Coming Up Sunday, September 6

This week marks the final Sunday in the "Summer Blockbuster Sermon Series," focusing on the film "Public Enemies." The movie, based on the story of how the FBI tracked down notorious bank robber John Dillinger, is a hard-nosed gangster film. The film stars Johnny Depp as the legendary hold-up man, as famous for his seemingly impossible jailbreaks as for his robberies. Here is the trailer:

The gangster film is a famous subgenre of American movies, looking at those who try to operate outside of the law. In many respects it is similar to the Western, which also featured outlaws and marshals who made their own rules in the chaotic Wild West. Such movies have long fascinated Americans, who love rooting for the hero who follows his own moral compass.

The closest Biblical analogy to this type of story is an obscure tale from the life of David before he became king. (Yes, I couldn't let the summer pass without a look at the Jewish monarchy.) After being threatened one too many times by Saul, David flees from the Jewish kingdom and survives as a rogue tribal leader whose troupe robs people living on the frontier. I've written about this time in David's life previously on the blog.

In modern language, we would call David either a mercenary -- if we are kind -- or a terrorist. He acted outside of the (Jewish) law; he acted outside of the Jewish kingdom. In the end, he becomes king. But if things had happened differently -- if another tribal leader had become king -- David would have probably been known only as a criminal. David slew Goliath, and then it all went to his head and he became a bandit. He stole; he killed. He broke his word (to the Philistines) when it was in his interest.

This Sunday, we will come full circle in our series. Having first thought about cosmic good and evil, now we will look at personal good and evil. Who is good? Who is evil? Who decides?