Directed by: Peter Hedges
Written by: Pierce Gardner, Peter Hedges
Studio: Touchstone Pictures
Starring: Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook
Rated: PG-13
About the film:
A widower who has taken his three children on a family vacation meets a woman who sparks his romantic interest. The problem is… she’s already dating his brother.
Movie Quote:
"Love is not a feeling. It’s an ability."
Dan Burns (Steve Carell) in Dan in Real Life (2007)
Bible Quote:
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”
John 15:12 (KJV)
Commentary:
Love is often confused (as it is in this film) for a feeling. People who desperately desire love tend to mistake it for the first tingling sensation they receive. Lust, infatuation, fear, even hunger have all been confused at one time or another for man’s concept of love. The great reality of love is far richer and goes much deeper than any “feeling.”
Dan is superficially correct. Love is an ability. But he stops short at arriving at the truth. For although God granted all of us the ability to love, many of us never achieve it. Love is, above all else, a free-will choice. Each of us has the ability to choose to love or choose not to love. We can also choose to accept love or choose to reject it.
God defines love in a simple and straightforward manner. “And this is love, that we walk after His commandments.” (2 John 1:6) It is a choice that we make. It may not be signaled with a tingling sensation; it may not come in on floods of emotion; it may not even be reciprocated. But love, as God defines it, is the crux of creation. It is the meaning for our existence. And knowing that love is a choice that we make… applicable to any relationship we choose to enter… should change the way we approach those relationships.
Feelings come and go. Love can and should be a constant… in our hearts… in our minds… and in our lives.
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. Is there such a thing as “love at first sight?” Why or why not?
2. If love is not a “feeling,” what causes the feelings we experience and how do we protect ourselves from their effects?
Michael Elliott
www.screensermon.blogspot.com
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
SWEET CHARITY (1969)
Directed by: Bob Fosse
Written by: Peter Stone
Studio: Universal Pictures
Starring: Shirley MacLaine, John McMartin, Chita Rivera
Rated: G
About the film:
Despite constant disappointments with life, taxi dancer Charity holds onto her faith and continues to hope that true love is waiting for her just around the corner.
Movie Quote:
“Without love, life would have no purpose.”
Vittorio (Ricardo Montalban) in Sweet Charity (1969)
Bible Quote:
“If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”
1 Corinthians 13:2 (NIV)
Commentary:
There is much that we can do without in this world. We don’t need riches or calamity; neither luxuries nor poverty are needed in order to carve out a life of meaning and substance. But a life without love is no life at all. It doesn’t take much to understand why.
God is the creator of life. And God is love. (1 John 4:8) Certainly He would weave His very nature throughout all His creation. To live life without living it in love is to deny the One Who gave us life in the first place.
What some fail to comprehend is the truth that love is not a “feeling” that we may fall into. It is a decision we make. It is not accident or fate. It is a deliberate choice. Because this is true, we have the opportunity to always operate from a mindset of love. Regardless of the situation, we have the God-given ability to face anything and always frame our actions out of a heart filled with love. It is our choice. Whether we act in love or act without love is our decision.
As we determine within ourselves to always act with love in our heart (and by love I mean the love of God and the love for our fellow man) we are well on our way to a spiritual maturity that is reflective of His love for us.
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. How would you counsel Charity if she came to you asking for advice?
2. How are we to react in the face of disappointments and unrealized expectations? How do we keep our faith strong if our goals are yet to be reached?
Michael Elliott
www.screensermon.blogspot.com
Written by: Peter Stone
Studio: Universal Pictures
Starring: Shirley MacLaine, John McMartin, Chita Rivera
Rated: G
About the film:
Despite constant disappointments with life, taxi dancer Charity holds onto her faith and continues to hope that true love is waiting for her just around the corner.
Movie Quote:
“Without love, life would have no purpose.”
Vittorio (Ricardo Montalban) in Sweet Charity (1969)
Bible Quote:
“If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”
1 Corinthians 13:2 (NIV)
Commentary:
There is much that we can do without in this world. We don’t need riches or calamity; neither luxuries nor poverty are needed in order to carve out a life of meaning and substance. But a life without love is no life at all. It doesn’t take much to understand why.
