Peace be with you, my friends.
In “Avengers, Endgame,” during the last main act of the story, the heroes Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor face off against the might and power of Thanos. In the scene, the heroes are pummeled by Thanos, being defeated by him one by one. Then, afterward, Thanos’s army arrives. Thousands upon thousands of his soldiers descend. At this time, Thor and Iron Man are seemingly defeated. The only person left is Captain America. Faced against unsurmountable odds, Captain America stands up, secures his shield, and prepares to battle all of them, undoubtedly knowing that this will ultimately result in his death. However, at this exact moment, he hears a strange call. Sam Wilson says he is “on your left.” Captain America turns around and discovers thousands upon thousands of his allies coming through mystical portals created by Dr. Strange and the other sorcerers of the mystic arts. As a result, the foregoing battle is not between Captain America and Thanos’s army, but rather the entirety of “earths heroes” and Thanos’s villains.
For a Marvel fan watching this movie, the scene brought goosebumps. Essentially, the scene uses a type of “Dues Ex Machina” to build up tension before releasing it with cheers of hope and joy. Dues Ex Machina does not always work in movies. However, when employed correctly, it is a beautiful experience to behold.
Not as beautiful, however, as when we encounter moments of Dues Ex Machina in our own life. Especially those Divine Dues Ex Machina moments in your life. Moments where God unexpectedly shows God’s self to you and delivers you or provides for you in some way. Such moments are a constant theme throughout the Biblical Narrative.
This upcoming Sunday, I will be preaching on one such moment when God delivers the Israelites from the hand of king Jabin. But not from the seemingly “savior,” Barak. Rather, from a woman named Jael.
You can prepare for Sunday morning Worship, August 27, 2023, by reading Judges, Ch. 4.
As always, if you are unable to attend, you can livestream our service right here at 11am.
You can also livestream it from our brand new website! www.dansvilleumc.org
With compassion, love, and prayer,
Pastor Michael
