Why Going To The Cinema Is Still So Popular

I listened to an interesting article this morning on the radio about the future of the cinema and whether or not films were still popular.

 

There has been a lot of talk lately around this topic, especially with the latest James Bond film breaking box office records.

 

Films, it would seem, are still a very popular form of entertainment.

 

It reminded me of a talk I heard recently about the spirituality of the cinema experience: we sit in silence and whisper in hushed and reverent tones as pictures are played out before our eyes.  We sit back and watch as a story unfolds.  A story of the battle between good and evil. 

 

And we find ourselves caught up in the story. 

 

I find it really interesting as well how popular 3D films are becoming: not content with simply watching these stories and feeling caught up in them as we watch, we now seem to want to be surrounded by them.  Immersed in them.

 

We want to be part of these stories.  We want them to be our stories.

 

Perhaps there is something in our cinema-going which speaks, not just of our love of stories, but of our desire to enter into these grand narratives, of our hope and desire for good to win out over evil. 

 

These are themes and stories and patterns which are repeated and played out in the Bible, and which culminate, ultimately, in the birth and death and resurrection of Jesus.

 

In His story, we find a grand narrative.  We find a fierce battle between good and evil.  And we find that good wins out over evil.

 

Describing the resurrection, Paul writes,

 

       “Death is swallowed up in victory.
       O death, where is your victory?
       O death, where is your sting?"

 

       [1 Corinthians 15:55 NLT]

 

 

What is more, in Jesus' story, we find an invitation to enter in, to fully immerse ourselves in the plot.  To become a part of the story. 

 

If we want to.