The Kobayashi Maru

 The Kobayashi Maru

(Movie clip: Star Trek II, Wrath of Khan, end scene with Kirk and Spock; Spock dying) 

Spoiler alert 🙂

This is a classic scene.  Possibly one of the most famous scenes in Sci-fi history and definitely in the history of Star Trek.  This movie has Star Trek’s most famous villain in it, too.  This film is where we see the death of Spock and nobody saw this coming. We were definitely blindsided as moviegoers sitting in that dark theater where there wasn’t one dry eye.  It’s a moment I’ll never forget as a kid just as I’ll never forget people giving a standing ovation during Return of the Jedi as Darth Vader took out the Emperor to save his son, Luke.  

However, we want to turn our attention to other things in this story like the friendship between Kirk and Spock.  They are as close as two other people I can think of:  David and Jonathon.  Friendship is a good thing.  Friendship is important.  The bible teaches us that it is good to have a friend.  

When David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bonded to the soul of David, and [a]Jonathan loved him as himself. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan stripped himself of the outer robe that he was wearing and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword, his bow, and his belt.  1 Sam. 18:1; 3-4amp

But if it pleases my father to do you harm, may the Lord do so to Jonathan, and more if I do not let you know about it and send you away, so that you may go in [d]safety. And [e]may the Lord be with you as He has been with my father. 14 If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness and faithfulness of the Lord, [f]so that I will not die? 15 You shall never cut off your lovingkindness and faithfulness from my house, not even when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the [g]house of David. [[h]He added,] “May [i]the Lord require it at the hands of David’s enemies. [that is, hold them accountable for any harm they inflict on David].” 17 Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, for Jonathan loved him as himself.  1 Sam. 20:13-17amp

And we all know and love Proverbs 27:17, As iron sharpens iron,

So one man sharpens [and influences] another [through discussion].

I am blessed to have such a friend in my life whose name is Seth.  I have been friends with Seth since 1987.  We definitely have this type of friendship.  Jesus said to us in John 15:13, No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends.  He calls us His friend and He laid down His life for us.  We need to learn from His example. 

Which turns us to the point of this sermon, the Kobayashi Maru.  

The Kobayashi Maru is a fictional, no-win scenario used as a training exercise at Starfleet Academy, designed to test a cadet's character and decision-making under extreme pressure, as there is no legitimate way to succeed. The Kobayashi Maru test is a simulation where a cadet in command of a starship receives a distress signal from a disabled freighter, the Kobayashi Maru, within the Klingon Neutral Zone. 

This is a  No-Win Situation because the cadet must choose to either enter the Neutral Zone to rescue the freighter, which results in an immediate attack by Klingon ships, or abandon the freighter, knowing it will be destroyed.  The test is designed to assess a cadet's leadership, morale, decision-making under stress, and willingness to make difficult choices, rather than their tactical skills.

To me ultimately it tests two things:  First, self-sacrifice and second, facing death. 

Self sacrifice:  Are you willing to give your life as Christ did for us?  Are you willing to do so for your neighbor?  This takes us back to John 15:13, No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends. 

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 And Jesus replied to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’ Matthew 22:36-39amp

We are to unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others, just as Jonathon did for David and David did for Jonathon. Just as a husband is to unselfishly seek the best for his wife as Christ did for us, the church.  Ephesians 5:25 says, Husbands, love your wives [seek the highest good for her and surround her with a caring, unselfish love], just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her. 

The second situation is death.  We all must face death.  The Kobayashi Maru helps to build the kind of character we want in an officer in command of a ship if and or when he or she knows that there is no way out.  That this is it.  Death for us is inevitable.  Romans 6:22-23 tells us, But now since you have been set free from sin and have become [willing] slaves to God, you have your benefit, resulting in sanctification [being made holy and set apart for God’s purpose], and the outcome [of this] is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thank God that afterwards we have eternal life in Him though we must face death first before we get there. Kirk was always willing to sacrifice but was he willing to die?  He had never faced death.  As he said it himself in reference to Spock’s death, “No, not like this. I haven't faced death. I've cheated death. I've tricked my way out of death and -- patted myself on the back for my ingenuity. I know nothing . . .” Earlier in the film he states he doesn’t like a no win situation.  Kirk had to face the death of his best and closest friend.  Just as we have to face watching the events leading up to the crucifixion and the crucifixion itself in the Passion of the Christ.  We cry because we are convicted and we know it should be all of us up on that cross.  We must face the death of Christ. 

Christ’s sacrifice wasn’t some ordinary sacrifice, it was the ultimate sacrifice.  He died for all of our sins. He was the lamb sacrificed for us.  We had a no eternal life scenario and Christ didn’t want that for us, so He did what only He could do and that was becoming the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.  

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression[a] and judgment he was taken away.
    Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
    for the transgression of my people he was punished.[b]

Isaiah 53:5-8niv

We still have to die because we are human and as we read in Romans those are the wages of sin.  Our bodies must still return to the ground from which they came.  However, we get to live eternally with Him after we face death.  It is our Kobayashi Maru.  It is our win scenario.  Are you prepared for it? The only way you can face it is with Christ.  He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24, One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.  Kirk and Spock, you and Jesus.  Jesus is that friend who sticks closer than a brother.  John 15:13 again teaches us that He is that friend who has laid down His life for you.  In this example Kirk represents us, Spock represents Christ. 

There is another famous exchange between them in the film where Spock says, “Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” Captain Kirk answers, “Or the one.” At the end of the film, as you saw earlier, with his final breaths, says to Kirk, “Don't grieve, Admiral. It is logical. The needs of the many outweigh . . .” Kirk finishes for him, “The needs of the few.” Spock replies, “Or the one.”

Christ took care of all our needs for the many and/or the one.  And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19amp

Christ knew our most important need:  salvation. You need Him. Your greatest need above all needs. So, when you’re worried about food, bills, clothing, your car, whatever it is you’re needlessly stressing over, remember you’re saved. Remember God has given you salvation and without it you would have nothing. He died for all.  He died for you. Jesus always has been, and always shall be, your friend.

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him. John 3:17amp

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word [the message, the basis] of faith which we preach— 9 because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation.  Romans 10:8-10amp

And if you don’t have Him, you need Him.  Your Kobayashi Maru can happen at any time.  Tomorrow may never come.  Are you prepared for it?