As we wrap our last day at Camp Wesley Pines, I want to share with you my last two Biblical and Star Wars comparisons. First, we’ll look at last nights, and then we’ll look at today’s.

The Biblical character we talked about is Jesus. I think who Jesus is and His mission is best understood in light of John 3:16

16 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life.

Jesus came to save the lost. He came to show God’s love to us. He came to restore us. See, as humans, we were created good in the Garden. We were made in God’s image. All is great and lovely and beautiful. And then sin entered into the equation. Sin destroyed corrupts all that is good.

And Jesus came to save us. Because He loves us. And He knows there is still good in us.

Just like Luke Skywalker saw that there was still good in Darth Vader. He knew that while had had gone over to the Dark Side, that good remained. And once he knew that Vader was his father, he spends the rest of the time trying restore what evil had taken.

Just like Jesus seeks to restore us from the corruption and destruction of sin.

He knows that we still have the image of God. He knows that the Father loves us. And He comes to save us.

Because we are all of a sacred worth to God. We are all made in God’s image. We are all in need of saving. And there is good in all of us still.

And our last Biblical and Star Wars character is found in Acts 26:

9 “I really thought that I ought to oppose the name of Jesus the Nazarene in every way possible. 10 And that’s exactly what I did in Jerusalem. I locked up many of God’s holy people in prison under the authority of the chief priests. When they were condemned to death, I voted against them. 11 In one synagogue after another—indeed, in all the synagogues—I would often torture them, compelling them to slander God. My rage bordered on the hysterical as I pursued them, even to foreign cities.

12 “On one such journey, I was going to Damascus with the full authority of the chief priests. 13 While on the road at midday, King Agrippa, I saw a light from heaven shining around me and my traveling companions. That light was brighter than the sun. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice that said to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you harassing me? It’s hard for you to kick against a spear.’15 Then I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are harassing. 16 Get up! Stand on your feet! I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you as my servant and witness of what you have seen and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you 18 to open their eyes. Then they can turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, and receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are made holy by faith in me.’

We see her Paul talk about how the Lord saved him, changed him and showed him grace. And when Paul saw that grace, it changed his life, changed his direction and changed

Paul became a different person, because Jesus saw the purpose in him.  He changed him.  And Paul did great work.

Just like the biggest bad guy in Star Wars, Darth Vader, was in the end of Episode Six was redeemed.  His son, Luke saw the good that was still there in him, and brought out.  And the Vader, fought back against the evil Emperor and came back from the Dark Side of the force.

He was redeemed.

And he did great good.

Just like Paul.

Good wins, in the end.  Star Wars teaches us that, but more importantly, so does the Bible.  May we never forget that.  May we live in that hope.  God wins.  As people of light, may we never forget.

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