If Indiana Jones preached a sermon

Jim and I took a little time off last Thursday morning to go see the new Indiana Jones movie. We both wanted to write about it, so we just called that morning “research” and enjoyed the time together.

We had only been married about a year when the first Indiana Jones movie came out. We thought it was amazing! We rushed to see the second movie but didn’t like it much. I think that second movie is actually responsible for the creation of the PG13 rating. The third Indiana Jones movie promised to be better—which it was—and actually was my favorite in the series. Needless to say, we were pretty excited to go to this last movie, decades later.

Jim wrote his article about the use of AI to “de-age” Harrison Ford’s face. My blog post has a different theme. The new movie was really well done and an interesting perspective on what matters most at the end of our lives. It isn’t a Christian movie by any means, but it is interesting how often the world’s messages contain biblical principles.

So, what if Indiana Jones were to preach a sermon at the end of his life? What points would he most want to make, as seen in the movie?

First point: Preserve and cherish important relationships.

We enjoyed seeing so many of the characters from previous movies written into the script of this last film. Indiana Jones’ friends remained true to who they were. He could count on those relationships decades later. I thought of the proverb that says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17). Most if not all of Indiana Jones’ friends were apparently “born for adversity.” 

I’ve been privileged to know a lot of people throughout my life. I hope some of those relationships will be my great joy in the years ahead. Indiana Jones would tell us to invest in those people and honor them for their gift of friendship

Who do you think about when you read those words?

Second point: Don’t give up on a relationship that has failed.

I won’t give away the movie, but suffice it to say that Indiana Jones comes to realize that no amount of work, adventure, or important treasure is more important than a broken relationship. 

Modern thinking is that we shouldn’t spend time with people who don’t “add” to our sense of well-being or who don’t bring “positive energy” into our lives. That is a worldly point of view. 

Do you have a relationship that needs to be worked on or even restored? Is there someone you just don’t want to care about anymore? Jesus told Peter he needed to forgive a person more than seven times, the customary number in Jewish law: “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:22). Jesus wasn’t teaching a literal number but a high standard of spiritual truth. We don’t give up on our brothers and sisters in Christ. We keep working to restore the relationship.

Another proverb reminds us why God wants us to keep working on our relationships, even the difficult ones: “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). That proverb is powerful truth for all those relationships that can “hurt” at times. God allows them for a reason. The truth of that proverb will be understood best in heaven when obedience is rewarded. Some of our eternal rewards will be the result of following the teaching of Christ even when it was tough to do so. 

How would that difficult relationship change if we stopped to consider that God may have allowed it into our lives for the sake of our eternal inheritance as well as our earthly witness?

Third point: Life isn’t supposed to be effortless; it is supposed to be lived with an effort to honor God.

In this last movie, Indiana Jones has gone from being the professor the girls swooned over to an aged professor whose class is boring to most of his students. The focus of his life was chasing archeological treasures, and he had acquired many artifacts. In this final movie, his greatest treasures are something very different.

My husband delivered the message last Saturday at the funeral of a very important man who understood how to use his life for the things God thought important. He stood for biblical principles even when taking that stand would cost him a position of high status. He stood for biblical integrity even when that stand was unpopular.

During the service 2 Corinthians 4:7–9 was read and preached because these verses represented this man’s earthly journey. Those verses say, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”

If Indiana Jones could preach, he would confess his life had been a race to acquire antiquities rather than focusing his efforts on maintaining things that matter most. It took him a lifetime to learn what Paul taught the Corinthians. Our earthly lives, and all we achieve, are stored here in jars of clay.

Indiana Jones lived with some good values but lacked the most important measure of success. The point of our lives is to point others to God, “to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”

Most sermons end with a good illustration.

I’ll close with these words. My husband often says, “Great men plant trees they will never sit under.” The man we celebrated last Saturday at his memorial service planted forests of trees. He touched thousands of lives and pointed them toward the important goal of serving God for his sake rather than our own. His “jar of clay” finally broke, releasing his soul to heaven, where he is now enjoying the people he knew and loved on earth. His treasure is those eternal rewards he stored safely in heaven. 

A lot of people came to honor this man, but we also came to honor his God.

I thought the new Indiana Jones movie was a good one. As the book of Job teaches, “Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days” (Job 12:12). The acclaimed writers and producers of this famous movie franchise have aged, and this last movie revealed some wisdom learned. I wanted to point their wisdom from this movie script to the Source of wisdom. We have a great God and his truth is eternal.

What sermon will each of our lives preach? God could use a few more “Indiana Jones” sermons delivered by people brave enough to speak biblical truth in spite of the certain consequences that will follow. Preaching isn’t supposed to be effortless; strong preaching will always draw some persecution, affliction, and occasional despair.

