Author Archives: A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green

Getting In The Way Of God (Freedomland)

Freedomland is a gritty little picture about people in need of redemption (are there any other kind?). There’s a woman named Brenda, whose young son has died as a result of her negligence. Rather than admit to this, she has secretly buried his body and concocted a story about having her automobile carjacked while her son was inContinue reading “Getting In The Way Of God (Freedomland)”

Feeling God’s Pleasure (Chariots Of Fire)

You’d have to go a long way to find a better movie, or better subject for a movie, than Chariots of Fire and Eric Liddell. Though he was born in China (his parents were missionaries there), Liddell was Scottish. He had a heart for God that shined through absolutely everything he did. The movie focuses primarily upon Liddell’sContinue reading “Feeling God’s Pleasure (Chariots Of Fire)”

Consider Yourself At Home (Oliver)

Oliver! is the stage adaptation of the Dickens’s classic, Oliver Twist.  It was later made into a movie which won several academy awards, including picture of the year. Whether it’s the book, the play, of the movie, the gist of the story concerns a nine year old orphan named Oliver and his struggle to survive. As the story begins,Continue reading “Consider Yourself At Home (Oliver)”

Christ On The Waterfront (On The Waterfront)

On the Waterfront is a hopelessly dated movie. It’s in black and white (and grey). With the exception of Eva Marie Saint, all of the principal actors are deceased. The soundtrack is definitely from another era. You’ll have a tough time trying to sell it to anyone at your house on movie night. So if you do try, be prepared forContinue reading “Christ On The Waterfront (On The Waterfront)”

I See Trouble On The Way (3)

Historically speaking 1. If the man of lawlessness represents a pronounced escalation of evil and apostasy, is there any way for us to identify it? Can we look back at some point in the first century (or afterward) and say this is what Paul was talking about? Are Paul’s words even meant to be takenContinue reading “I See Trouble On The Way (3)”

I See Trouble On The Way (2)

Unpacking the text 1. He tells the Thessalonians that Jesus will not return “until the rebellion occurs, and the man of lawlessness is revealed” (2:3). So, we have two things to work with—the rebellion and the revealing of the man of lawlessness who is also referred to as “the man doomed to destruction” (v. 3).Continue reading “I See Trouble On The Way (2)”

I See Trouble On The Way (1)

Some preliminaries After working with 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 a bit, I caught myself thinking that it would have been okay with me if this particular text had never made it into the biblical canon! It could be like the letter Paul alludes to in 1 Corinthians 5:9 that served its purpose in the first centuryContinue reading “I See Trouble On The Way (1)”

Worthy Of His Calling

Part of Paul’s prayer for the disciples at Thessalonica is that “our God may make you worthy of His calling” (2 Thessalonians 1:11). He prays the same sort of thing for disciples everywhere (Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 1:27; Colossians 1:10). Interestingly, this passage is singular in the sense that this is the only text where God’sContinue reading “Worthy Of His Calling”

Checked Your Anchor Lately (Hereafter)

What happens after we die? Is there anyone who isn’t interested in this question? And, is there anything definitive that can be said or do we just have to wait and see what happens? For most of us, this is one of those areas where we have many more questions than answers. Part of the human conditionContinue reading “Checked Your Anchor Lately (Hereafter)”