Category: Lent

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

No pain, no gain the old saying goes. This certainly rings true for our spiritual lives. Sacrifice and death are the”birth pains” of the glory. No pain, no glory.

Think “beauty from the ashes” or the glorious phoenix rising from the ashes.

Knives, Plants, and Babies

Have you ever seen someone sharpen a knife? It is kind of brutal, to the knife. Depending on the way you sharpen a knife you can even see the sparks caused by the grinding and friction.

But you don’t get the sharp blade without the pain of sharpening.

As iron sharpens iron, so a person sharpens his friend. (Proverbs 27:17)

Have you ever pruned plants? Again, it is kind of brutal, to the plant. My wife and I have a vegetable garden and grape vines. Not only do we have to prune the dead vines and branches, often we have to prune living vines and branches. We literally cut off part of the plant.

But you don’t get the fruit without the pain of pruning.

Jesus even used this metaphor about our own spiritual lives.

I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. (John 15:1-2)

[Tweet “What is God pruning from your life this Lenten season?”]

Speaking of birth pains, we see the same in the beautiful birth of a child. Yes, childbirth is amazingly beautiful, but (so my wife says) it is also quite painful!

But you don’t get the beautiful baby without the birth pains.

Spider-man and Jesus

 

We see this same idea play out in Spider-man 2.

Because he is the hero, Peter Parker chooses to sacrifice his own desires. He empties himself and he humbles himself to the point of death (yea, I know he didn’t die, but he did what he needed to with no regard for his own being). It is only after this sacrifice that the world sees his true identity, that he is both Spider-man and Peter Parker. And it is after this sacrifice that Peter Parker gets the girl. It is after this sacrifice that Peter Parker gets his glory.

Peter Parker’s glory only comes after the pain of sacrifice.

We know this is true, right? We want life to be easy, we want it to be painless. But we know – we truly know – that life is hard and that good things don’t come easy.

We see this in artists, musicians, dancers, and athletes. The best of these work HARD. Harder than most of us are willing to work. Their glory comes from the pain of practice and discipline.

We even see this in Philippians 2 in regards to Jesus.

But (Jesus) emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:7-11)

“As a result,” did you catch that? As a result of Jesus emptying and humbling himself – as a result of his ultimate sacrifice and eventual death and resurrection – God the Father exalted him and gave him the name above every name so that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, all to the glory of the Father!

Glory comes from the pain of sacrifice.

Resurrection comes from the pain of death.

This idea applies to both your relationship with God and with others.

Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:27-39)

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

What is standing between you and God? What glory is waiting for you “as a result” of your sacrifice? What does God want to do in you and through you?

Lent is the perfect time to get right with God.

Lent is the perfect time to choose the sacrifice.

Lent is the perfect time to empty yourself of your own ambition.

Lent is the perfect time to humble yourself before your God. (After all, someday we will all bow down and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…)

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”

What is standing between you and your neighbor, your spouse, your family, your friends, your boss/employees?

What glory is waiting for you “as a result” of your sacrifice? What does God want to do in you and through you in light of these relationships?

Lent is the perfect time to get right with your neighbors.

Lent is the perfect time to choose the sacrifice.

Lent is the perfect time to empty yourself of your own ambition.

Lent is the perfect time to humble yourself before your neighbor.

 

Emptied and Humbled

Spider-man 2 is an amazing Reel Parable. It entertainingly teaches us about Philippians 2.

Choice requires sacrifice.

Sacrifice often leads to death.

Sacrifice and death reveal identity.

The pain of sacrifice is required for the glory.

As you observe Lent, examine your own life in light of Philippians 2 and Spider-man 2.

What choices are you being asked to make?

What sacrifices do you need to make? What wants, desires, ambitions do you need to kill?

What glory awaits you at the end of this process?

But (Jesus) emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:7-11)

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

[Tweet “Check out Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional.”]

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

Who are you? If you are like me, there is a certain tension to your answer.

I am a husband, a father, a son, and a brother. I am an employee and a volunteer. I am a writer and a poet. I am a dreamer and a procrastinator (not a good combination). I joke with my wife that I am a lover who can fight and a fighter who can love. I am a sinner and I am a saint. I am a Christian and an heir with Christ, but I am also a working stiff chasing the American Dream.

 

A Holy Tension

The tension comes from choice and the resulting sacrifice, in choosing between what we want and what we will sacrifice.

Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

The tension comes from choosing between earthly treasure and heavenly treasure. Do you want earthly treasure or do you want heavenly treasure? Are you willing to sacrifice earthly treasure for heavenly treasure? Or will you sacrifice your heavenly treasure for earthly treasure?

And this begs the question, what is earthly treasure?

