A friend at work recommended I check out this video. When I searched for it, I found a ton of “imitations” – well, not imitations, exactly, but more of videos inspired by (churches doing their own versions of it). It’s not too bad, actually. Check it out, and I’ll give you my thoughts on it below the video:

First response: wow, quite powerful. But I know I’ve seen the same type of skit performed in years past to another song. How could that be? Well, the skit really has nothing to do with the song. Really. Check out the lyrics. The lyrics seem overtly Christian, though they could be sung to a lover… I don’t really know anything about the group Lifehouse, but I think there may have been rumors that their music had Christian themes. Interestingly enough, the song (if taken as a “Christian” song) is one sung by man, directed to God. The skit actually portrays the emphasis to be Christ singing it to man. Interesting, huh?

So why does it work so well? First off, the skit dramatically explores a deep theological truth, that God created us for himself, and all our wandering away from him causes him pain, and he is doing all he can, to even the sacrificing of his son, to get us back to himself. That truth speaks to the heart of man, because every man (woman) wants to be loved, wants to have a place, wants to have meaning. This skit highlights that truth. And the skit is also very wisely choreographed to seize the energy and passion when the music of the song shifts gears. The lights and background video emphasized that even more. Basically the who presentation is engineered for an emotional reaction.

Do I have a problem with them doing so? Not really, but I a mildly irritated at the fact that they have taken a song so focused on how Christ/God is everything and turned it to mean man is everything (or I am everything, I am important) – note the shift, a focus from God to a focus on man. But, then again, to attempt to portray the actual meaning of the song would be much more difficult to dramatize.

All in all – great skit, excellent acting and special effects. Good times. So did they teach on the atonement or Christ as the propitiation for our sin afterwards?