This is not going to be a usual blog, but oh such an important one.
One evening I was going through different movie titles trying to decide what I wanted to watch. And I came across “The Passion of The Christ.” When I came across this movie I reminded myself that I had not seen this movie, (although I am not quite sure how I had not seen it seeing as how it came out in 2004). So with Easter coming up and again the fact that I have not seen it, I decided I would watch it. As I sat there watching the movie I began to shed some tears and went into some deeper thinking. I began to recall some Bible verses.
John 3:16 came to mind:
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
This verse has a deeper meaning to me now that I am a father. I couldn’t imagine sending little Emma off knowing she was being sent to be brutally tortured and killed, but God did. God loves each and every one of us, and because of this love He provided a way for us to have an eternal life with Him.
Some other verses that came to mind were Matthew 16:21-28:
21 From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.22 But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!”23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?[l] Is anything worth more than your soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.28 And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
The red/underlined verse is the one I really wanted to highlight. So many people think that when they get saved that everything will all be an easy walk on the beach, but I want to let you know that this is not the case.
When you read the Bible about the crucifixion and see how Jesus was mocked, spat on, beaten until the point of not being recognized, they pulled his beard out, punched him, put a spear in his side, and many other gruesome and horrific things. Then after the beatings they made Jesus carry the cross through the streets to the place of execution. This is what it means to pick up your cross and follow Jesus. You will be persecuted. It won”t be easy, but it is so worth it. Follow wherever Jesus would have you to be.
The greatest part of the crucifixion is that it doesn’t end when Jesus took his last breath and went to the grave. Three days later Jesus conquered death and rose from the grave! The awesome thing is that Jesus died on the cross for each and every one of us, and each and every one of our sins. God wants ALL of us to take a part of His perfect plan, Every single person has a choice to make; to accept Jesus or reject Jesus. Its the most important decision you will ever make.
Philippians 2:9-11 9 “Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
In Him,
Austin