Whether its terroists trying to kill the president, activate a nuclear bomb on US soil, unleash a deadly virus or meltdown a nuclear power plant, a significant part of the plot of "24" is that there is an enemy who wants to kill and destroy. Many people are currently enjoying season 5 of "24". There are five seasons for a reason. In the last hour of the last show of each season, Jack wins. Somehow he prevents the enemy from accomplishing his ultimate goal.
1 Peter 5:8 says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." One of the characteristics I love about the Bible is that it addresses the reality of our situation here on planet earth. We have an enemy who wants to kill us. His name is Satan and he is the devil. The Bible doesn't promise a belief system that creates a perfect world. One of the things it teaches us is how to deal with evil.
The movies we hold dear to our hearts borrow from the plot of the Bible. Because of His great love for the church, our hero Jesus rescues us from the devil, and takes us on a great adventure to make disciples in all the world. Every story that moves us emotionally contains these essential parts in their story line. The story line includes a hero, an enemy, someone who needs to be rescued, a love story and a great adventure.
Take the movie Forrest Gump as an example. Forrest is the hero trying to save Jenny who needs to be rescued. The enemies are the men in her life. Forrest unconditionally loves Jenny, and Forrest lives a great adventure in his pursuit to capture her heart.
Jack Bauer is a great hero to the faithful viewers of "24" because he is so willing to sacrifice his life for the cause of saving the world. Once again, this is a borrowed plot from the Bible. Jesus said in John 10:10-11, "The thief (devil) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (11) I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (church).
On the show "24", I love how Jack Bauer uses many weapons to defeat the enemy. His weapons include the lastest in computer technology and a wide array of firearms. The simple fact about Jack is that he can use weapons and technology better than his enemy.
I find it so interesting when I examine the weapon Jesus used to defeat the devil, the greatest emeny mankind has ever known. Jesus used a cross. Colossians 2:13-15 says, "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, (14) having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. (15) And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."
The Romans, through torture, had perfected capital punishment by using the cross. The cross was the place were criminals and the despised of society were sent. It was an instrument of suffering that assisted in executing the sentence of death. It was truly a curse to hang on a cross. The devil's favorite instrument of death on planet earth was the cross before the arrival of Jesus.
Only God could take such a heinous instrument and use it for something good. When Jesus hung on the cross he took the curse of sin and death on himself, and gave us righteousness and life. What a great exchange. Amazing! Jesus used the least likely weapon for good, the cross, to trick the devil and defeat him.
This is the final proof that Jesus is God. He took the devil's favorite instrument of suffering and death and used it to bring forgiveness, salvation, life and righteousness. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." It took the cross of Christ to save the world.
The cross symbolizes a cosmic as well as historic truth. Love conquers the world, but its victory is not an easy one. Reinhold Niebuhr
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