The Passion of the Christ

It was 12 years ago that the movie “The Passion of the Christ” reminded us in vivid imagery of what Jesus went through and why. God has shown His love for us--but at such a great cost. In the person of Jesus Christ, God became a member of the human family. He lived His whole life without sin. Then, though innocent Himself, He died a terrible death to make our salvation possible. Shining through the darkness that surrounded the hill at Calvary that fateful day was the wondrous brilliance of the love of God. Think for a moment about what Christ suffered, and remember that it was for you and me.

How do we respond? We are challenged by a team of writers of Our Daily Bread to:

Stand in awe as He agonizes before God the Father in Gethsemane until His sweat becomes like great drops of blood falling to the ground.

Follow in horror as He is arrested like a criminal, mutilated by a Roman whip, and tortured, mocked, and derided with a crown of thorns.

Weep for Him as He stumbles under the heavy wooden beam He is forced to carry to His place of execution.

Cringe in revulsion as hardened Roman soldiers pound spikes through His hands, drive nails through His feet, and roughly drop the beam into place.

Listen to Him as He hangs there on the cross, praying for His enemies, talking lovingly to His mother, and promising salvation to the criminal who repents.

Be still as you see the sky grow black at noon, and as you sit through the 3 hours of eerie midday darkness.

Listen to His cry of abandonment, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

Remember that on the cross, Jesus endured the agony of hell for you and me.

God was His Father. He had existed with Him from all eternity in a relationship closer than anything we could ever know. Yet the Father "made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21). This week as we approach Good Friday, the day of Christ’s crucifixion, we will continue to look at the cross and remember the price Jesus paid for you and me.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

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