Noah, Jesus and New Beginnings

Seen the movie Noah yet? It has attracted much attention everywhere. Good casting, very creative, well thought out, full of godly righteous principles and attention-gripping all the way.

But it’s Hollywood style and only a little biblical, like DeMille’s Bible-inspired The Ten Commandments. Diehard ‘black and white only Christians’ eyebrows have been raised and it’s felt that ‘far too much artistic licence has been taken.’ Any who dare suggest believers should see the movie have been slammed.

We enjoyed it for several reasons. As well as having a good time out we had wanted to see why critics are so up in arms.

Yes, several aspects are definitely not biblical, immediately questioned (but then Hollywood has to spin a yarn to extend four short Genesis chapters to make a two hour movie!). And one could wish that ‘The Creator’ was actually called God.

But beyond this, it’s a delight to realise audiences worldwide are hearing the biblical seven day creation account told simply, believably  and meaningfully by Noah (Actor Russell Crowe).

                                        (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

And how else but in cinemas can you get thousands of captive audiences to sit quietly and hear a clear visual declaration that:
•    Original sin brought more sin into the world
•    Evil is inherent in everyone
•    The creator’s wrath must come on sinful people
•    Even the most pious person (like Noah) is not perfect
•    We all have choices to make
•    Miracles can and do happen
•    One can hear from God - he has a plan for each of us
•    God has a place of safety for those who obey
•    A new beginning is possible.

Themes of forgiveness, faith, trust, responsibility, courage, hope and new possibilities flow throughout the movie.

We like Christian Computing Magazine’s Steve Hewitt‘s response  when criticised for promoting the movie - Why did I Help Promote the Noah Movie? (Link: www.ccmag.com).

‘I am distressed that this movie has caused such uproar in the Christian community. I had found several things about History Channel’s Bible Series contrary to my beliefs about scripture, but said nothing because I felt the opportunities that series provided us to discuss God and our beliefs about the Bible were worth it.

‘What grieves me most is once again the nation gets to witness Christians throwing stones at each other, and at someone's attempt to produce a movie based on a biblical character. The church in America is dying. More Christians stay away than attend, and one of their main reasons is because we are so quick to judge, condemn and shun.

‘I am distressed that this movie has caused such uproar in the Christian community. I had found several things about History Channel’s Bible Series contrary to my beliefs about scripture, but said nothing because I felt the opportunities that series provided us to discuss God and our beliefs about the Bible were worth it.

‘What grieves me most is once again the nation gets to witness Christians throwing stones at each other, and at someone's attempt to produce a movie based on a biblical character. The church in America is dying. More Christians stay away than attend, and one of their main reasons is because we are so quick to judge, condemn and shun.

‘One of my staff members said it best: If we killed the movie, and instead spent millions to rent theatres across this nation and paid to pack them full of people in order to have someone simply read the biblical account of Noah, there would be lots of arguments, complaints, name calling and judging... over which translation they chose to use for the reading.’

Steve Hewitt includes two links (a video and text) to comments from major Christian ministries that are excited about the potential of this movie -

http://vimeo.com/89714097 and http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/noah-movie-review-study-encouraged/
 Theologian Rusty Wright, in his ASSIST article Noah movie: Courage, Faith, Hope, challenges: ‘The essential framework of the biblical flood story - human evil, divine judgment, hope and salvation - remains in Noah. Consider these facets of that story and their modern implications.’ (Link:  www.assistnews.net)

We particularly like colleague Dr Ed Delph‘s blog comments (Link: www.NATIONStrategy.com) - ‘It’s interesting that every major culture has the story of a huge flood that took place in times past. Why is Noah significant at this time? Some practical lessons can be learned. Here are seven “lighter side” ones …

1. Don't miss the boat.
2. Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.
3. Stay fit - when you're old, God may ask you to do something big.
4. Don't listen to critics; get on with the job that needs doing.
5. For safety sake, travel in pairs.
6. The ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
7. No matter the storm, with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.’

