The Green Mile movie review and various other thoughts

It was a brutal day at work today. I was on shift doing my rounds as security guard at Escondido Charter High School and was stuck outside for most of the day. The temperature winded its way on up to 96 degrees F. Thankfully, a friend and coworker pointed out to me that the weather report said it only felt like it was 91! What great news! The slight breeze that the weather report must have been citing for its "chill factor" made it feel like I was not only in a furnace, but in a blow dryer as well. Another coworker tried to cheer me up by offering to have his students fry eggs on the cars in the parking lot. I believe an ice cold beer would have made a better offering.

After driving home in a pool of my own sweat I managed to slide out of my car and crawl to the front door; the only evidence of my arrival being a cloud of dust that erupted from my parched throat when I coughed out the frog that would not stop croaking every time I tried to speak. I recovered only by the liberal application of cool libations to my crusted body and a long nap finally interrupted by the cruel ringing of my cell phone at around 7:00 pm mountain standard time. I am unable to recall who rang but will hopefully have my phone repaired soon so that I may check.


Unwilling to go back to sleep, I turned the telly on and saw that one of my all time favorite movies was playing on FX. I was surprised by that because, generally speaking, I think the station should change its initials to ZZ(zzzzz). Anything else on that station and I would have been sawing logs all over again.

The rush of static and zinging noise that brings a CRT to life opened onto one of the most intense segments of "The Green Mile." The miracle worker and falsely accused killer, John Coffey, was in prison with William "Wild Bill" Wharton (a singularly evil being); Percy Wetmore, the belittling and depraved keeper, was on the prowl for easy blood; the simple and repentant Cajun, Eduard Delacroix, was keeping to his pet mouse and was soon to "ride the lighting"; Paul Edgecomb, the warden, was working to hold together a system of justice that could be brutally wrong in its execution of justice.

Delacroix is enjoying one of his last conversations on the earth with wardens Edgecomb and Howell while his mouse is playing with the wooden spool on which thread is packaged. His last concern is the ownership and care of his mouse so Edgecomb and Howell spin a yarn about a mouse carnival in Florida where the little guy can perform tricks and be well-cared after. While gently discussing the care of Delacroix's beloved mouse, the creature runs out onto the green mile (central corridor) and is stomped under the vile boot of Percy Wetmore who states only that he knew he would get him eventually.

The anguished cry that pours from the soul of Delacroix is simple to understand: Death was looming before his eyes and the last measure of joy in his life had just been crushed. Wetmore, a man who delighted in destroying what was good had won an evil victory in ruining Delacroix's spirit. At this point, Coffey urgently beckons for Edgecomb to place the dead mouse in his hands and, for the sake of all that is good, resurrects it back to life and denies Wetmore his wicked triumph. Be forewarned that I mean to describe how I see the beauty of Christ in all of this.

The scene described is amazingly powerful because it reflects the desire of the human heart to see justice done. Yet, justice is ultimately impossible for creatures of flesh and blood. The throbbing wounds and open cuts dealt by the hand of the evildoer remain even when the perpetrator is held accountable before the law. Even when the wounds for the victim heal over there is oftentimes a deep scar. Thus, we see that the law has no ability to save and maintain life. All it does is point to the failures of those who come before it and punish them. The life giving ingredient that is missing from the law is mercy which cannot be given arbitrarily lest justice be ignored.

Nothing of flesh and blood can stand clean before the law and that is why the gift of life that Coffey gives is one of mercy and compassion. He resurrects Delecroix's mouse to show compassion towards a fellow man who was condemned under the law and about to be put to death. He resurrected hope by giving life. Did not Christ do the same thing when, in His miracles He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind and raised the dead from the grave? In this respect, Coffey is a Christ-figure in this movie.

Whereas the natural man, like Wetmore, is condemned before the law because of a desire to withhold justice and steal from others what is good, the supernatural and supremely innocent man (or man of the Spirit whom Coffey represents) is justified before the law because of a desire to restore life and love. Coffey does this willingly through his own suffering when he sucks the sickness and death out of the infirmed and pulls it into himself. He renews life, hope, love, joy and peace through his compassionate gift. Thus, in a sense, absolution is found for those whom Coffey heals when he hides their sickness within his own frame and suffers for it.

