Line Upon Line

I know the power a motion picture has to change a person's life. Jesus Christ became real to me in 1973, as I watched the film version of the rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar".

But at the same time God was using "Superstar" to capture my heart, others were criticizing and demonizing the movie.

Writer Julene Snyder recalls the controversy: "Of course, religious sorts had kittens over the whole thing from the start. Devout Christians howled in protest at Webber and Rice's blasphemous gospel, which puts Judas squarely at center stage and doesn't include the Resurrection. (Which is, after all, sort of the point of Christianity.) When the show opened on Broadway in 1971, religious groups protested en masse. A pamphlet put out by the Faith Free Presbyterian Church in Greenville, S.C., cautions the faithful to keep their distance from JCS:

"'Jesus Christ Superstar' is a conscious blasphemy against Christ... If you do not wish to fill your mind with Satan's evil misrepresentation of the Son of God, you should avoid 'Jesus Christ Superstar'... Tim Rice plainly stated that he did not believe that Jesus Christ was God... His opera constantly drives home this denial of the Son of God. He has Mary Magdalene say, 'He's a man, he's just a man.'"

Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher wrote, "What's one man's poison, signior, is another's meat or drink." In my case, what was one man's 'blasphemous cinematic creation,' was my salvation.

Go figure.

Once again, there is a firestorm of controversy raging over a movie about Jesus. This time, it's Mel Gibson's soon-to-be-released, "The Passion of The Christ." Those who consider his presentation of Christ’s suffering as “anti-Semitic” have generated much of the heat. Now, it's not like Mr. Gibson just "made stuff up" to offend folks. His intention was to create a biblically accurate portrayal of the last 12 hours of Christ's life -- one faithful to the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Nevertheless, the accusations fly. The following is a statement from "The Passion of The Christ" website:

"A report from the Anti-Defamation League, based on comments on an ad-hoc committee of both Jews and Christians, stated that it may inspire feelings of anti-Semitism. Paul Lauer, spokesman for Gibson's Icon Productions, states that 'Mel abhors anti-Semitism. In no way does his faith endorse hatred or bigotry or anti-Semitism or blame the Jews for the death of Christ.'"

Any thinking Christian knows that each individual -- whether Jew, Gentile, barbarian, or "whatever" -- bears personal responsibility for the crucifixion of Christ. It wasn't the Jews that killed Jesus -- it was our sin. James Caviezel, who plays the role of Jesus in Gibson's movie, expressed this well, saying, "We are all culpable for the death of Christ. My sins, your sins put him on that cross."

The personal attacks Gibson is experiencing are referred to by the apostle Paul as "the fellowship of His (Christ's) sufferings" -- something every follower of Christ must endure. I'm confident Mel will survive the controversy. I'm also convinced that many lives will be changed for time and eternity, when God shines the light of Christ on their hearts, as they sit in darkened movie theatres around the world and watch this film.

CBN has put together The Passion of The Christ Special Feature website, with a wealth of information, stories, and web links. You might like to read this Agape Press review by Thomas Minarik, Gibson's 'Passion': The Greatest Story Ever Told, Like You've Never Seen It Before. NewsMax.com has posted a number of interesting articles related to this film, also.

"The Passion of The Christ" opens February 25, Ash Wednesday.

think on these things...

Isaiah 53:1-12 (NLT)
Who has believed our message? To whom will the Lord reveal his saving power? My servant grew up in the Lord's presence like a tender green shoot, sprouting from a root in dry and sterile ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected-a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins! But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed!

All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the guilt and sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins-that he was suffering their punishment? He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man's grave.

But it was the Lord's good plan to crush him and fill him with grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have a multitude of children, many heirs. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord's plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of what he has experienced, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of one who is mighty and great, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among those who were sinners. He bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners.

John 10:14-18 (NLT)
"I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice; and there will be one flock with one shepherd. The Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may have it back again. No one can take my life from me. I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right to lay it down when I want to and also the power to take it again. For my Father has given me this command."

P.S. Yes, I know the theology of "Jesus Christ Superstar" was flawed. It just goes to show that God can use imperfect things to deliver His life-changing message. I'm living proof of that fact!