Friday, September 18, 2009

Sneak Previews

Luke 4:31-34




Up! Along with being a great movie, the previews for Up define what a good sneak preview is all about.


When I go to a movie, I like the sneak previews - the coming attractions - almost better than the feature film. Why? Because the previews almost always look good. They whet the viewer's appetite, even if the real film later turns out to be a letdown (which, of course, is common). Previews are exciting and fun.

I wonder if Luke thought of chapter 4 of his gospel as a sneak preview? It has so many of the major themes that come out in the rest of the story. Consider all he packs into one chapter:

  • The big temptation by Satan
  • Jesus' "this is what I'm all about" sermon in the Nazareth synagogue - and the rejection that comes along with it
  • Driving out evil
  • Healing people
  • Preaching Good News
That's a pretty good preview of the whole story. And the best part is, while Luke whet's our appetite, we don't feel let down at the end of the story. In fact, we realize it's just a beginning - our beginning. - Curtis

2 comments:

  1. Alongside the "Sneak Preview" put "The Rest of The Story." Paul Harvey always did a great job of "setting the scene" with his brief preview...and then filled in the detail graphically for us. Luke seems to be doing the same thing here...just whetting our appetite. I always thought he was selecting things the "everyday theologian" of his day was talking about...and presented the Christian claim for each topic.

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  2. I haven't seen very many movies this summer, but I think the worst of what I have seen would have to be "Inglourious Basterds". From the previews I saw, I thought it was going to be funny (at least in part) but I wasn't prepared for the actuality. I think I was disappointed mostly because of my misconceptions. I have to say last spring I went to see "Up" all by myself and it was wonderful.

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Thanks for posting!