A. Welcome Guests...
B. Easter + Three services.... for your convenience and our continued growth.
C. Series– For the last couple of weeks we’ve been involved in a series that has been inspired by Mel Gibson’s, The Passion of the Christ. I wanted to make the most out of a great opportunity and simply preach about a couple of themes that were apparent to me as I watched this movie.
D. Next week, my Easter sermon will be Christ’s Passion for Victory! What Christ accomplished on the cross– via his death, burial and resurrection means V.I.C.T.O.R.Y.! And that is not just a cheer for a game, it’s a battle cry for life! Since we’re going to have three services, let me encourage you to invite as many of your friends, family members and co-workers to join you as we continue talking about the Passion of Christ. My goal will be to be very plain and enthusiastic with my explanation of the Gospel of Jesus and his passion.
E. Today, I want us to consider Christ’s passion for People. Now, whether you see the movie or see the book, one of the things you can’t miss is his compassion for people.
I. Christ’s Love for people was clearly seen in his Interaction with People
A. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the film were the flashbacks. In almost every flashback– you saw Jesus demonstrating a passion for people. Remember those flashbacks....
1. Mary his Mother– (John 19:25-27). The first flashback dealt with a humorous scene with Mary his mother
*. Jesus was out back using His carpentry skills to build a table for a “rich man”. (It will catch on)
*. As Jesus comes in for lunch he in ornery like fashion splashes water in his mother’s face and kisses her on the cheek. And you just see his compassion for his momma!
*. That compassion is seen biblically in John 19 when from the cross he makes provision for his mother by saying, “Dear woman, here is your son!” And to the Apostle John, “Here is your mother.”
2. Disciple’s Feet– one of the flashbacks in the movie dealt with the story recorded in John 13. (Read John 13:1-5, 12-15). The very night he would be betrayed– he’s washing their feet!
3. Woman caught in adultery– John 8:1-11 Another flashback dealt with the woman caught in adultery. Instead of giving her what she probably deserved, instead of words of chastisement and condemnation. He spoke words of kindness and forgiveness. (The movie showed that this woman followed Jesus to the end).
4. Thief on the cross– Luke 23:39-43 What about the thief on the cross. There two thieves crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. Both mocked him, but one stopped, realized what was going on and asked Jesus to “remember me when you come in your kingdom.” That was an amazing statement of faith and Jesus responded with great compassion. To the thief on the cross he pronounced forgiveness and promised to see Him in Paradise.
5. To all present at the cross– Even from the cross, even while his executioners are still jeering, mocking and laughing, he prays, “Father, forgive them they know not what they do!”
* One of my favorite scenes is when Jesus is on the cross and as the High Priest walks by the cross with his nose in the air, and Jesus prays, “Father Forgive them!” The high priest stops, hears his words and is stunned. Meanwhile one of the thieves that was crucified with Jesus begins to laugh and says to the High Priest, “He’s praying for you!”
6. On and on... We could go on all day talking about seeing Christ’s passion through his interaction with people... The Romans Centurion with a paralyzed servant? Jairus with a dying daughter? Woman with a bleeding disorder? The demon possessed Legion? How about dead little Tabitha whom Jesus raised? The feeding of the 5,000? The father with the epileptic boy? Even the rejecting rich young ruler? The ten lepers? Jesus demonstrated love to every person with whom he had interaction.
Application: What does your interaction with others communicate about you? In the way? A bother? An interruption? Someone to use? Someone to run over? Or someone to love? Christ’s love for people was clearly seen in his interaction....
II. Christ’s Love for people was clearly heard through his Teaching.
A. Matthew 5:43– The Greatest Sermon ever preached.... (The sermon on the Mount) Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.”
1. The Christian life is a life of love. It’s a requirement. His greatest teaching is found in.....
B. Matthew 22:37– “Love the Lord your God with all your heart all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind’. This is the first and greatest command ment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
*. Not only did Jesus live a life of love. He taught a life of love.
*. The word “love” is mentioned 744 times in the NIV version of the Bible.
C. John 13:34– “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you much love one another. All men will know you are my disciples if you love one another.”
*. The whole Christian life is best summed up in the word Love. And Christ’s love for people is clearly seen in his interaction with people, clearly heard in his teaching, but is best communicated at the cross.
III. Christ’s Passion is clearly felt on the Cross.
A. One of biggest criticism of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of Christ has been the violence. But isn’t it a bit weird that Hollywood would complain about violence? I didn’t hear any complaints when the Matrix came out? I mean, I remember how excited they were when Rambo came out– “an army of one!”. No complaints there. This was not gratuitous violence, but a historical fact.
