Movie devotions: Les Miserables - Exodus 9:7

Exodus 9:7     Pharaoh sent men to investigate and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart was unyielding and he would not let the people go.

Like most movie goers, I went to see the new production of “Les Miserables” on the big screen. It’s part of a Christmas tradition with the Stuarts. On Christmas Day, we go to the latest blockbuster in the morning and then sit down to dinner when we get home. We usually discuss the movie at the table which helps us strengthen our bonds of commonality and love.

“Les Miz” was an amazing movie in so many different ways. The computerized special effects made it appear as if it was actually being shot in the Paris of 1832. Some of the songs were wonderful and the acting was first class. It was, however, a bleak tragedy at times, and the amount of misery that was displayed was harrowing.

I’ve always been intrigued by the character ‘Javert’ and I thought that Russell Crowe played him almost perfectly (Robert Newton has always been my favorite actor to portray Javert). Javert is a police inspector who lives his life devoted to the Law. Justice for him is served by applying the Law clinically and perfectly. Javert has no compassion for anyone. He idolizes the Law and is soulless. His lack of mercy and unswerving dedication to fulfilling the Law is what ruins him in the end. He cannot abide being weak and cannot live with himself when he allows the hero, Jean Valjean, one act of mercy. His dispassion destroys him, causing him to leap to his death into the cold waters of the River Seine in Paris.

Both Bible passages for today (Exodus 9:1-7 and John 8:1-11) involve dispassionate people whose merciless judgments lead to their subsequent destruction. When Pharaoh stubbornly refuses to let the Hebrew go free after the death of livestock, he is choosing to selfishly follow a hard-hearted path that will eventually lead to the death of his son, the destruction of his army, and the end of his reign.

In the Gospel, we come across religious fanatics who want to stone to death a defenseless woman. They are self-righteously full of vengeance and seek to dispassionately destroy a sinner in their midst, in order to preserve the illusion of perfectionism in their religious community. It’s only when Jesus intervenes with some home truths and close to the bone remarks that their attitude changes. However, within a short time, the same kind of religious fanatics are going to go after Jesus, baying for blood, and eventually seeking to have Him crucified. The religious community perfection that they try to harshly maintain will be destroyed within a generation.

We are on the threshold of a New Year. We each will be faced with many different choices. Some of them will be good, but at other times we will make mistakes. Depending upon what we do, our good choices may outweigh our poor decisions, but at the outset of the New Year, we need to be aware of this: all of our choices have consequences.

Question for personal reflection

What are the main choices that I have ahead of me in 2013? Am I willing to listen to Christ’s Voice as the prime directive for my decisions?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, a new year lies ahead of us and none of us knows what kind of journey we will experience. We have dreams and goals, as well as choices and decisions that can bring goodness into our lives and those of our loved ones. Guide us with Your wisdom; lead us by Your love. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s Mackintosh Rose drawings. It’s called “Lo, How a Rose E’r Blooming” in the style of the renowned Scottish art nouveau artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh. If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8499/8309689684_8543d1c119_b.jpg

Movie Devotions: The King's Speech - Fulfilling Our Calling - Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4:1             As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

 As per our usual custom, our family went to the movies on Christmas Day. We’ve done this for several years because we enjoy the atmosphere at the picture house, as well as the blockbuster of a movie that we choose to see.

This year, we chose “The King’s Speech,” which is definitely not a blockbuster but it may win more than a few Oscars. It’s about the story of King George VI of Britain who suffered from a terrible stammer. Each time he was called upon to make a public speech, his stuttering took over and ruined his presentations. When his older brother abdicated the British throne, George was thrust into the forefront of the British Empire and had to make many broadcasts. When war came to Britain in 1939, King George had to rally the nation. Without the determination of his Australian Speech therapist, the new king would never have been able to do this and the encouragement that the British public needed in the darkest days of war would never have been accomplished.

The movie is fantastic and I heartily recommend it to everyone. There is some cussing involved but it’s used to express the utter frustration that the king experiences with his stammer. Both Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush play their roles perfectly. This is a classic drama and a great representation of both these award winning actors.

King George fulfilled his calling to which he was appointed. He never chose to do this, but when called upon to lead his people, he put duty first and set aside his own preferences. He was one of the most beloved rulers that Britain has ever known and his own daughter Elizabeth epitomizes all that was best in him, as well as her devoted mother.

We are all given a calling in this life. We may not be called to be kings and queens of the nations, but are we expected to live our lives as heirs to God’s Eternal Kingdom. This means that as Christians our lives are meant to be significantly different from those around us. Our faithful calling is Christ’s vehicle to a fallen world and a faithless culture. If we set aside Christ’s desire for us in His work, then all that we accomplish in this life are our own preferences instead of the purposes that God has in store for us.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we are all different and individual. Our backgrounds, cultures and influences over our lives are as varied as we are. Yet with all of our differences, You call us to that one sameness in You. Help us to cast aside our preferences and to carry with us Your purposes each day. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send John an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Movie review: Clash of the Titans

Two words best describe this current blockbuster: too dark. I’m not talking about the battle of evil vs good, I’m referring to the failure of this movie photographically. There are too many shadows, dark spaces, and dim lighting that the film suffers. If I was editing the movie, I would have upped the brightness level by 5-10%. If you really can’t see the actor’s mouth, you really can’t hear what they’re saying.

