Real Hope: The Passion - Week 2Sample

Jesus Is Crucified

Surely, Christ’s crucifixion is the fulcrum of human history. The story had been moving tragically in one direction for millennia, but then in a moment, it turned to move triumphantly in another. Imagine the brooding atmosphere of the moment as humanity’s checkered past held its breath in dismay at its hero’s seeming defeat.

The Passion of the Christ is possibly our best cinematic reference to the tension and drama. Jesus was beaten, exposed, and treated to arguably one of the most painful deaths ever invented by humankind. And yet, in His most excruciating state, Jesus used His pain to teach us about transformation. Such was His ministry, through countless interactions with every type of person in every kind of situation. Pain was an important teaching aid for humanity to learn what it could not learn otherwise. The way of Jesus is not an escape plan, a diversion, or a denial. Rather, through the things that hurt the most, our wounds and our shadows, Jesus will use these to reveal God’s unconditional love.

How is this possible? Forgiveness. By following Jesus’ example, we discover the way of forgiveness, literally letting go of all resentment towards oneself and others. Fascinatingly, there is no reference to Jesus wanting to accuse or blame anyone after the crucifixion. Forgiveness had transformed the cross and revealed the depths of His love! My prayer for you today is that you will experience the love and power of our wounded healer, Jesus Christ.

Written by SAM FAGAN