Sermon for January 31st, 2021
Contents
Leviticus 19:33-34 (OT p.107)
33 When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. 34 The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
Matthew 18:1-4 (NT p.19)
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a child, whom he put among them, 3 and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
John 3:13-16 (NT p.94)
13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
Faith & Film IX: E.T. the Extraterrestrial
Three Minute Film Synopsis
An alien spaceship lands in the middle of a forest one night to collect plant samples, but is discovered by some government scientists. The spaceship makes a hasty getaway, and in the process accidentally leaves one of the aliens stranded on earth. This gentle creature meets and befriends a young boy named Elliot, who hides him in his closet, introduces him to his brother Michael and sister Gertie, who teach him about human life, and call him "E.T" which is short for extra-terrestrial--literally outside of earth.
As ET learns to communicate, he tells the children that he wants to "phone home" and together they devise a plan for him to contact his spaceship and return to his home. Meanwhile, the government scientists are searching for the alien and closing in on his location. Elliot and ET continue bond with each other and begin to share each others thoughts and emotions, and when ET begins to grow weak and sick, Elliot does too.
At this point, the scientists intervene, and take over Elliot's house, setting up a sealed triage facility in an attempt to save the lives of both Elliot and ET. When ET ultimately dies, the link between them is severed and Elliot recovers, only to grieve the loss of his friend. But ET's spaceship, having heard the call, returns, and ET miraculously comes back to life. The children and their friends manage to escape with ET back to the forest, where he tells them goodbye, returns to his ship, and ascends into the night sky once more.