My wife is fond of our home and my kids like to eat. I enjoy movies (obviously!) and really like my TV. Yesterday I bought the newest release from a favorite band. Are these earthly treasures?

Notice that the storing up of treasure happens now, here on Earth, and not sometime off in the future. Regardless of if it is earthly treasure or heavenly treasure, the storing up of the treasure happens now. This is not some pie-in-the-sky escapism. This is not an excuse to bury our heads in the sand and ignore what we don’t like. This is not an excuse ignore – or distance ourselves from – the world. Instead, this is a reason to empty ourselves and humble ourselves and to choose others needs over our own ambition.

[Tweet “It is what we do here and now that earns our treasure.”]

Will you choose to invest in earthly treasure and sacrifice heavenly treasure?

Or will you choose to invest in heavenly treasure and sacrifice earthly treasure?

If you are like me, then there is an ongoing tension between what I want and what God wants.

Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2)

This is the tension.

Son of Man and Son of God

It is during his greatest act of sacrifice that Spider-man is revealed to be Peter Parker. This utmost example of emptying and humbling is when we see his true identity; he is just a boy but he is also the hero.

 

This is true for Jesus. Yes, he is the Son of Man, but he is also the Son of God.

We see Jesus’ identity fully realized in Lent.

Jesus is the Son of Man who can forgive our sins. A man – and a sympathetic savior – who has been tempted in all the same ways as we are tempted. (Hebrews 4:15)

Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up, take your stretcher, and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” – he said to the paralytic – “I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.” And immediately the man stood up, took his stretcher, and went out in front of them all. They were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:9-12)

Jesus is also the Son of God – the Lamb of God – who came to take away the sin of the world.

On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

Now when the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place, they were extremely terrified and said, “Truly this one was God’s Son!” (Matthew 27:54)

Choice > Sacrifice > Death > Identify

The choices that we make result in sacrifice. Often that sacrifice ends in death; the death of desire, the death of a dream, the death of our pride. This death reveals our true identity.

Let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

Spider-man’s deeds revealed his true identity, so do ours.

Jesus’ deeds revealed his true identity, so do ours.

Our deeds reveal our true identity. Do our deeds – do your deeds – point people to God?

What do your deeds reveal about you? Do your deeds accumulate treasures here on earth? Do your deeds accumulate treasures in heaven? Do your deeds point others to God?

Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him. So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. You also lived your lives in this way at one time, when you used to live among them. But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it. Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all. (Colossians 3:1-11)

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

[Tweet “Check out Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional.”]

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

But (Jesus) emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! Philippians 2:7-8

Lent is about choice and sacrifice. Sometimes the choices and sacrifices are small (time, money, wants), but sometimes they are huge.

 

Peter Parker wanted a job, a girlfriend and to get good grades in school. All of these are good things.

[Tweet “Sometimes we have to sacrifice the good to do what is great.”]

Instead of chasing after his own ambition, Peter Parker emptied and humbled himself. Why? Because Spider-man was the hero. And like Jesus, he humbled himself to the point of death.

In the image above Spider-man even looks like he is hanging on a cross. In the image below he even has a “spear pierced” side. The imagery is very powerful; that is what Jesus did for us.

Yea, I know he didn’t die, but he was willing to and the people he saved thought he did die.

Peter Parker emptied and humbled himself – to the point of death – to save others. Jesus emptied and humbled himself – to the point of death – to save everyone. So yes, Jesus loves us the way Spider-man loved his community. He loved us so much he was willing to die for us.

What would this kind of sacrifice look like in your life? What would it look like if we lived our lives like Spider-man? What would it look like if we lived our lives like Jesus?

What would we sacrifice? What would have to die?

For most of us, it is pride, wants, desires. For others, it is habits or addictions or other things you try to hide.

What is currently standing between you and God? Sacrifice it. Kill it.

What is currently standing between you and others, between you and family, between you and friends? Sacrifice it. Kill it.

What do you need to sacrifice – kill – to be the hero?

Personal Note on Sacrifice and Death

Right now, during the Lent season, Christians are dying. Every week, almost every day it seems, there is another report of Christians somewhere in the world who have been kidnapped or killed.

Our issues – our pride, our desire, our wants – fade in the light of this Earthly tragedy. I don’t want to make light of our issues. Bad habits – and especially addiction – are not easy to break. But do not for a moment forget that others are currently facing real persecution and are making real – the ultimate – sacrifice.

But others were tortured, not accepting release, to obtain resurrection to a better life. And others experienced mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, sawed apart, murdered with the sword; they went about in sheepskins and goatskins; they were destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (the world was not worthy of them); they wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and openings in the earth. And these all were commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised. For God had provided something better for us, so that they would be made perfect together with us. (Hebrews 11:35a-40)

We are not tortured. We are not flogged, chained or imprisoned. We are not stoned, sawed apart or murdered by the sword.

