24: Redemption

So, I thought I would blog briefly on 24: Redemption, which aired this past Sunday night. I enjoyed watching it at the Musical Staffords on Monday afternoon (we have Growth Group on Sunday night). The Musical Staffords have a 50-inch HD Plasma, so it was an enjoyable viewing experience.
Not surprisingly, I really liked the 2-hour special. I thought it was a good story, and it was certainly a great bridge to set up Day 7. I was actually surprised that it took place in real time. That may sound funny, but I thought it would take place over a 24-hour period, instead of in 2 hours of real time. I thought it worked, though. Racing against the clock to get those kids safely to the embassy. I saw it coming a mile away (as most probably did) that Jack would need to give himself up in order to get the kids through. Good stuff, though.
I loved Carl, Jack's friend. He was a great character. I was bummed that he died, but it was certainly a great and sacrificial death. Jack, however, lives another day to continue his sacrificial life.

Theology of 24
So, just a thought on lessons that come out of 24. It is interesting that, in seasons past, Jack was part of the system (working for CTU or DOD). He worked within the system, and he struggled with being limited by the system as he tried to help people.
Jack is now out of the system. He is working for himself. But what does he do? He sheds all the worst of the system, in that he shed everything that would limit him from helping and saving others. So, instead of shedding the limitations of the system in order to serve and help himself, he sheds the system so that he can be more free to help and serve others.
The story that comes to my mind is when Jesus was healing on the Sabbath. "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath? To save a life?" Jesus' point was that the Law was never meant to limit people from doing good. Freedom from the Law, which was brought about by Jesus, is for the purpose of allowing us to be more free to love one another.
How are we working within the system? Do we want to shed rules and limitations because they bug us? Or do we want to shed rules and social norms so that we can more fully pour ourselves out in behalf of others?

Hmmmm.