I’m not quite sure why, but every time I think about the CBS hit series Under the Dome, I get serious flashbacks from the musical score of The Little Mermaid:
Under the Dome
Darling it’s worser
Where people curse here
Take it from me
Trapped in the bubble we freak all day
Someone took all our freedom away…
Of course the similarities between the two stories end there, as The Little Mermaid is about Ariel, the spirited little mermaid, and Under the Dome is about Chester’s Mill, the sleepy little town, that is (stay with me please) trapped under a dome!
Strange things are afoot when a mysterious and seemingly supernatural cake pan lid descends on an unsuspecting community. Power plays and drug deals ensue…heroes and villains emerge – and in the subdued panic that comes with the realization of being doomed (or “domed”?), some of the best and worst of human nature emerges within the soap opera bubble.
All the while, the audience is incredulous as to why the folks don’t just band together and, you know, dig their way out?!?
Besides The Little Mermaid connection that came to mind with this show, I realized there is a much more serious and direct parallel that we all share:
And God said, ‘Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.’ So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day (Genesis 1:6-8, NSRV).
Isn’t that amazing? Back in the day – actually the second day of creation – God made a “dome” called the sky and put it over our planet. This wasn’t a supernatural act of trapping us – rather He was containing us in His beautiful creation to find paradise in our relationship with each other and Him.
But…just like the show…we messed it up (and continue to mess it up) in the biggest way. Our first parents broke the first rule and once sin entered the world, life under the dome has been distorted from paradise to brokenness. Sin’s impact in our world is more devastating than anything a sci-fi series could ever portray.
The good news is that we don’t have to sit back like a passive TV viewer and watch the world’s disintegration! We serve a God who lives above the dome, and He has empowered us to continue the mission that Jesus Christ started 2000 years ago:
We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.
How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God (2 Corinthians 5:20-21).
This passage specifically spells out our job description that we must fulfill before we meet Jesus face to face above the dome. We are representatives of Christ who must shine like beacons of light in a shadowy world where sin and death reign supreme for the time being.
But that time will come to an end – and in the meantime, we must remember that humanity is both “domed” and doomed apart from trusting in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
So as you go out into the world and look up at the sky, remember that you have been “put right with God,” and the beautiful blue panorama is a dome that will one day contain us in His perfect love and presence. Yet in the meantime, we must take THE Cause seriously and “persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them.”
Life under the true dome God has created can be full of difficulty and confusion, but one thing is as clear as the blue sky – and that is that we are called to be Christ’s representatives each and every day for THE Cause. How will you fulfill your calling this week?
Flashpoint: Ignite Into Action
Don’t turn the channel on what’s happening around you just because reality is unpleasant. Use the time, talent, and treasure God has given you to give people hope in Jesus for as long as they live under the dome!
Accelerant: Fuel for THE Cause
Pray: God, thank You for promising us a hope in the future and allowing us to be Your representatives for Jesus Christ. Keep our eyes on You as we seek to encourage our friends to make things right with You. Holy Spirit, give us supernatural power to impact others for THE Cause.
Read: Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age (NLT).
Get: lifein6words.com. Check out this seeker friendly website. Then use it to share your faith with your friends who need Jesus!
Discussion Questions for Leaders:
Big Idea: Planet Earth is “under a dome” where corruption and sin reign, but as Christ’s representatives, we must lead THE Cause and help people make things right with God.
Key Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:20-21
ALT-ernative Questions:
- What would happen to your town if a dome dropped over it?
- Why do difficult circumstances bring out the worst and best in people?
- How can you help people survive life “under the dome”?
- In what ways could you apply this Soul Fuel to THE Cause?
