Day 9: I HEART ZOMBIES

I don’t know what it is about zombies, but I love them and things related to these walking dead. So forgive me if this post is self indulgent and is somehow a “Jesus Juke” but after reading John 6 this week I want to take zombies and draw some spiritual connections for a bit. And hey, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, a guy who was sitting in a window listening to Paul preach fell asleep, fell out the window, died and then was raised, and several others came back too so…wouldn’t that make them zombies? (Jesus Juke total:1)

So there. *Zombies are biblical.

Let’s do this…

(more after the break including my current top 5 zombie related things)

*They’re not. It’s a joke.

I’ve been reading the Gospel of John during the fast and I spent some time the other day in John 6 which features a really difficult teaching by Jesus starting at verse 22. Jesus talks a bit about people “eating his flesh and drinking his blood.” See, yet another zombie connection! Alright, fine. Jesus Juke total: 2

But is he really talking about cannibalism?

When Jesus taught he often used physical things and realities to explain spiritual truths, things, and realities. In this case when we back up just a little (to the beginning of John 6) we saw that Jesus did a miracle involving food. The people that Jesus was speaking too were also very familiar with the story of Moses and the children of Israel who were starving for food and God provided. Then they did it again. So the people were really familiar with the idea of hunger and bread.

Jesus in this story in John 6 is talking of a different hunger. A spiritual hunger.

Most of us have some kind of internal hunger or longing but we can’t figure out what it is so we try to fill the void. Sometimes it is good things that we fill it with: family, friends, hobbies, sports, and other things that aren’t really destructive by nature. Other times we try to satisfy that hunger with something that is very destructive: drugs, pornography, casual sex and other things like that.

Whether good or bad for us most of those things may leave us feeling full for awhile but eventually we need more. Time with friends and family again. Another high. More pornography. No matter how much we fill or stuff ourselves with these things we’ll eventually lose that feeling it gives us and starve for it again.

That’s why Jesus refers to himself as “the bread of life” and invites people to “eat his flesh” and “drink his blood.” The meaning is not to be zombies who enjoy flesh and brain tacos, but that when people believe in him (especially his death for the sins of all people) then the very deepest hunger of the soul (the desire to know God) can and will be filled.

With that, I invite you to enjoy my top 5 zombie related things.

WARNING: Some of these videos contain graphic images. Viewer discretion is advised.

#5. Ahhh!!! Zombies – This movie is bad, but it is bad on purpose. That makes it good. It’s more of a zombie comedy then anything else, but it should be required viewing for any modern zombie fan. Currently available for streaming on Netflix (movie NR).

#4. Left 4 Dead 2 – The first game from Valve was a fantastic zombie shoot-em-up, but the second included great new multiplayer modes, dual wielding pistols, and melee weapons. The game is rated “M”.

#3. Resident Evil 2 – It was the 90′s. Zombies still shambled and never ran. The acting in zombie movies was ALWAYS terrible. Out of that time came the ultimate video game zombie experience. Man, I loved this game…

#2. The Walking Dead – after Lost ended there hasn’t been a single show that I’m interested in on TV. Enter the Walking Dead on AMC. It’s a zombie show about the characters in a zombie world. The narrative drives the show. How good is the narrative? Good enough that even my zombie-neutral wife enjoys it with me. WIN. Season 1 was only 6 episodes and Season 2 starts this October – plenty of time to get caught up.

(This and #1 are more like 1a. and 1b.)

#1. Shaun of the Dead - In my opinion this is the most complete zombie movie ever made. It’s funny (Simon Pegg is a genius actor), has heart, and has plenty of the undead. Shaun of the Dead is rated “R”

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