But at the end of our lives, if our message pointed people to God, it was worth all the effort. 

 

 

The ancient roads aren’t paved at all

We’ve been in ministry for a long time now, and our most important lessons have been learned by living our faith journey with biblical truth. Don’t let anyone convince you that the faithful life is always  easy and filled with joy. It never has been, and it never will be. It is rewarding, blessed, fulfilling, and often an uphill effort. 

Walking God’s ancient road to heaven isn’t the easiest way to live our lives, but it is the road that takes us where we want to go.  

The “road to hell is paved”

The familiar words say, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” I find it interesting that we are supposed to think the road to hell is paved. The familiar saying isn’t a biblical concept, but the fact the road is paved actually is. 

Proverbs 14:12 is ancient wisdom. The proverb says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Scripture spoke of the “ancient road” as the more difficult path to follow, but it was also the path that led people to heaven. The easy path is the road that seems right but isn’t. Taking the easy way, or the popular way, is often taking the wrong road. The prophets were called to preach the truth people needed to know, even when it wasn’t what they wanted to hear. 

It would seem like every generation of humanity has wanted this life to be easier than it turns out to be. I’ve always squirmed a bit at Jesus’ words when he said, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13–14). 

Jesus’ words to his disciples were really clear and clearly sobering. Living a holy life in this unholy world will not be an easy or widely popular road. Jesus said the way is hard and few find it. 

If the road to hell is paved, it is a much easier road to walk. It “seems right to man” and it has a lot more people to walk alongside. The road to heaven is often a difficult journey, a narrow road that requires constant direction to navigate. The only way to walk that path is to be willing and determined to do whatever it takes to reach the end. 

Ancient paths require ancient truth

The prophet Jeremiah is sometimes called “the weeping prophet.” He preached to the people of Judah when Josiah was king of Judah. Jeremiah’s dad had been a priest so he grew up knowing the ancient truths about God and the nation of Israel. As the nation turned more and more to the worship of Baal, God made his truth very clear. 

God told Jeremiah to tell his people what to expect if they wanted to make the journey to his eternal Presence and blessing. Jeremiah 6:16 says, “Thus says the Lᴏʀᴅ: ‘Stand by the roads and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.’ But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” 

Sometimes the journey to heaven is filled with paths that can appear too difficult to walk and may seem unfairly narrow. Jeremiah and King David questioned God, saying, “Why do the evil prosper?” It is tempting to live this life on the roads that are most popular and easier to enjoy. We have to consider the destination more important than the journey. 

God told Jeremiah to ask for the ancient paths. Why? 

The answer to that question might be the most important part of this blog post and a change point in your spiritual journey.  

Our culture is full of “fresh ideas” and “new thinking.” Many of our churches are leaning that way as well. All is good if the fresh ideas and new thinking are still based on ancient truth. Scripture teaches us that Jesus was with God in the beginning (John 1:1) and that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  

If someone believes today what Christians have never believed before, their theology is not going to carry them down the ancient paths that lead to heaven. On the other hand, there is a new movement beginning among some Christians in college today who are looking for ancient, proven truth. They are a generation that recognizes the abundance of confusion and discord in popular thinking and have learned to appreciate what has always been considered true.  

Ancient paths require ancient, eternal truth. The ancient paths are “the good way,” and it is on those paths we can find “rest” for our “souls.” 

The question for each individual to consider is: Will I walk in it? 

Have we forgotten the ancient truth?

Jeremiah 18:15 reveals God’s heart for his people: “But my people have forgotten me; they make offerings to false gods; they made them stumble in their ways, in the ancient roads, and to walk into side roads, not the highway.” 

There is a higher way to live our lives and it depends on the ancient, eternal truth of God’s word. God’s definition of truth doesn’t change, but people’s interpretations of his truth have always drifted, then returned, only to drift again—throughout centuries of biblical history. 

Every generation in Christian history gets some things right and other things wrong. We are a fallen people who need their Lord to direct their daily walk. Jesus offers to guide us along the ancient path but the question remains, “Will we choose to walk it?”

Tough journeys require a great God

None of us wish for the difficult parts of this road, but it is the road that takes us to the place we need to be. We learn to trust doctors to save our lives.  Some of you have experienced the pain of difficult treatments that while painful at the time, have led to your healing.

Shouldn’t we all consider that crucial thinking for our spiritual lives as well? 

As Christians, each of us has our own journey and that will be a difficult road at times. We should want to walk the ancient paths of God’s eternal truth because that road leads us to heaven. It isn’t the easier, paved road of popular thinking; it is the proven path of ancient truth. It’s the road to “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” 

I hope all of us will choose to say, “Yes, Lord. I am willing.” 

That narrow gate is an uphill effort at times but worth every step that draws us closer to our eternity with God.