That Kind of Movie?

Bill Brown ... Xiamen University
"In the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar..." Luke 3:1

That Kind of Life! When someone heard I wrote a "Noodle" about the movie Groundhog Day," they asked me, "Was it that kind of movie?" I said, "Yes, because this is that kind of life!"

If we have "ears to hear," there is a lesson to be learned in everything that our Father allows us to experience, whether it be a lofty Sunday sermon or a Friday afternoon drive through Xiamen rush hour traffic (where Darwinian Driving imparts valuable lessons in patience, humility, and survival). Not everything that happens to us is good, but everything should offer good lessons--even if the lesson is no more than "Don't do that again!"

Eyes to See Mat 13:34 records, "Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable." The parables sounded almost childlike in their simplicity, yet their profound truths escaped most people--including Jesus' disciples, because they did not have eyes to see and ears to hear.

In Matthew 13:12.13 (NIRV), Jesus said, "Everyone who has that kind of knowledge will be given more. In fact, they will have very much. If anyone doesn't have that kind of knowledge, even what little he has will be taken away from him. Here is why I use stories when I speak to the people. I say, "They look, but they don't really see. They listen, but they don't really hear or understand."

Two Ways He Talks to Us Our Father speaks to us daily in two ways--through that still small voice within us, and through that din of life outside of us. Because we seldom slow down and listen to the Voice within, we usually learn more from what happens to us rather than what happens within us. But if we want to move forward and quit repeating the same lessons over and over, we must learn from life, not just live it or observe it. To learn, we must look.

That Kind of Caesar? Luke takes great pains to point out that John the Baptist arrived during the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar's rule (and he noted other rulers as well). Was Tiberius "that kind of Caesar?" Luke's point was not that Tiberius was anything spiritual, but that John the Baptist and Jesus did not show up in a political and historical vacuum. Both of them lived and worked within the context of their world at their time--and what a time it was! The Roman Empire was corrupt, immoral and decadent, but it was also ordered, controlled, and stable, and also had a common trade language and unparalleled expanse of roads for trade. And Christ was born strategically at just that time and place in history because the Roman roads, trade language, and political stability allowed his message to spread in a way never possible before. Luke saw all this because he had eyes to see. Do we?

That Kind of China? For those with eyes to see, there are striking parallels between ancient Rome and Modern China. Despite its obvious problems, for the first time in it's 5,021* years of history, China's 1.3 billion people have stability, a common language, and a road system so comprehensive that even back in 1994 we were able to survive (barely) our 40,000 km. drive to Tibet and back (see "Tibet or Bust"). For those with eyes to see, it is an exciting time to live in China--or anywhere else.

Spectator or Participant? Those with eyes to see can detect our Father's hand at work in every detail, at every level, from personal to global. But don't just use your eyes to see. Learn from life, participate in it, and make a difference.

And while you're at it, watch "Groundhog Day." There aren't any three point sermons in it but there is a good lesson or two.

*Re: China's 5021 years of history. A Chinese professor told me that China had 5,000 years of history, but that was 21 years ago.
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