Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. (John 20:19-20)
I noticed a flyer yesterday announcing that a performance of Xanadu is coming to a local playhouse, here in South Carolina. Do you remember the cult classic film from 1979? Olivia Newton John plays one of Zeus’ nine muse-daughters, sent to Los Angeles to inspire Michael Beck (who was, in real life, a member of Grace Church, NYC when the film came out), an artist struggling with “creative block”. Fortunately ONJ gives him the perfect idea: open a roller-skate night club. Xanadu included a more-than-decent soundtrack from ELO, fresh special effects of the 80s-neon-aura variety (see also: Tron), and Gene Kelly’s embarrassing final performance. At the time, it was hailed as one of the worst movies ever made.
In fact, it was considered to be so bad that people were encouraged to bring paper bags to the theater, so that they could wear them over their heads on their way out – that way nobody would be able to identify them as people who had paid to see the film. Who, after all, would want to be associated with a movie of its caliber (note: can you remember when irony didn’t drive the bus of all things cool? This was that time.)? Which brings me to my point: what is it about a paper bag over the head that would make it easier to walk out of the theater after watching the movie Xanadu?
The same thing applies to people who suffer from a fear of public speaking. The ability to give a talk from behind a wall, where the audience can’t actually stare at your face is freeing (see also: The King’s Speech). Or consider the world of blog comments. It’s much easier to post an anonymous comment than it is to attach your name to a post. You would hate to do something wrong, or be mistaken, if it can possibly be avoided, especially if the mistake can/will be traced back to you directly. Any buffer, in this sense, is a help. It can create a sense of peace and even freedom. This is part of the reason why people are so concerned about setting their facebook privacy settings properly; if they are set properly, they function as a kind of protective shield.
Here is another example: the youth group from our church recently took a trip to a local fun park. They were celebrating the birthday of one of the fathers who volunteers regularly to help lead the group. He also happens to be a fairly successful doctor, one who often has to put in long hours at the hospital. On that particular evening, his work kept him at the hospital until late, making it impossible for him to arrive at the fun park in time to attend his own birthday party. But he did get there at the very end, and when he did, he paid for the whole thing, all of the kids’ go-cart rides, all of the ski ball tokens, all of the cake, and all of the mini-golf. The night was completely covered.
This concept of being covered is one of the comforting implications of the Christian message. Thanks to the cross, grace covers over the sins of sinners, enabling God to call sinners, in effect, “saints”. To summarize the front bit of Romans 4, God credits sinners with Christ’s sinlessness, justifying the ungodly. He treats Xanadu viewers like they haven’t just walked out of the theater.
Living under the banner of this kind of grace sets a heart free. It is the feeling of having been forgiven. It is the feeling of being close to God, and knowing that, in Christ, you have an advocate (1 John 2:1). In my own life, it enables me to go to God with personal trouble, instead of trying to run, hide, and deny.
I thought about all these things and more this past Sunday as I read about the disciples’ first encounter with the risen Lord. He showed all of them the wounds that enabled Him to greet them, saying “peace be with you.”
p.s. If you watch the video, we won’t track your ip address. 😉 Enjoy!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m1UWSD-FaA&w=600]
COMMENTS
5 responses to “Xanadu and the Need for Advocacy”
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The reason I think this is a brilliant sermon, not just a good one, is that it surprises the listener quite beguilingly — the ‘paper bag’ illustration does not end where you expect, and most church listeners would be relieved, therefore delighted.
You totally think John is going in one direction, then he goes in a completely different one.
I’m in awe!
Also, the material itself, “Xanadu”, carries so many layers of irony, which are pregnant in the video, that it becomes a lesson in reaching sort of… everyone.
Tour de force.
(Hitchcock, incidentally, used the same ‘device’ in “Psycho”, when he got the audience thinking the plot was going in one direction, then he pulled the rug out from under you and took you in a completely different direction. This is a tactic which works when the material is good.)
Loved the illustration! I have a question though. What happens when I don’t feel forgiven? Is that a sign indicating perhaps I am not a Christian? This plagues me and I was glad to see that you wrote about this very thing that through grace we can be forgiven and go to him with our cares without being judged. Unfortunately, in my own life I often feel that maybe I am not forgiven. I.e. judged. I spend many hours a week contemplating the implications of the cross and the grace bestowed upon us and often I find comfort and then in the next instant I am back to square one.
Sorry to write something so heavy but I truly am thankful for the post.
BTW Mr. Zahl I love love love your podcasts. You have given me so much literature to seek out and movies that I would have never dreamed of watching! Your voice coming through my head phones is a great comfort during the week. Thanks.
Hi Robin, your comment is sweet! Thanks you. I’m John, Paul’s son. Paul makes the podcast, and I wrote this post.
Your question is such a good one, maybe _the_ classic question found inside of the heart of a Christian: Where and how do we find assurance? Some people would say that the Sunday service (and especially communion) was designed to help you and every Christian with that exact dilemma. If ever you get a chance to attend a Rite 1 communion service out of The Book of Common Prayer (at a local Episcopal church, usually it’s the early morning one with all the grey-hairs, 8am), you might really enjoy it in light of the question you’re asking.
Here’s my theological two cents, off the cuff: I’m sure that we need to hear the good news of God’s forgiveness of our sin again and again and again (like a mockingbird’s call, hence the name). I personally believe that my assurance hinges not upon me, but upon the sufficiency of the work done on the cross. Thus, I’m a Christian just as much when I’m in a bad mood, or when I’m tired, or when I’m fully with it, or when I’m asleep, because of what I believe about an event that happened outside of the city of David 2000 years ago. That efficacy of that historic event is not contingent upon anything going on within my heart or between my ears. So the good news of the Gospel is that I am a sheep of his fold, and not the other way around (i.e., “is He a sheep of my fold?” is that hard to ever positively, if you know yourself. It drives one to agony if you brew over it too long. It caused Luther to do permanent damage to his digestive tract for fasting and agonizing too much!). But Jesus revealed the wonderful surprising truth about God which is that he loves a sinner. Only God himself could come up with such an idea! I think this is why Paul is so quick to want to differentiate faith from being like any other kind of “work”. It is not a work, or rather, it’s a work of God. (John 6:28-29) Just that you’re even asking such a question makes me thing the holy spirit has opened the door in your heart to look to the cross and not into yourself for justification.
I know that all sounds very theological, but maybe in some way it will help you in your thinking about this stuff. There’s (definitely) no condemnation for those in Christ. There’s a great book about some of these matter called “The Hammer of God” that comes to mind. I’m sure others will have more to add.
Best, John
sorry for all the typos. Should read: ‘Is He a sheep of my fold?’ is a hard one to ever answer positively, if you know yourself…”
Also, I don’t believe that a Christian can lose his/her right standing with God once it’s been established. That I ever believed is the thing, not that do I currently, or right now, or at more than a level of 52%, or whatever.
I’m reminded of Come Thou Fount (Freud’s favorite hymn):
Let they goodness like a fetter bind my wandering heart to thee: prone to wander, lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love…
It’s all in there too. Best again, JZ