Adam Sandler That's My Boy

Part 1- To a Modern Day Parable

Good morning/afternoon, everyone.

I want to start today with a provocative question: What if I told you that one of the most successful and beloved comedians of our time, a man known for silly voices, slapstick humor, and heartwarming stories, is in fact a prophet?

Now, I can see the skepticism on your faces. I had the same skepticism. Our traditional understanding of a prophet is a figure in a dusty robe, standing on a mountaintop, receiving visions directly from God. A prophet, in this view, is not a man who makes movies about a grown man going back to first grade.

But what if we've been looking at the definition of a prophet too narrowly?

The Bible itself offers us a different lens. A prophet is, at its core, a messenger. And a messenger is anyone who brings forth a message that can teach people a lesson.

Let's begin our journey with a biblical parable, one we are all familiar with: the story of a man who must revert back to a child to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Now, let's look at the film Billy Madison. It’s a story about a spoiled, immature man who must go back to first grade to prove his worth. Billy's journey is a modern parable. He sheds his spoiled, immature skin and, in the process, discovers a childlike innocence and a righteous sense of justice, defending children who couldn't defend themselves. In this way, the film’s message mirrors the biblical teaching about the value of childlike humility.

This is not a coincidence. This is a method.

Consider the prophet Jonah, who was sent to warn a city. That message, delivered to a city, was enough to save it. Now, think about the message of a film. Movies are viewed worldwide. The word of God was meant to go to all corners of the world, and today, a film has the power to do the same. Adam Sandler’s messages of love, joy, and the consequences of immaturity are not just confined to a single congregation—they reach the entire globe.

And what about his intent? Adam Sandler has often said his goal is simply to bring people joy. But what do God's people do? They bring joy. They deliver messages of hope. They give wisdom. In this way, Adam Sandler's work is parallel to that of biblical kings and poets. King Solomon wrote proverbs, a form of wisdom for the people. King David wrote psalms, a form of poetic expression that brought comfort and joy. Adam Sandler’s films can be seen as modern proverbs and psalms, a form of artistic expression that delivers a powerful message.

But perhaps the most compelling part of this theory addresses the one objection we all have: Why doesn't he just say he's a prophet?

Because a prophet, according to the Bible, doesn't have to. King David, one of the most significant figures in the Bible, didn't self-appoint. His prophecy came through a messenger: the prophet Samuel. And what about John the Baptist, a divinely appointed messenger? Out of great humility, he denied being a prophet or the Messiah. "He must increase, but I must decrease," he said.

Adam Sandler's silence on this matter isn't a flaw in our theory; it is its greatest strength. It is a testament to the very humility that characterizes many of God’s most powerful messengers. His appointment, in a spiritual sense, isn't from himself. It is from a cultural and spiritual lineage, a force that moves within him, allowing him to deliver messages of joy, condemnation, hope, and wisdom to a world that desperately needs them.

Thank you.