How Should I Respond To The Passion Of The Christ Series

How should I respond to The Passion of the Christ?

9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Why would Jesus suffer such a miserable death? He died in your place and took the punishment that you rightfully deserved.

Jesus died to demonstrate the boundless love of God. Jesus would rather died than be without you.

Jews would have seen the term Lord as referring only to God. If a Jew believed in Jesus and claimed Him as Lord, they were saying that Jesus was God

Gentiles would have seen the term Lord in a different way. Lord was applied to the emperor and was the source of total allegiance and loyalty. If a gentile believed in Jesus and claimed Him as lord, they were proclaiming their commitment and allegiance.

Jesus is God. Jesus is fully divine and fully human. He is the bridge that spans the gap between God and humanity. Jesus deserves our full commitment. Jesus is the one who deserves our complete and total loyalty.

To confess means to make a public declaration of give evidence of belief

The simple fact is that the resurrection is the cornerstone of salvation and without it there is no reason for faith. We are called to believe that Jesus was raised from the dead. It is His resurrection that gives us new life.

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus humbled Himself and came to earth in the form of humanity. He left the glory of heaven for the filth of earth. He gave up His kingship to become a servant. He who was the creator became a part of creation

Jesus humbled Himself to the point of death. Jesus followed the direction and plan of the Father even though it meant that He would have to die.

Webster says that exalt means to raise high or to raise in rank, power or character. The Greek word that Paul uses means to exalt supremely. The literal understanding of all of this is that Jesus has been raised from His humble place as the dying servant to the greatest position as living Lord.

Since God has exalted Jesus supremely; we understand that Jesus has the ultimate authority in all of creation. Jesus has been given the leadership and charge over everything in all of creation.

There is no authority that is above that which was given to Jesus There is no position that is above that which was given to Jesus There is no power that is above that which was given to Jesus. Jesus is above and beyond everyone and every position.

The concept of bowing is one of both worship and submission. It is an act of giving personal praise and declaring submission of personal will.

· Every person, mind and body will bow

· Every belief, creed and religion will bow

· Every man, woman and child will bow

Every person will declare that Jesus is Lord. Every single person living and dead will give the absolute, positive confession that Jesus is Lord!

· Every nation, tongue and language will confess

· Every race, color and shape will confess

· Every king, leader and authority will confess

· From the Adam to the last human alive. From the greatest to the weakest. From the richest to the poorest. From the Christian to the Muslim. From the most faithful to the most wicked. Everyone is going to bow and proclaim Jesus.

Today, you need to make Jesus the Lord of your life. He died the death you deserved to give you life you could never deserve.