Christ does the same for those who love Him. The ability to give life is the most powerful force in the universe and when Christ takes the condemnation of those who fail the test of the law and buries it in His own body, the One who must judge that wickedness now finds no fault in the one from whom it was removed. In fact, the fault now lies with the one who holds it (Christ) and He suffered the blame.

We can see a type of the injustice of Christ's guilt when Coffey willingly suffers death by electricity. Yet, that death is only for himself, so that he might escape the pain that he holds within and the suffering that he sees "all around." How much more unjust was it that Jesus, who died willingly as well, should die a death on the cross to save us because of the pain that we suffer through? This is how God's mercy triumphs over law's judgment. Read John 17 if you wish to investigate for yourself. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2017&version=NIV

The deep truths I am trying to convey in this writing are thus given:

1) Without grace and mercy everything we gain in this life will be lost.

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart." Job 1:21

"...the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered; in days to come both will be forgotten. Like the fool, the wise man too must die!" Ecclesiastes 2:16

2) Death and wickedness are thieves and an offense that God has overcome.

"When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:54-57

3) God restores life and love in a state uncorrupted and beautiful.

"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:3-4

A prequel to my series on keeping others from God's love (part two).

Below is my letter to a church in San Diego that was supporting the San Diego Gay Rights Parade in 2007. Again, I notice that the way in which I approached that church is forceful like my letter to The City Church though perhaps not winsome and loving.

_______________________________

Dear Pastor,

I am happy to hear that you have reached out to different "communities" in the San Diego area. It is the place of the Church to reach out to the world. We reach out in love by not judging those outside of the church. They do not have Christ so, of course, they will live according to their sinful natures. We inspire them to glorify God when they see our good works. However, in not judging, we should not come to the support of unrepentant sinners. In this regard, I noticed that your church had helped sponsor the San Diego Gay Rights Parade.

It is just as wrong for the body of Christ to sponsor any kind of worldly behavior as it is to judge it. We should support Godliness within the body and only judge the sin of those who call themselves believers.

Please, consider the Holy Spirit inspired words of Paul when he writes in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13,

"9I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."

Please, focus on judging those in your midst who call themselves Christians. You would not sponsor your own congregation in it's sin would you? Why would you sponsor the world in it's sin and tarnish the name of Christ? Thank you very much.

Grace and peace,
Evan Bryan

A prequel to my series on keeping others from God's love (part one).

Being interested in knowing how I've changed through the way I try to communicate with other people, I recalled that I had previously visited a church in Ranch Bernardo. I had many disagreements with their theology and discussion about the Lord's "favor." The Lord brought into remembrance that I had actually written them a letter after attending. When I wrote it I did not try to make it full of mercy and grace. I trusted that my forceful words would change hearts rather than the Spirit of God, alone. The Lord has definitely worked in my heart to make the delivery of His word more loving and useful. In the meantime, I'm looking for a third letter I wrote to a church that sponsored the gay and lesbian parade here in San Diego in 2007. I'll blog about that one in my next post. Here's the letter to that church:
_______________________________

Dear Pastor,

I was excited to hear about how you would unwrap the Scriptures and reveal the love of Jesus and His favor last weekend. I was startled that you made the claim that "He [Christ] wants to get you into favor" through meeting in the temple and breaking bread in homes. I have to disagree with you. If saved, we are already in favor and the true place of unity is in Christ. Are not God's children already favored through the gift of salvation in Him?

The word for favor that you drew from Acts 2:47 is "Charis" in Greek and its Strong's number is 5485. Its definition is, in part, "a kindness granted or desired. A favor done without expectation of return; absolute freeness of the loving-kindness of God to men, finding its only motive in the bounty and freeheartedness of the Giver; unearned and unmerited favor." None of God's favor is merited by our works as you made it seem by going to church and community groups.

