Top Gun Maverick with Paul McDonald and Andreas Werner (part 1 of 2)
This week on the Men at the Movies podcast, we celebrate our 100th episode by deep diving into Top Gun Maverick. In part one, we break down two of the main themes. “It’s not the plane, it’s the pilot.” When we go beyond our limitations, God steps in. And “all you’ve done is show them that it can’t be done.” We aren’t called to create believers everywhere we go, teaching them how to behave. Jesus invited us to make disciples, walking with others to reflect who we are. Strap on your helmet, and let’s discover God’s truth in this movie.
Quotes
It’s easy to measure ourselves by what the world says about us instead of what God says about us.
The enemy knows our capabilities, but God knows what we are capable of.
It’s only when we try to lift more than we are capable of lifting do we discover what we can lift. And it’s only when we go beyond our limits that God steps in.
The same thing that blew up the Darkstar (his ego) is now being used to inspire others that the mission can be accomplished.
So much of Christianity is not shown through behaviors, but shown through an attitude of the heart.
Jesus enters in to our lives to show us how to live. We just have to follow his lead.
It’s what you do with your situation and the tools that you have.
Themes
“It’s not the plane, it’s the pilot.”
Planes are built for purposes.
Fighting a battle where you aren’t meant to win.
Knowing your limitations.
Your enemy knows your capacity, God knows what you are capable of.
Push the limits of your capabilities
Joy comes in pursuing the delta, the gap between where you are and where you want to be
Knowing where you belong
“All you’ve done is shown them that it can’t be done.”
The world tells you that you’re finished, but you have to find a way to do what you were made to do.
The thing that got you in trouble is the same thing that will inspire others to accomplish the mission.
True teaching is done by setting an example and showing them how to do it.
How do we teach them, not what we do, but who we are?
Resources
Ian Johnston (website)
Men at the Movies podcast: Top Gun
YT Iceman scene
Welcome to Tom Cruise’s Flight School for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’
David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell
“The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.
But the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.
The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him.” - Judges 7:2-8 (NLT)
Love Wins by Rob Bell
“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.” - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
Chazown by Craig Groeschel
Questions
How do you win a fight you aren’t meant to win?
What fight have you won that you had no business winning?
Where do you feel completely overmatched?
Where has your greatest gift gotten you in the biggest trouble?
How can you show others how to accomplish a mission they see as impossible?
How do we teach, not what we do, but who we are?
More info
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Edited and mixed by Grayson Foster (https://graysonfoster.com/)
Logo and episode templates by Ian Johnston (https://ianhjohnston.com/)
Audio quotes performed by Britt Mooney, Paul McDonald, and Tim Willard, taken from Epic (written by John Eldredge) and Song of Albion (written by Stephen Lawhead).
Southerly Change performed by Zane Dickinson, used under license from Shutterstock
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