God is the creator of life. And God is love. (1 John 4:8) Certainly He would weave His very nature throughout all His creation. To live life without living it in love is to deny the One Who gave us life in the first place.
What some fail to comprehend is the truth that love is not a “feeling” that we may fall into. It is a decision we make. It is not accident or fate. It is a deliberate choice. Because this is true, we have the opportunity to always operate from a mindset of love. Regardless of the situation, we have the God-given ability to face anything and always frame our actions out of a heart filled with love. It is our choice. Whether we act in love or act without love is our decision.
As we determine within ourselves to always act with love in our heart (and by love I mean the love of God and the love for our fellow man) we are well on our way to a spiritual maturity that is reflective of His love for us.
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. How would you counsel Charity if she came to you asking for advice?
2. How are we to react in the face of disappointments and unrealized expectations? How do we keep our faith strong if our goals are yet to be reached?
Michael Elliott
www.screensermon.blogspot.com
Sunday, January 31, 2010
THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987)
Directed by: Rob Reiner
Written by: William Goldman
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Starring: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Robin Wright Penn
Rated: PG
About the film:
A grandfather reads to his sick grandson and tells a tale about a beautiful princess in need of rescuing. It is a tale of great adventure – with giants, pirates, wizards, and exciting swordplay. But, above all else, it is a tale of love.
Movie Quote:
“You can’t hurt me. Wesley and I are joined by the bonds of love. And you cannot track that, not with a thousand bloodhounds. And you cannot break it, not with a thousand swords.”
Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright Penn) in The Princess Bride (1987)
Bible Quote:
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
Romans 8:35-37 (NIV)
Commentary:
The Princess Bride is a story about true love. True love is the strongest bond that exists in this world and the truest love of all is the love of God exemplified by the standard that was set by Jesus Christ.
When we operate with the love of God in our heart, the impact our loves make upon others is both palpable and real. Nothing in this world can change the fact that God loves us. Nothing in this world should change the fact that we love Him back. With His love, we are more than conquerors… we are winners in every sense of the word.
Our love need not be affected by the trials and tribulations of this world. We recognize that we will go through hard times or, as the scriptures say, “night seasons.” But the love that binds us to God is not changed by outward circumstances. It abides within us and it grows stronger every day and with every passing moment. The challenges of life will come and go but the love of God is constant and shall never fail.
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. What are the different ways that the characters in the film express their love?
2. Wesley defied the odds and overcame every obstacle in order to be reunited with his love. What won’t God do for us to reconcile us to Him?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspot.com
Written by: William Goldman
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Starring: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Robin Wright Penn
Rated: PG
About the film:
A grandfather reads to his sick grandson and tells a tale about a beautiful princess in need of rescuing. It is a tale of great adventure – with giants, pirates, wizards, and exciting swordplay. But, above all else, it is a tale of love.
Movie Quote:
“You can’t hurt me. Wesley and I are joined by the bonds of love. And you cannot track that, not with a thousand bloodhounds. And you cannot break it, not with a thousand swords.”
Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright Penn) in The Princess Bride (1987)
Bible Quote:
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
Romans 8:35-37 (NIV)
Commentary:
The Princess Bride is a story about true love. True love is the strongest bond that exists in this world and the truest love of all is the love of God exemplified by the standard that was set by Jesus Christ.
When we operate with the love of God in our heart, the impact our loves make upon others is both palpable and real. Nothing in this world can change the fact that God loves us. Nothing in this world should change the fact that we love Him back. With His love, we are more than conquerors… we are winners in every sense of the word.
Our love need not be affected by the trials and tribulations of this world. We recognize that we will go through hard times or, as the scriptures say, “night seasons.” But the love that binds us to God is not changed by outward circumstances. It abides within us and it grows stronger every day and with every passing moment. The challenges of life will come and go but the love of God is constant and shall never fail.
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. What are the different ways that the characters in the film express their love?
