It’s hard to explain exactly what’s going through my mind right now, except that with each passing hour the dread increases. I’m feeling more nervous. I’m getting more anxious.
I have 7:00pm tickets for Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ.
The closest feeling to this I’ve experienced was when I was in Jerusalem and they showed us where more conservative scholars believe where Golgotha is (with an Arab gas station built on top of it). But that still left much to the imagination.
When Jesus suffered, His whole being suffered. The most excruciating human pain imaginable was compounded with the spiritual separation from God, and the Father who said “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased” whose fellowship was enjoyed from eternity past… He poured out His wrath on the Son.
All this to show that He is just in showing mercy. And that He justifies the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:25-26) This was God’s plan and we do ill to forget it.
So it is that tonight I am looking forward to my viewing of The Passion (literally, the suffering) with my whole being in turmoil. Physically, I’ve got the shakes. Emotionally, I’m a wreck. And spiritually, I know I should do this.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Why should we look to Jesus?
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. (Hebrews 12:3)
An interesting paradox, isn’t it? While my whole being seems to grow weary and fainthearted in anticipation, the very purpose of considering His sufferings, the terrible hostility against Himself, is to in fact strengthen me.
So, I’ll just sit tight until the showing, bring some Kleenex, and see what happens.
Hey there! I had the priveledge of viewing the film last night. Words cannot describe...
Did you go see it? What were your thoughts? I'm going to try to go see it tonight.
Hey, Rob, I was really encouraged by hearing you say:
"When Jesus suffered, His whole being suffered. The most excruciating human pain imaginable was compounded with the spiritual separation from God, and the Father who said “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased” whose fellowship was enjoyed from eternity past… He poured out His wrath on the Son. All this to show that He is just in showing mercy. "
That last line just really got me and I've been mulling over it ever since I read it yesterday. Thank you!
BTW, the sermon I recommended to you by C.J. Mahaney on the subject of Christ's prayer in the garden can now be downloaded for free at http://www.covlife.org/tools/sermons.php I haven't listened to these yet, but I purchase and download his message on the same subject from Sovereign Grace. I'm sure this one is pretty similar, so I wanted to put in a plug for it since this one's free. :)
Please bear in mind that the physical suffering of out Lord was but one part of it all. I believe that the spiritual suffering was much more. Remember that He was bearing the sins of the whole world on those shoulders. When He cried: "my God , my God why have thou foresaken me ..." he was left alone in paying for sin. I think the film should have made more of the spiritual battle that raged unnoticed.
True, Piet. I tried to bring that out with the statement about the pain being compounded.
Because Jesus was 100% man, His physical suffering was unsurpassed. Because He was 100% God whom the Father had delighted for all eternity, His spiritual suffering was unsurpassed. They are both there in full force. The movie emphasized the physical suffering, the "stripes" that heal us. I also wanted to see more of the "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" development, but I'm not sure how it could have been portrayed on a motion picture.
Anyway, thanks for your comment!