Ed adds: ‘I do appreciate the fact that Hollywood is beginning to take notice of the Bible, for whatever the reasons. God can work with that. It brings awareness to those outside of the church, many of whom have never even heard of Noah.’

Here are some of our own thoughts: The ark represents safety and a new beginning. So does Easter which comes up soon - for those who know Jesus.

Noah‘s production  designer had so many ideas about the ark that it was interesting to learn that Jewish director Darren Aronofsky , himself an original thinker and visualist, insisted that the image be based on the Bible dimensions – God’s plan.

As we celebrate Easter shortly – the gift of forgiveness of sin and the promise of a miraculous new beginning, let us be thankful to ‘the Creator’ - Father God - for his great salvation plan, the gift of his only Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16).

God wanted true rest for his creation. He is truly greater than the cleverest digital graphics person and  his plan to bring about salvation that doesn’t depend on our strength was sealed in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

Every person can find forgiveness from sin through accepting Jesus as his or her Saviour and ark of safety. Easter brings opportunities to share the message of hope and the new life and beginning found in having Jesus as Saviour and friend.

‘Noah’ means ‘rest’ but ‘Jesus’ – the real rest -  indicates ‘God is salvation.’ May we remember too his Matthew 24: 37-39 warning about his return:  ‘The Arrival of the Son of Man will take place in times like Noah's. Before the great flood everyone was carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ark. They knew nothing - until the flood.’

Yes, God’s plan was an ark for Noah and his family. Today our ark is God’s plan established in Jesus. May we assist others to find the real ark and get on board!

Some good advice: Read the real Genesis 6-9 flood story of Noah and God grieved (means 'heartbroken') because of his creation’s sins. As with many movies, the book is so much better! This movie is really a current talking point for Christians with non-Christians as was The Ten Commandments and Robert Duvall’s The Apostle!

In knowing what the word really says, and knowing the Creator personally through Jesus, we can talk from strength.

MOMENTUM

Our good friend Steve was asked to run a men’s group night and the Lord put the key word ‘momentum’ on his heart. He asked us to do a leaflet for him and a funny aspect immediately grabbed our attention – moMENtum!

It’s definitely an action word, meaning ‘force of a moving body; impetus gained from motion.’ A good word in respect of male who are normally considered as ‘men of action’ wanting to be moving ahead in all of life.

But sadly many men feel discouraged and helpless because of circumstances or some spiritual enemy. It can be in the work place, family life, even poor health or lack of vision. Whatever the pressure they’re blocked, they’re motionless and just can’t move ahead.

Steve’s key scripture was 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (GNB): ‘We are often troubled, but not crushed; sometimes in doubt, but never in despair; there are many enemies, but we are never without a friend; and though badly hurt at times, we are not destroyed.’

Paul
Paul was God’s New Testament man of action - no matter what challenges he faced, no matter what or who his enemies, he could write with confidence that he would never be defeated! He had supportive friends and, more importantly, knew the greatest and most faithful of all friends, Jesus, whom he knew would never let him down.

So even when things were difficult, Paul would be fired up in the Holy Spirit and was a force to be reckoned with. Act 9:22 (Message) tells us that even suspicions about his conversion ‘didn't slow Paul down for even a minute. His momentum was up now and he ploughed straight into the opposition, disarming the Damascus Jews and trying to show them that this Jesus was the Messiah.’

What had happened to make him such an impetus? Seven things: He had met the living Christ, been converted, baptised in the Holy Spirit, received a miracle of sight, water baptised, relaxedly ate a hearty meal, mixed in fellowship with the brethren and then swung into ministry action! No holding this guy back - he was a man of momentum!

Note verse19…it tells us that after the meal (he hadn’t eaten or drank for three days) he was ‘strengthened.’ This is enischuō indicating being invigorated, having and exercising force.’

