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The Passion of Christ Movie
Misconceptions & Responses
Archived 8-26-04
Two pages about the movie, The Passion of Christ, that were linked to Don's Gems have been archived here. The images have been removed, as with all of my archives, because of the enormous image files that would accumulate with time.
I wish to clear up some misconceptions about the movie, The Passion, by Mel Gibson and add some of my thoughts. The movie is currently being shown all over the world.
The movie, The Passion Of The Christ, by Mel Gibson is a vivid depiction of the last 12 hours of Jesus Christ's life. It is being viewed in a large number of countries. Perhaps more people have already seen it than have viewed any other film ever produced.
There are some controversies surrounding the film. Some people fear that it will generate anti-semitism and a few people seem to think that the lashings (beatings) of Jesus as shown in the film are more severe than they really were. I would like to address both of these misconceptions and add some additional thoughts.
Misconception 1: The Film is Anti-Semitic or Will Produce Anti-Semitic Feelings
Reasons that the film is not anti-semitic:
- The film is the account of a true historical event. We should not re-write history so we will feel more comfortable.
- The Scripture makes it plain that Jesus' death on the cross was God's plan, not man's (the Jews or anyone else). Those who facilitated this were simply tools used by God to accomplish His purpose in providing redemption from sin for us. This redemption is available to everyone and realized by those who accept God's sacrifice of His Son.
Every person who ever lived, or who ever will live, is responsible for Jesus' death because it was for our sins that he died. This includes every race and nationality.
God created us for the purpose of spending eternity with us. By ignoring Him and refusing to obey and fellowship with Him, we have waved our fists in His face. The Bible tells us that every person has sinned. But God loves us so much that He was willing to see His own Son, who had no sin of his own, brutally treated and killed to atone for our sins so we could spend eternity with Him -- more about that later.
So, crucifing Jesus was God's decision, not the decision of the Jews, Romans, Russians, Japanese, or anyone else, and we all drove the nails in his hands and feet by our sins. Anyone who doesn't accept this does not accept the message of the Bible. The film also promotes this truth. In fact, the only portion of Mel Gibson' body that appears in the film is his wrist and fist holding the nail because, as he said, "It was my sins that nailed Jesus to the cross."
Misconception 2: The Beatings Portrayed Were Excessive
Reasons that the beatings portrayed were not excessive:
Some who are not familiar with the history of the lashing of criminals under the Roman government 2000 years ago may think that The Passion's portral of Jesus' lashing was excessive. However, just the opposite is probably true. It likely was worse than shown. Here is why I say that.
- The Romans used the "flagrum," also called the cat-o-nine-tails. It was a whip with a wooden handle and nine long strips of leather. Each strip of leather had pieces of sharp metal, and stones tied within it.
- The beatings were severe. The scourgings were sometimes called the "intermediate death". They were extremely painful and most people undergoing them came close to death by the lashing. According to early records, many died under the beatings.
The condemned person would be taken before the people in front of the Praetorium. There, after being stripped, he would be bent over and tied to a short post. This allowed the whip to cut through the flesh more easily. Literature of the time states that sometimes a piece of metal or stone would come around pluck out an eye. Sometimes the sharp metal would rip open the belly and the intestines would protrude. Sometimes the person died under the scourging.
Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea, a church historian of the third century, wrote about Roman scourgings that preceded execution. In his Epistle of the Church in Smyrna he wrote that the sufferer's "veins were laid bare, and that the very muscles, sinews, and bowels of the victim were open to exposure". (McDowell's Evidence that Demands a Verdict, page 204)
Prior to the beating, Jesus had been kept up all night, going from one trial to another. After the beating, he was brought back before the people. A platted (braided -- woven together) crown of thorns was pressed down upon his head and he was mocked.
- The length of the beatings. Jewish law limited the number of lashes to 40. The practice was to stop at 39 in case of a miscount, because if 40 was exceded by even one lash, the one who did the lashing would have to also receive the lashings.
But Jesus was scourged under Roman law by Romans. The Roman Law did not have a limit to the number of lashes. These lashings were brutal and continued without mercy until the body was covered with stripes and cut up severely. Flesh was torn back from the bones. If you have seen the movie, you may have noticed that before the lashings, the whip was swung at the post and a piece of metal stuck in the wood. This is just a part of what Jesus, God's Son went through for you and me.
A Word About The Following Responses
A person would have to stretch to find any anti-semitism, anti-Roman, or anything in that vein except anti-sin in Mel Gibson's film, The Passion. It portrays the great love of God in providing, at great cost, the opportunity of eternal life for every person on earth. One only has to receive God's Son as Savior and Lord of his or her life.
Gibson has pointed out that the film specifically points the finger of blame on all humanity, including himself. Christians are taught by Jesus to love everyone. He set the example by caring for and ministering to groups who hated each other. There are a lot of religions and practices that we do not agree with, but any Christian who hates or persecutes other people is not true to the Scripture.
There has been much publicity about those who oppose the film. On this page I would like to balance that with positive responses from those who do not oppose it. Of course Christians and large numbers of the unchurched overwhelmingly support it.
Melanie Hunter, Deputy Managing Editor at CNSNews.com, reported on March 15, 2004 that "Mel Gibson's film The Passion of the Christ is lessening hostility towards Jews contrary to what the film's Jewish critics predicted, a new poll shows. She refers to a survey conducted by the Institute for Jewish and Community Research which shows that less than two percent of Americans surveyed blame Jews for the crucifixion today.
