Saturday, March 06, 2004
THE PASSION
There really isn't a feeling quite like joining 54 of your closest friends to watch a movie on a Friday night. Of course, this movie-going experience was very different from the norm.
Watching Jesus undergo such unbelieveable suffering and intense torture ensured was a poignant reminder of just what it meant for Him to pay for our sins. I've heard that it was Mel Gibson's hand you see putting the nail to Jesus' hand in the film. Shoot, it could have been mine.
Although there were definitely liberties I felt he took with what is actually written (a lot of Mary stuff, probably because of his Catholic upbringing), I was happy to see the film was indicative of the people's responses, Pilate's plight, and Jesus' strength and faith in the midst of what appeared to be weakness. And I was most glad about them showing that He did indeed rebuild the temple through His resurrection.
The problem is that this film seems to affect Christians deeply -- reminding them what Good Friday and Easter Sunday are all about. But it doens't seem to strike non-Christians with nearly the same magnitude. Many of our friends have seen it and only commmented on the gross and graphic nature of the film, but no realy life-changing or much thought-provoking discussion on spirtual matters.
That is a shame.
This is our opportunity. May we, as His witnesses and ambassadors, seize it.
There really isn't a feeling quite like joining 54 of your closest friends to watch a movie on a Friday night. Of course, this movie-going experience was very different from the norm.
Watching Jesus undergo such unbelieveable suffering and intense torture ensured was a poignant reminder of just what it meant for Him to pay for our sins. I've heard that it was Mel Gibson's hand you see putting the nail to Jesus' hand in the film. Shoot, it could have been mine.
Although there were definitely liberties I felt he took with what is actually written (a lot of Mary stuff, probably because of his Catholic upbringing), I was happy to see the film was indicative of the people's responses, Pilate's plight, and Jesus' strength and faith in the midst of what appeared to be weakness. And I was most glad about them showing that He did indeed rebuild the temple through His resurrection.
The problem is that this film seems to affect Christians deeply -- reminding them what Good Friday and Easter Sunday are all about. But it doens't seem to strike non-Christians with nearly the same magnitude. Many of our friends have seen it and only commmented on the gross and graphic nature of the film, but no realy life-changing or much thought-provoking discussion on spirtual matters.
That is a shame.
This is our opportunity. May we, as His witnesses and ambassadors, seize it.
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