I’ve written before of my love for the old black and white Perry Mason television show. While viewing an episode recently, I was stuck by the fact that virtually every episode culminates in a court of law. Given that the show is about a criminal defense attorney, this might well be expected. But a surprising number of episodes do in fact have the famed attorney solving murders outside the confines of a courtroom.
The typical setting involves a regular and consistent set of characters, including standard courtroom personnel such as bailiffs and clerks, Mason and his associates, the accused, the police, the prosecutor, a string of witnesses, a few dozen spectators, and of course, the judge.
In the context, the authority in the room is always this latter individual. The photoplays naturally reflect the era in which they were written and filmed (the early 1960s) in that the judge is not only respected, but revered and even feared. To their credit, the various actors portraying this essential individual generally well personify the authority their character is expected to embody.
And yet, in real life, the various actors portraying the various judges are only bit players. They have no real authority. By contrast, the lead character, Perry Mason, is no bit player. He (or Raymond Burr, the individual who portrays him) is the real star. Even though he must temporarily submit to the imagined authority of the episodic judge, in the end, Mason will always come out on top. Conversely, the judge of the given episode will soon be forgotten, along with his supposed authority over the other characters.
As I reflected on this, I was reminded of the various earthly authorities in the Bible who held sway over individuals the world viewed as less significant than them. Whether it was Herod being in earthly authority over James in Acts 12:1-2, or Felix and Festus lording it over Paul in Acts 24 and 25, history has shown us that their perceived authority was only temporary at most.
Of course, this is nowhere more true than in the in the case of Pontius Pilate. In the moment (as recorded in Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 18), he may have come across as “large and in charge” while he sat in judgment over Jesus Christ. And yet, in the end, he was all but forgotten by history. Indeed, he is only remembered today for the role he played in that very drama!
It seems to me that there may well be relevance in all of this for modern day believers, especially here in America. Recent news reports have expounded on the decline of Christianity in this nation once known for her Judeo-Christian moorings. What is more, daily news reports reflect how believers increasingly pay the price for their convictions here in the good old U.S.A.
In all of this, the earthly judges appear to reign supreme. And yet, those of us who are believers would do well to remember that the drama unfolding all around us is fleeting at best and inconsequential at most. As was the case with James, Paul, and above all, Jesus, the things of this world have no true authority over the things of Heaven. This is because the former is temporary while the latter is eternal!
Are you a believer? If so, are you experiencing any sort of frustration and/or pain at the hands of others who seem to exult in their authority over you? Then take heart! I have good news for you. To borrow a phrase or two from Abraham Lincoln in his famed Gettysburg Address, such inconsequential things will be little noted nor long remembered, while other things will never be forgotten! In the original context, those inconsequential things were asserted by Lincoln to be the words which he spoke that day, while the other things to which Lincoln referred were the sacrifice of those whom they honored that day.
In the context to which I refer today, the inconsequential things, the things which will neither be noted nor long remembered, are the words and actions of those who Lord it over believers in this day and age; while the things which truly matter, and which will not soon be forgotten, are the sacrifices undertaken by any and all who suffer on behalf of the Kingdom of God!
Do not soon note nor forget that. I assure you that God will not!
SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://biblehub.com/niv/acts/12.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/acts/24.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/acts/25.htm;
https://biblehub.com/john/18-28.htm. Take note here of the corresponding Scripture references in the right hand column.
SEE ALSO:
https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/september/christian-decline-inexorable-nones-rise-pew-study.html;
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2019/10/17/in-u-s-decline-of-christianity-continues-at-rapid-pace/;
https://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm.
The typical setting involves a regular and consistent set of characters, including standard courtroom personnel such as bailiffs and clerks, Mason and his associates, the accused, the police, the prosecutor, a string of witnesses, a few dozen spectators, and of course, the judge.
In the context, the authority in the room is always this latter individual. The photoplays naturally reflect the era in which they were written and filmed (the early 1960s) in that the judge is not only respected, but revered and even feared. To their credit, the various actors portraying this essential individual generally well personify the authority their character is expected to embody.
And yet, in real life, the various actors portraying the various judges are only bit players. They have no real authority. By contrast, the lead character, Perry Mason, is no bit player. He (or Raymond Burr, the individual who portrays him) is the real star. Even though he must temporarily submit to the imagined authority of the episodic judge, in the end, Mason will always come out on top. Conversely, the judge of the given episode will soon be forgotten, along with his supposed authority over the other characters.
As I reflected on this, I was reminded of the various earthly authorities in the Bible who held sway over individuals the world viewed as less significant than them. Whether it was Herod being in earthly authority over James in Acts 12:1-2, or Felix and Festus lording it over Paul in Acts 24 and 25, history has shown us that their perceived authority was only temporary at most.
Of course, this is nowhere more true than in the in the case of Pontius Pilate. In the moment (as recorded in Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 18), he may have come across as “large and in charge” while he sat in judgment over Jesus Christ. And yet, in the end, he was all but forgotten by history. Indeed, he is only remembered today for the role he played in that very drama!
It seems to me that there may well be relevance in all of this for modern day believers, especially here in America. Recent news reports have expounded on the decline of Christianity in this nation once known for her Judeo-Christian moorings. What is more, daily news reports reflect how believers increasingly pay the price for their convictions here in the good old U.S.A.
In all of this, the earthly judges appear to reign supreme. And yet, those of us who are believers would do well to remember that the drama unfolding all around us is fleeting at best and inconsequential at most. As was the case with James, Paul, and above all, Jesus, the things of this world have no true authority over the things of Heaven. This is because the former is temporary while the latter is eternal!
Are you a believer? If so, are you experiencing any sort of frustration and/or pain at the hands of others who seem to exult in their authority over you? Then take heart! I have good news for you. To borrow a phrase or two from Abraham Lincoln in his famed Gettysburg Address, such inconsequential things will be little noted nor long remembered, while other things will never be forgotten! In the original context, those inconsequential things were asserted by Lincoln to be the words which he spoke that day, while the other things to which Lincoln referred were the sacrifice of those whom they honored that day.
In the context to which I refer today, the inconsequential things, the things which will neither be noted nor long remembered, are the words and actions of those who Lord it over believers in this day and age; while the things which truly matter, and which will not soon be forgotten, are the sacrifices undertaken by any and all who suffer on behalf of the Kingdom of God!
Do not soon note nor forget that. I assure you that God will not!
SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://biblehub.com/niv/acts/12.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/acts/24.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/acts/25.htm;
https://biblehub.com/john/18-28.htm. Take note here of the corresponding Scripture references in the right hand column.
SEE ALSO:
https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/september/christian-decline-inexorable-nones-rise-pew-study.html;
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2019/10/17/in-u-s-decline-of-christianity-continues-at-rapid-pace/;
https://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm.