I have loved Jesus Christ all my life. I have felt his presence
and heard his voice talk to me since I can remember. I only found out about ten years ago that there was a reason for that. I
had a job to do for him, and he wanted me to know that he was always there. I firmly believe that I was put here at this time
to make ready the earth that he is coming back to claim. These are the last days!
I have always known and appreciated the sacrifice that Jesus Christ the Messiah
made on my behalf. I have always told him that. Probably not enough though. And I probably didn't really understand what
that sacrifice entailed. I know that he was beaten, persecuted, and finally crucified for the sins of the world,
and he was glad to do it for me and you.
But, when I think of Christ, I know that he is also God, so I didn't associate pain
along with his sacrifice. I always just dismissed that aspect of his final days because it really isn't portrayed with
a lot of emotion in the bible. And Jesus had a body of flesh and bone just like ours while he was here. He has a strong mind,
but that body felt exactly what we would feel in the same situation. So, I never thought about the torture he must have
gone through. UNTIL NOW!
I recently had the chance to see Mel Gibsons' The Passion of Christ,
and boy, I'll tell you, it was rough. I had heard a lot of talk about the movie on the television, and I heard all the celebrities
critiques of it. I heard people talk about how there were some inacuracies in some of the scenenes like the one with
Judas and the children. I know that Mr. Gibson is a die-hard Catholic, and that some of his faith was portrayed from
a Catholic point of view. But, I know now after seeing the movie what it was that Mr. Gibson was trying to say.
The network news shows and all their experts never touched on the most important
aspect of the film. The Passion ofChrist! The love he feels for each and every one of us. The pure pain and torture that
he went through and suffered because of his promise to us. Mr. Gibson was not trying to re-write the bible. He was
trying to show the agony that Jesus endured in those final days. And he did it! I felt each beating, every punch and kick
in his face, and the nails that were driven into his hands. I cried throughout the whole movie. I kept saying to God over
and over again, "Thank You". And, I left that movie with an appreciation for Christ that I had never felt before. I love him
more now than I could ever love anyone. I now know and feel what he suffered. And I personally want to thank Mel Gibson
for his inspiration. God truly touched him while making this movie.
If nothing else, just for letting us all get a taste of the pain that
Christ endured. Remember his body felt the same pain we would all feel in that situation. He bled and bruised the same
as us. We would have all just walked away if we knew what we would have to go through. But he didn't. And he knew exactly
what it was going to feel like.
I am going to close with this. If you get a chance, go see the movie. And
watch it with the same inspiration Mr. Gibson made it with. Watch it so you can truly appreciate what one who loves you
will really endure for you.
May peace be to your homes.
Pastor David L. McHaley
