A Moment With Pastor Fred

6/22/18

This past week Paul, Apostle of Christ was released on DVD.  It was in the theater this past spring.  Sue and I heartily recommend it. We were challenged. 

The year is 67 AD – Rome has just been set on fire and Nero is blaming Christians. Paul (James Faulkner) has been sentenced to death by the emperor. The church at Rome smuggles Luke (Jim Caviezel – who played Jesus in the Passion of the Christ) to see Paul. This is based on 2 Timothy 4:11, “Luke alone is with me.”  It is here Luke decides to write his sequel to his Gospel – the book of Acts. Biblical historians disagree over exactly when Acts was written so this is possible. Paul’s epistles are quoted throughout the movie.  Yes, we would wish the gospel of which they often speak would have been clearer but for a secular company to have produced this film and not botch it up is noteworthy. The story line is based on historical and biblical facts but enhanced. That shouldn’t discourage you from watching the film. I saw nothing that contradicted Scripture.  

 The movie challenged me in the cost of being a Christian in the first century. It could cost you your life. There is some violence – why its rated PG-13 but it never displays the actual act. For Sue and me – we were profoundly thankful for those who have paid the ultimate price declaring the gospel we love. Faithful men and women passed it down through the centuries where we heard it and embraced it ourselves.