Your concept of favor did not include the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. Christ was crucified so that His children would have peace with God as well as the peace of God in their hearts. That is favor and I was very troubled that you did not preach this. You spoke of favor as living according to the "pattern" revealed in Scripture. You did not mention Christ's desire for a broken and contrite heart in that pattern but instead spoke at length on a concept of "unity." The only pattern you gave was "go to church and join community groups." Did not the Pharisees do the same thing and more (Luke 11:42) and were they not cursed? We are the church and Christ is our head. As the Church, we don't enter into the presence of God by going to church or community groups. He has made our heart His tabernacle and we enter into His presence because He has tabernacled within our hearts already.

You spoke of receiving better finances, family life, etc. but did not speak of how having faith in Christ may not lead to such things. In James, we read that we are to, "...count it all joy when [we] fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of [our] faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." Can we graduate to higher levels of unmerited favor when we are already lacking nothing in Christ? If we have everything the world can give us but have not Christ we have nothing. If we have Christ and nothing that the world can offer we have everything. Christ Himself states in John 15:20 that, "No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." What of God's favor that comes through suffering? These truths did not resonate with the sermon on favor you gave yet they are the key to a life of hope in God.

You gave the quote to, "Set your hope on the divine favor that's coming to you." How is it coming? Through church and community groups? Our hope is founded on nothing less than Christ and His sacrifice, resurrection and ascension and it came to us already in the form of an innocent baby! Why could you not proclaim that we are favored simply because that baby was stricken, afflicted and judged in our place? We cannot gain favor with God which is why He sent Jesus.

Lastly, you were speaking of those who have "been there, done that" with community groups and how they were considering a "detour to get to favor" rather than attend. You said that there "Ain't one." Yet, favor does not flow out of community groups but from the wounds of Christ, alone. You are adding to Scripture and placing burdens on your flock by enshrining the attendance of church and community groups in law! We don't live by law but by grace and the perfect life that Christ already lived! Jesus is God's favor that was given to us. Do not make your congregation one of white washed tombs, for Christ looks at the heart of man and not His actions.

Isaiah 53 states:

He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

...it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.

Please consider these words that the Spirit of God has given to me, Pastor, for Paul's warning states, "...even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!"

Truth in Christ,

Evan Bryan

To keep others from His love (part four).

This is the letter I wrote to a church concerning their practice of communion:

Dear Pastor,

I attended your service on Sunday, July 16 as a visitor and was thankful for your preaching. You taught very well of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am close with many people in your congregation and their love for the Lord brings me great joy. It is also good that your church takes communion seriously and desires to protect those who would take it from eating and drinking condemnation upon their own heads, yet, I do not find the qualifications issued forth in the interview sheet entitled "Visitor Participation in the Lord's Supper" in scripture.

Thus, as I meditated upon your message of grace, I became greatly troubled over how I had been pulled aside to be interviewed on the issue of communion. I was told to avoid taking communion for lack of church membership though my conscience and faith says I may do so. The biblical qualifications for taking communion are a heart that is grounded in Christ and self-examined to determine personal worthiness according to the word and one's own conscience. The scriptures tell us in Romans 10:9-13 that,

"...if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. ¹¹As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." ¹²For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.""

Also in 1 Corinthians 11:27-32 we read,

"...whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. ²⁹For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. ³⁰That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. ³¹But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. ³²When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world."

With such a clear description of salvation and communion laid out, denying communion on grounds of baptism, church membership and a public proclamation of faith rings of taking people back to Mount Sinai (though public proclamations should be encouraged and baptism taught). Communion is not meant to determine who the sheep and the goats are but to have fellowship with our Savior and remember His love for us apart from our works of righteousness. Thus, I can find no where in Scripture where it is given to an elder to bind a person's conscience when we are told that whatever is not from faith is of sin. Your teaching was so good on Sunday that I have no doubt people should be able to make a well-informed decision about communion every Sunday. God alone judges the heart and allows for a personal choice.

