Okay, before I get to what I’m going to say, let me say that if you want to know what the actual lyrics of a song are you really have to read them. When you hear the singer sing them some of the words sound different than what they really are.
The next thing I want to say is that, in my humble opinion, the best thing about the “Bourne” movies (The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum) is the music. Especially the song they play at the end (which is called “Extreme Ways” by Moby). What a fun song!
Anyway, as I was listening to the song I first thought the refrain sounded like “Oh babe, then it all fell apart.” But then I thought, it must be saying (fitting in with the theme of the movies), “Obey, then it all fell apart.” And it really sounded like that to me.
Well… I looked up the lyrics, and it’s “Oh baby, then it all fell apart.” (I think the singer must be singing “babe” rather than “baby”.)
The point of all of this is that I would like to go with the idea of “obey, then it all fell apart.” After all, doesn’t our Lord command us to obey Him? And doesn’t our life have times where things fall apart? It’s very tempting to not obey since it doesn’t always seem to make things better for us. I mean, look where it got Jason Bourne? He obeyed his government and it all fell apart. (He ends up being hunted down by that very government.)
But I would like to suggest that this is the very reason we ought to obey our Lord and Savior. He doesn’t say, after all, “Follow Me and all will be well.” What He says is, “Take up your cross and follow Me.” I guess we could kind of paraphrase this to say, “Obey Me even though it means it will all fall apart.”
Because who do we need if everything is going along just fine and dandy? Oh yeah, we’ll know we need Jesus. We’ll say it, we’ll be believe it, we’ll even think about it now and then.
But will we act like it? Will we really live like it? The fact is, we need Jesus and nowhere is that more apparent than when it all falls apart. And it’s tough to obey Him when that happens, right? You bet it’s tough, that’s why He said so—take up your cross and follow Me.
But you know what happens when it all falls apart? When you wonder if the same Jesus who said “I am with you always” really is with you at those times? You don’t say, Well I guess I’m just not obeying enough.
You look at the one who was obedient unto death. You look to the one who obeyed His Heavenly Father only to see it all fall apart. Every disciple splitting the scene. Every religious leader and soldier mocking Him. Every sin placed upon His shoulder. Every drip of the cup of God’s wrath poured out upon the obedient Lamb.
He knows what it means to have it all fall apart. And He knows what He’s talking about when He tells you to take up your cross. Because He knows a little something about that kind of stuff. When it all falls apart you may not trust fully in Him, but He will always remember His promise to you—He will never leave you nor forsake you. He is with you always. Even when it all falls apart.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
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2 comments:
If you listen to the song at the end of the last movie, The Bourne Ultimatum, you'll notice that the singer very clearly sings "obey". If you have doubts, listen to the soundtrack, where the second 'b' in "oh baby" is very clear.
I'm not looking for disagreement, but the idea that the makers of the movie had anything to do with religion is completely unfounded. One may as well read references into Shakespeare's work into these songs.
Following the theme of the movie, it's much more realistic explanation that those responsible for the modified lyrics were playing a subliminal joke on us, as well as making a point. The point of strong central governments, strong executive branches, strong intelligence agencies is obedience. There is a point at which power begins to exist for its own sake, outside of the law. That's what the political message of the movie is, and the subliminal influence to "obey" is a joke based on that.
Aside about religion - when you are obeying "the Lord", you are most likely falling into obedience behind a religious institution also, one with humans in charge, which also seek to amass power, and also have political goals.
Thanks for pointing that out. I like the song a lot and I think it's cool that they changed the word to "obey" for the last movie. Glad to know I was hearing what I thought I was hearing.
I in no way intended to suggest that the makers of the movie were getting across a theological point. I agree with you that their purpose was a commentary on politics. I was simply using the idea from the movie as an analogy for what Christians experience in their obeying the Lord.
Yes, it is very easy for Christians to fall into the trap of obeying an institution rather than Jesus just as it is easy for the leaders of the Church to fall into the trap of being an institution rather than the Church of Jesus Christ. The Church is made up of sinners and has had its share of seeking temporal gain. Nevertheless, obedience is commanded by Jesus not to an institution but to Him and His Holy Word, the Bible. Even so, it's not a blind obedience but a willing trust in His gracious care of us. That's why He died for the sins of the world and rose from the grave.
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