2. Wesley defied the odds and overcame every obstacle in order to be reunited with his love. What won’t God do for us to reconcile us to Him?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspot.com
Thursday, January 28, 2010
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960)
Directed by: John Sturges
Written by: Walter Newman, William Roberts
Studio: United Artists
Starring: Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen
Rated: PG-13
About the film:
A gang of seven gunslingers with no vested interest in the cause for which they were hired nevertheless try to protect a tiny Mexican village from invading bandits.
Movie Quote:
“You think I am brave because I carry a gun? Well, your fathers are much braver because they carry responsibility: For you, your brothers, your sisters, and your mothers. And this responsibility is like a big rock that weighs a ton. It bends and it twists them until finally it buries them under the ground. And there’s nobody says they have to do this. They do it because they love you, and because they want to. I have never had this kind of courage.”
O’Reilly (Charles Bronson) in The Magnificent Seven (1960)
Bible Quote:
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?”
Luke 11:11 (NIV)
Commentary:
What leads a man to make the ultimate sacrifice? It is a question that strikes at the heart of Christianity. After all, our Lord and Savior was sent to earth for the sole purpose to sacrifice himself for us. Like Jesus Christ, the seven gunfighters in The Magnificent Seven chose, for reasons of their own, to risk their lives in order to bring freedom to people they didn’t know.
Sacrifice is an unusual thing to explain. The survival instinct within man is strong and unrelenting. And yet, at times, it is available for man to suppress his natural survival instinct in order to give dominance to a stronger force – a force that compels him to give his life in order to save another.
A father knows instinctively that he is capable of giving his life for his child. Anyone who has been blessed with a child knows this. Of course, our God takes this a step further. He allowed his only begotten son to suffer and die in order that he might welcome more of His children to His side. Such love is difficult to fathom. But it is not impossible to understand.
God empowered us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He enabled us to free ourselves from the bondage of fear and death. He did this for one reason only. He loves us.
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. Why did these gunfighters decide to stay and fight for a village that wasn’t theirs?
2. Compare the qualities and attributes of the gunfighters. Did these qualities help to determine whether or not they survived the battle? Why or why not?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspot.com
Written by: Walter Newman, William Roberts
Studio: United Artists
Starring: Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen
Rated: PG-13
About the film:
A gang of seven gunslingers with no vested interest in the cause for which they were hired nevertheless try to protect a tiny Mexican village from invading bandits.
Movie Quote:
“You think I am brave because I carry a gun? Well, your fathers are much braver because they carry responsibility: For you, your brothers, your sisters, and your mothers. And this responsibility is like a big rock that weighs a ton. It bends and it twists them until finally it buries them under the ground. And there’s nobody says they have to do this. They do it because they love you, and because they want to. I have never had this kind of courage.”
O’Reilly (Charles Bronson) in The Magnificent Seven (1960)
Bible Quote:
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?”
Luke 11:11 (NIV)
Commentary:
What leads a man to make the ultimate sacrifice? It is a question that strikes at the heart of Christianity. After all, our Lord and Savior was sent to earth for the sole purpose to sacrifice himself for us. Like Jesus Christ, the seven gunfighters in The Magnificent Seven chose, for reasons of their own, to risk their lives in order to bring freedom to people they didn’t know.
Sacrifice is an unusual thing to explain. The survival instinct within man is strong and unrelenting. And yet, at times, it is available for man to suppress his natural survival instinct in order to give dominance to a stronger force – a force that compels him to give his life in order to save another.
A father knows instinctively that he is capable of giving his life for his child. Anyone who has been blessed with a child knows this. Of course, our God takes this a step further. He allowed his only begotten son to suffer and die in order that he might welcome more of His children to His side. Such love is difficult to fathom. But it is not impossible to understand.
God empowered us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He enabled us to free ourselves from the bondage of fear and death. He did this for one reason only. He loves us.
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. Why did these gunfighters decide to stay and fight for a village that wasn’t theirs?
