My wife and I went and saw The Hobbit this evening, and while I found the movie very entertaining, what stuck with me the most wasn’t the dwarves or hobbits, but the previews of upcoming films. There was something in common in each one of these films, and they got me thinking about the current climate of the world today, and the people who live in it. It seemed, whether it was a remake of The Wizard of Oz or another Superman movie, that each movie had a great crisis, and the need for a man to become more than a man, and then to save the world.

The Wizard of Oz was very different from bringing Dorothy and Todo back from Kansas, but had a man who was to come to Oz and fulfill the prophecy of becoming a great wizard and man who defeats the wicked witch. He is their only hope. The Superman movie shows Clark Kent being told to hide his powers as kid because the world would not accept him, but there seems to come a time where he will need to change the world, and Superman will decide if the change will be for good or for evil. Even, the Hobbit has the powers of good and evil pitted against each other with talk of prophecy coupled with the notion of love and kindness being a key to overcoming evil.

Now I don’t mean to ramble on, but the reason I bring up these movies is because I couldn’t help realize these are these types of movies that are wildly popular today. They all have varying levels of fantasy or magic, coupled with the need of a Savior to overcome a great evil. As I look around the world today it is undeniable the cultural instability is on the rise, economies are tanking around the world, natural disasters are happening in an increasingly rapid progression with unprecedented severity, and people are looking for hope. They are desperately looking.

I think all these factors make a movie like the Hobbit more appealing than ever. A far away land that seems so different from our own, a world that has the assurance that good will overcome evil, and that s savior will appear to initiate the victory. That sounds absolutely wonderful in comparison to the uncertainty of this world and the era we live in today.

Now, the reason this is so exciting for me is that I know I do have a Savior, and that He will overcome all evil in the day of His return. I am completely assured of the victory in Jesus Christ as a born again believer in Him. As I was changed in an instant when I put my trust in Christ, and gave my life to Him, I now know that no matter what happens in this world, I have a place prepared for me in heaven that cannot be corrupted and will go on forever. Living in glory with my Lord will be so much better than any movie can portray. So with that, these movies can be a type of reminder of the glory to come.

Yet, there is a cold reality of this truth and assurance. While God has made a way for all people to enter into this glory, or heaven, for all eternity through His death at the cross and resurrection from the grave, many people have not accepted the free gift of eternal life. Many people have no assurance at all today, even though the gift of eternal life is readily available and freely given. If we saw someone in one of these aforementioned movies turning down the greatest gift from the most loving God ever imagined due to pride, selfishness, or unbelief we would be heart-broken, and consider that person foolish at best. Yet, so many are doing that very thing today, and it breaks my heart.

Here the world is groaning and aching for hope and for a Savior, but turning away from the Jesus Christ who is all those things and more.  People are turning to any other form of temporary fulfillment or peace imaginable, but rarely to Christ. And I am even more saddened that there will come a man some day soon who will seem to fit all the credentials of a Savior and bring about great peace, but he will, in actuality, be that dark force that desires to deceive and kill. Yet, most of the world will clamor for him, and throw away any right they have in order to come under his care. All the while the true Savior calls out with tears and love to any who would come to Him and be saved.

So, with that if you are not a believer in Jesus Christ I would ask you to examine your heart, and examine the world, and seek the true God with all sincerity because he does exist, and He does love you, and He does want you to be saved, and He did send his perfect Son to die in your place so you could live. God is calling to every heart in this earth begging you to repent from your sins, and believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. But he will not make you come. I would encourage you to google Matthew 24, and John 3:16 and read them. Google Romans 3:23 and Romans 5:8 and Romans 10:9 and read those also. I would encourage you to read the HOW TO BE SAVED link on top of this page. Then confess your are a sinner and ask God to save you. If you believe in Christ, you will be saved.

If you are a Christian, I would encourage you, as I have been encouraged writing this, to realize that the time is short, and there are people’s lives at stake. To understand that people are in need of a savior and desperate for hope. To take personal responsibility to share the good news of Jesus Christ to a desperate generation of people who are looking for hope in all the wrong the places. Let us have the compassion of Jesus, mixed with an unwavering commitment to be about our Father business, and pray to God to give the increase of salvation while we faithfully live as His disciples.