COLOSSIANS 1:13-14: “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” NASB

There are two movies that I have watched in my life that were very difficult to watch, yet each has impacted me strongly. The first was THE PASSION OF CHRIST and the second is the current movie SOUND OF FREEDOM.

At first glance, they may seem completely unrelated. However, each is a picture of the length someone was willing to go to rescue one bound in the domain of darkness. The movie, SOUND OF FREEDOM, is a movie about child trafficking.

As a father, it was extremely difficult to watch and even more difficult to realize the depth of the problem at hand. Yet, as I read from Colossians this morning I realized that what the agent in the movie did for the children caught in the dark web of child trafficking is exactly what Jesus did for me as I was bound in sin and the power of the enemy.

Like the children in the movie, I was completely powerless to free myself from the power of sin and death. I was a captive of the enemy and his kingdom of darkness – until Jesus!

When I was saved it was not simply a decision I made to invite Jesus into my heart and receive eternal life. I was lost in darkness. I had no ability to see or believe. Jesus came and rescued me from all of this. He died for my sins. He rose from the dead and defeated the power of sin and death. He reached out to me when I was lost in sin. He extended His grace to me and called me by my name. And, He gave me the faith to take His hand.

My salvation was not a passive act of my own. My salvation was a radical rescue initiated and completed by the Lord Jesus Christ when I had lost all hope. He came when I was not looking for Him. He rescued me when I thought there was no hope. And, He transferred me from the kingdom of darkness into His marvelous Kingdom of Light!

When one watches the movie, SOUND OF FREEDOM, one realizes that child trafficking is an evil that every person should stand against and call for its eradication. It was the church that took a stand against slavery in America and the church must once again take a stand against child trafficking and all that it represents.

However, child trafficking is just a glimpse at the ugly and life threatening kingdom of darkness that dominates our world. It is perhaps the ugliest glimpse one could see but it is only a glimpse none the same. The ultimate tragedy is the loss of the souls of men and women to the power of the enemy and the fires of eternal hell.

Yet, we, the church, have the answer. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the message of the cross and the power of God’s love reaching down to rescue man. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. God works through the Gospel of Jesus Christ to seek and save those who are lost. We engage in God’s rescue plan when we proclaim the Gospel to this world!

• “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written: “ But the righteous one will live by faith .” Romans 1:16-17

As a believer, one who has been strongly impacted by these two films, I must stand against all forms of darkness and cruelty, especially those acts imposed against the unborn and innocent children. I must also recognize that any form of activism or legislation will not overcome the kingdom of darkness. As in the movie, SOUND OF FREEDOM, we overcome the kingdom of darkness one life at a time as we preach the GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!

Lord, give me the grace and the courage to finish the race that is set before me. Help me to proclaim the Gospel to as many as I can until either Jesus returns or I stand in Your presence!

In Jesus’ Name!