Perhaps you’ve already heard about the 12 new episodes of 24 set to air on Fox starting May 5th. During the American football game dubbed “the Superbowl,” Fox ran a series of teaser commercials to grab our interest. But now you can see full-length trailers in all their glory at…
http://www.fox.com/watch/222629955517
So I thought I’d run a BackPage editorial about the series coming back to life. I admit — I’m somewhat of a fan. I guess there’s a part of me who admires Jack’s penchant for action, his belief that there has to be a way, and his undying determination to beat evil, at all costs. Yes, I know that, at times, he has stopped to a revenge killing or two, but I justify that by citing some Jewish code about an “eye for an eye” (and maybe he’s still catching up to the Sermon on the Mount). His methods are sometimes contradictory: He’ll disobey orders from the highest level, especially if he doesn’t trust the highest level. :-) He’ll fake a robbery in a gas station if it delays a terrorist from spreading evil. He’ll even commit a cold-blooded killing, as long as he believes the guy he’s shooting deserved it because of the fact that he was a mass murderer or pedophile. Yikes — he sounds a bit reckless, wouldn’t you say? But at the end of the day, I have to admit that I side with those who believe that, at times, in the midst of a terror attack, we WANT a guy like Jack Bauer on the job… someone who can make quick decisions and usually decide for the people’s good, and to protect the constitution and defend his country’s highest values.
So what does all this have to do with missions? Well, I’m still working all that out. But I’m still looking forward to the 12 new episodes. :-) (Can you think of a good reason I should have written this editorial?) Maybe in missions, we WANT people who will face incredible odds in difficult countries, yet never give up. Maybe we want action-oriented types who will launch church-planting movements at all costs, because, if we fail, Satan and his forces will commit the most evil act of terrorism of all time: the subversion of the human race straight into the front doors of Hell. So we need some courageous Jack Bauer types who will not give in to the world’s swan song, but instead, will buck the trend of status quo without giving up … until every last unreached people group and city have heard the call of Christ to Heaven’s gates, by way of the Cross, on which the Messiah suffered a bloody death to save us all.
There. Surely that’s enough to justify a “backpage” editorial about the fact that Jack is back?
Just wonder if Jack ever read the Sermon on the Mount.
I happen to live in a country which is full of Jack Bauer types. Yes they take it on themselves to decide who needs to live or die, they may indeed uphold their beliefs and may be admired for the quick justice they give out. Who can tell? Nobody ever gets to question their motives or even discover the facts. You just bury the bodies and move on. Should we then admire the fact that those in authority who take the law into their own hands are never called to account? Do we want to encourage a climate of fear and terror in our own nations? Do we need people on our team who react to the pressure of 24 hours with brutality and force? If you do then Jack is your role model.