The Encounter

Ever since I started going back to school (which, by the way is something I swore I'd never do, so naturally God directed my steps to do that), I've had very little time for television. I suppose that's a good thing, considering that the overwhelming majority of programming out there only serves to fill our minds with things that are not God-honoring, and considering that TV time only serves as yet another distraction to keep us away from time with God. With classes going on, my TV time has been limited to 2 hours a week, during which I watch an inspirational movie and fold the week's laundry.

Since school's out for summer, I now have more free time during the evening hours. It's been great reconnecting with my wife, being able to talk through many things that we either muddled through or put on hold during the fall and winter months. I think yesterday was the first time in quite a while that I've been able to just sit on the couch with her and watch a movie.

If there's one thing I've learned about inspirational and faith-based movies, it's that they're not all Biblically accurate. I have to be very careful to filter everything I watch through the lens of God's Word. I fully expected to have to tear this latest movie apart afterward, yet there was surprisingly little to shred when it was over.

The name of the movie we watched was The Encounter. It's a "what if" story about how, because of a road closure in the middle of nowhere, 5 people from different walks of life find themselves stuck at a roadside diner that doesn't actually exist, being served by a man who reveals himself to be Jesus. Of the 5 present, 2 are already believers, 1 thinks she's a Christian but is told bluntly by Jesus that she isn't, 1 comes having suffered severe emotional trauma and eventually finds salvation in Christ, and the last one, well...

Surprisingly, the last one knows the most of the 5 about the Bible. He was even raised by Christian parents in a loving home. However, because of his pride in being a "self-made man", because he believes he already has everything he needs, and because he refuses to live by someone else's standards, he repeatedly rejects the offer of eternal life.

This movie takes a microcosm of what the world is today and exposes it for what it really is in God's eyes. Within the dialogue, scripture is used over and over again, and accurate explanations of scripture are presented. I was pleasantly surprised at how this movie portrayed Jesus - a humble servant, knowing everything about those he served, asking no payment from them, freely offering them many wonderful things...if they only would ask.

The Jesus character begged and pleaded with the prideful man over and over again to repent, stating that he was making this offer as an answer to the fervent prayers of the man's long-dead grandmother. The man refused and deliberately chose hell, even after having been given an accurate description of what hell is like. The Jesus character explained to the other 4 that the worst part of being God was that, despite his best efforts to persuade, he already knew that this man would reject his offer of love.

I've seen other faith-based movies, most of which inspire me to add a new concept to my walk with the Lord, but the rest all have a happy ending. This one didn't exactly have one; life just kept on going. It did, however, help to shed some light on what we, as believers, face in the world as we share the good news of what Jesus has done for us. It did help to intensify the burden He places on each of us for reaching the lost. I highly recommend this movie, if you haven't seen it yet. Praise God for ministries such as these.

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. - Matthew 11:28