Jesus
Jesus himself was a man of action. Acts 10:38 (Message) is a favourite scripture of ours in respect of his ministry and attitude to life: ‘Jesus arrived from Nazareth, anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, ready for action. He went through the country helping people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the devil. He was able to do all this because God was with him.’

The Jesus kind of ministry is an everyday opportunity ministry wherever/whenever we meet people with needs. But Sunday church can be a special time/place to allow the Holy Spirit to move in his supernatural power. Mark 3:4-6 tells of one such time when Jesus was aware that narrow-minded religious people were ready to oppose his moving in momentum to bless.

The Message version says: ‘He spoke to the people: "What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?" No one said a word. He looked them in the eye, one after another, angry now, furious at their hard-nosed religion. He said to the man, "Hold out your hand." He held it out - it was as good as new! The Pharisees got out as fast as they could, sputtering…’

Men (and women, of course)
Paul has much to say about Christians whatever age - women too, not just men -  being Spirit-filled people of action and momentum. For example Romans 8:5: ‘Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit is in them - living and breathing God!’

1 Corinthians12:6 speaks of God’s heart in this: ‘God's various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all.’ Paul’s Colossians 3:2 command is clear! ‘Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ - that's where the action is. See things from his perspective.’

This is definitely for every Christian, not church leaders and not just men. Obviously God wants us all to be free – unbound by anything that causes us not to be a man or women of momentum.

No wonder James writes: ‘But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God - the free life! - even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action’ (James 1:25).

Action
This signifies God’s plan for your life. It involves your talents and skills, past and current training, life’s experiences, hopefully your dreams in God, the fulfilment of his promises for you in 2014.

It can begin simply with guys under pressures being helped by the fellowship of Christian mates who understand and want to give a hand in climbing dangerous mountains. Again an encouragement for Paul… Galatians 6:2 ‘Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law.’

This is the law of love - John 13:14 - and it’s the same for women reaching out to encourage and bless other women.

Moving ahead

May we all move ahead this year and in so doing advance the kingdom. It happened in Jesus’ day simply because he moved in the Spirit to help needy people mentally, emotionally and physically – it can happen today too.

‘Jesus used synagogues for meeting places and taught people the truth of God. God's kingdom was his theme - that beginning right now they were under God's government, a good government! He also healed people of their diseases and of the bad effects of their bad lives. Word got around the entire Roman province of Syria. People brought anybody with an ailment, whether mental, emotional, or physical. Jesus healed them, one and all. More and more people came, the momentum gathering’ (Matt. 4:23-25)

Followers of Jesus are people of action – a moving force!

LEADERS NEED A ‘FRIEND OF GOD!’

One of the big problems in church leadership over the past 20 years or so has been pastors ‘burning out.’

Oh there’s still controversy over what really is burnout, breakdown, overwork exhaustion, depression and such.

That’s just the technical side and one for the experts to decide on. Definitions such as found in SM-5 type manuals can fluctuate and be updated as further research and case studies arise.

In truth, many times a person is labelled as depressed or bipolar 1 and given appropriate medication simply because the medical professions (Thank you for them, Lord!) can’t fully pin down the problem. But thankfully what is prescribed does help stabilise troubled people and get them going again.

Resultant in-house problems
A built-in problem has been/is certain leaders being afraid to acknowledge their health problems to their church and especially their executives. 

There’s been a wrong fear of being labelled a failure and that their faith isn’t strong enough, that they’re not trusting their Lord enough.

But, if such criticisms arise, they’re usually being expressed by insensitive people, by those who simply don’t understand leadership pressures, the fragility of the human mind and the need for leaders to be supported.

Result? Many leaders - in the business world, the general work force, the entertainment industry and politics too as well as in the church - have suffered terribly.
Anyone who has gone through burnout, or whatever the problem has been named, will quickly understand what we’re talking about without us having to itemise every aspect or category.

Both women and men are affected but men can be hit hardest – especially if their wife doesn’t understand what is going on and, as can happen, doesn’t even try. 