2. Compare the qualities and attributes of the gunfighters. Did these qualities help to determine whether or not they survived the battle? Why or why not?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspot.com
Monday, November 23, 2009
THE MATRIX: RELOADED (2003)
Directed by: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Written by: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Studio: Warner Brothers
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss
Rated: R
About the film:
The second film of the sci-fi trilogy finds the remaining “unplugged” humans fighting for their life and freedom against the machines that have tried to enslave them within a complex computerized matrix.
Movie Quote:
“Because as we both know, without purpose, we would not exist. It is purpose that created us; Purpose that connects us; Purpose that pulls us. That guides us. That drives us. It is purpose that defines us. Purpose that binds us.”
Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) in The Matrix: Reloaded (2003)
Bible Quote:
“In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will.”
Ephesians 1:11 (NIV)
Commentary:
Agent Smith may be the ‘bad guy’ in this film but he shows a remarkable awareness of a fundamental truth. That truth, simply put, is that there is a reason for our existence; a purpose to which we were called.
It doesn’t take faith to understand that there is an order to this world. It simply takes eyes to see. For order to exist there must be structure. With structure comes reason and intelligence and, or course, purpose.
God designed and created this world for a singular purpose. To give a place where you and I could live and grow. He created everything that exists – everything that we can see, smell, hear, taste, and touch – for the expressed purpose of supporting and enriching our lives.
His motivation was simply this: Love. Love is what He desires and it is what He expects from us in return. It makes perfect sense to recognize that love is our purpose or reason to live.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30 (NIV)
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. Why is having a purpose important to our lives?
2. How can we best discover what our purpose is? How can we know beyond any doubt where we are to serve in the body of Christ?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspot.com
Written by: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Studio: Warner Brothers
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss
Rated: R
About the film:
The second film of the sci-fi trilogy finds the remaining “unplugged” humans fighting for their life and freedom against the machines that have tried to enslave them within a complex computerized matrix.
Movie Quote:
“Because as we both know, without purpose, we would not exist. It is purpose that created us; Purpose that connects us; Purpose that pulls us. That guides us. That drives us. It is purpose that defines us. Purpose that binds us.”
Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) in The Matrix: Reloaded (2003)
Bible Quote:
“In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will.”
Ephesians 1:11 (NIV)
Commentary:
Agent Smith may be the ‘bad guy’ in this film but he shows a remarkable awareness of a fundamental truth. That truth, simply put, is that there is a reason for our existence; a purpose to which we were called.
It doesn’t take faith to understand that there is an order to this world. It simply takes eyes to see. For order to exist there must be structure. With structure comes reason and intelligence and, or course, purpose.
God designed and created this world for a singular purpose. To give a place where you and I could live and grow. He created everything that exists – everything that we can see, smell, hear, taste, and touch – for the expressed purpose of supporting and enriching our lives.
His motivation was simply this: Love. Love is what He desires and it is what He expects from us in return. It makes perfect sense to recognize that love is our purpose or reason to live.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30 (NIV)
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. Why is having a purpose important to our lives?
2. How can we best discover what our purpose is? How can we know beyond any doubt where we are to serve in the body of Christ?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspot.com
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
INHERIT THE WIND (1960)
Directed by: Stanley Kramer
Written by: Nathan E. Douglas, Harold Jacob Smith
Studio: United Artists
Starring: Spencer Tracy, Frederick March, Gene Kelly, Dick York
Rated: PG
About the film:
A Southern schoolteacher is on trial for teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution to his students. The trial gets national attention as two high-powered attorneys square off against one another. The film is based upon a true case – the 1925 Scopes trial.
Movie Quote:
“We must not abandon faith! Faith is the most important thing!”
Matthew Harrison Brady (Fredric March) in Inherit the Wind (1960)
Bible Quote:
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
Commentary:
Matthew Harrison Brady, in his excitement and zeal, misspeaks. Faith is indeed an important thing… but the most important? Only God alone has the authority to make such a declaration. And He has. Of the three qualities listed in the above scripture, God declares that love is to get top billing.
Love is the glue that holds all good things together. Faith without love becomes a selfish, self-serving attribute. Hope without love will dwindle and die. Truth without love becomes judgmental and harsh, lacking both power and authority. God without love is impossible because, as it is written, God is love. (1 John 4:8).
