The Passion of The Christ

[TahoeJazzLover]

Paul Harvey said:"I really did not know what to expect. I was thrilled to have been invited to a private viewing of Mel Gibson's film 'The Passion'...This was not simply a movie; it was an encounter, unlike anything I have ever experienced."

Billy Graham was quoted saying "This movie is the entire Gospel!"

Greg Laurie states: "The Passion of The Christ is difficult to watch at times because of its graphic nature, but it is also deeply moving because it is true. It's the true story about how God became a man and intentionally suffered and died on a cross for humanity's sins. Let me make this clear: Jesus' death was no accident. He was born to die... It was clearly Jesus Christ's purpose to fulfill the Scriptures by being crucified for the sins of humankind. "

Mel Gibson has poured his heart and soul (not to mention his money) into this film. Not just a film, it's a factual presentation of the life of Jesus; taken from the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, who were all witnesses to how Jesus loved.

In John chapter 15 it says "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends".
I would call the LOVE of Jesus exceedingly abundantly beyond what I can ever imagine LOVE to be.

I hope that this movie brings a greater understanding of how much God loves us...
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

Personally, I can't wait to see it. Although I know it will require two full boxes of kleenex to get through it.
Thank You Jesus!

Ever doubt how much He loves you or wonder why He would? click here:
http://www.harvest.org/passion/articles/whydid.htm

[RoRo]

I'm super excited to see it too!! I have heard so many things about it, and I heard that there are some things that aren't completely accurate. For instance, in the film Jesus is going to be crusified through his palms instead of his wrists. When, in actuality, it is impossible for a person to be crucified through the palms as the nails would just rip through his hands. Anyway, not that that really matters, but I'm just looking forward to seeing a representation of the death of Christ that is more similar to what it was recorded as being in the bible. Even if you are more stand-offish towards religion and stuff, I think it would definately be something worth while to see, as Crist's death is one of the most controversial issues of our time.

[Flamebo]

Wow, deffinatly the most powerfull movie I've ever seen.

See it

[TahoeJazzLover]

Welll, I saw it. At first I wasn't afraid to see it, but while I was waiting in the theatre for it to start, I became more and more anxious like "I'm about ready to see the Love of my Life be murdered!" Which of course, is exactly what I was going to see. So, I prayed, "Lord, help me be able to see how much you love me." Since God is faithful to listen to our prayers, He did. I was calm.

As I began to watch the love of Jesus played so beautifully by Jim Caviezel, I was captured by the thought: Jesus was born to die. I mean, we realize that we will all die someday, but Jesus was born so that He could give His pure sinless life as a sacrifice for us, who couldn't possibly live a pure sinless life no matter how hard we tried. The Father put Him in our place, then He put us in His place, so He could love us as if we lived the pure sinless life of Jesus. Pastor Jon Courson calls this the "Great Switcheroo"... or the Bible calls it "reconcilliation."

2 Corinthians says "For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." Amazing. What this film did for me was make me realize how much Jesus has done for me, for all of us. Jesus said "I am the Good Shepherd, and I give my life for my sheep." There is no greater love than this: to lay down one's life for a friend.

There is a debate over who killed Jesus. In my opinion, no one killed Jesus, He gave Himself for us all. The religious leaders, Pontius Pilate, and the Roman soldiers were all pawns in God's plan. God knew before time began that man would rebell against righteousness, that they would follow the darkness instead of the light... it's just our nature.... so there was no other way to make us righteous than to substitute Himself in our place.

It's like this... We are in a courtoom, guilty of the charges against us, and there is no way we can pay the fine. We just don't have the money and the bail is too high. But since the judge is a righteous man, he steps down from the stand; pays our fine and takes our place; so that we can go free. And "if the Son has set you free, you are free indeed!"

John 3:16 -17 says "For God so loved the world, (us) that He gave His only Son so that who ever would believe in Him would not perish, but have eternal life. God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved".

Anyway, that's what The Passion of The Christ means to me. An Amazing Passion .... larger than any love I can ever imagine. Truly this is the love of God and it is available to each and every one of us.... free for the asking.... but we have to ask.

check it out: http://www.calvarychapel/gospel/

[Tessababes]

When I saw the movie opening night in Tahoe, I really had not known what to expect. Mom(Erma williams) had brought TONS of tissues, I was like im not going to cry but I know ill shed some tears. I was so touched, spiritually, mentially and had enough to say physcially. It took my faith in God much higher than I have seen it before. I saw that God took his life for us, for our sins that are happening now. Ive realize that I cant take things for granted.
Mel Gibson did an excellent job on this movie.

