Biblical Authority and my Plasma Screen TV

Maybe you started reading this because you wanted to read what you heard on Wednesday night. Maybe you are reading this because you are thinking, 'oh great, what heresy has dave come up with now'. Or maybe you are saying, 'oh, plasma screen TV, I want one of those.'
First I must say that this blog title is a bit misleading. I do not in fact own a plasma screen tv. I own a 20some inch Magnoavox analog television. I am waiting until February of 2009 to buy my next TV, because that is when the switch over to HD is mandatory. I figure that there will be a lot of sales and stuff around that time. I am not too worried now. I am a person who just yesterdy got cable television for our home after three years of marriage. Yep, yesterday Brett the cable guy came and hooked up the basic basic package to our dinosaur of a TV. We have 18 channels and my wife and I are so excited about it. Now of these 18 channels 8 of them are wasted channels ranging from the Adams Cable Channel to EWTN Catholic Television. You have to understand that this tv was dropped on a concrete floor after we 'inhereted' it from one of the bank tellers at our bank, but it still works and that is all that counts.
Where was I going with this whole thing? Oh yeah. Imagine a factory which is most likely in Japan, Taiwan or China. There are materials being brought together to make my next television. Maybe right now as I am typing, somewhere far away a worker is building the very T.V. that I will purchase next year. After the television is assembled and tested (born if you will), something horrible happens to this television. Specially molded styrofoam blocks are fitted on it, one on its bottom and the other on the top. The TV is wrapped with bubble wrap, cord coiled up and tied with a twist tie, stuffed in a box, styrophoam peanuts are dumped in to fill any space that would allow it to shift and be damage durring shipment and then to add insult to injury the box is closed sealed and put on a cold trailer and shipped overseas to the United States and eventually finds itself in NEPA specifically the Dickson City's Best Buy.
This TV is just resting in the box waiting to be opened. He knows that he was created to do so much more that just sit in a dark box wraped in bubble wrap. He often thinks back to the joyous day when he was completed and tested. He knows that his purpose is not to sit in a dark box for the rest of his days. After all he is the next generation of home entertainment. It would be safe to say that at this moment the TV is as a loss for understanding why he was created (let me suggest that he is indeed lost and unable to find his way to significance).
As time goes by and as he marinades in the styrophoam and I am saving money up to buy my next tv for cash (because I hate having debt), He feels the box that he is in shifting from time to time. The other televisions in front of him are being purchased. It is almost his turn! The the day finally comes. I have decided that it is time for me to get a new TV. I can't part with my old one for we have been through so much together. Instead of dumping it at the nearest junk yard I figure I will donate it to the church youth group (because I can't think of a better thing to do than give the church what I don't need anymore ;0).
I walk into Best Buy and am greeted by a blue clad employee who makes sure I receieve as smiale and eyed up and down for any sign of suspision. My nose is filled with the wonderful/joyous smell of all things NEW. Since I have determined the one that I want by looking up different televisions on consumerreports.com and asking some of my friends what they think, I know what I am getting before I get there. Since I hate shopping I head right for the TV I want. I don't ask any questions about it because I already know everythin about it.
TV is sitting in his box and he hears the soothig voice of a young man who is askig a sales associate if he would be able to get a cart to put 'that' television on. The TV's wires started to pulse. Could it be? No? But wait!!! the TV felt like he was being shifted from side to side then he felt as if he was moving but more smothly almost like he was being pushed on a flat bed cart. "Yeah that is the one I want," said the mid-tone voice of a male. "Honey, I am so excited for you that you can get the TV you want," said an equally soothing voise of a female and the TV also thought that he heard babbleing as well, possibly coming from a much younger person.
Many strange noised were then heard by the TV. Beep, Beep and the such, He heard someone ask about the need for insurance. Then it was as if it was all coming together for the TV though still packed in a box. He was sure that the world had gotten much bigger.
As this account goes one I end up taking the TV home, open the box, lift the bubble wraped mass out of the box and get distracted by popping some of the bubbles for a bit but am soon reminded that I am the proud owner of a new plasma screen HD televison. Before long and I hope with not too much confusion I have everything set up and am able to watch TV (you could say this TV has been 'Born Again'). Now, when I take the remote and power up the TV and can filp through the channels that I desire. By then I hope to be able to upgrade to a better package that includes ESPN, The History Channel, TLC and the Big Ten Network, but the important thing is that I am able to watch whatever I like whenever I like. It would be crazy to think that the TV should determine what I watch, or if it didn't feel like being powered up on a certin day. No, I bought the TV. I saved it from its despair and darkness and I now have the authority to determin what it does. The TV on the other hand is fine with this. He is doing what he has been created to do. He has found his purpose in life by being purchased by my money. You can be certain that if I come into an empty room with the TV on Lifetime Network that I am going to flip that channel fast and quick. Why? Firstly, because I don't want to watch half rate actors and actresses in television movies about stalking and abuse. Secondly, I would much rather watch "Modern Marvels" on the History Channel about how the Golden Gate Bridge was built (who wouldn't).
The whole point that I am getting at is that the life of that television is much like our lives. We were born and there were many thrills in our childhood. Everything was new and we had little to worry about. It was not untill we got older that we realized that there is nothing in the world that can give us total happiness. We feel as if we have bee trapped in a box and know that there is so much more to life. It is not untill we read in God's Word the Good News of Christ that we understand that Christ is what we have been missing. In the same way that I am able to take the remote to my TV and exercise authority over my television is similar to how God uses His Word The Bible to communicate to us his will for our lives because we have been purchased by the blood of His Son.
Next time you power up your TV you can think of Biblical Authority. Not just is a cool disattached way, but in what that means for your life. God's Word is what saves us (Romans 10:14-17). God's word is what sustains/sanctifies us (John 17:17). Having been saved from death through the precious Word of God we are to continue to live by the very Word that saved us.

Peace,
David