Jesus Christ still casts a shadow more prominent than any other person that has lived on this tiny blue stone we call Earth, and it is right that he does so
He is both God, but also fully human, and His teachings are in every action we take in our daily lives. His death and resurrection is the foundation of salvation for all who believe that Jesus was the person He claimed to be and for the miracles that He performed according to the Bible.
My friend on this blog, Susie Moore, had a really fascinating blog post about Holy Thursday called “Moore to the Point – Never Forget How Much You Love Me” which in part discussed the film “The Passion of the Christ” by Mel Gibson.
From her blog…
The Sunday of this week is Easter. This makes it Holy Week, and, today, Holy Thursday.
It made me think about the film “The Passion of the Christ.” I bought the DVD a few years ago with the hope to watch it within a few days. However, for reasons unknown, I just was unable to watch it. I'm not sure what was holding me back. I'm a Christian and aware of the story about Christ's crucifixion as well as his resurrection. The thought of witnessing it being recreated in (what I was warned about) graphic details was a little more difficult than studying this from the Bible or listening to the sermon from a pastor on the subject.
Two years ago I finally made an effort to watch the film and am so happy I made the effort. Although it was difficult watching, it truly highlighted the magnitude of the sacrifice that God has made by God for us, and the extent and magnitude of God's unconditional love for us.
As Susie states, it's very difficult to watch, and, after many years, it's not gotten any easier. Actually, this year I divided it into Good Friday as well as Holy Saturday because it makes me squirm at the thought of how God's Son endured so much pain to save us.
This reminded me of a post I wrote in the past for the RedState VIP section called “The Longest Saturday”. If you're not already a RedState Premium subscriber, use this promo voucher code “LaDuke” to get a discount right now.
If you're not familiar with “The Passion of the Christ,” it tells the final 12-15 hours of Jesus's life prior to his death at the foot of the cross. The film is graphic and demonstrates the way in which Romans dealt with prisoners in the day. It also includes flashbacks of Christ speaking about some of his apostles' teachings, as recorded within the Holy Bible.
The film concludes with Christ being lifted off the cross, followed by the brief sequence of Christ getting up from his tomb on Resurrection Sunday. After watching the movie, it got me thinking about what the apostles were doing on that day in between the time of the Crucifixion and resurrection.
What did they do that day, which was a full day, in between these celebrations? From my post about my VIP experience…
Today is the day that most people who belong to the CHRISTian faith consider Holy Saturday, and not much is written regarding it within the New Testament. The only mention within the Bible to what the Apostles did the night prior to the Resurrection was found in Luke 23:56. King James Version.
“Then they came back, and they prepared ointments, spices and other spices and sabbath day, according to the law.”
What did the people who followed Jesus do when he was lowered from his cross, on Friday night, and throughout that long, arduous Saturday prior to Resurrection morning? I attempt to put myself in the shoes of those men and women just for a short time, to gain a better understanding of what they did, and can only think of this.
To make it short and simple, I strongly believe they were really TERRIFIED and freaked out.
I'm sure I'd have been.
For more than three years, they had been watching Jesus of Nazareth accomplish things that only God could have done. He multiplied bread and fish to feed millions, and he also healed lepers and treated ailments of all sorts; as well as raising one of his friends, Lazarus, from death a few days after being placed in a tomb. Simply put, the people had gotten used to watching him perform miracles with the same ease as breathing, and thought that there was no way for anything to ever happen to Him.
However, as I mentioned in my blog post…
John The Apostle, along with Mary Magdalene and Jesus’ Mother Mary were among the people who were present at the crucifixion of Christ, and would have been able to tell the other disciples in the evening of Friday and on Saturday, what the horrible scenes looked like. Also, as they sat at the end of the week, the thoughts that echoed through their heads could have been full of anxiety and sorrow.
The day they went to church, they were devastated, sad, angry, and dissatisfied with all the emotions and feelings humans could experience and believed that they had been misled. In my conversations with people about this issue, I always remind myself that the apostles were warned to be aware, and they obviously did not pay attention. Christ himself was able to point out that certain parables or warnings wouldn't be understood till a later moment. He was right.
This is the aspect that would have afflicted me the most. My mind swirling trying to connect the dots of what I'd seen, as I contemplated the reality that my mentor, my friend, as well as my God, was completely shamed by the Romans.
The first Holy Saturday, I think in their mind, was nothing but sacred, and it is likely to be one of the most difficult moments of their life. But the agony and pain that they experienced the first Saturday following the first Good Friday, enabled them to witness the most remarkable moment in the history of mankind.
The resurrection of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
The main lesson I attempt to learn out of this experience is the fact that one could be in a perfect state and, at times, believe you have a complete comprehension of what will happen. But, you'll hit an iceberg and suddenly it's like everything isn’t in order. The moment you realize that, you have to get your hands in the dirt, button down, and then keep going.
The darkest and most depressing Saturday ever was transformed into the most beautiful Sunday in history two thousand years ago, when the disciples of Jesus Christ and the Roman guards discovered a tomb that was empty and sin was conquered.
I truly hope you are blessed this Easter Sunday, and that you continue to search for the words and wisdom that come from Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
