Two Movies...

We've recently watched two movies in our house that I think I'll recommend. The first is just for entertainment's sake, Superman Returns. I think someone could use this movie to teach youth group lessons, because there seems to be some Christ imagery. This may have been intentional by the writers and producers, but I don't think so. This movie is just a testament to how our culture lives in the spiritual and understands the lingo. Anyways, its a good movie.

The second movie is a must see, I think. Al Gore's hit documentary about global warming An Inconvenient Truth. I have a hard time when people that this stuff isn't real, that its just made up propaganda. Granted, we have only been studying our climate for a short time relative to the expanse of time, but the fact that our human population is so huge and has grown so much in just the past 100 years...4 billion people shows that the earth is going to be effected by our actions.

This movie is scary to a certain point, although I have a hard time buying into it completely, but nevertheless I think Gore is right when he says that this is a moral issue.

Joe's Soundtrack

So, here’s how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that’s playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool and no disclaimers allowed.

Opening Credits: Leave Us Alone- Joseph Arthur
Waking Up: Kick Out the Jams (Live)- RATM
First Day At School: Breathing Air Again- Robbie Seay Band
Falling In Love: Frosty the Snowman- Burl Ives
Fight Song: Sacrifice- Tree 63
Breaking Up: Shaft- Incubus
Prom: Sassafras Roots- Green Day
Mental Breakdown: Immenso- Andrea Bocelli
Driving: Can't Stand Losing You- The Police
Flashback: On My Way- Grits
Getting Back Together: Lay It Down- The Benjamin Gate
Wedding: Rewind- Pillar
Birth of Child: 3 Libras- A Perfect Circle
Final Battle: You Are- Todd Agnew
Death Scene: Big Enough to Hold Me- Waterdeep
Funeral Song: Let the Good Times Roll- Ray Charles
End Credits: Eugene's Lament- Beastie Boys

via lucas, via seth.

Mustang, no go

I thought Sacramental Mustang was almost ready to go. I've been driving it a little around the apartments to tune it in. The throttle is still not responding right, but yesterday as I was tuning it, all went to hell. Maybe it's not that bad, but still. I lost all fire, the engine turns over but won't fire up. When I went to check it out, I tried to turn off the engine, but it just thought it would keep running. I TOOK THE KEY OUT, and it still kept trying to turn over. I had to disconnect the battery for it to stop. So, just as you thought I would be posting me driving the car, we'll have to wait.

And the results are in...

I recently finished my paper and presentation over Luke 22:35-38, which you can read in the below post. I settled down on one conclusion, although I think there exist two possible and strong interpretations.

Interp. #1:
Jesus is trying to prepare the disciples of the impending danger and hostility that they are about to face, because they will be viewed as transgressors for following Jesus. Although, this is not the best interp, I think that Luke may have had this in mind when writing his gospel to the gentile community which was receiving hostility from many different angles, Jewish Christians (not real harsh), Romans, and Jews (pretty harsh).

Interp. #2:
The disciples are betrayers of Jesus, and this question, answer device reveals their hearts. Jesus is quite ingenious in asking the disciples and then commanding them to get swords, because they reveal that they have already lost faith in his earlier commands from Luke 9 and 10 to take nothing with them on mission. The fact that they already have swords means that they are treacherous. This theme of treachery fits well with the 3 preceding pericopes which all fit together with similar elements and also form a farewell speech.

Why would this be important for first century followers of Jesus? These men who have following Jesus bettrayed him by preparing themselves for violence. As the times erupt with violence with teh destruciton of hte Temple, Christians will be forced into a hard place. The correct reaction is not violence, and Luke wants them to know this.

How badly we need this message. The correct reaction to violence is not violence, but rather a different way. The Christ way of the cross. Sounds unfamiliar, sounds unAmerican, but it sounds biblical. We as a Christian church need to pick up this devotion to Christ so that we can have the kinds of hearts that will not prepare for violence, but rather prepare for grace.

Lukan Theology

I'm preparing a paper for Scriptures 3 covering the puzzling and perplexing passage preceding the passion, directly after the Lord's Supper in Luke 22.

Verses 35-38

35Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?"
"Nothing," they answered.

36He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 37It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'^[b]; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment."

38The disciples said, "See, Lord, here are two swords."
"That is enough," he replied.

If you have any thoughts, interpretations, or whatever you want to offer up, write me up a 15 page paper, or just leave a comment.

Sacramental Mustang

Well, it won't be long now, I can almost taste it (or is that exhaust?).

I think the idle is fixed and set, so the car is almost ready to go. I found two problems, of course, that needed attention before I can go get the flowmasters welded on. First, the power steering pump was dead. Therefore I got a new,, and without thinking I got the wrong year. Ford changed power steering line connections in 90 or 91, and I ordered an pump for a 93, but my car's an 88. So, I pulled that pump and got a new one made for my year. I also upgraded to a better pump. I fixed that today, and it looks like there is no leaking for now, but I'll have to keep my eye on it.

The other problem is that the brakes need to be adjusted. I think when I switched the master cylander from 88 to 95, I didn't adjust the pushrod in the booster to be long enough. Now, I don't have any brakes, except a little at the very bottom of the brake pedal stroke.

I really want to get the brakes fixed this week and be driving, but that may be wishful thinking. Tuesday of this week, I have 3 book reviews and normal homeowork due, then on Thursday I have to finish my huge exegetical paper for Luke, take a test, a have read an entire book for missions.