Difference between revisions of "Sermon for February 2nd, 2020"
| Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
That's on the surface. But more accurately, it's the story of two friends: Legendary race car designer Carroll Shelby, and hall of fame race car driver Ken Miles. It's the story of how they became legendary, and how they became friends, despite each man's deep personality flaws, despite great personal challenges, and odds that were clearly not in their favor. It's an underdog story--sometimes Ford is the underdog against Ferrari, and sometimes Shelby and Miles are the underdogs against Ford. | That's on the surface. But more accurately, it's the story of two friends: Legendary race car designer Carroll Shelby, and hall of fame race car driver Ken Miles. It's the story of how they became legendary, and how they became friends, despite each man's deep personality flaws, despite great personal challenges, and odds that were clearly not in their favor. It's an underdog story--sometimes Ford is the underdog against Ferrari, and sometimes Shelby and Miles are the underdogs against Ford. | ||
| − | But through several intense races, setbacks, and fights, Ford builds their racecar, while Miles and Shelby build their friendship, and in the process each comes to a better understanding of the film's central | + | But through several intense races, setbacks, and fights, Ford builds their racecar, while Miles and Shelby build their friendship, and in the process each comes to a better understanding of the film's central question: Who are you? |
====Who Are You?==== | ====Who Are You?==== | ||
| − | + | At the very beginning of the film, Carroll Shelby (who was himself a race car driver earlier in his career) is told by his doctor that he can never race again, calling into question his very identity, his self-image, and everything he loves. | |
[https://youtu.be/IIh4vDxg6zw Film Clip #2 - Opening Scenes] | [https://youtu.be/IIh4vDxg6zw Film Clip #2 - Opening Scenes] | ||
| Line 53: | Line 53: | ||
*[https://youtu.be/pLHmFnim1Ws Film Clip #6 - The Perfect Lap] | *[https://youtu.be/pLHmFnim1Ws Film Clip #6 - The Perfect Lap] | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
====Who Are You?==== | ====Who Are You?==== | ||
| + | And that brings us full circle, to the film's opening and central question: Who are you? This is the same question that God asked a man named Job, in the Book of Job. After 42 chapters of grief, loss, and struggle, Job has an encounter with the divine that completely changes his perspective. Ken Miles, on the race course at Lemans, at 7,000rpms has what could be described as a divine encounter. In losing, he wins. In | ||
| + | |||
*[https://youtu.be/aMXDKvU--U0 Film Clip #7 - Closing Scenes] | *[https://youtu.be/aMXDKvU--U0 Film Clip #7 - Closing Scenes] | ||
Revision as of 20:27, 31 January 2020
Contents
Proverbs 21:21-31 (OT p.603-604)
21 Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life and honor. 22 One wise person went up against a city of warriors and brought down the stronghold in which they trusted. 23 To watch over mouth and tongue is to keep out of trouble. 24 The proud, haughty person, named “Scoffer,” acts with arrogant pride. 25 The craving of the lazy person is fatal, for lazy hands refuse to labor. 26 All day long the wicked covet, but the righteous give and do not hold back. 27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when brought with evil intent. 28 A false witness will perish, but a good listener will testify successfully. 29 The wicked put on a bold face, but the upright give thought to their ways. 30 No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel, can avail against the Lord. 31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.
2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NT p.213)
6 As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Faith & Film VIII: Ford v Ferrari
Three Minute Film Synopsis
Ford v Ferrari is, on the surface, the story of how Henry Ford II (chairman of Ford Motor Company) triumphed over his Italian rival Enzo Ferrari (owner of Scuderia Ferrari) by building a Ford race car that decisively beat the fastest car in the world at the time (a Ferrari) at the 1966 Lemans race in France, the oldest and most prestigious event in automobile racing.
That's on the surface. But more accurately, it's the story of two friends: Legendary race car designer Carroll Shelby, and hall of fame race car driver Ken Miles. It's the story of how they became legendary, and how they became friends, despite each man's deep personality flaws, despite great personal challenges, and odds that were clearly not in their favor. It's an underdog story--sometimes Ford is the underdog against Ferrari, and sometimes Shelby and Miles are the underdogs against Ford.
