For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
2 Timothy 4:3
If you’ve never seen the Disney movie, “WALL·E,” you truly are missing out on one of the greatest films of all time. One could watch it for the rich entertainment value alone, but there’s so much more to this little gem! WALL·E, at its core, is a healthy critique and hearty rebuke of the hedonistic trends and moralistic therapeutic deism of contemporary Christianity.
In "WALL·E," humanity has become spiritually obese and impotent, confined to a cruise ship where they indulge in mindless consumption and hedonism. This mirrors the state of many in the contemporary Christian church, who have been deceived into believing personal salvation, equated with temporal happiness and contentment, represents the pinnacle and fullness of Christianity and the Christian life. This shallow and misguided understanding reduces faith to a self-serving pursuit, neglecting the deeper and essential transformative aspects of the Gospel.
The true Gospel, symbolized by the last plant in the universe that WALL·E discovers, represents the Good News that "Jesus, Son of God & Son of Man, is Lord and humanity’s exclusive hope." This plant is our beacon of life and renewal, pointing us back to Jesus as The Way, Truth, and Life, our only way back to our everlasting spiritual home with The Father. The plant signifies the rediscovery of authentic Christian faith, which calls for diligence, repentance, renewal, and an ongoing commitment to the eternal lordship of Christ.
WALL·E, the diligent and compassionate robot, embodies the qualities that all Christians are called to emulate: relentless dedication, love, compassion, and servanthood. Unlike the spiritually lethargic humans on the cruise ship, WALL·E tirelessly works to clean up the Earth and protect the precious plant. His actions reflect a selfless devotion to the mission of God, highlighting the stark contrast between true Christianity through evangelism and discipleship versus the self-indulgent hedonistic lifestyle of the morbidly obese and spiritually dead cruise ship inhabitants.
This metaphor challenges Christians to move beyond a superficial, consumerist faith and embrace a deeper, sacrificial walk with Christ Jesus. It calls for a return to the core message of the gospel, focusing on Jesus as Lord and Him as the exclusive hope for humanity. Furthermore, it spurs believers on to live out their faith with the same fervor and relentless dedication that WALL·E demonstrates. By doing so, Christians are both transformed by the Gospel and subsequently transform our families, communities, and world from spiritually dead complacent consumers into active, vibrant followers of Christ who ALONE has the power to redeem fallen humanity with His love on display at the Cross.
Blessings & love,
-Kevin M. Kelley
You can listen to sermons and messages >HERE<
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