In February of 2004 Mel Gibson released The Passion of the Christ. It quickly became the gold standard that
all bible based films to follow will be judged against. It is a virtual time
machine, transporting the viewer back to Jerusalem for the crucifixion of
Jesus. The entire movie is in the original languages of the day – Aramaic and
Latin and is as true to life as a movie can possibly be. It is a gut wrenching
film that leaves any believer totally mortified. It captures the essence of
what our Lord endured for us out of love for his children. It depicts the day
that God’s chosen people, the people of Israel, put their God to death over their
lust for power. It will be forever the greatest film on the passion and
crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Fast forward two thousand years. On March 20, 2016 Fox will
be airing the live musical The Passion.
This is taken from their web site
describing the show:
On Palm Sunday, March 20, 2016 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed), FOX will present THE PASSION, a two-hour musical event, airing LIVE from New Orleans, that tells the 2000-year-old story of the last hours of Jesus Christ’s life on earth. Hosted and narrated by actor, writer, producer, director and New Orleans native Tyler Perry (“The Haves and The Have Nots,” “Gone Girl”), the special will feature a cast of today’s biggest stars (to be announced) performing a variety of popular music, arranged by executive producer and hit music producer Adam Anders (“Glee,” “Rock of Ages”).
Set in modern day, THE PASSION will follow the dramatic and inspirational story of Jesus of Nazareth, as he presides over the Last Supper, and then is betrayed by Judas, put on trial by Pontius Pilate, convicted, crucified and resurrected. The story will unfold live at some of New Orleans’ most iconic locations, while featuring a procession of hundreds of people carrying a 20-foot, illuminated cross from Champion Square outside the Superdome to the live stage at Woldenburg Park on the banks of the Mississippi River.
As you can see
from the poster’s tagline this is, “The most celebrated story of all time set
to today’s biggest music hits.”
The passion and
execution of God is now a celebrated story set to music. This is inspirational
and will fill you with joy and happiness. It will make you jump to your feet
and shout “Halleluiah!” as you sing and dance to music performed by some of the
biggest names in the industry.
Someone please
help the devil up off the floor. He has just peed himself from laughing so
hard. We are so far removed from the reality of the day that we take the single
greatest tragedy in all of human history and we put it to music and sing and
dance. He can quit now for his work is done.
Perhaps it would
help if people understood what the word passion
actually means. Passion comes from
the Latin word Pati which means
suffering. The Passion of the Christ properly translated means the Suffering of
the Christ. Today we translate passion as strong and barely controllable
emotion, intense sexual love, an intense desire, or something arousing
enthusiasm. Given the modern day definition of passion it is easy to see how we
can view the Passion of the Christ as a celebrated story that fills one with
joy.
There is nothing
to celebrate or nothing inspiring about the crucifixion of Jesus. It is mankind’s
greatest and gravest error in judgment. It is the act where we lusted for power
and murdered the very God who created us and loved us. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jesus so loved the
world that he consciously willed the very breath into the men who were scourging
him, mocking him, driving the crown of thorns onto his head, and nailing him to
the cross. At any time Jesus could have simply willed them out of existence but
he allowed them to do their evil for the love of us.
Our celebration as
Christians does not begin until the stone is rolled away and we find the tomb
empty. No depiction of the crucifixion should leave us feeling joyful or
inspired. If it does the depiction is not from God but from the devil
attempting to lead you away from God. Be horrified by the crucifixion. Be grief
laden by it. Be filled with the true meaning of passion. And then on Easter
Sunday when they find the stone rolled away and the tomb is empty let your
hearts burst with joy for he has risen as he said he would. Be then inspired by
Christ’s love. Become a lantern carrying the light of that love to all those
still in darkness. Go forth and proclaim joyfully the good news to all people.
Do yourself a
favor and skip this presentation that borders on sacrilege. Watch The Passion of the Christ instead. You
will never look at Easter the same way again.
My heart is full
because the tomb is empty.