Right now others, however, are.

As Hebrews says, the world is not worthy of these people.

They are worthy to suffer like Jesus and have received a glory beyond all comparison.

For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18)

This Lenten season, I exhort you to pray that their suffering, that their sacrifice, that their death, would not be in vain. Pray with me that their testimony would be strong and their faith firm.

For their momentary, light suffering is producing for them an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. (II Corinthians 4:17, pronouns edited)

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

[Tweet “Check out Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional.”]

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

We make sacrifices every day. Every time we make a choice – and we make choices every day – we make a sacrifice. We often choose one thing at the cost – or sacrifice – of another. We choose one thing over something else.

Lent is a time of sacrifice.

While most of us will never have to pay the ultimate sacrifice, we all make smaller sacrifices every day.

As we see in the Spider-man II poster above when we choose we also sacrifice. Peter Parker wanted things that Spider-man got in the way of.

Peter Parker sacrificed his will, his own ambition, to serve the people.

Peter sacrificed in order to be the hero.

He gave up his job, his girl, and his grades to fulfill a better, a bigger, calling.

What has God called you to do?

What is God asking you to give up, whether it is for Lent or for your life?

What are you holding on to that you know you should let go of?

What is standing between you and Jesus today, right now?

What do you need to sacrifice in order to obey God better?

This Lent I am straight up fasting. When I fast it is usually for one of two reasons.

1. Fasting is a very clear way for me to have self-control. Often, the way I eat indicated my lack of self-control. The less self-control I have the more I eat. Fasting is a way for me to refocus and reboot my will and self-control.
2. Fasting makes me trust God. I have a lot of dreams and plans and responsibilities. I work full-time and my wife and I homeschool our kids. In addition to the full-time job I volunteer at my Church and with my son’s Boy Scout troop. In addition to all that I am chasing this dream – Reel Parables. While my job is my current profession, Reel Parables is my passion. The more I have going on the more I try to control it. The more I pursue the less I trust God. Fasting is a way for me to stop trying to control my life and to give it back to God.

Peter Parker, like Jesus, had to sacrifice his own ambition to serve a higher purpose.

Today – this day – what can you give up, what can you sacrifice, in order to serve someone already in your life?

What can you sacrifice to serve your family, your spouse, or your children?

What can you sacrifice to serve your job and co-workers?

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

[Tweet “Check out Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional.”]

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

We all make choices. Do you choose to serve yourself or do you choose to serve others?

Lent is about choice. We choose what to give up as a way to remember and observe what Jesus choose to give up for us. We choose to give something up/fast as a way to remove those things that stand between God and us.

Spider-man II is also about choice

As this movie poster shows, Spider-man II is all about choice. (FYI – spoilers…)

If you can, watch Spider-man 2. Don’t be fooled by how shallow the Amazing Spider-man movies have been. Spider-man II has a depth to it that the new ones don’t. As you watch it, pay attention to what Peter Parker wants.

Peter Parker wants:

1. A job (or to keep his job)
2. A girlfriend
3. Good grades in school

Peter Parker wants good things. He wants admirable things. He wants what we want for ourselves and what we want for our own kids. Pursuing these things, however, means not being Spider-man and serving others.

Getting/keeping the job means not being the hero.

Getting the girl means not helping others.

Getting good grades means not being Spider-man.

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Philippians 2:3

Everyday we choose between serving ourselves and serving others.

Does our own selfish ambition and vanity motivate us? Or do the needs of others motivate us?

Sometimes these choices compliment each other. Sometimes they fit like a puzzle and you end up getting both.

Sometimes they do not.

Sometimes we have to give up what we want to help others get what they want.

This is the choice that Peter Parker must make. Will he pursue money (his job), a girlfriend and good grades? Or will he be the hero who saves others? He has to make a choice.

Will he chase his own desires or will he empty himself of his own selfish ambitions and be the hero?

Will he humble himself and choose to help others instead of just helping himself?

What about you? What do you want?

For what do you desire?

What would getting what you want  mean for others?

Are there areas of your life that you “fill up” at the cost of other people? Are there areas of your life that you fill up when you empty them instead?

Philippians 2 says that Jesus emptied himself and humbled himself. We know the story and can easily see that this is true. Jesus gave up his own life to save my life. Jesus gave up his own life to save your life.

What would this sacrificial emptying and humbling look like in your life?

Here is my first challenge to you:

[Tweet “During Lent, examine your life for areas where you take, but should be giving.”]

This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.

[Tweet “Check out Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional.”]

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith