It’s been said that how we picture Jesus is the most important thing about us - but that picture sometimes never leaves the page. We’ve got to respond how the Bible says Jesus really is. I think it’s pretty interesting looking around at culture and seeing how the world views him - especially Will Ferrell.

In the film Talladega Nights (2006), as the family sits down to pray, Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) and Cal Naughton Jr (John Reilly) begin to throw ideas back and forth of who they think Jesus is:

“I like to picture Jesus as a figure skater. He wears like a white outfit, and He does interpretive ice dances of my life’s journey”

“I like to think of Jesus as a mischievous badger”

“I like to think of Jesus like with giant eagles wings, and singin’ lead vocals for Lynyrd Skynyrd with like an angel band and I’m in the front row and I’m hammered drunk”

“I like to picture Jesus in a tuxedo T-Shirt because it says I want to be formal, but I’m here to party”

To be honest, although this is undoubtedly a comedy, it could also begin to serve as an interesting parody of our culture, as we love to focus on the Jesus that we envision to be a pretty good guy.
As Will Ferrell begins to pray and begins to think of Jesus, he wants a Jesus that will suit him. So Jesus went to parties (Matt. 11:19), loved his Mum (John 19:26-27), encouraged others (Matt. 12:41-44), got stoked on joy (Luke 10:21-24) and yes he even told jokes! (Matt. 23:24)

But most people don’t want to hear that “Jesus was fully man and fully God” (John 1:1, 1:14). We begin to think how on earth do we even tell someone that: ”Hey man, so I know this guy. He was broke, homeless, betrayed by a friend and got murdered. Oh, and he was also God”.

So we like to chew on the ‘easy to swallow’ portions of our ideas of Jesus, as the writers of Talladega Nights may have unintentionally noticed, irrespective of how they view him.

“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4: 3-4)

We may surround ourselves with the Jesus we want to hear, instead of the Jesus the Bible speaks of.
So instead in periods of trouble, we don’t call on his as Supreme, but rather call on Jesus as a temporary remedy to make us feel good about ourselves.
We receive Jesus as a “get out of jail free” card, as we love being pain free. We receive Jesus as sin-forgiver, as we love being guilt-free.  We receive Jesus as prosperity-giver, as we love being debt-free and wealthy.

This is symptoms of a failing system unless we accept Jesus worth more than anything in our lives. 

 ”I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things” (Philippians 3:7)

The apostle Paul realises the worth of knowing Jesus, that everything else not is even worth comparing! But he has lost all things for him - just to know him as he really is!
Jesus tells of a parable in Matthew 13:44 in which he describes a man who realised the infinite glory and value of Jesus:

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field”

I pray that we place value on Jesus, that he was not only fully man as our culture would like to think, but he was also fully God. As Paul writes in 2 Timothy of a culture turning their ears away from the truth, let us be a generation that turns our ears to the truth - and let it spread! 

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8)

At the start of 2011, let’s pick up the Word and read the gospels of who Jesus is, and how unbelievably valuable the gift of Grace is - that while we are still sinners, and had no reason to love us, he yet chose to save us! Now that’s the Jesus I want to worship!

-Rob

This year I completed the Extension 2 English course for the HSC, which is pretty straight out a major work! I’m passionate about film-making, so I decided to do a film. However I felt even more passionate about somehow incorporating my faith.

Initially most teachers I talked with advised religion as being a very risky topic for the HSC. But I came to the conclusion that if my faith was going to become something to become risky to proclaim - I’m in!

This prelude is to serve as to uncover some symbolism and the storyline of the film. After the film is released online in the coming days, I’ll also post my reflection statement - it’s pretty wordy in the nature of the course, but if you’re interested in the further symbolism and philosophy - check it out!

The title The Common Hours originated from the thought that while every person is completely different, the one thing we all have in common is - time. However, what you choose to do with your time is different. The main character, Jonah, seeks to contribute to a greater cause than himself through using the limited time we have in this life. 

This concept is contextualised in a late 21st century dystopian/post-apocalytpic future Australia. As the world becomes increasingly integrated, so does countries such as Australia rise in the diversity of religion.

In this diversity, religious extremism sets in. As each religion believes that they are the one true way, friction is caused within the nation. Therefore the government outlaws all religion - whether Islamic, Hindu, Christian.. all religious activity is banned in the name of peace. Jonah, led a new resurgence movement to bring hope to this lost nation, where he is persecuted for his faith and sentenced to isolation. 

