Amos 6:1-7; 1 Timothy 6:6-19; Luke 16:19-31
Action movies often include life-threatening situations in which the main
characters have to defy the odds to stay alive. Whether it’s being vastly outnumbered by zombies, rushing out of an exploding building, shooting it out with a superior fighting force, or defeating alien invaders, somehow the heroes of our movies find a way to live through it all. If they also are trying to save the lives of other, less capable people, they typically have to yell out to them in one scenario or another to “hold on for your life.” Following this advice is a certain way to survive against all odds, at least in the movies.
Anyone interested in surviving the challenges of real life is going to need more than the movies can offer. Very little of what saves lives and brings people through catastrophes in the fantasies of Hollywood can help people in times of actual crises. And nothing in this world, fictional or real, can bring us through the threats against our souls. More than the living dead and the supernatural destruction of movies, real spiritual forces are creating real havoc on the souls of people all around us. Unlike the action of popular movies, the spiritual destruction of those with whom we work, live, study, and play is very subtle. So subtle, in fact, that it fits in with the routines of daily living. The powerful deception that we are not in any spiritual danger has lulled many people into a complacency that makes God’s call to “hold on for your life” seem like nonsense. But it is the only way for us to take hold of life.The call to “take hold of the eternal life to which you were called” is made in the context of rejecting the things that the world values in order to find contentment in true riches. It is a call into the most epic of battles, one which has caused far more destruction than any Hollywood writer, producer, or director could imagine. Unlike the fanciful adventures of the action movies that hold our attention, no one can escape from this destruction. Instead, we had to be rescued from it and now have to hold on for life to the grace and mercy of God in order to remain safe. Not only that, but we must cling firmly to His grace and mercy as we reenter the fray in order to bring the hope of rescue to those who are perishing. We may never be action figures or super heroes worthy of Hollywood’s attention, but as instruments of God grace we bring the real and only hope for people to “take hold of that which is truly life.”
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