Jesus offered Judas, His betrayer, communion. He was willing to share with the "son of perdition." He did not withhold the bread from the man who planted the kiss of death on His cheek. Scripturally, how do you get from Christ sharing the meal with His betrayer to a system of denying the meal to those who mirror Romans 10 and 1 Corinthians 11? Is it wise to deny communion when Jesus Christ Himself did not prohibit Judas? It is a burden of the law for one to add works of righteousness upon a foundation of grace that alone gives former enemies of God the right to partake in Christ's communion. Thus, we must "examine ourselves" based upon the scripture. If one is not a believer, has not reconciled with a brother or sister, or is living in unrepentant sin then they should be encouraged to refrain, yet even Judas could have refused the bread though it was offered to him. Again, it is not the elder's responsibility to determine the sincerity of a person's heart and so approve or deny the meal for God judges the heart.

Lastly, Satan is called the Father of Lies and his name means "tempter" and "deceiver." We must understand that a slave to such a swindler could easily fake sincerity in his/her interview or qualifications and thus penetrate the visible church. That person (a wolf in sheep's clothing) would be allowed by your policy to take the Lord's Supper because of three works (baptism, public proclamation of faith and church membership) and those who have been cleansed by the renewing of their minds would not be for lack of works. That is why partaking in the Lord's supper must be an act of faith, grounded in the word and ultimately informed by one's conscience.

Thank you very much for allowing me to write to you, Pastor. Again, I greatly appreciated the preaching of the word and the hospitality of your congregants. The Lord has obviously put His blessing upon the work that it has pleased Him to allow all of you to partake in. May we all continue sharing the good news of the resurrected Lord!

Your brother in Christ,
Evan Bryan

The day is coming! Can you feel it?

- The return of Christ resembles the dawn: We can see the light of the coming sun but have not yet seen its rising.

Revelation 22:16-17

Jesus said, "I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star. The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life."

- The day draws near when we shall cross the final river and pull our boats up onto God's heavenly crystal shores.

Psalm 116:15

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints."

- The night will end forever in Christ's presence when when He runs down the shore and pulls you deep into his embrace.

1 Corinthians 13:12

"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."

Christian Persecution.

"If I had stayed in Ohio, I wouldn't be alive," Rifqa Bary, a Christian convert whose parents are Muslim immigrants from Sri Lanka said. "In 150 generations in family, no one has known Jesus. I am the first — imagine the honor in killing me."

"There is great honor in that, because if they love Allah more than me, they have to do it. It's in the Koran."

The video is a powerful testament to what it means to follow Jesus. What would you give up just to know God more?



As for Rifqa, Christ died so that she could have eternal life! Though there is much in her life that seems fearful, the Lord has conquered death so that her death, however it may come, may be swallowed up in life!

To keep others from His love (part two).

According to many churches there are three basic requirements that a believer must meet to take communion. These are enforced to different degrees within separate congregations. I grabbed the form that labeled these qualifications from one church that tried to deny my participation in the Lord's Supper. It is transcribed below. I am currently working on a letter to send to that church and will post it as installment four of this series when I send it:

Visitor Participation in the Lord's Supper

The elders _____ have the responsibility to supervise participation at the Lord's Table. If you are visiting us today and wish to partake, we must, as much as possible, be assured of your biblical church membership, of your proper profession of faith, and your godly walk. To that end, are you able to answer yes to the following questions:

1. Have you been baptized into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (as an infant or an adult)?
2. Have you publicly professed your faith in Christ alone for your salvation in agreement with the articles of the Christian faith as outlined in the Apostles' Creed?
3. Are you a member in good standing of a Protestant congregation that bears the marks of a true church, that is, a local church wherein governing elders insure that:
a. the pure doctrine of the gospel is preached;
b. the pure administration of the sacraments as instituted by Christ are maintained;
c. and church discipline is exercised.

If you are able to affirm these things sincerely, then we welcome you to the table and ask that you print your name below, along with the name of your church and its location.

If you profess faith in Jesus but are disconnected from his church because you have not been baptized and/or received as a member of a true church, or if you are unsure, please abstain and speak with Pastor Brown or an elder after the service to discuss your relationship to Christ's church.