Anthony Hopkins awakens at the beginning of
"Meet Joe Black" to a voice simply saying "yes."
The voice continues and Hopkins ultimately meets the source of the
voice - no other than Death itself appearing in the movie in the
physical body of Brad Pitt. And Hopkins' question which
"yes" answers is no other than "Am I going to
die?"
In the movie, Death is prepared to take Hopkins but first wants
Hopkins to be his tour guide on earth. As long as Death is enjoying
its experience on earth, it will delay taking Hopkins who is a rich
and successful businessman. So Hopkins is forced to have "Joe
Black" (as he names him for his friends and family) at his side
and in his house for the last days of his life. Of course, it
becomes complicated when Death falls in love with Hopkins daughter.
And, of course, she falls in love with him as well.
It is a long movie - about three hours - but worth the watch. It
deals with what we all will face someday and how a person should
respond to the reality of his/her own death. An obvious sermon idea
is that all of us have a "Joe Black" living with us
everyday whether we admit it or not because we all are going to die.
There is a good section which would work for a Sunday sermon
example when Hopkins first meets Death is his library. The entire
movie could be viewed followed by discussion time - not a Sunday
worship setting of course.
The movie is not Christian in content yet it is still very
powerful indeed. (Jim Bane)