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Insights
20th Century Fox proclaims The Sound of Music to be
the most popular movie musical ever made. Certainly no
one would argue that the opening scene of Julie Andrews
breaking forth with the title song is one of the most famous
scenes in cinema history. Yet for all the people who
have watched this famous film, few probably recognize the
real heart of the movie. For it is far more than the
adaptation of the true story of the Von Trapp family
singers. It is a story about setting the captive heart
free, about salvation and deliverance from evil. The
reason for its incredible popularity is because it touches
the spirit within each of us with eternal truth.
The Filling of
the Spirit
What precedes Maria's opening
song is essential for understanding the film. While
the title and credits are being shown something else is
actually taking place. The camera is literally flying
through the Austrian Alps, and as it does the audience hears
the sound of the wind. This is the sound of the coming
of the Holy Spirit (John
3:8,
Acts 2:2). As the camera and wind come swooping
down, they focus on one person, Maria. Her response is
to break forth in song1,
an overflow of her heart2;
a heart that is filled by the Spirit of God.
Freedom
The Holy Spirit cannot be
contained in a religious box, be it a church, monastery, or
convent. Nor can one filled with the Spirit, which is
life in its fullest, be satisfied in that box. Hence
Maria's problem with the Abbey, and why a wise Reverend
Mother sends her out to those who are hurting and poor in
spirit - a widower and his motherless children (James
1:27).
The Closed
Heart
One of the most significant
scenes in the movie is Maria's first encounter with Baron
Von Trapp. While waiting for the Baron, Maria enters a
beautiful yet empty ballroom. This room is the symbol
of the Baron's broken heart. He closed this room when his
wife died, banishing all joy, song, and dance; anything that
reminded him of her. There is no "life" in him, only
rules and whistles, duties and obligations, He wants
this room undisturbed because he wants his heart
undisturbed. Maria's innocent entry into this room and
her dancing before the mirrors is a picture of her entering
his heart, and he does not like it.
Setting the
Captive Free
Not only has the Baron been
imprisoned by the loss of heart, but also so have his seven
children. They live not only with their own loss, but
also with the fear and rejection of their father.
While the Baron is off losing himself with the world (the
Baroness), something broken hearts do, Maria goes about
setting the hearts of the children free. The play
clothes are much more than that; they are symbols of
freedom. The picnics, the games, and most of all the
songs they learn are reflections of hearts that have been
set free, brought to life by the Spirit working through
Maria's love.
The Gazebo
Why does the Gazebo scene touch
the heart so deeply? It is because of the incredible
beauty that is found there; a beauty reminiscent of Eden.
The purity of the love and romance between Maria and the
Baron captured in this scene are a picture or metaphor for
the love of Christ and His Bride, the Church (Ephesians
5:25-27). That is also why their wedding is no
ordinary wedding. The church bells peel and the
heavenly choir sings because it represents something far
greater.
The Assault
No sooner is the wedding over
and the honeymoon takes place than the assault begins.
Why is this always the case? It is because it has been
this way since Eden. God brought Adam and Eve together
to become one flesh in marriage
(Genesis
2:22-25), and the Serpent (Satan) assaulted them
resulting in the fall of the human race and the captivity of
their offspring, God's children. While Maria and the
Baron are on their honeymoon, the Serpent (Nazi's) take over
their home and capture their children.
Deliverance
The concluding scenes of The
Sound of Music show the Von Trapp family's escape from
the Nazi's and their journey to freedom. It is a
beautiful picture of many spiritual truths:
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Worldly possessions don't
compare with life and freedom.
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Hearts set free cannot be
imprisoned by evil.
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Love overcomes a multitude of
fear.
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Gates of death are passed
through to reach a new kind of life.
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The Mountains
The movie
concludes where it began on top of the mountains. Maria (one
filled with the Holy Spirit) has been used as an instrument
of God's grace and love to lead others out of bondage to the
world (Baroness) and the power of the Adversary3
(the Nazi's) to do what the Spirit of Christ has always
done:
"The Spirit of
the Lord God is upon me. Because the Lord has anointed
me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to
bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives
and freedom to prisoners."
Isaiah 61:1
Scripture:
Luke 4:14-21
Notes:
1. In
Scripture, the filling of the Holy
Spirit is often accompanied by ecstatic utterance and/or
song (Luke
1:42,
Luke 1:67,
Ephesians 5:18-19).
2. The lyrics to the song, The Sound
of Music, are all about the heart being free.
3. Adversary is another name
for the devil (I
Peter 5:8).
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