I am a huge movie buff. When I was young and single and living on my own in Georgia, I was known as the guy who went to see a movie every day after work. There is something about the theater going experience that I love. I love the way a good film transports you into a new and exciting world. To this day the best movie theater experience of my life thus far was when I went to see the first “Lord of the Rings” film. It was one of those movies that when you looked at your watch, you immediately said: “Oh good, there’s still 2 more hours to enjoy.” The world that you were transported to was exciting, the story was fun and adventurous, and the soundtrack was awesome. Everything about it was great.
There is a specific scene in the movie where the Hobbits--Sam and Frodo--are leaving the Shire, their home for the first time. As Sam looks back at his home and states that his very next step is the furthest, he’s ever been from his home. As the camera zooms in on his foot taking that step, Howard Shore wrote into the musical score, 7 notes that reference the hymn, “This is my Father’s World.” It is the hobbits new journey entering into the world, entering, quite naively, into the Father's creation.
Whenever I think about the “Great Commission.” The call of Christ on his Church to go into the world and make disciples of all nations, I think about this short scene from The Lord of the Rings, the fear of the unknown as we take that first step. And as we step into the world to complete the mission that we are called to do, we know that although the mission is simple—Go and Make Disciples—there will be plenty of hardships, turmoil, and pain in accomplishing God’s Mission. And although an unknown world awaits us as we take that first step, knowing that we walk with the power and grace of Christ is enough to give us comfort and joy in the future that he has laid out for our lives.