B. I’ve heard many express, “I hated the scourging scene!” “Why couldn’t they skip that part?” And to tell you the truth, I thought that section would never end. I also heard, “Why did Gibson make him so bloody?” . “Why beat him so violently?” Well, because He was and they did! “I’ve even heard someone say, “Why couldn’t they make it a PG film? Can’t we just fast forward the suffering? Did he have to make it so bloody?” But isn’t that just like us– to want to skip the suffering? The Bible says, “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.”
C. To tell you the truth, I don’t think Gibson took the film far enough with the beatings. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I could have stood much more, but the actual beating of Christ was much more than anyone could portray on film.
D. The first time I saw the movie, when they came to the flogging scene, I began counting the lashes and I kept thinking, “That was for me!” And in the movie I counted more than 40 lashes. I learned this week that was wrong about the 39 lashes. The Hebrews had a law that no one was to receive more than 40 lashes– else they be flogged. The Romans did not have such a law. The Roman’s philosophy was to see how close to death they could take a man before he died. They were experts in torture. It is reported that 6 out of 10 men would actually die from the flogging. They would often leave the spine exposed.
E. After the flogging, they stuck a crown of thorns on his head, made him carry his own cross and headed him to Calvary where they nailed him to the cross. When I first walked out of the theater, I was stunned. I couldn’t talk. I think maybe, for the first time I got it– at least I felt it. Jesus wasn’t just beaten, he was tortured. And it wasn’t just a story, it was real. He was beaten, flogged and tortured for me!
F. The story of the cross communicates clearly Christ’s passion for people.....
G. Listen to what the Apostle John wrote.... 1 John 3:16-23
H. We live in a world that hasn’t a clue about real love. We’ve been brain-washed by Hollywood’s syrupy mush love– which is often a synonym for lust. But listen to four quick lessons that we can learn about love in this passage....
1. Love always involves Sacrifice. “This is how we know what love is. Christ laid down his life for us.
2. Love always involves Action. “Let us know love with words or tongue, but with actions in truth.”
3. Love always pleases God the Father. “To love is to obey and to please God– that’s his will!”
4. Love always is expected. “And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.”
I. I know that The Passion of the Christ, will provoke many questions– in fact, if you don’t know your
Bible, you’re going to have tons of questions. My biggest questions was this.... “Why?” “Why did He go through with it?” He even said he could call 12 legions of angels to rescue him, why didn’t he do it?
J. Navy Seal: Have you ever heard about the training of a Navy Seal? The training is intense. Sometimes in training, they will consume 7,000 calories a day and still lose weight. There will be weeks where they will only get four hours of sleep for the entire week. It is treacherous. However, there is a bell that is centrally located so that these trainees can go at any time and ring that bell and be dismissed. No one is forcing them into this training, they are volunteers who signed up for it. All they have to do is ring the bell– and eventually about 70% do ring the bell and are dismissed.
And Jesus, you understand is a volunteer. He said, “I’ll do this.” He signed up for it. And I wouldn’t blame him a bit for ringing the bell. As I read in the Gospels and see in this movie– The Passion– how they continued to beat on Jesus, mocked Jesus and spit on Jesus– I am amazed that the bell is not rung. Jesus said that He could have called 12 legion of Angels to come and save Him (that’s 72,000 if you are keeping track). But he doesn’t ring the bell. And I’m even more amazed that God the Father doesn’t intervene. I would have if I were God!
K. Scourging: The scourging was the most painful part of the The Passion! I winced with every crack of the whip. As they sliced Jesus’ back open, I kept thinking of Isaiah 53:6– “He was pierced for our transgresssions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought me peace was on Him. By his wounds I am healed. Like sheep I have all turned away. I have gone my own way. And the Lord laid upon him the iniquity of us all.”
When that whip cracked across Christ’s body, I thought.... “Oh! That was for my greed. Sorry Jesus.” Crack! “That was for my ego. Sorry Lord.” (Hmmmm!) “That was for my lust! Sorry Lord.” (Hmmmm!) “That was for my insensitivity to my wife, sorry Lord!” (SSSSS) “That was for my failures as a father”. I found myself saying, “Sorry Lord!” “Sorry Lord!” “Sorry Lord!” But thank you that you loved me enough to bear my sin in your body and set me free.
L. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” I’ve been atoned for. God’s wrath against my sin has been satisfied. Now I’m reconciled to Him. I’m forgiven.
M. Why did Jesus go through with the cross? Because He loves us? How much does He love us? Well, the answer is simple– on the occasion he was lifted up, he stretched out his arms and said, “This much!”
