The Passion of the Christ: faith shaker
March 2004

As I was pondering about what to write, it made perfect sense and dollar to me to look into the movie The Passion of the Christ and share some of my thoughts directly with HTML (and the viewers of the HTML of course).

I remember walking out of the theater not knowing what to say. I was speechless.and so was the entire theater. It was without a doubt the most powerful movie I've ever seen. I entered the movie not knowing what to expect other than what was so emphasized by the media prior to the opening day: violence. And surely, violence was overwhelming and prominent throughout the majority of the film. Probably for a non-believer, all the gruesome flogging and blood didn't have much meaning other than here is a depiction of how this man called Jesus died. And even for us Christians, we could have viewed it in the same way as a non-believer if we didn't view it through the eyes of faith.

This movie will lead many Christians to take their faith more seriously. All those clean images of Jesus' death we had while growing up is immediately replaced by a more gruesome reality as shown in the movie. Having been visually "beaten up" by this film will make it harder for one to have a faith that is neat and conventional. We pray to God, read the Bible, attend church regularly, and for some of us our Q.T.'s are very consistent. All of this makes us feel good. But in the midst of doing these things, how often do we remember Jesus Christ's death on the cross? We sing songs about His crucifixion - "once again I look upon the cross where you died.", "Crucified, laid behind a stone.you lived to die, rejected and alone..." My challenge to you, and also myself, is to remember the cross. Remember what you have seen in the movie (go watch it if you haven't yet). Remember the pain and the suffering that he went through because of you and me.

While there's a lot of attention towards violence in the movie, we must look at something that tore Jesus' heart apart; betrayal. "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me." - Luke 22:34. "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss ?" - Luke 22:48. I remember these two scenes clearly. And I asked myself, in what form am I denying Christ? This is a challenge for all of us. Are we ashamed of the gospel? When a friend asks you after watching the movie if Jesus is your personal Lord, can you confidently say yes and share the gospel or will you shun away and say "ehh.not really.I don't know."?

While talking about the movie, my pastor was shaking his head and said, "If this doesn't change your life, I don't know what will." The Passion of the Christ should question where your faith is. If you have time, read Isaiah 53 and meditate on what Jesus Christ our Lord had to go through to save you and me.

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 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. 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 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 and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
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.

Isaiah 53

- Written by Paul Lee

Paul Lee is the current praise leader for LS. He will be graduating this summer with a major in Accounting. He enjoys astronomy, and anything to do with stars, especially the crafting of stars. He also enjoys playing and smelling his guitar.