God’s Not Dead 2, My Take
My Take On The Movie God’s Not Dead 2
April 1st marked the nationwide opening of the movie Gods Not Dead 2.
Have you seen it yet? If not, I want to encourage you to check it out.
My husband and I went with some friends, and we all enjoyed it.
You never know if the sequel to a successful movie will be better than the first. I’m happy to say that the new one is my favorite of the two.
Admittedly, it’s better to see Part 1 first. It’s not a requirement, but just better. That way, you’ll understand the references to some of the situations and character involvement in the first movie. Even so, this sequel stands on its own, and its message is vital in today’s world.
Would we, could we, stand up for our faith, even if doing so threatens our job and some of our relationships?
The movie is a very realistic story of ordinary people finding their faith and, in some instances, defending their faith and supporting each other through the resulting challenges.
Realistic Movie Plot
God’s Not Dead 2 follows a similar plot line to the first movie in that the main character faces a significant degree of persecution for his/her Christian beliefs, with potentially devastating consequences.
The story takes place once again in Hope Springs – this time, at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial High School.
A popular history teacher, Grace Wesley (well-played by Melissa Joan Hart), raises controversy in the classroom when she answers a straightforward question from one of her students about Jesus Christ. Next thing you know, Wesley is called before school administrators and legal advisors to face disciplinary action. She has an opportunity to recant and get her job back. Otherwise, she stands to lose everything if she refuses.
Would you agree to deny the existence of God just to save your job?
Ms. Wesley bravely declines, and the courtroom battle begins. Her attorney is portrayed by the talented Jesse Metcalfe. I enjoyed watching him transform from a bottom-of-the-totem-pole attorney to resourceful counsel in a surprising twist during the jury trial.
All Star Cast
The all-star cast includes Sadie Robertson (of Duck Dynasty) and Robin Givens, who plays the school’s principal.
Separation of church and state is the primary topic of the legal proceedings. The actual concept of “separation” has an origin that you don’t usually hear about in current debates.
As Christians going forward in our hostile world, we could lose some of the people in our lives who are offended by our faith. It’s the nature of being around unsaved friends and family members who may block us on social media or turn completely away. Remember, even Jesus’ family members at one point questioned His sanity. We can expect challenges ahead.
God’s Not Dead 2 runs about 2 hours. You may want to take your whole family, but please note, a sizable portion of the film focuses on the courtroom drama so younger kids may get lost in a sea of legalese.
We Must Be Aware of What’s Going On
I highly recommend the movie God’s Not Dead 2 because there’s a growing and concentrated effort to force Christians to defend their faith under intimidation, face ridicule, or worse. We need to be aware. There’s no hiding our heads in the sand. It appears that, no matter what reasons Christians provide for their belief in the saving grace of Jesus Christ, it’s not sound enough for belligerent atheists. The fact is, God is the Author of Light and for those unbelievers who remain unsaved, they will never have eternal life with Him. (2 Cor. 4:3-6).
Stand With God and Expect to be Judged by the World
On a side note, I checked out the reviews of some secular critics. Granted, we all know that no movie is perfect. As I expected, I found it interesting that one of the movies loved by these critics, a film full of profanity and nudity throughout, was highly rated. So, I give little credence to their “paranoia”, “religious nut” assessments of a faith-based film such as this one. These critics are choosing to ignore documented headlines of Christian persecution worldwide and here in America. Watch the list of documented court cases shown during the movie’s credits and you’ll see what I mean. Do these secular critics unquestionably think there’s no Christian persecution simply because the mainstream media doesn’t report it on the nightly news? Certainly seems so.
Please note: there’s an additional scene that you’ll want to stay for at the end of all the credits.
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This past Saturday, my husband and I attended the “Sounds of Joy” tour at our church. Cana’s Voice, piano virtuoso Stan Whitmire, and talented vocalist/comedian Mark Lowry delighted the crowd with their passionate performances.
And yet, we’re supposed to listen to these celebrities when they dictate to us about how we’re to live our lives, how to vote, how to worship (if at all), and what we’re to tolerate and not tolerate.
The rate of sexual crimes in the U.S. is at an all-time high. Women and children (boys and girls) are being raped and, in some cases, murdered. It seems we’re just to laugh it off because the Hollywood machine says to make light of a tragic situation such as incest?
I admire foreign missionaries more than I can say. It takes a special person to take the training and learn the culture to be able to acclimate abroad. Many of these missionaries risk their lives every day. They gladly accept the risks, including facing religious persecution and death, to spread the gospel.
If you are actively sharing your faith with others, then you’re working in a mission field. Don’t feel discouraged if you’re not able to travel with a missionary team. Your mission field doesn’t have to be overseas. It can be where you are right now. We must all look for those opportunities where we can talk about our delight in God with the world.