But through several intense races, setbacks, and fights, Ford builds their racecar, while Miles and Shelby build their friendship, and in the process each comes to a better understanding of the film's central question: Who are you?
Who Are You?
At the very beginning of the film, Carroll Shelby (who was himself a race car driver earlier in his career) is told by his doctor that he can never race again, calling into question his very identity, his self-image, and everything he loves.
Who are you, when things don't work out the way you planned? We're going to come back to this theme in a little while.
Reformed and Always Reforming
At the beginning of the film, Ford Motor Company is also having an identity crisis. Henry Ford changed the world with his innovations, but two generations later, his grandson inherits a company that is stuck, mired in crippling legalism and corporate bureaucracy.
The young executive in that closing shot is Lee Iacocca, who has an innovative idea, which we're about to see in the next clip. But first, I want to give credit where credit is due. This is an excellent film, and the reason we're talking about it today is because one of our congregation members, Dan Barr, recommended it, and pointed out a classic Presbyterian theme in the film. Here are Dan's words:
"Not sure if you selected your final film for the upcoming series but I recommend "Ford vs. Ferrari". Christopher and I watched it yesterday. It is a very good film that would fit the theme of "reformed always reforming". In order to be a serious international sports car competitor, traditional lines of authority and processes had to be bypassed and simplified for Ford and its partner Shelby American - a race car manufacturer. Sometimes limits have to be tested in order to make advances in technology and safety. Similar to Jesus testing and outwitting the religious authorities of his time through verbal discussions with them."
Well put, Dan. Thank you.
Victory Belongs to?
In that last clip, Iacocca says that Ferrari means "Victory." Watching people in the film talk about Ferrari, you get the sense that they know who they are as a company. But the idea of victory is a theme that runs throughout the film in a number of ways. Enzo Ferarri, Henry Ford II, Carroll Shelby, Ken Miles, and all the top executives at Ford, are portrayed as highly competitive men--people for whom winning is an all consuming thing. Victory at all costs.
Proverbs 21 teaches that "the horse (or maybe the car?) is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord."
At the beginning of the film, Ken Miles has a serious problem controlling his tongue and his temper. He is incredibly talented, but not a team player, and this gets him into constant trouble with Ford, Shelby, and just about everyone else in his life. At the climax of the film, the famous Lemans race, Miles is several laps ahead of all of his competition. His Ford teammates are in second and third place, and with a Lemans victory certain, Miles is set to become the first man to win the "triple crown" of racing. And then one of the Ford executives orders him to slow down, so that all three cars can pull across the finish line together, making for a nice publicity photograph for Ford. Based on everything we've seen of Miles, we fully expect him to ignore that order. And he almost does. But then something changes.
Because of an obscure Lemans rule (and this part is absolutely true history), this move ends up costing Miles the win, which goes to one of the other Ford drivers. This should have been (and probably was) devastating to Miles, but instead he humbly thanks Shelby for giving him the opportunity to race at Lemans. You get the sense that in that critical moment, his idea of "victory" changed. His identity and his happiness is no longer grounded in externalities like winning, but from an inner peace and security that comes from knowing who you are, and what you have accomplished. Again, Proverbs 21: "All day long the wicked covet, but the righteous give and do not hold back."
One might also recall the words of Jesus, who taught his disciples that in God's Kingdom, the first would be last and the last would be first.
The Perfect Lap
Speaking of God's Kingdom, there's a scene before the big race where Miles is describing to his son, Peter, his idea of "the perfect lap." What he describes begins to take on the tone of the sacred--it's almost as if he is describing heaven...race car driver's heaven.
Who Are You?
And that brings us full circle, to the film's opening and central question: Who are you? This is the same question that God asked a man named Job, in the Book of Job. After 42 chapters of grief, loss, and struggle, Job has an encounter with the divine that completely changes his perspective. Ken Miles, on the race course at Lemans, at 7,000rpms has what could be described as a divine encounter. In losing, he wins. In
