It was while rehabbing at a friend’s house after my open heart surgery I
discovered Me TV. Suddenly all the shows I grew up with and missed, and the
ones I never saw because of my parent’s poor viewing choices were available.
And as I was to find out, cars paid a bigger part than I knew, or remembered.
Remember Kookie’s hot rod on 77 Sunset Strip, Stu in his T-Birds and Jeff in
his Ford convertibles. My Three Sons with Steve initially driving a new Chevy
wagon each year, then switching to Pontiacs. Even the sons drove late model
Pontiac LeMans Convertibles. Beaver’s dad and his 1957 Ford before switching to
those awkward Plymouths when they moved to Pine Street. Lumpy’s 1940 Ford hot
rod with dual Smitty’s. Beaver even own an MGA in a contest like the one parked
in front of Ward’s office.
Do you remember Kolchak’s 1966 yellow Mustang convertible with a six
cylinder and stick? Mannix at first drove a Barris Kustom Toronado, then a
series of custom Dodge Darts, finally a Camaro, while Peggy drove a car rare
because of lack of sales, a Simca. Adam 12 and the switch from Plymouths to AMC
Matadors. Who can forget Dan Mathews and his 1955 Buick Special, followed by
Dodges, then 1958 Buicks while all the bad guys drove De Sotos or Plymouths.
Panel trucks by Ford, even a 1959 Chevy cop car, ever see one of those? “2150
bye...10-4.” Perry Mason knew his luxury, from his 1957 Cadillac to his later
slab sided Lincolns, with Ford convertibles in between. But Paul Drake was the
coolest with his 1957 Vette, and then his T-Birds, top always down. Then of
course Mayberry’s Ford patrol cars, even Barney added a cycle with a side car.
And the one I never missed on Saturday night, CHiP’s, Kawasaki to the rescue!
How many Invaders did David Vincent encounter in his 1966-67 Fords? Or
Mercury’s? An occasional Ford truck or Econoline van, cool then, cool now. Add
in the Oldsmobile truck Jethro took Granny out in, the old troop car Colonel
Burkhalter visited Colonel Klink in, even Ricky and Lucy pulled a trailer with a
convertible. Dragnet’s 1967 Ford Fairlane, McGarret’s full size Mercury’s, the
Munster’s coach and Grandpa’s coffin drag racer, Kojak’s Buick’s, “who loves ya
baby?” Rockford’s Firebird, Rocky’s GMC with roll bar, Fred and Barney both had
cars on The Flintstones, and the too new for the Korean War Ford school bus.
Mr. Douglas always drove a Lincoln, but who remembers Hank Kimball’s cool
Bronco? Barnaby Jones and his boring Ford sedans, The Monkee’s car, Plymouths
on The Brady Bunch, and “one more thing sir,” Columbo’s Peugeot, hand picked by
Columbo himself. And who says there is nothing good on TV.....
Memorable entertainment, and it is, but is your church falling into the
same trap? Is it all about the programs, musicals, special guests and
speakers? I have attended churches over the years who put on Disneyland quality
Christmas productions, and some who would hire big name guests to entertain.
These things are not bad in themselves, but can and do detract from the purpose
of God’s house, referred to by Jesus as a house of prayer. With so many
festivals, and concerts, has the church itself become socially prominent with
Jesus taking a back seat? If he can find one inside at all? Now on a personal
level how many of us place a premium on being entertained as opposed to coming
to church to gather and just pray? Praying before the service and a benediction
is nice, but how many times has your study group or your church just spent the
evening in prayer? Waiting on God and listening for his spirit? Maybe it is a
subtle thing like a book store, which turns into a coffee house, where it
becomes more social than Godly? How many of your pastor’s books are advertised
and then sold after the service, has church become a place to sell wares, raise
funds, or to use as a place of entertainment? Has it become a place like where
Jesus threw out the moneychangers in anger as they were polluting his temple? A
den of robbers as he called it. Now there is nothing wrong with business or
church business, but that is not the main point of church. It is gathering
together in God’s name, to worship Jesus, we may not be called to do that
publicly, but maybe privately God is telling us to shed the world and put on
Jesus, at church and in our daily life, too. Ask yourself, if the church really
believed Bibles were so important, why would they sell them instead of giving
them away like the Gideons?
I once believed the world had invaded the church, but I was wrong. The
church invited it in, liked the things of the world more, and locked the doors
behind it, so it would not escape. Sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle.
At a festival at a church I used to attend, they had a big name singer one
night. A great night of entertainment,and afterwards I cornered him. Asking
him if it was a paying gig. He admitted it was, and when I asked “would you do
it for free?” he stopped to think. And admitted he would have, would we have?
Don’t churches still pay organists and choir directors? Want to fill the youth
group, just mention Phil Wickham. Maybe if we start in our own lives we can
make a difference for Jesus, not just for the church. Who you pay tithes to is
important, you do give to God didn’t you? Or is it the church? What about all
those special offerings, does God need the cash? Remember it was the church
leadership that rejected Jesus, and then those followers who yelled “crucify
him!” Maybe we need to check our own motives....is it all about me? Or is
Jesus the memorable one? What do you do in his name to remember him?
So maybe the old shows were really about cars, with a thin plot connecting
them. Don’t let a thin plot connect you with Jesus. If he isn’t the main
thing, remember he threw up a church who was lukewarm and made him sick. People
make up the church, us, you and I. Maybe who is the Captain Kirk of your
Enterprise is more important than we know or care to choose. Remember Barney
Fife’s first car, a 1952-54 vintage Ford? Looked good, but eventually was all
cosmetic and let him stranded. Jesus will never let you down or stranded. Some
still leave it to Beaver instead of Jesus. Charlie’s Angels or God’s angels.
Think about it....gotta go, Perry Mason’s on in five minutes.....see what I
mean?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com