This film was very upsetting but not surprising, in terms of how grotesque the images were! Last night I relived many of the same feelings of SEEING Jesus on the cross, body broken and blood shed! We watched it because some of the kids asked about it (we got permission from the parents to watch this film) and wanted to see it. Many times they would comment on the make-up or ask questions of who people were and what their significance was to the story. It was challenging and stretching, at times I could not reply because I was thinking about, or meditating on, the gravity of this sacrifice!
I was reminded of how so often inthe story Jesus had opportunity to reply like the Lion, but was sacrificed and reacted like a Lamb! The Lion is the Lamb. The lamb was slain, T.A.N.A.T.S.!
The kids kept saying, "How could those people shout Crucify Him, didn't they know who he was? I wouldn't say that" but the fact is THEY DID and we are all guilty in driving those nails into His hands and feet and flogging Him. Body broken, blood shed! I saw again last night the hammer in my hand trying to steady a nail. I HATE IT! I have Jesus blood on my hands, then I realize again ... I'm COVERED (as I have known for quite some time) in the Blood of the Lamb!
He offered it freely! He freely covered me (us).
This blood shed and body broken The Father saw as needed because of HIS love for us!
"The war in heaven is won through an event on earth, through the birth of the child on earth. The war is won through the life of a child. Through preaching, teacing, healing ministry of a child. The war is won through the ascension of the child to the throne." DJ. pp 223This fact is far more powerful! The War has been won! The war is won Each day as we are about His kingdom, that is here, sharing His love. T.A.N.A.T.S.! We have no credentials, of this world. We have no metals, of this world. We have the Love of the Lord in our hearts and He DWELLS in us, He paid for us!
Those involved in this blog, we have quite a story to tell, and it keeps morphing as we learn more and more
This photo is of a stained glass window at our church in Orange. This weekend at the service all I could think is that He came as a Lamb!
The Lamb walks with pride (as a lamb knowing He was to be sacrificed) as He carried his cross upon the hill, so too are we to carry the cross and Testify that Christ, the unblemished Lamb, Loved us so! The war was won with the Lamb! Let's follow that leader Lamb! BAHH!!!
Your post reminded me of a chapel message one of my favorite Bible profs (the instigator of "The I.O.G.") gave awhile back. It's on our identity in Christ and he began his talk by saying,
ReplyDelete"Well... were you there? ...I was. Unless you see yourself as part of that crowd, with your voice yelling, "Crucify him!", you won't be able to hear him say, "You're forgiven, my child." "
...Bazinga.
Commentator John Stott says, "Before we can begin to see the cross as something done FOR us leading us to faith and worship, we have to see it as something done BY us leading us to repentance. Indeed, only the man or woman willing to own his share in the guilt of the cross may claim his share in its grace."
Anyway, just tagging onto your thoughts. It's powerful, and intense, and hard to stomach, and yet somehow so beautiful at the same time.
Thanks Andy! Keep BEMCing those students at St. John's!
I appreciate it Q! Yes your words put it powerfully! "It's powerful, and intense, and hard to stomach, and yet somehow so beautiful at the same time." It reminds me of one of my philosophy professors saying that the World Trade center atrocity was "awe inspiring." I was like, "huh that's so offensive"!!! But he further explained that it struck awe in all those watching.
ReplyDelete"Oh the wonderful cross, oh the wonderful cross bids me to come and die and find that I may truly live. " http://www.lyrics.com/wonderful-cross-lyrics-chris-tomlin.html
Andy, I cannot for the life of me determine what T.A.N.A.T. Stands for. I think I am missing something. Please enlighten my mind.
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