When love is present; indeed when it serves as the motivation for all else, our other virtues become energized and empowered with the ability to reach their fullest effulgence.
“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:14 (NIV)
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. In the film, the trial centers on the debate between creation and evolution. Were the two opposing views argued fairly? What arguments might you have included if you were one of the attorneys?
2. How might we manifest love more effectively in our life? What practical actions could we take?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspot.com
Written by: Nathan E. Douglas, Harold Jacob Smith
Studio: United Artists
Starring: Spencer Tracy, Frederick March, Gene Kelly, Dick York
Rated: PG
About the film:
A Southern schoolteacher is on trial for teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution to his students. The trial gets national attention as two high-powered attorneys square off against one another. The film is based upon a true case – the 1925 Scopes trial.
Movie Quote:
“We must not abandon faith! Faith is the most important thing!”
Matthew Harrison Brady (Fredric March) in Inherit the Wind (1960)
Bible Quote:
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
Commentary:
Matthew Harrison Brady, in his excitement and zeal, misspeaks. Faith is indeed an important thing… but the most important? Only God alone has the authority to make such a declaration. And He has. Of the three qualities listed in the above scripture, God declares that love is to get top billing.
Love is the glue that holds all good things together. Faith without love becomes a selfish, self-serving attribute. Hope without love will dwindle and die. Truth without love becomes judgmental and harsh, lacking both power and authority. God without love is impossible because, as it is written, God is love. (1 John 4:8).
When love is present; indeed when it serves as the motivation for all else, our other virtues become energized and empowered with the ability to reach their fullest effulgence.
“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:14 (NIV)
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. In the film, the trial centers on the debate between creation and evolution. Were the two opposing views argued fairly? What arguments might you have included if you were one of the attorneys?
2. How might we manifest love more effectively in our life? What practical actions could we take?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspot.com
Sunday, October 4, 2009
DON JUAN DE MARCO (1995)
Directed by: Jeremy Levin
Written by: Jeremy Levin
Studio: New Line Cinema
Starring: Johnny Depp, Marlon Brando, Faye Dunaway
Rated: PG-13
About the film:
A young man believes himself to be Don Juan and winds up in the care of a psychiatrist. As the “greatest lover in the world” relates the story of his life and the one love that got away, the doctor discovers that the passion for his wife of 34 years which he had long since buried is being rekindled.
Movie Quote:
“There are only four questions of value in life, Don Octavio. What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for? And what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same: only love.”
Don Juan (Johnny Depp) in Don Juan de Marco (1995)
Bible Quote:
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
Commentary:
What a great statement of truth from Don Juan de Marco. These are words that can stir the heart even as they bring to mind the words of God that we study.
The longer I live in this world, the more I recognize the importance of operating out of a motivation of love. Everything we do; every action we take; every decision we make; should be an extension of the love we have for God and for each other.
When we teach, we should teach not because we feel superior in knowledge, but rather because we love and wish to strengthen those to whom we can teach. When we reprove behavior, the reproof should be delivered with love and not with resentment, bitterness, or condemnation.
As the scripture tells us, love is the glue which binds all things together in harmony. The King James Version of the Bible calls love the “bond of perfectness.” If we wish to perfect our lives and build them to have real value in this world and in the next, we must learn to let the love of God direct our steps.
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. Near the end of the film, the doctor asks his wife, “What dreams did you have that got lost along the way?” Is it important to recapture those lost dreams? Why or why not?
2. Consider the qualities of love as described in 1 Corinthians 13 and how are they illustrated in the film?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspot.com
Written by: Jeremy Levin
Studio: New Line Cinema
Starring: Johnny Depp, Marlon Brando, Faye Dunaway
Rated: PG-13
About the film:
A young man believes himself to be Don Juan and winds up in the care of a psychiatrist. As the “greatest lover in the world” relates the story of his life and the one love that got away, the doctor discovers that the passion for his wife of 34 years which he had long since buried is being rekindled.
Movie Quote:
“There are only four questions of value in life, Don Octavio. What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for? And what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same: only love.”
