Long before the Left Behind book series about the Rapture that was so popular in the 1990's, or the Left Behind movies starring actors we've actually heard of like Kirk Cameron and Nicolas Cage, there was a 1972 film called, A Thief in the Night. I remember watching it at a youth group gathering our church teens were invited to in Spokane, Washington. The concept of the Rapture was new to me, actually all of the teachings of the Bible were new to me, but the idea of the Rapture was the most exciting. And frightening. I hadn't yet graduated from high school, the tantalizing taste of independence had almost reached my tongue, and I wanted it. I wanted to buy my own car, have my own place, and someday, fall in love. I am sure by today's standards, A Thief in the Night is a low budget disappointment, but the reason I am thinking about it now, after all these years, is because it was mentioned three times at our friend Jeff's memorial.
The first speaker was Jeff's friend from the Navy, later to be his best man, Bob. Bob went to a showing of A Thief in the Night, was convicted of his need for Christ, and got saved. He took Jeff to it the next night, Jeff was convicted, and got saved. Troy's youngest sister was the next speaker. Troy had taken her to the movie, she asked Troy some questions afterwards, and she got saved. Three people at one service who were saved by watching a two and a half stars Christian film.
My own bittersweet memory of the drive back to Montana with our pastor, was telling him how much I liked the movie and him saying, "They wore too much makeup." Apparently, he did not notice the dramatic depictions of prophesied end times events, he thought the movie was about cosmetics. I'll bet he was amazed and, I hope, embarrassed, when he arrived in heaven and found people there who put their faith in Christ through a movie where the actresses wore too much makeup. That must have been as surprising to him as--a thief in the night.
No comments:
Post a Comment