SPY GAME (2001)

Directed by: Tony Scott
Written by: Michael Frost Beckner, David Arata
Studio: MCA / Universal Pictures
Starring: Robert Redford, Brad Pitt, Catherine McCormack
Rated: R

About the film:
One of the last acts a retiring CIA agent named Muir must perform is working against his agency superiors to help release his ex-partner, Bishop, from a Chinese prison camp before his execution is carried out. Even as he examines the options available to him, he reflects on his relationship with the man he recruited and trained to be a spy.

Movie Quote:
“When did Noah build the ark Gladys? Before the rain.”
Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) in Spy Game (2001)

Bible Quote:
“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”
Matthew 24:37 (NIV)

Commentary:
The point Muir is making in his quote is that preparation is the key to a successful outcome. As the old saying goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” God does not want us to fail and so He encourages us to learn from the past, live for today, and plan for tomorrow.

Had Noah waited for the first raindrop before starting to build the ark, the world today would only be populated by fish. The key to his (and our) survival was his obedience to prepare for the rain he did not see coming.

We, like Noah, have been given an opportunity to escape a future calamity. But if we wait until it arrives before we choose to take action, we’ll miss the boat and be left behind. God has given us a way to avoid the tribulation that is to come.

When Jesus Christ returns, he is coming for his church. Any and all born again believers will be removed from this earth and taken to our new spiritual home which he has prepared for us. The “tickets” for that ride have already been paid for… but they must be claimed in advance. There will be no exceptions. The truth of Romans 10:9 tells us “how.” The “when” is left for us to decide.

Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. Why did Muir break his own rules – rules he once said were inviolate – in order to save Bishop?
2. What are the moral dangers in viewing the world as Muir views it; where people, places, and things are all considered to be assets that can be used and discarded for the purpose of the mission?

Michael Elliott
www.screensermon.blogspot.com