TWO GREAT "CHRISTMAS" MOVIES?

"That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." (I John 1:3)

My son Jon is a huge "movie" person. I probably have not seen half as many movies as he has, nor do I have a tenth of his film expertise, but I want to tell you on this post about my two favorite films. You will probably be surprised at my title, as neither of these films is even remotely considered a Christmas film, but I want to tell you why I love these films and why I chose that title. My absolute favorite film of all time is "Field of Dreams" starring Kevin Costner and a very close second is "The Apostle" starring Robert Duval.

Recently a Facebook friend of mine who is a very committed Christian posted a wonderful piece about the line "Go the Distance" from "Field of Dreams". If you've never seen the film I don't want to spoil it for you, but I highly urge you to watch it before the end of 2012. I know many of my evangelical Christian friends may have some problems with the film- with the New Age overtones, the fantasy, and even the glorification of a writer who wrote books in the 1960s which included dirty words. If you can look past that stuff, there's so much you can glean from "Field of Dreams". The movie is the story of Kevin Costner's character Ray Kansella building a baseball field on his Iowa farm in obedience to a mysterious voice he hears. Ray believes something wonderful will happen as a result. The film has a great ending, but initially the building of the field brings Kansella great financial problems and the ridicule and disdain of many of his neighbors. The "Christmas" scene I remember is of Ray at Christmas time sitting and sadly looking at his baseball field filling up with snow. At that point, nothing special has happened, and he's feeling the great financial pressure and some embarrassment. Boy, have I been there! No, I never built a baseball field, but if you're a person who "marches to the beat of a different drummer" as I definitely do, and if you've done things that others called crazy and brought you disdain and ridicule, and even in a few cases financial stress, and I definitely have, then you will relate. I have seen "Field of Dreams" in its entirety abut five times. The James Earl Jones, "People will come, Ray" scene is very powerful and kind of a tearjerker. I'm feeling emotional just writing these words. Maybe this Christmas you feel like Ray. You're just sitting there looking out the window, feeling disconcerted and embarrassed (or just plain sad). Things have not turned out the way you expected. This doesn't seem like much of a Christmas season, and you're dreading the next month. WATCH THAT FILM!

I love "The Apostle" almost as much as "Field of Dreams". I've seen "The Apostle" in full probably twelve times. I never tire of it Many of my fellow evangelical Christians don't like the film. It includes just a few swears. The story includes murder, adultery, drinking, and other "stuff" that makes conservative Christians very uncomfortable. Sadly, those who so oppose the film totally miss its message! I also don't want to spoil this film for you if you have never seen it, but in fact it does not glorify those sins I've mentioned. Rather, it presents the reality that people are sometimes sinful, fallible and hypocritical. In the end, the murderer goes to jail. But Robert Duval's character wants to do something special, meaningful and glorifying to God before he goes to prison, and God grants that desire. I am so thankful that (as I often tell people) "you can't put God in a box". God is so much more forgiving than people are. Is God the "type" to let a murderer have a few months to do a special work before being arrested? This may not square with your theology, but yes, He is! Something that is very special about this film is that many, many of the ministers and devout Christians in the film are really ministers and devout Christians in real life! Now, to be fair and accurate, the guy who plays Rev. Blackwell is an actor. And, the Spanish-speaking female revival preacher is an actor and dancer who is a friend of Duval's. But almost all of the rest are just real devout Christian people, mostly from the rural South. The blind African-American preacher in the opening scene is a real preacher, and he gave a real sermon and led a real service for that scene. The one-legged black guy that Duval's character stays with for a short time is a pastor in real life. The guy was going through a difficult time in his personal life when asked to act in that movie, and playing that role was therapeutic for him. "Elmo" the businessman is a devout Christian from Arkansas in real life. In the final scene where Sammy "gets saved" the guy playing that role just relived the night he did "get saved" in real life as a teenager. His tears of love for Jesus were genuine. The cops who arrest Duval's character are real Louisiana police officers who were asked to handle the arrest exactly as they would in real life.

Listen, do you think you have done something so bad that God could and would never love you or use you for His glory? You have not! That's the message of "The Apostle". And, the Christmas connection is that in Duval's character's final church service, it's right around this time of year- late November. "Apostle E.F." is looking for volunteers to act in the church's Christmas pagent!

It takes guts to do what you think God is calling you to do, even if it means almost everybody thinks you're crazy and you lose some friends and supporters. I've lived that. But if you really believe God is calling you to do something, as long as it is not contrary to the Bible, I think you should do it! And, if you think you're too bad to "make a difference" and do something special for God, you're not!

Incidentally, my "behind the scenes" information on "The Apostle" came from watching the film one time with Robert Duval's commentary track on! If you have not seen these films in years, get copies of them and watch them before the end of the year. And, if you've never seen them, you've GOT to!