Difference between revisions of "Sermon for January 11th, 2026"

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2 Samuel 12:15b-23 (OT p.285)

The Lord struck the child whom Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became very ill. 16 David therefore pleaded with God for the child; David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17 The elders of his house stood beside him urging him to rise from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “While the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us; how then can we tell him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” 19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, he perceived that the child was dead, and David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.”

20 Then David rose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes. He went into the house of the Lord and worshiped; he then went to his own house, and when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive, but when the child died, you rose and ate food.” 22 He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me, and the child may live.’ 23 But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”

Faith & Film XIV: Hamnet

The famous theologian, Karl Barth, once said that a Christian should approach the world with a Bible in one hand, and a newspaper in the other. What he was getting at was this: To reach the world, we must also understand the world, we must be able to speak in its language. In Karl Barth's era, the newspaper was the best tool for accomplishing that. Today, I think it's the films, the movies, the blockbusters that we flock to see in the millions. Films are the great literature and storytelling vehicles of our era. Sometimes those films are good; sometimes they are bad, but always they reflect (and sometimes shape) our culture. Films are mirrors and magnifying glasses to who we are and what we aspire to be.

As Christians, it is our job to be aware of the places where our faith converges with the themes and stories our culture tells, and where we part company, too. It's my hope that in doing this series on faith and film, we can all learn to see the world through the lens of our faith wherever we go, to be amateur theologians, armchair theologians, connectors and interpreters of the scriptures we hold dear, and the world we live in.

With that, let's take a look at our second film this season, Hamnet.

• Film Clip #1: Trailer

Three-Minute Film Summary

I like to begin each film with a brief summary, without giving away too may spoilers.

Theme 1

• Film Clip #2:

Theme 2

• Film Clip #3:

• Film Clip #4:

Theme 3

• Film Clip #5:

• Film Clip #6:

Theme 4