As our pastor at church mention how much the passion of CHRIST has made, than he said that he is in the news and EVERYONE is talking about JESUS.
I didnt even think but just blurted out...."FINALLY"
Finally the word of god is out. People are turning to him, find him...even better talking about him.

Although the movie was very burtal....I could not see it again but praise that this movie has come to the hearts of others.

[RoRo]

I didn't see the movie openeing night, I saw it that first Friday it came out in Fargo... My roomates and a few friends and I went to see it and I think everyone had a different take on what they were expecting to see. It seemed like I was the only one who was excited to see it, as my roomates were feeling like it was going to be way too greusome, which it was very graphic. However, I think that its about time that someone told the story of the Crucifixion that actually captures what most likely happened two thousand years ago. One of the most frustrating things that I have found being a Christian is that so many of us take for granted what Christ really did for us. Being Americans...we take a lot of stuff for granted as it is, but it seems like no matter how many times we've heard the Passion message during the Easter season or the story of His birth, and what that means for us, over Christmas, many of us (and I include myself in this) have just grown immune to hearing it. I understand that yeah, its the same story we've heard since whenever and however long our parents or pastors, etc. have been repeating themselves is starting to get annoying. But seriously, I think that throug all that we've become immune to truly what it meant for Chirst to come and pay the price. I remember when I first realized that there was a God and not only did He create me and love me, but He designed me perfectly for His plan and actually had a plan for me....I was completely overwhelmed! It was seriously as awesome as being a little girl on Christmas morning tearing into all the presents under the tree and realizing they were all for me. It was the best news ever! And I was so excited! I think that that same excitement is what the deciples felt when they realized that Jesus didn't only come to die, but he came to live! He died, was buried, but he is alive, he came back for us! How exciting is that to know that someone you don't know...someone you've never met was willing to lay down his life so that you may live? Its like the feeling of being completely free, that as long as you are obedient to God and His word, you are going to live in etenity with Him. There is no longer fear of death! Moreover, there is no condemnation for sin! And maybe that's not exciting at first, when you don't quite understand it, but when you realize it, it becomes life-changing! Obviously, that excitement doesn't last forever and is continually ongoing in that you're not excited all the time 24-7, but I still think that excitement remains inside you, just like that little girl is in me still. And with all that said, I think that (as Tessa said) Finally!! its about time people are talking about this amazing news that is slowly being taken out of our schools and our public places, etc.
For me, (getting back to the point) watching the passion led me to understand and feel and see what Christ went through to die for me. He was stoned, flogged, pushed around, forced to carry the beam of his cross and hung on a cross to be left for dead. I can't imagine how much pain that would be, or how much neglect a person would feel after going through that, and he did it for me...not even knowing who I was. I can't even begin to think about how that would be to die for someone I've never met.

[TahoeJazzLover]

so many of us take for granted what Christ really did for us... we've become immune to truly what it meant for Christ to come and pay the price. I remember when I first realized that there was a God and not only did He create me and love me, but He designed me perfectly for His plan and actually had a plan for me....I was completely overwhelmed!

The best part is we can stay overwhelmed when we get into the Bible and understand what God's grace really means!

G od's
R iches
A t
C hrist's
E xpense

Jesus said: "I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life."

As many as receive Him He gives the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name

I will sing praise to the Lord as long as I live! I don't deserve it, but I'm going to heaven! O:)

[Venus de Tahoe]

This movie is like a snuff film with Jesus as the main character. The most accurate thing about it is the depiction of cruelty in that time period, because the movie is jam-packed with biblical errors (according to a review by a religious scholar). When this movie came out people rushed to see it, because people seem to think that to be a good Christian you should not only see the movie, but enjoy and appreciate seeing someone brutalized.

Travis and I walked out after the first 15 minutes. This movie is not a form of entertainment. Mel Gibson might believe that we NEED to see graphic violence in order to UNDERSTAND the suffering of Jesus of Nazerath. No we don't! I think a true mark of a spiritually advanced person is one who would not cause another suffering, and furthermore isn't able to sit through 3 hours of seeing another human being tortured. That's why I left when the whipping scene began.

Come to your senses people, Jesus had a wonderful impact on our world, his life and teachings should be celebrated!
Instead of his death being sensationalized.

[RoRo]

I'm sorry you felt that way about seeing the movie because, as I posted before, I had a definately different reaction to it. I am actually pretty offended to you describing the movie as a "snuff film" because A: the violence in the movie was to depict how serious and painful/guesome it was to be crucified, which--since we are not living in the same time period-- many of us don't know about. And B: this movie was in no way a porn film.

