“Paul, Apostle of Christ” – A non-review and hearty endorsement

Pastor’s Ponderings

Dear Christian friends,

Easter Monday, Aimee and I went to see Paul, Apostle of Christ. The setting is Mamertine Prison in Rome, where Paul has been held because he is deemed a threat to the Roman Empire. Emperor Nero has sentenced Paul, along with a number of other Christians to death. Luke has come to visit Paul to minister to him and to record the last of Paul’s story, so that the Church might be encouraged in their persecution. While it is a fictional account, the storyline and characters stay close to the biblical and historical accounts.

While I’m not going to give a full-blown move review, I will say that it is one of the most powerful movies I’ve seen. I don’t say this lightly. I’ve generally been disappointed with the quality of most Christian films.” I find many of them—even some of the more popular ones—to be weak in their plot and dialogue and acting. But I do give them credit that at least they are trying to offer something reflects the Christian worldview.

I have often lamented that I wished more talented Christians would take up the vocation of writers, director, actors, and producers of our various entertainment media. These arts have such an influence on our culture that we should not shy away from them, but pursue them with excellence. I think that goal has been achieved in this film, and I look forward to seeing more. I would highly encourage people to see this film while it is still available in the theaters. Motion picture studios will produce the kind of movies people come to see. The best way to ensure more of this kind of movie is to support it with our entertainment dollars.

Some have talked about using this movie as an evangelism tool, but it seems to me to be better suited to encouraging those of us who are already Christians. God’s grace is so amazing; His ways are so much higher than our ways; I can understand why some jaded reviewers or those unfamiliar with Christianity might find parts of the plot implausible. How can a man’s life be so changed that he goes from being one of the Church’s fiercest persecutors to being its foremost missionary and leading apostle? Only those who have already felt the grace and forgiveness of God in Jesus Christ, will be able to relate to it, especially its concluding scenes.

I left the theater that afternoon feeling I had experienced the joy of grace and forgiveness in Christ through Paul’s eyes. I was left in awe of the depiction of the faith of Paul and other Christians who faced impending torture and death with courage and boldness. I think I now have a much better understanding of this man, who called himself “the chief of sinners,” “the least of the apostles,” who found strength in his own weakness, joy in his trials, and God’s grace to be sufficient in his suffering.

It also challenged me to consider how we Christians can be light and love in a world that is filled with much darkness and hate. How can we witness to world who does not understand us, who rejects what we believe, and scoff at whom we believe? The same way the early Christians did. They loved. They loved their Lord. They loved their brothers and sisters in Christ. They loved their neighbors. They loved even their enemies. And the people were drawn to Christ and His Church because of their love, saying, “See how they love one another!”

I would like you to consider how we might reflect the light and love of Christ in our own community. How can we grow in our understanding and application of God’s Word so that we might develop and maintain healthy relationship within and between our congregations? What can we do to intentionally reach out to our neighbors with the Gospel? How can we show mercy and love to those in need? What needs might we be equipped to address? How can we open the doors of our congregations to the community?

In the next few month, I hope we will begin to discuss such questions and begin to develop a strategy for addressing them. My prayer is that the day will come when people in the Pipestone, Jasper, and Trosky areas speak of us, they might say, “See how they love one another,” and they will be drawn to the love of God in Christ Jesus.

God’s richest blessings in Christ!

Pastor Moeller

P.S. If you’re interest in checking out a trailer of Paul, Apostle to Christ, here is a link to one of its trailers: https://youtu.be/7DFGmw5oe0E.