Jack Returns in just over a week

With the tease of Redemption a few weeks back I can honestly say I am anxious for the return of Jack Bauer on January 11th --- here are a couple trailers:

24 - Trailer for season 7 - see it while you can

so I was right that Tony is not dead! It looks like they may have pulled a plot together to take the show back to the top; if only it was January...

24 - In Review

Ok, like most people I didn't think that this was the best season. I really think that there are a few things that made the show lose a little luster; in no particular order:

1. They have set the bar so high that a letdown was almost inevitable
2. There are now so many sub plots running that it takes away from the focus of the show.
3. I think for the first time they put a lot of effort into setting up the next day. It doesn't seem to have been a very popular move.
4. WAY too many bad guys at once. How many factions/ nations can poor Jack handle in one trip around the sun dial?
5. I know it's TV but the unrealistic stuff got a little hokie; ie. President Palmer coming in and out of his coma sevreal times in a 2 hour period.
   

I could probably go on but there is no need. I still really like the show. I think that we all want to be like Jack, but at the same time realize how unwilling we are to make huge sacrifices in our lives. We also relate to him because he is so flawed. Even with all his special abilities he is just another average Joe. Only about 8 1/2 months until next season...

Jack Bauer teaches Discipleship

I should probably write these for myself more often. Seems like I am constantly being reminded of the spiritual journey as I watch the adventures of Jack Bauer. This past Monday's episode brought a clear discipleship lesson to mind. It all ties back to Philippians 1:21. While I am keenly aware that Jack is far from a fruit bearing Christ follower, he stands for something greater than himself and realizes that his personal comforts, even his life are not of a greater value than his cause. What if we were to live like this practically? We are often consumed by what we need to do in order to have things as we would like them here in this lifetime. I am reminded of the scene in Gods and Generals when Stonewall Jackson is asked why he show no regard for his life or fear during the battle and he replies that he understands that God has appointed the number of days for each of us and nothing he could do would change that. If it is his day to die, then he will, no matter what he does. Because this principal in in play for Jack Bauer, he is free to live and act as a man who is already dead. Therefore he has nothing to lose. The famous missionary Jim Elliot said that "he is no fool who gives up something he cannot keep for something he cannot lose". If I have become dead to my sins and transgressions then I can understand and respond to the call that "to live is Christ, to die is gain". Sin and death no longer have power or a claim on me; I am free to live my life with an abandonment to God's will. How will Jack save Audrey? Only time will tell. I am thankful that even in a TV story God can make His truths clear. One last thought; we often equate living the Christian life as a sacrifice. Is it really a sacrifice if what we gain in return is FAR greater than anything we could ever give?

Finally... Jack is on a roll

Is it just me or is the season finally going somewhere? Up until now I kept feeling like it was just a rehash of previous seasons. Some of the characters are coming back to life. The question of the day: Is Audrey really dead????????

US military doesn't like Jack Bauer

In this article from The Independant we findout that the US military is not fond of the way that 24 shows interrogations/ torture. I'm not too sure what to think here. Have we gone so far in not being able to seperate fiction from reality that peoplr who watch TV shows cannot really tell that??? What do you think???

Jack Bauer teaches discipleship

I'm not one to look to draw every aspect of pop culture into the church. But it seems that the more I look to become a true Christ follower the more I see truth before me. As I sat and watched this weeks episode of 24, the following thoughts came to me. I know that in now way does the character claim or preted to be Christian in any way but I think that there are some things that we can learn from him. This may be the beginning of a series of posts as now that I have recognized a few things I will surely see more. My take from this week's episode:
(possible spoiler info ahead)
Am I as devoted to my mission as Jack Bauer to his? With the twist of finding our more about Jack's family and history we learned that one of last season's bad guys is his brother. During the scene where Jack begins to extract information from his brother I thought of Luke 14:26:

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and
children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my
disciple.

Do we love God enough that all else is lost to us except fulfilling His plan and mission in our lives? It is not a question of whether we love our families, it is a matter of properly placing our devotion. The key to this is that once we decide to hate these people for the sake of Christ, He actually will fill us with more love and passion for them than we had before. These are notdecisions that we make so easily as to write about them. Think of what stress and discord quite possibly occurred in the families of the 12 when they left it all to follow Christ. How would your family react to you leaving them to go of and follow a guy around as an intern for 3 years? It is a challenge to us to follow the greatest commandment. Thanks for reminding me Jack!