The Apostle

The Apostle is a 1997 American drama film written and directed by Robert Duvall, who stars in the title role. John Beasley, Farrah Fawcett,Billy Bob Thornton, June Carter Cash, Miranda Richardson and Billy Joe Shaver also appear. It was filmed on location in and around Saint Martinville and Des Allemands, Louisiana with some establishing shots done in the Dallas, Texas area by a second unit before principal photography began.


In chapter 2, News in Heaven, Sonny and Momma Dewey come upon a fatal car crash.  While the state troopers talk of worldly matters, Sonny sees the opportunity as a divine appointment that has been made for him and a critically injured couple.  We will often confront nay-sayers in doing God's work, but hopefully we'll follow Christ's example in doing His work and following His will for our lives.  

John 5:30-38 (The Message)

 ^30-33"I can't do a solitary thing on my own: I listen, then I decide. You can trust my decision because I'm not out to get my own way but only to carry out orders. If I were simply speaking on my own account, it would be an empty, self-serving witness. But an independent witness confirms me, the most reliable Witness of all. Furthermore, you all saw and heard John, and he gave expert and reliable testimony about me, didn't he?
 ^34-38"But my purpose is not to get your vote, and not to appeal to mere human testimony. I'm speaking to you this way so that you will be saved. John was a torch, blazing and bright, and you were glad enough to dance for an hour or so in his bright light. But the witness that really confirms me far exceeds John's witness. It's the work the Father gave me to complete. These very tasks, as I go about completing them, confirm that the Father, in fact, sent me. The Father who sent me, confirmed me. And you missed it. You never heard his voice, you never saw his appearance. There is nothing left in your memory of his Message because you do not take his Messenger seriously.

In chapter 15, The Road to Salvation, we follow Sonny as he runs from his past and into a future as the self-proclamed Apostle E.F.  His ministry ever before him, he proves quite the unorthodox minister rather than that he started as in the beginning of the film.  If we could truly allow God to dictate the how's and why's of ministry we would certainly benefit and be enabled to find our way and fit into His divine orchestration of the accomplishment of His will.

Acts 1:14-17 (The Message)

¹⁴They agreed they were in this for good, completely together in prayer, the women included. Also Jesus' mother, Mary, and his brothers.
 ^15-17During this time, Peter stood up in the company—there were about 120 of them in the room at the time—and said, "Friends, long ago the Holy Spirit spoke through David regarding Judas, who became the guide to those who arrested Jesus. That Scripture had to be fulfilled, and now has been. Judas was one of us and had his assigned place in this ministry.

In chapter 27, Not Like Other Preachers, the fleshy humanity of Sonny begins to show as he attempts to court Toosie.  Often we can celebrate our own uniqueness in Christ, but can be at great risk as to making that same God-gifted uniqueness into an idol for our own self-indulgence.  The challenge is to keep the proper perspective on the Creator and not on us, His creation.  

Romans 1:1-7 (The Message)

 ¹I, Paul, am a devoted slave of Jesus Christ on assignment, authorized as an apostle to proclaim God's words and acts. I write this letter to all the believers in Rome, God's friends. ^2-7The sacred writings contain preliminary reports by the prophets on God's Son. His descent from David roots him in history; his unique identity as Son of God was shown by the Spirit when Jesus was raised from the dead, setting him apart as the Messiah, our Master. Through him we received both the generous gift of his life and the urgent task of passing it on to others who receive it by entering into obedient trust in Jesus. You are who you are through this gift and call of Jesus Christ! And I greet you now with all the generosity of God our Father and our Master Jesus, the Messiah.