...but still a great sermon illustration. Pastor Allen was quick to add after his use of this movie to illustrate the state of searching he was in before he came to Christ, that he does not endorse the whole movie (maybe he has noticed that I pass on all of his movie comments in this blog!).
Subtitled "The Story of One Man's Search for Himself," the movie was based on the Somset Maugham book of the same title. The first movie version was made in 1946, starring Tyrone Power. The version Pastor Allen saw, starring Bill Murray, was released in 1984.
In the book, Maugham takes the universal theme of "search for meaning," which Pastor Allen discussed at length in the message, and shows one man's search ending in the spirituality of Hinduism. Unfortunately, the only Christian he met during his search was a Benedictine monk, who did not persuade the lead character, Larry, to embrace that answer for man's search for meaning.
It should not discourage us that great writers like Somerset Maugham have not seen the answer that we have found in Christ. The simplicity and profundity of the cross has often escaped sophisticated and worldly minds. Nevertheless, we should be fully persuaded by the gospel we have received, that man's serch for meaning should lead directly to Calvary.
1 Corinthians 1:23
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
2 Timothy 1:12
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
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