Does Mark 9:38-40 apply to the things being discussed here? Any thoughts? Because it usually comes to mind when I read these discussions or I find myself becoming too critical.
Mark 9:38-40
“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us.
I’m just going to throw this out there for what its worth. I have seen every episode of The Chosen and the Jesus Revolution movie, watched with discernment and eyes open. While I see the many red flags, I also see teachable moments and I can’t help but remember a comment made by my husband’s pastor years ago before we were married. He told him once,
“I know it sounds hokey, but I got saved after watching the Ten Commandments movie with Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner.”
Yes, that movie out of Hollywood, produced/directed by Cecil B. Demille who was a freemason, with actors who had imperfect backgrounds such as multiple divorces and numerous love affairs…but God can use anything. Anything. And that is where my prayers must reside in the midst of The Chosen, Jesus revolution, Asbury, He Gets Us, etc. If we truly believe the rapture is soon, then we also need to ask God to use anything and everything, while there is still time, to spark people’s thoughts toward repentance and putting their faith and hope in Jesus. May the nuggets of truth gleam at them like hidden gemstones.
My personal take away from Jesus Revolution was the struggle of Chuck Smith’s character. He was from depression/WWII era so did not understand the current youth or how to connect with them, nor did his cynicism allow him to. Lonnie Frisbee, as flawed as he had been and would later continue to be, for that brief moment in time was able to bridge that gap and Calvary Chapel was born. (Chuck did question his motives and asked him to leave in the midst of it.) I grew up in a church like Chuck’s first church where, for the older generation, protecting the new carpet seemed more important than reaching people. I don’t ever want to become that and I saw too much of my own cynical/critical self reflected in his character.
My first thought was autistic, which makes you ponder what life would have been like for people with disabilities in that time and culture. Here is one video that confirmed it discussing the choice to portray him this way. Is it Biblical? No. Is it possible? Yes. Does it change the gospel in any way? I dont think so.
Warning acknowledged and I appreciate all of the resources you have posted over time regarding these issues. Here is one personal recollection regarding your concern, not Chuck Smith, but Greg Laurie discussing the real Lonnie Frisbee and a bit of their reconnection later in life.