Even watching it in 3-D had no charms for me. Compared to Avatar, COTT is like one of those bad Japanese sixties movies that is all effects and nothing in dialogue. The 1981 version is a far better movie to watch. It has more pace, character, and imagination.

So if I was classifying this movie, what would I give it? D for Dud. The movie producers can release the Kraken on me or send me to Hades, but it would be far too dark for me to see or care.

Movie Review: The Young Victoria

It’s about time that this historical royal love story was told in a way that reflects the devotion, charm, and wonderful love that Victoria and Albert once had for each other. Jean-Marc Vallee’s “The Young Victoria” is a beautiful movie which portrays the young queen’s romantic relationship in such a positive and alluring way.

The scenery, which mainly takes place in both Kensington and Buckingham Palaces, is breathtaking. The costumes are perfectly astounding, which makes this dramatic movie instantly comparable to anything that David Lean produced decades ago.

Whilst these things are essential to make a compelling and attractive movie, it’s the growing relationship between Victoria and Albert that keeps the audience enthralled. Emily Blunt was perfectly cast as the young Victoria and portrays the young princess’s frustrations and fears in ways that make the viewers want to cheer her as she faces down her opponents. Albert’s loving courtship and utter devotion to his future bride are utterly believable through Rupert Friend’s tremendous characterization.

The movie covers the early years of Victoria’s sixty three year reign and all of the political intrigue that occurred just before her coronation. The young princess is practically a recluse and prisoner in her mother’s home. She is used as a pawn between political foes and her ambitious relatives at home and abroad. Her uncle King William, remarkably played by Jim Broadbent, in the midst of his own spells of rancor and madness, tries to protect the young heir to the throne. His only wish is to live long enough for Victoria to reach the age of adulthood so that she will not be controlled by those around her.

In the midst of all this aristocratic skullduggery and Machiavellian machinations, young Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg comes into Victoria’s life and lovingly rescues her. It is Albert who makes Victoria strong by believing in her ability to successfully reign over her people. And it is this loving relationship which grows at a distance through the sharing of love letters that is beautifully portrayed in this film.

Some critics have panned the movie as being over-romantic and superficially sentimental. The audience that I experienced the movie with enjoyed the whole spectacle from start to finish. It’s a tear-jerker, but not what some would call a ‘chick flick.’ It’s an historical drama that brings to life the utter devotion and incredible love that Victoria and Albert shared.

If I was rating this movie, I would give it five stars for quality performances, historical settings, marvelous costumes, an excellent screenplay, and a wonderful ensemble of European actors. Miranda Richardson’s portrayal of Victoria’s mother and Paul Bettany’s charming and scheming Lord Melbourne are also highly commendable.

This remarkable movie's website can be found at http://theyoungvictoriamovie.com/

Christmas Movie Clips: Christmas Journey

Christmas Movie featuring art of Stushie



Suitable for presentations at Christmas Eve services

Book of Eli Trailer: Biblical Violence being glorified or Holocaustic holiness?

I wonder if this is a new trend...

Movie Devotions: End Stoning

Jeremiah 9: 20 Now, O women, hear the word of the LORD; open your ears to the words of his mouth. Teach your daughters how to wail; teach one another a lament.

It was both brutal and harrowing. I wept buckets of tears and left the movie theater angry. In fact, I was so angry that my teeth were clenched throughout my fifteen minute drive home.

Every woman and every man in this land should see “The Stoning of Soraya M.” Women should see it because of the brutal stoning and gender discrimination that is portrayed. Men should see it because of their wicked use of faith to squash human rights and their weakness in standing up against falsehoods.

The leading actresses in the movie, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Mozhan Marnò deserve Oscars. They are strong and beautiful, resolute and courageous. But because this is a foreign movie and Hollywood is so narcissistic, they won’t even be mentioned. And yet, I honestly have never seen a more powerful movie in my life. It has changed me completely.

The movie doesn’t entertain the audience, it educates them. I don’t know if America is ready for this because we’re becoming so tabloid titillated and paparazzi pampered that we don’t know how to deal with serious global issues anymore.

I want to set up a new online ministry called “End Stoning.” I’ll highlight the verse (John 8 v7) from the Gospel where Jesus says, “Whoever amongst you is sinless, let him cast the first stone.” I’ve even set up a new blog at www.endstoning.wordpress.com. I’ll put information about stonings from around the world and list the contact addresses of politicians and leaders that people can write to in order to end this barbaric, satanic, and inhumane religious practice. If you want to help me, then send me an email to traqair@aol.com.

Go and see the movie. Women are lamenting all around the world because of this horrific occurrence. This is not God’s work, God’s way, nor is it God’s judgment. This is about man’s inhumanity to women. This is the 21^st century. This has to stop.

Prayer: O LORD, let Your Spirit move amongst us so that we can begin the work of removing this scourge from the Earth. Help us to do whatever we can to save people from being stoned to death. Educate and inform us in order that we may rescue and liberate those who live under this diabolical tyranny. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.