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E.T. ----- Phone Home!
Recently on several of the movie channels, E.T. was playing again. The movie definitely dates me when I see Drew Barrymore of "Charlie's Angels", "50 first dates" and other recent movies, when she was about 4 years old. Back in 1982 the movie was a big hit and then the Academy Awards decided it just wasn't good enough to be Best Picture of the Year, and so "Ghandi" won the award over E.T.. I mean really, who would choose a cute little "alien Bambi" over such a serious subject as the historical figure, Ghandi. So they chose the obvious pick, but I am here to tell you, they once again chose the wrong movie.
Back in 1983 they were wrong for two reasons. First, the obvious one, "E.T." made more money than any other movie in history up to that point. That's enough as far as I am concerned, but there is another reason why "E.T." should have been best picture of the year. Are you ready? --- here it comes - disguised in that Science Fiction movie is the story of Jesus Christ. In fact, it is amazing just how close E.T. follows the story of Jesus, and resembles the image of Jesus.
As you know, I do movie sermons, but this one is for you readers of news. So, the gospel according to Hollywood is delivered to us by Steven Spielberg, which I think is also interesting for another reason, which I won't go into.
- E.T. comes down from heaven -- in a space ship.
- He is loving, understanding, caring, even empathetic to the point of telepathic.
- He performs miracles such as levitation, telekinesis, and flying.
- He heals the sick, (healing the boy's cut finger) and raises the dead (the flower was resurrected by him)
- He is ugly, yet steals our hearts - Isaiah 52:13-15 "Behold, my servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. As many were astonished at him - his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of men" "He has no form or comeliness that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him." Isaiah 53:2
- Only the children recognize him for what he is. Reference to a childlike faith is obvious. The kids' mother didn't even see him when he was in her presence.
- He suffered the diseases of earth. (Our sins) Isaiah again - "he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities"
- He lives only to talk to the other world from which he came "E.T. - phone home". Communes with God. Especially out in the woods, with the kids. Looks to me, suspiciously similar to the garden of Gethsemane -- the disciples (kids) couldn't stay awake with him while he phoned home -- "prayed".
- Then the kids found him spread out on the rocks like he was crucified. He was oppressed (by adults - govt.) and afflicted ( by disease - sin?) of this world.
- He dies and comes back to life after he was put in the tomb of freezing.
- And then of all things, he takes his "disciples" to the ship and ascends into heaven and even shows the promise of God in the rainbow.
As far as I can tell - the only thing missing in the movie was the "Hallelujah Chorus." If you haven't taken time to read Isaiah 52:13-53:12, look at it. Hollywood sometimes follows the story of Jesus in a straight forward way like "The Greatest Story Ever Told" or with tongue in cheek such as Monty Python's "Life of Brian". Sometimes, Hollywood hides the story of Jesus in metaphor like E.T. or "Cool Hand Luke" (someday I hope to show you that picture of Jesus).
There seems to be something in man that needs the Savior, and if we don't believe in him, we will dream up a likeness of him. The Savior is still popular, even though we disguise him. "E.T." does it straight - the Extra-Terrestrial is wrinkled and ugly, and burdened with the cares of the world, and he is moved to compassion towards those he touches with his emphatic "Owww".
E.T. made so much money, that it intrigues me that there wasn't a sequel possibly called the "Second Coming".
See you in church. . . . . Jack O. Lantern
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