Passion

Wow, I guess with everything I have going on and having class Wednesday instead of going to Lenten services really made Easter sneak up on me….I’m having a hard time taking in that it is coming up in like 5 days. Last night in Bible study we took a look at The Passion of the Christ (you know the big Mel Gibson movie that opened last Lent season, which if you haven’t seen it you should go rent it) It opens with the words from the old testament....Isaiah 53.
Isaiah 53
1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 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 her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression [a] and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken. [b]
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes [c] his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
11 After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life [d] and be satisfied [e] ;
by his knowledge [f] my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, [g]
and he will divide the spoils with the strong, [h]
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
-by the way there is a lot of symbolism in the movie, but that he a whole nother blog in itself-
When people think about Easter they think about spring and things like that….I think that Easter is a wonderful celebration of what makes us Christians. It starts at Good Friday, with the death of Christ just like what was predicted in the OT and then leads to the rebuilding of the temple in three days or the resurrection of the body of Christ on Easter, what more is there to celebrate. Easter is like the Fourth of July….celebration of our FREEDOM…freedom from eternal death.
I look at back at Christ’s life and recognize that he was a man (he cries, he feels, he hurts, he bleeds, he loves, he is yet a child, he falls, he was born and dies), but more so that he was given a purpose to live and walk on this earth…and that purpose was to die. Does it make a difference how he was murdered and how he suffered?
Moving on to other thoughts in my head. When thinking of what Good Friday you have to take a look at what Christ did before his death….He prayed His father on the Mount of Olives while His disciples kept watch….but what happened before this? The Passover meal where Jesus told them flat out what was going to be happening. Luke17:After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Look at Isaiah 53:12 how do they connect? Ok so from the Passover to prayer then to the betrayal by a kiss from one of Jesus’s friends and the betrayal by Peter…everything leads to what was written and what Christ told his followers what was to happen. How blinded they were though. Jesus told Peter that he would deny him three times before the rooster crowed at dawn and he did (how true is this in our own lives, denial that is,…how many times do we deny that we know Christ, either through our actions or our own words…?) Peter replied “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” Matt 26:33 and then Jesus told Judas flat out that He would be the one to betray the son of man…they all start looking at each other I’m sure with the questionable look is it you?…is it me? Matt 26:23Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” 25Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Is also written about in Zech. 13:7.
So what is important to me is the path that leads up to His death, the predictions made not only by Christ, but what was written in the OT. His death on the cross and the most wonderful resurrection ever recorded. I’m so excited to celebrate the upcoming holiday in remembrance of Him! Don’t forget that even in the busy schedules you may lead this week to take the time to reflect on Easter and what it means to you as a person. I look at betrayal, denial, guilt, life, death, and wonder how they all pertain to me and are thoughts in my daily life.
Sorry for the random thoughts…I’m not really feeling well and I think my medication is making me crazy.
God Bless,
Kris