the image above Spider-man even looks like he is hanging on a cross. In the image below he even has a “spear pierced” side. The imagery is very powerful; that is what Jesus did for us.

Yea, I know he didn’t die, but he was willing to and the people he saved thought he did die.

Peter Parker emptied and humbled himself – to the point of death – to save others. Jesus emptied and humbled himself – to the point of death – to save everyone. So yes, Jesus loves us the way Spider-man loved his community. He loved us so much he was willing to die for us.

What would this kind of sacrifice look like in your life? What would it look like if we lived our lives like Spider-man? What would it look like if we lived our lives like Jesus?

What would we sacrifice? What would have to die?

For most of us, it is pride, wants, desires. For others, it is habits or addictions or other things you try to hide.

What is currently standing between you and God? Sacrifice it. Kill it.

What is currently standing between you and others, between you and family, between you and friends? Sacrifice it. Kill it.

What do you need to sacrifice – kill – to be the hero?

Personal Note on Sacrifice and Death

Right now, during the Lent season, Christians are dying. Every week, almost every day it seems, there is another report of Christians somewhere in the world who have been kidnapped or killed.

Our issues – our pride, our desire, our wants – fade in the light of this Earthly tragedy. I don’t want to make light of our issues. Bad habits – and especially addiction – are not easy to break. But do not for a moment forget that others are currently facing real persecution and are making real – the ultimate – sacrifice.

But others were tortured, not accepting release, to obtain resurrection to a better lifeAnd others experienced mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonmentThey were stoned, sawed apartmurdered with the sword; they went about in sheepskins and goatskins; they were destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (the world was not worthy of them); they wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and openings in the earthAnd these all were commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promisedFor God had provided something better for us, so that they would be made perfect together with us. (Hebrews 11:35a-40)

We are not tortured. We are not flogged, chained or imprisoned. We are not stoned, sawed apart or murdered by the sword.

Right now others, however, are.

As Hebrews says, the world is not worthy of these people.

They are worthy to suffer like Jesus and have received a glory beyond all comparison.

For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18)

This Lenten season, I exhort you to pray that their suffering, that their sacrifice, that their death, would not be in vain. Pray with me that their testimony would be strong and their faith firm.

For their momentary, light suffering is producing for them an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. (II Corinthians 4:17, pronouns edited)

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Emptied & Humbled: Spider-man 2 – Sacrifice

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

We make sacrifices every day. Every time we make a choice – and we make choices every day – we make a sacrifice. We often choose one thing at the cost – or sacrifice – of another. We choose one thing over something else.

Lent is a time of sacrifice.

While most of us will never have to pay the ultimate sacrifice, we all make smaller sacrifices every day.

As we see in the Spider-man II poster above when we choose we also sacrifice. Peter Parker wanted things that Spider-man got in the way of.

Peter Parker sacrificed his will, his own ambition, to serve the people.

Peter sacrificed in order to be the hero.

He gave up his job, his girl, and his grades to fulfill a better, a bigger, calling.

What has God called you to do?

What is God asking you to give up, whether it is for Lent or for your life?

What are you holding on to that you know you should let go of?

What is standing between you and Jesus today, right now?

What do you need to sacrifice in order to obey God better?

This Lent I am straight up fasting. When I fast it is usually for one of two reasons.

  1. Fasting is a very clear way for me to have self-control. Often, the way I eat indicated my lack of self-control. The less self-control I have the more I eat. Fasting is a way for me to refocus and reboot my will and self-control.
  2. Fasting makes me trust God. I have a lot of dreams and plans and responsibilities. I work full-time and my wife and I homeschool our kids. In addition to the full-time job I volunteer at my Church and with my son’s Boy Scout troop. In addition to all that I am chasing this dream – Reel Parables. While my job is my current profession, Reel Parables is my passion. The more I have going on the more I try to control it. The more I pursue the less I trust God. Fasting is a way for me to stop trying to control my life and to give it back to God.

Peter Parker, like Jesus, had to sacrifice his own ambition to serve a higher purpose.

Today – this day – what can you give up, what can you sacrifice, in order to serve someone already in your life?

What can you sacrifice to serve your family, your spouse, or your children?

What can you sacrifice to serve your job and co-workers?

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith