Who Is Jesus?
The Passion of The Christ: A Question
By Dr. John Wagner
Thousands of people have seen Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ". The debate that raged in the media prior to the film's release and subsequently has focused the attention of our nation and the world on Jesus, the Christ. The message of the movie was clear and undeniable; Jesus died for the sins of the world - yours and mine! If you saw the movie, my question to you is: What will you do with the man you saw brutalized in the film?
The Bible says in Romans 3:23
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Every one of us are sinners! Many people don't like to hear that, and choose to ignore it. They choose instead to use euphemisms for their sinful behavior such as mistakes, faults, shortcomings, and the like. However, the Bible calls a spade a spade. We've all sinned! Jesus took our sins on Himself, willingly, so that you and I could be forgiven.
Romans 5:8 says,
"But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Jesus the Christ, who committed no sins, and who did nothing wrong, suffered and died for your sins and mine. Think about that; and think about my question: What will you do with the man who suffered for you like that?
The Bible also says, in Romans 6:23,
"the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
What we earn for our sins is a death sentence. But because of what Jesus did; what you watched Him do in Mel Gibson's movie; you and I can receive eternal life. We had our death sentence commuted because it was fulfilled by Jesus. But, my friend, simply watching that and knowing that, isn't enough! It isn't intellectual knowledge, nor an emotional reaction to a visually stimulating movie that will make what Jesus did a reality in you life. There is another requirement.
In John 1:12 the Bible says:
"to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."
You and I have to individually believe that what Jesus did on the cross was for us as a person, as a sinful human being. Our sins, yours and mine put Jesus to death and we need to be sorry for that; and ask Him to forgive us.
Jesus said in Revelation 3:20
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."
You need to invite Jesus into your life today. If you watched the very last scene in the movie you saw that Jesus came back to life! He is alive today. He stands at the door to your heart and life, knocking. Knocking on your heart's door, waiting for you to open that door and invite Him in. What will you do with the Jesus you saw in the movie? Will you walk out of the theater and forget about the images you saw, as with so many other films you've seen? Or will you invite the Jesus you saw in the movie come into your life?
There is nothing you've done, no sin you've committed that Jesus will not forgive. He loved you enough to die for you; will you love Him enough in return to live for Him? If you have never invited Jesus into your life, and would like to do so now, invite Jesus into your heart and life by simply talking to Him like you would talk to a friend and say something like this:
"Dear Jesus, I thank you for suffering and dying on the cross for me. I'm sorry for all of the sinful things I've done in my life that put you on that cross. Please forgive me for (if specific sins come to mind, mention them to Him) them and help me not to do them again. Come into my heart and life. I willingly commit myself to follow you. I yield control of my life to you. Help me learn how to love you. Amen."
If you have prayed a prayer like that in the past and consider yourself a Christian I have a question for you as well. What will you do with the Jesus you saw brutalized in the movie?
Have you yielded control of your life to Him? Is He the Lord of your life? Or did you just pray a prayer and continue living your life as you always had? When you make decisions in your life, big or small, do you ask Jesus what He would want you to do? Do you go to the Bible and check to see if what you are doing is pleasing to Him or not? Does it make any difference to you?
You see, my friend, if you do not make Jesus Lord of your life then what He did on the cross for you does you no good. If Jesus being in your life does not impact the way you live and the decisions you make, then you need to really consider whether you truly invited Him into your life, or if you just 'prayed a prayer.'
If you've asked Jesus into your heart and life before, but have never yielded control of your life to Him or asked Him to be the Lord of your life, and would like to now, talk to Him like you would to a friend and say something like this:
"Dear Jesus, I've asked you into my life before, but I've never really yielded control of my life over to you. I've never really made you Lord of my life. I'm sorry for that. Please forgive me and be the Lord of my life. I yield control of my life to you right now. Help me make my decisions and live my life the way you want me to. I want you to make a real difference in my life every day. Amen."