Why Hasn't Hollywood Gotten The Message? Series

WHY HASN'T HOLLYWOOD GOTTEN THE MESSAGE?

Phil. 1:27 (p 830) May 29, 2011

INTRODUCTION:

"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ".

Every Saturday of my childhood my Aunt Mae and I took a bus to downtown Lexington. Our destination was "The Strand" or one of the other two movie theaters on Broadway to see a movie…It was with my Aunt Mae I experienced Mary Poppins, Old Yeller, Snow White, Pinocchio, Sleeping Beauty…

The movies made me a better person when I was growing up…In those days almost every movie extolled virtue. Good triumphed over evil…there were absolutes and there were true heroes. Respect for women was lauded. Courage, bravery and sacrifice were present. Love of country was promoted.

I'll never forget watching "The Audie Murphy Story”…the story about America’s most decorated WWII Veterans… His willingness to sacrifice himself for his fellow soldiers…I went home and pulled out my Dad's purple heart to compare it to the one I'd seen presented on screen and I felt a pride and respect for my father and for our country.

I remember when watching the moves back then I pulled for the underdog, who was shown to be pursing righteousness. True romance included faithfulness and fidelity. Family life was depicted favorably…Parents were honored; education was shown as a prize to be sought after.

God, the church and those who worked for the church were never demeaned…and once in a while the Big Screen was used to bring powerful messages of God and even Jesus Christ…the 10 Commandments, King of Kings, The Robe…I still watch them as an adult and remember how they impacted my life as a young person.

When I was a teenager I remember….even in my rebellion watching "The Hiding Place" and before that "The Cross and the Switchblade" both of which powerfully affected my soul. I grew up during a time when Rob and Laura slept in 2 different beds, even though they were married, Jeanie's belly button was covered and when Gilligan was kissed by either Mary Ann or Ginger it was on the check and he blushed like crazy.

In 1969 the movie Midnight Cowboy was given an X rating…but by today's standards it would probably receive a PG 13 rating by the MPAA of today.

There's a wonderful quote that goes "What's tolerated today becomes normal tomorrow".

1.

And what's become normal…the top five movies last week: 1) Pirates Of the Caribbean, On Stranger Tides, Bridesmaids, Thor, Fast Five and Priest.

The Nielsen top 5 watched shows last week American Idol (Wed.), American Idol (Thurs), Dancing with the Stars, NCIS, and Dancing with the Stars (results). What I'm not doing is trying to cause you to feel guilty if you loved one of these movies or if I listed one of your favorite tv shows…whether it's Supernatural, House, Grey's Anatomy, Game of Thrones, or Bones.

What I am dealing with in this series of messages called "Becoming Lambs That Roar"

is how we as Christians most effectively influence our world and culture as salt and light. What are we as Christians doing to be the movers and shakers of social change? Do we have a strategy other than talking about how horrible things have become? How are we Lambs that Roar with conviction and change our world and being the people Paul challenged "Whatever happens conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ"

What does it really mean when Jesus, says in Acts 1:8 "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

I WHERE ARE HIS WITNESED IN HOLLYWOOD?

[Bob Briner an Emmy award wining producer writes in his book “Roaring Lambs,” "Remember 20 million people will go to the movies this week. Millions more see movies on T. V. and DVD's. Only very rarely do they see anything that points them to Christ... that's our fault…Typically our response to the sacrilege and blasphemy of modern movies is to whine, demonstrate, boycott and keep score. But we've offered no real alternatives or supported them when they've been offered. We cannot say "don't watch that trash… watch this film that is uplifting and ennobling.” We can't say that because we haven't produced those films in any number. Basically we are saying to those 20 million people each week "stay home," but don't watch T.V. because we haven't produced anything there either…this is not a logically defensible position. It won't play…not even in Peoria!"]

Maybe because we've been absent so long Hollywood may be the uttermost part of the earth, more foreign in many ways than China, India or Africa as far as the Gospel is concerned…Still we are commanded to go there and be His witnesses…And if we want to penetrate this culture like salt and light isn't it one we should consider?