So I hope that simply uncovers the premise of the film! 

The reason for this prelude note was such that the film was constructed according to the syllabus of the Extension 2 English course, where it tends to be unnecessarily complicated in building concepts, so my aim is that you’ll have a feel of the film before you see it so you get some of the symbolism that happens!

We’ve had some pretty crazy adventures, and hilarious stories to tell from filming The Common Hours. From carrying a camera crane through the bush for half an hour in 30 degree heat, to losing Nisal off a cliff as he was getting into character, to being accused by security guards for filming a skating film on private property. Fun times haha, all in all it’s been an amazing experience and can’t wait for you to all see it!

Cast

Jonah - Nisal Karunaratne

Jordan - Cam McDonald

Crew

Harry Logan - Camera Crane 

Luka Bosnjak - Audio Boom

Jos Eastwood - Technical Assistance

Tim Wilson - Lending us the Audio Boom!

Jordan Munns - Designing the cover art and the use of his camera!

All the above people have been absolutely incredible in giving up their time and investing their skill into making this film happen! So blessed to have worked with such an amazing team!

On Thursday at 6pm the film will be online! I’d love for you to check it out!

Tonight, I was going through my iTunes library, checking out some bands I haven’t listened to in an incredibly long time. Until recently, I wouldn’t be the guy that would really pay attention to the lyrics of songs - unless Bohemian Rhapsody was playing, which when played where ever you are must immediately drop everything and pour out your heart into a rock opera reminiscent of Wayne’s World, but that’s another blog. Upon searching, I began listening to the lyrics of some of the bands - until I heard this one line which I just can’t get over - “We stare at broken clocks”.

This band had literally encapsulated the desperate cry of a generation - and they may not have even realised it. The greatest problem is that we think we’ve got time in this life - when we don’t. Life looks incredibly different when seen through the lens that is eternity.

This world has veiled the eyes of humanity that they have all the time in the world. I would talk to a friend about Jesus, and they’d reply “on my deathbed I’ll need Jesus, but now I don’t”. Satan has a very simple agenda - to keep people lost. If he can keep them lost till the end of their unforeseen demise without one opportunity taken for salvation, then there’s one more person lost for eternity.

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” [Acts 20:24]

We’ve been given the task of testifying the gospel of God’s grace, where “he is with us always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). If He, the eternal God who breathes stars into existence, is with me for the period of my microscopic lifetime to tell people He exists - the odds must be for us!

Lets not call ourselves believers any longer if believers only believe. But be disciples committed to action (Acts 11:26). We’ve been given a task to testify the gospel in these final days of the Earth’s existence, not to simply believe and keep to ourselves.

There’s a specific reason why Ecclesiastes 12:1 was put in the Word of God, it’s not one of my poor topic sentences in an English exam to fool the marker that I actually know what I’m talking about. But it’s God-breathed and chosen specifically for us from God. Ecclesiastes 12:1 reads “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth”. The choice of the phrase “in the days” in it’s original language (Hebrew) means only “a day” or in greater depth means “in the warm hours” or the final hours. The significance of this today, is that the Saviour of the world is crying out for you to remember Him, most importantly in the days when you’re most likely to drift away. Current statistics compiled by researcher Thom Rainer has shown that over 70% of youth will leave church by the age of 22, in such a small period of time so many people can slip away.

We’re called to testify the gospel to a generation staring at broken clocks. A generation that doesn’t see the scope of eternity. I’m constantly reminded how broken we all really are, we can never stop preaching love too much. Jesus Christ didn’t come to Earth to make God’s love possible, but to make it visible. Let’s be committed to loving with our actions, visibly showing the Grace that has saved us from an agenda of lies. As soon as the Gospel loses relevance in our lives, is as soon as we fail to see it’s relevance in those around us.

Thanks,
-Rob 

Jesus Christ was the only saviour to ever be raised from the dead. We are not saved by how much we go to church, how many times we pray, or even if we’ve done the most greatest of things wrong - but where sin increased, grace increased all the more (Romans 5:20). Today was the day Christ conquered death, so that we can live. 

                   If our God is for us, who could ever stop us now.

                                     Check out Romans 6:11-14.