The High Ground

You can feel the pain in Obi-Wan Kenobi. He had hoped it wasn’t true. He had hoped that Anakin had not turned to the dark side. Even when he saw the footage of Anakin killing children, he had thought that perhaps Anakin wasn’t lost forever. But then he went to Mustafar.

He saw Anakin rage against his own wife. He saw Anakin’s lust for power and his outburst at Padme. Anakin Force choked his wife when he thought he was betrayed. Obi-Wan was devastated.

We know how it is going to end. We have seen episodes 4, 5, and 6. But it is still painful to see Anakin abandoning the light and pursuing the dark. With each connection of lightsabers we feel Obi-Wan struggling to come to terms with the loss of his friend. We see Anakin lashing out in anger. The incredible volcanic background of Mustafar highlights the emotions and the danger. Lightsabers clash while lava erupts.

As they are traveling the river of lava, approaching the end, standing on hovercraft, Obi-Wan says, “I have failed you, Anakin, I have failed you.”

Anakin retorts, “I should’ve known the Jedi were plotting to take over!”

“Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil!”

The rage is flowing. Anakin says, “From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!”

“Well, then you are lost!”

Shortly after that, Obi-Wan leaps to the bank of the river. He has the strategic position.

“It’s over Anakin! I have the high ground.”

The dark side arrogance is flowing through Anakin, “You underestimate my power!”

“Don’t try it.”

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Anakin tries to fight. Obi-Wan cuts him down – cutting off his legs. Anakin lands too close to the lava, and fire consumes him.

As he is suffering, he screams, “I hate you!”

You can feel the pain in Obi-Wan’s voice, “You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you.”

The High Ground to Heaven

As a pastor, I understand Obi-Wan. Many times I have the figurative high ground. I don’t mean that I am morally superior and that I am being judgmental toward people who are worse sinners than me. What I mean is this: I know the path to heaven. I know what the Bible says about sin and grace. I know the importance of repentance and trusting in Jesus.

But there are people who don’t want to listen. They don’t want to repent. And, no matter how much I plead with them, they want to live a life that pushes God away.

The goal is always to win people back to the light. I don’t want people following a path of darkness that leads them away from God and puts them on the path toward eternal destruction in hell. Many people in our world today would claim that it is arrogant for me to claim this kind of high ground. They would think that I cannot claim to have absolute truth or the one true path to heaven. They might even say that no one can have one correct interpretation of the Bible. But those statements are not correct.

It is not just my opinion or my thoughts about religion. I am going back to the truth of God’s Word. I am going back to the very words of the God who created the entire universe and saved people through the death of his Son Jesus Christ. God has revealed his truth to us on the pages of Scripture.

Because of Jesus

I do have the high ground. This isn’t because of me or my greatness. This is because of Jesus. I am certain because of Jesus. If people get angry with the message, if people hate the message because it urges them to repent, that is not my fault, and it is not even that they are angry with me. They are angry with God. The law does cut down those who cling to the darkness.

Just like Obi-Wan, I am saddened by those who chose the darkness over the light. I do love them. I want them to turn back to the light. I give thanks that Jesus helps me every day to stay in the light. Only through the grace of God can anyone remain in the light. Without God’s help, we would all fall away.

I thank God that he sent the light of the World, Jesus Christ, to rescue me. My prayer is that he continues to work in my heart and that he works in the hearts of many more. Believers can cling to the high ground of salvation through Jesus.