A man’s physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual side is tortured, particularly if she closes the door to deeper intimate closeness and criticises, demoralises and, worse still, doesn’t forgive unresolved matters from the past.

A church leader’s ministry can even be lost or at the least depleted, devalued and badly hindered!

Genuinely concerned church members
Then there’s another side to this as well.

We hear from some concerned church members that they recognise that their pastor is acting irrationally and is potentially heading for a breakdown. They’ve been observing that he insists on doing everything himself! He leads the worship (and not always in key), shares the church news, insists on praying for everyone himself and even runs every midweek meeting. 

And that he won’t take friendly wise advice and good counsel on board; take breaks, share responsibility, let others preach – especially the upcoming younger generation with great potential – or allow his eldership to share their thoughts and cautions.

The result is threefold –
1) People, especially good people, leave the church and he can’t work out why. 
2) The younger generation and other talented church members feel unused and unworthy. 
3) And more especially he’s going to come a cropper, or fail badly!

Such leaders urgently need ‘a friend of God!’ But they need to listen to him (or her) and act responsibly! Interestingly many times someone from outside proves the perfect fountain of wisdom here.

Moses and Jethro
The Old Testament gives a very clear example of this - without getting hung up on medical terms and defining it as an impending breakdown, depression, burnout or some new SM-5 category waiting to happen! Read Exodus 18 about the incident of Moses, the original workaholic and Jethro, the observant, wise ‘senior minister, wise counsellor.’

Not having seen his son-in-law for a long time he went visiting. Jethro was horrified when he discovered Moses’ heavy daily workload which he was carrying alone!

Workaholics always justify themselves and Moses was no exception! Read all about it in verses 13-16 and note the wisdom of this insightful ‘senior minister and advisor’ – The Message Bible puts verse 17 this way: ‘This is no way to go about it. You’ll burn out, and the people along with you. This is way too much for you – you can’t do this alone. Now listen to me. Let me tell you how to do this so that God will be in it with you.’

The NLT reads similarly – ‘This is no good!’ his father-in-law exclaimed. ‘You’re going to wear yourself out – and the people too. This job is too heavy for you to handle all by yourself. Now let me give you a word of advice…’

Verses 19b to 22 are princely godly counsel. Jethro adds in verse 23 (NLT): ‘If you follow this advice… you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace.’

Listening and following through
The good news is that Moses listened to his father-in-law and things worked out for him and the people. A new generation of leaders was released to learn from Moses and to serve him, their nation Israel and their God.

Exodus 18:24... ‘[Moses] did everything he said’... should be a wake-up call today to every leader wearied by ministry pressures but still insisting on carrying heavy loads!

A further thought…Jethro is usually regarded as not only Moses’ father-in-law but the priest of Midian who deeply respected God and his miraculous delivering power. After Moses shared what the Lord had done for Israel, he immediately praised God in respect of Israel’s deliverance and proclaimed: ‘I know now that the Lord is greater than all other gods’ (V10).

In respect of our theme, let’s note that the word ‘Jethro’ was only one name associated with him. Indeed Jethro is mainly regarded as merely a title (meaning - as he was probably also a prince – ‘His Excellence’). Exodus 2:18 gives his major actual name - Reuel, meaning ‘friend of God.’

Responsible mutual accountability
Moses was a great leader heading for disaster but he listened to the wise counsel of a ‘senior counsellor’, a friend in contact with God, one who knew the Lord’s mind on leadership pressures.  A valuable lesson for today in respect of responsible mutual accountability!

Many times we don’t need lots of prayer, a prophetic word or a word of knowledge (although praise God for these supernatural operations), just some good balanced counsel, and to heed it and make every change necessary.

And ... guys... a fully appreciated good, godly Proverbs 31 wife of course who honours you and cares deeply! Remember, too, the promise in Proverbs 18:22: ‘He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favour from the Lord.’