Fools For Christ Series

Evan Almighty is the story of freshman congressman Evan Baxter, whose main campaign slogan was “change the world.” When he asks for God's help to achieve his goal, God responds in an unusual way—He commands Evan to build an ark in order to rescue a multitude of wild animals.

As Evan reluctantly begins to obey, he faces mounting ridicule from his coworkers, neighbors, and family. In one scene, God has commanded Evan to wear an old-fashioned robe to go along with his long hair and shaggy beard. Evan tries to skirt this command by wearing his business suit over the robe when he attends an important committee meeting.

The chairman of the committee introduces his co-sponsors and asks them to stand. Take a look (show Evan Almighty movie clip: www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_ U9jZQ54LM).

Reluctantly, Evan stands up. As he does, the rest of the committee gasps. Evan looks down and realizes he has been transformed back into the Noah robe and hairdo. People begin to laugh and his family gasps in shock as they watch the meeting on C-Span. In another room, Evan's secretary is also watching the meeting on television.

"Ladies and gentleman, please," the chairman breaks in, pounding his gavel, "Congressman Baxter has a tendency to embrace the theatrical in his support of this bill. Congressman, let me warn you that you are approximately 10 seconds away from committing censure."

Evan doesn't hear. Horrified, he stares out the window at a large flock of birds swooping down upon the Capitol. "Oh, no," he cries. "Would anyone mind if I closed the window?" But he is too late. The birds stream into the meeting room and are quickly joined by a menagerie from the hallways, including foxes, bears, and mountain lions. The animals all gather in formation, with Evan at their center.

The committee and audience begin to scream and run away, but the chairman shouts through the chaos: "Ladies and gentleman, please! These animals are trained. I have seen this circus act before." Addressing Evan, he says, "Congressman, I'm sure St. Francis would be envious; we, however, are not. You have five seconds. You march yourself and your little animal troop out of here now, or you will be forcibly removed."

Evan shakes his head. "I'm afraid I can't do that, sir. These animals are not trained."

"Congressman!" the chairman roars, but Evan cuts him off.

"I think they want me to save them."

Another committee member, Congressman Burrows, asks, "Save them from what, Congressman?"

Hesitantly, Evan says, "From the flood."

"A flood?" says Congressman Burrows. "This has been the hottest, driest summer on record, and you say we're going to have a flood. When might we expect this?"

Evan blurts out, "September 22nd at midday," which is what God told him during a previous conversation. As the crowd buzzes, he adds, "That's what I was told."

Congressman Burrows asks, "Might I ask who told you?"

Evan's face falls. He knows his answer will mean the end of his career. Back at home, his wife whispers, "Not in front of all those people. Don't say it…don't say it."

Unwilling to pretend any longer, Evan says, "God."

His wife covers her face. Sensing a kill, the chairman of the meeting asks, "God? You talk to God?"

"Yes," Evan answers.

"And God is talking back?"

"Yeah." Evan sighs, and then adds, "We've hung out a little."

"Congressman, your name is being removed from this bill," the chairman continues. "Obviously the stresses of this office have proven too much for you." He slams his gavel down and yells, "Please have the congressman removed!"

"No!" Evan cries. "Please, you don't understand. God commanded me to build an ark!" At this point, two uniformed officers grab Evan under both arms, but he continues to shout, "It's going to rain! There's going to be a flood! We have to prepare ourselves!"

"Remove him now!" the chairman roars, still pounding his gavel. He stands up as Evan is finally dragged from the room, but before he can get back to business, the flock of birds that had been standing with Evan swoop down and defecate all over his suit.

Back at Evan's house, his son asks, "Does this mean we're moving back home?"

"Home," his mother answers, "or Canada. One or the other." (Evan Almighty, 00:52:22 – 00:56:11, Universal Pictures, 2007, directed by Tom Shadyac; www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_ U9jZQ54LM).

Sometimes, when you follow God’s calling on your life, the world thinks you’re stupid. You look foolish to your family, your friends, and everybody else. But that’s often the price you must pay to change the world. That’s what it costs sometimes to influence people to follow Jesus. If you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to 1 Corinthians 4, 1 Corinthians 4, where the Apostle Paul talks about what it cost for he and the other apostles to turn their world upside down for Christ.