Don Juan (Johnny Depp) in Don Juan de Marco (1995)
Bible Quote:
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
Commentary:
What a great statement of truth from Don Juan de Marco. These are words that can stir the heart even as they bring to mind the words of God that we study.
The longer I live in this world, the more I recognize the importance of operating out of a motivation of love. Everything we do; every action we take; every decision we make; should be an extension of the love we have for God and for each other.
When we teach, we should teach not because we feel superior in knowledge, but rather because we love and wish to strengthen those to whom we can teach. When we reprove behavior, the reproof should be delivered with love and not with resentment, bitterness, or condemnation.
As the scripture tells us, love is the glue which binds all things together in harmony. The King James Version of the Bible calls love the “bond of perfectness.” If we wish to perfect our lives and build them to have real value in this world and in the next, we must learn to let the love of God direct our steps.
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. Near the end of the film, the doctor asks his wife, “What dreams did you have that got lost along the way?” Is it important to recapture those lost dreams? Why or why not?
2. Consider the qualities of love as described in 1 Corinthians 13 and how are they illustrated in the film?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspot.com
Friday, September 25, 2009
THE NOTEBOOK (2004)
Directed by: Nick Cassavetes
Written by: Jeremy Levin
Studio: New Line Cinema
Starring: Ryan Gosling, James Garner, Rachel McAdams, Gena Rowlands
Rated: PG-13
About the film:
Two love stories, generations apart, unfold simultaneously. A young man falls in love with a young girl who is from a higher social class than his but still pursues her diligently. An older man visits a nursing center where he reads a book to an invalid. The stories eventually intertwine and speak volumes about the capacity of love, forgiveness, and hope.
Movie Quote:
“The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more.”
Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) in The Notebook (2004)
Bible Quote:
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”
1 John 4:11 (KJV)
Commentary:
Love. It is a huge topic and one that has centered many a film… such as the weepy romantic drama, The Notebook… and for good reason. Love, as it has been said, makes the world go round. It is at or should be at the very core of our being. Without love, life has little meaning and less importance. But there are, as Noah implies, different kinds of love.
Looking at the scriptures, we can see that this is true. Love is a crucial theme throughout the Bible but to appreciate it fully, we must look beyond the English all-inclusive word for love to gain a better understanding. Brotherly love, affectionate love, physical love, maternal or paternal love… all these pale in comparison to the greatest love of all – agape love.
Agape, the Greek word translated as love in the English Bible, refers to the kind of love our heavenly Father extends to us. Unselfish, all-giving, all-encompassing, it is a love that overwhelms the senses and leaves us with a burning desire to pass it along. And pass it along we can. It is unquenchable, fathomless, and undeniable. With agape love at the heart of our life’s endeavors, we cannot fail. God’s love awakens our soul and leaves us longing for more. More that is only available by inviting others to experience it with us.
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. How is love illustrated in the film? Who is closest to achieving the “agape” love that is so desirable?
2. What other godly qualities are demonstrated by the characters in the film? At what times are the characters at their best? When are they at their worst? What can we learn from this?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspot.com
Written by: Jeremy Levin
Studio: New Line Cinema
Starring: Ryan Gosling, James Garner, Rachel McAdams, Gena Rowlands
Rated: PG-13
About the film:
Two love stories, generations apart, unfold simultaneously. A young man falls in love with a young girl who is from a higher social class than his but still pursues her diligently. An older man visits a nursing center where he reads a book to an invalid. The stories eventually intertwine and speak volumes about the capacity of love, forgiveness, and hope.
Movie Quote:
“The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more.”
Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) in The Notebook (2004)
Bible Quote:
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”
1 John 4:11 (KJV)
Commentary:
Love. It is a huge topic and one that has centered many a film… such as the weepy romantic drama, The Notebook… and for good reason. Love, as it has been said, makes the world go round. It is at or should be at the very core of our being. Without love, life has little meaning and less importance. But there are, as Noah implies, different kinds of love.