I don't want to play the "i'm right, you're wrong game" because it leads no where and usually ends up with a painful ending on one side or the other, but I don't feel that you quite got the gist that Mel Gibson was trying to show with that movie. I agree that yes, there were some biblical errors in the film that Mel Gibson himself pointed out in an interview right before the movie came out, but I think the main purpose of this film was not replicate precicely every last detail of Jesus' death--mainly becuase there are at least four different versions in the bible-- but rather to bring the audience to a better understanding visually, based on as much fact as possible, of what happened the last day of Jesus's life on earth.

Personally, what I got from the film was not a sensation of watching a man being beaten to death and poked and prodded as he hung helpless on the cross, but rather a humbling experience of wow...this man did all this, went through all this torture and pain and agony so that I may live. I think the film was meant to show really how much He went through to pay the price for sin and how many people hear that same 'ole story "Crist died for my sins" over and over and it doesn't seem to mean much...but when its all played out in front of you...so you can get a better understanding--ovbiously not a perfect understanding because we can't go back 2000 years to that day and just press play--but to see a depction that is closer and in your face on the big screen of what happened that day is pretty intense. For me it was incredibly humbling. I mean, I can't even imagine laying my life down for someone else the way he layed his life down for all who call on his name.

And yeah, the movie wasn't 100% accurate...big deal?? Considering the fact that the scriptures have been through 2000 years of revisions and translations, etc. I think that you're not going to find a much more accurate version of the story unless you travel back to the time when it happened. Or, you read the scriptures yourself and find the answers to the questions.

Moreover, I agree with you that Jesus had a wonderful impact on our world and continues to have one! That is the great ending to the story!! He lived, was crucified, died and rose again so that we may have eternal life! The movie isn't sensationalizing his death, it is making it real so that we make him real in our lives. But I also agree with you that going to see this movie makes you a better or worse Christian becuase of it. People who believe that are missing the point. I do believe, that if you want a humbling experience of seeing a man who lived a holy life and put through a tortureous death to pay for your sins I would recommend this movie.

[BigGunna]

Oh yeah...

I still haven't seen it. Chew on them apples for a little while

[Venus de Tahoe]

Analogy (def.): resemblance in some particulars between things otherwise unlike : (SIMILARITY): comparison based on such resemblance

This movie is analogous to a snuff film. For the rest of you like Rochelle who don't seem to understand the concept of "______ is like a ______", this is called an analogy. I didn't say the Passion of Christ was a snuff film, because no one has hardcore sex with Jesus and then slits his throat. A snuff film is a movie that is is supposed to be amusing and entertaining but the end is just extremely horrifying, and the only people that enjoy it are sick and sadistic. Much like the Passion of the Christ. There's your analogy.

Secondly the fact that Jesus "died for your sins" is extemely debatable, you have some big balls if you're going to assume everyone believes this and furthermore, that everyone believes in sin. There are alot of people that are Christians, but there are alot of people that aren't. Also you're extremely self-righteous and narrow-minded if you're to tell me that jesus died for my sins.

Additionally, Jesus was not the only human who endured this form of suffering. But Mel Gibson wants us to believe that he was, or that what he went through was different than the hundreds of thousands that went through crucifixation as well. In Jesus's time period, everyone was crucified, that was the standard operating procedure. Just cause he's Jesus doesn't make his pain and suffering more painful than everyone else's. In fact because Jesus was an enlightened person, he was most likely able to comprehend that the physical suffering was time-definite, and he went into a state of meditation as he was slowly dying. What he went through is only meaningful if you attach the Christian interpretation to it, that Jesus went willingly to his death and decided to be crucified to save all mankind for the various "sins" they would commit. You bible-thumpers need to start thinking of your beliefs as BELIEFS and not as facts.
Example:
Belief statement: "I believe that Jesus died for mankinds' sins."
Fact Statemanet: "Jesus died for YOUR sins!!!

Yeah the movie wasn't accurate, the bible as we know it is literally as work of fiction, a collection of tall tales. I just get pissed off when someone will say, "Oh wow, the Passion of the Christ is so accurate and realistic."
You know why they can't teach the creation theory and religion in school? Because there are no facts behind it, it's all a bunch of ancient heresay.

Anyone who jumps on the "the Passion" bandwagon is taking an overrated 2000 year old FICTIONAL book and turning it into a capitalist commodity.

[Sunshine]

I'm just going to keep my mouth shut becuase I think someone's way outta line here and I don't want to join them, puls the Who's Right or Wrong Game isn't much fun.
It's a very good movie though. Three thumbs up!!!