Reel vs Real, Part 2

*This is part 2 of a 4-part series comparing some of my favorite movies to actual events that are shared in the Bible.

JUMPER

To me, the movie Jumper is pretty underrated with regards to the superhero genre, probably because it’s not about a hero in the more popular Marvel or DC universes. Nonetheless, the main character is very cool. Hayden Christensen, stars as David, a young man who is born with the ability to teleport. When his powers emerge in his teen years, he begins using them to travel the world, with money he’s gotten from teleporting into bank vaults. Teleportation definitely makes my top 5 list of coolest superpowers to have, but the writers of this film (and the book it’s based on) didn’t invent teleportation. An interesting form of traveling instantly from one place to another can actually be found in the Bible.

Check out the story of Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. Beginning with verse 26, we see Phillip being led by God to travel to the desert road between Jerusalem and Gaza. There he finds an Ethiopian eunuch sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah. The eunuch asks Phillip to help him understand what he’s reading. This encounter leads to Phillip’s preaching the gospel of Jesus to the eunuch, and then baptizing the eunuch in some nearby water. Something interesting happens right after that though.

“Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.” Acts 8:39 NKJV

The Spirit took Phillip from that desert road and he ended up in Azotus, a town farther north. This is just one more reminder that we serve a God of miracles. I’m not sure how that happened or even how I would have reacted if I was the eunuch or Phillip. But I am sure of a few things I learn from this story. One, God will give us guidance as we do His work. He will even lead us directly to those who need to hear His Word. Two, God will equip us for the work of the Kingdom. Phillip knew exactly what the eunuch was reading and how he could minister to him. And three, one day, when we have completed our mission here, He will miraculously take us away to be with Him forever.