Grace Community Christian Church

 

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Don't Miss The Passion of the Christ (3/19/04)

Well, it's finally out. For the past several weeks, it's been almost impossible not to hear or read about it everywhere. Mel Gibson's hugely controversial movie, The Passion of the Christ. Churches have bought out entire theaters & offered tickets to unbelieving seekers for free. Critics have lambasted it for anti-Semitism & violence. Two-thousand years after he walked on earth, Jesus Christ remains at the center of controversy.

Of course, this is just what he predicted. "You can't have it both ways," he once said. "Either you love me, or you hate me, but there's no middle ground."

To the already converted, the movie will likely deepen your faith as you realize just how punishing Roman execution was. With every crack of the cruel flagellum, with every ripping of soft flesh from the bone & metal tipped leather strips, I cringed. The opening words of the movie said it all: "But he was pierced for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, & by his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5) As I watched the relentless beating, I kept thinking, "I did that. I did that."

To the perennially skeptical, the film will probably be perceived as just another mega-hyped emotional propaganda piece. There are plenty of these types on all the news outlets espousing why it just couldn't have happened this way.

But to those whose hearts are still open, this movie may get them asking the right questions. Such as, not "Who killed Jesus?", but "Why did he endure that for me?" The answer, of course, is because of God's love.

In this age where Self Esteem is king, & feeling good about ourselves is one of the most cherished values, to come face-to-face with what my sins cost the Son of God is most humbling & dreadful. Love isn't just some warm, fuzzy, gooshy-gooshy sentiment; love isn't saying we're all OK & you're all OK. Love bleeds. Love suffers. Love dies. And (here's the good news!) love resurrects.

Controversy. Scandal. Mystery. Power. Transformation. Awe. Like Master, like movie. Don't miss either one.


Jim Dewar --