Looking at the scriptures, we can see that this is true. Love is a crucial theme throughout the Bible but to appreciate it fully, we must look beyond the English all-inclusive word for love to gain a better understanding. Brotherly love, affectionate love, physical love, maternal or paternal love… all these pale in comparison to the greatest love of all – agape love.
Agape, the Greek word translated as love in the English Bible, refers to the kind of love our heavenly Father extends to us. Unselfish, all-giving, all-encompassing, it is a love that overwhelms the senses and leaves us with a burning desire to pass it along. And pass it along we can. It is unquenchable, fathomless, and undeniable. With agape love at the heart of our life’s endeavors, we cannot fail. God’s love awakens our soul and leaves us longing for more. More that is only available by inviting others to experience it with us.
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. How is love illustrated in the film? Who is closest to achieving the “agape” love that is so desirable?
2. What other godly qualities are demonstrated by the characters in the film? At what times are the characters at their best? When are they at their worst? What can we learn from this?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspot.com
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
CITY HALL (1996)
Directed by: Harold Becker
Written by: Ken Lipper, Paul Schrader, Nicholas Pileggi, Bo Goldman
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Starring: Al Pacino, John Cusack, Bridget Fonda, Danny Aiello
Rated: R
About the film:
A young boy dies after being caught in the crossfire between a NYC police officer and a member of a crime family. Though the mayor deftly avoids a violent aftermath, his deputy mayor begins an investigation that threatens everything… including his own ideals.
Movie Quote:
“A man’s life is not in the bricks, it’s the mortar, pappy. It’s the stuff that lays between; the stuff… the stuff you can’t see.”
Mayor John Pappas (Al Pacino) in City Hall (1996)
Bible Quote:
“And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Colossians 3:14 (NIV)
Commentary:
Mortar is a substance made of cement, sand and water which is used between bricks to adhere them together. Without mortar, a brick wall would topple at the slightest pressure and at its weakest point.
Our lives contain any number of “bricks:” family, career, home, hobbies, and interests, to name just a few. But as Mayor Pappas reminds us, though these “bricks” may be in our lives, our lives are not in them. If we should lose them all, our lives would still continue.
The mortar of our lives – the invisible element that binds everything together – is love. Without it, our accomplishments and achievements become meaningless vanities. Without love, as the foundation for all that we think, say and do, life becomes a travesty – a pale imitation of the incredible richness that God wants us to know and enjoy.
"If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:2 (NIV)
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. What does this film say about the ethical standards in the modern political arena? Is it an accurate depiction?
2. Do the ends ever justify the means? Why or why not? What does the Word say about this?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspot.com
Written by: Ken Lipper, Paul Schrader, Nicholas Pileggi, Bo Goldman
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Starring: Al Pacino, John Cusack, Bridget Fonda, Danny Aiello
Rated: R
About the film:
A young boy dies after being caught in the crossfire between a NYC police officer and a member of a crime family. Though the mayor deftly avoids a violent aftermath, his deputy mayor begins an investigation that threatens everything… including his own ideals.
Movie Quote:
“A man’s life is not in the bricks, it’s the mortar, pappy. It’s the stuff that lays between; the stuff… the stuff you can’t see.”
Mayor John Pappas (Al Pacino) in City Hall (1996)
Bible Quote:
“And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Colossians 3:14 (NIV)
Commentary:
Mortar is a substance made of cement, sand and water which is used between bricks to adhere them together. Without mortar, a brick wall would topple at the slightest pressure and at its weakest point.
Our lives contain any number of “bricks:” family, career, home, hobbies, and interests, to name just a few. But as Mayor Pappas reminds us, though these “bricks” may be in our lives, our lives are not in them. If we should lose them all, our lives would still continue.
The mortar of our lives – the invisible element that binds everything together – is love. Without it, our accomplishments and achievements become meaningless vanities. Without love, as the foundation for all that we think, say and do, life becomes a travesty – a pale imitation of the incredible richness that God wants us to know and enjoy.
"If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:2 (NIV)
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. What does this film say about the ethical standards in the modern political arena? Is it an accurate depiction?
2. Do the ends ever justify the means? Why or why not? What does the Word say about this?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspot.com
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