Below are responses, first from Muslims, then from Jews, and finally from Others. In light of these responses, I encourage Muslims, Jews and others to see the film and judge for themselves.
Positive Responses
The following information was gathered from various news publications, including Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff For the story behind the story, on Tuesday, March 2, 2004 and the Los Angeles Times.
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Islamic Positive Responces
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In France, Theater chains had refused to distribute Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of the Christ. However a Muslim is making sure it gets distributed. Tarak ben Ammar is an Islamic Tunisian who attended Georgetown University. He said he would distribute the film in French theaters in April, during the Easter season.
Ben Ammar, manages Carthago Films, which is a major film broker. According to Reuters Group, he has "business ties to media tycoon Rupert Murdoch and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Bersluconi." Ben Ammar told Le Figaro, Paris's leading newspaper, "When I saw the film two weeks ago, I was deeply touched because it shows what Christ really went through in his final hours. It is a film against fundamentalism."
- March 15-21, 2004 issue of Variety, stated that The passion would open in Syria and Lebanon on March 17. In Lebanon the initial run of three prints was extended to twelve, following an unprecedented show of interest. Some think attendance will surpass all previous records in the country. It has been reported that closed-down moviehouses are planning to reopen in order to show the picture.
- The United Arab Emirates is changing its law to make the showing possible.
- Bahrain, Kuwait, and Egypt have also demonstrated a strong interest in seeing and showing the film. Bahrain and Egypt have promised that the film will be shown uncut. The Iranian government has also shown interest.
- Palestine's only theater in Ramallah has requested a print for showing.
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Jewish Positive Responses
- Michael Medved, Jewish film critic and radio show host, said, The film "represents by far the most moving, substantive and artistically successful adaptation of biblical material ever attempted by Hollywood."
- Howard I. Friedman, board chairman of the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles and former national president of the American Jewish Committee, told the Los Angeles Times, "Most American Jews feel so comfortable in this country that they don't anticipate anti-Semitism" from the film. Among Christians, I just don't see much evidence of anti-Semitism and I see a great deal of goodwill." Friedman also said, "Thoughtful and committed Christians are entitled to give their version of the Gospel. I am not afraid of that at all."
- Harvey J. Fields, rabbi emeritus of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles and a longtime interfaith leader, told the LA Times that charges of anti-semitism are "off target." He added that he was "disappointed and frankly embarrassed" at the way some Jewish leaders had condemned the film before its opening. he further stated, "I think we have reached a point in this new millennium where we ought to be much more careful about screaming anti-Semitism in this world." Fields added that he fears that the controversy may have torpedoed a chance to use the film as a moment for Christians and Jews to learn more about each other's traditions. He is urging his Jewish colleagues to view the film with Christian counterparts, and then arrange for discussions about The Passion's painful associations for Jews and sacred meaning for Christians and the evolution of its presentation over the ages.
- Maia Morgenstern, a Jewess, is the actress who plays Mary in Passion. Her parents are Holocaust survivors. She and her parents support the film.
- Producers Joel Silver (The Matrix) and Dean Devlin (The Patriot) also support it. Devlin said Gibson specifically asked him to view the movie because "he knows I accuse practically every film of being anti-Semitic." Devlin said he went in with a pen and paper to note down his objections but ended up with almost none. "I don't think it's anti-Semitic," Devlin LA Times. "I thought it was a beautiful picture of love and forgiveness and wasn't about pointing any fingers at anyone. If someone sees this film as an indictment of Jews, they would have missed the whole point of the movie."
- Rabbi Marc Gellman of Temple Beth Torah in Melville, N.Y. is another Jewish defender of the film. He is a member of the national column and TV show called "The God Squad." He said he did not believe Jews were particularly demonized in the film. He added that the movie included Jews who objected to Jesus' treatment and who helped carry the cross. He called the film a work of "stunning beauty and daring violence that forces all of us to grow up and learn to accept people who tell their own stories."
- Manuel Prutschi, national executive director of Canadian Jewish Congress, told Canadian Press, "When someone wants to call something anti-Semitic there has to be in it an intent to attack. The purpose of this film is to move Christians, not to attack Jews." He said the key is how Christians digest the information presented, and added, "We feel fairly confident that Christians, certainly in Canada, are quite sophisticated now to understand what anti-Semitism is all about and the evil that it is. That's not what they're going to be coming away with."
- According to Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff, Australia's Jewish community has given a thumbs-up to The Passion. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry say the film is unlikely to incite hostility against Jews. Jeremy Jones, president of the council told Australia's Herald Sun, "In Christian teaching, Jesus died because of human sin, and it would be quite tragic if a film about Jesus' death resulted in a human sin of anti-Semitism." Jones agreed with the Herald Sun's statement of other religious groups saying the movie follows closely the literal interpretation of the Gospel.
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Other Positive Responses
- Film critic Roger Ebert, in an exerpt from his column in the Chicago Sun Times, said, "This isn't a movie about performances, although it has powerful ones, or about technique, although it is awesome, or about cinematography (although Caleb Deschanel paints with an artist's eye), or music (although John Debney supports the content without distracting from it). It is a film about an idea. An idea that it is necessary to fully comprehend the Passion if Christianity if it is to make any sense. Gibson has communicated his idea with a singleminded urgency."
- The following is drawn from a March 10, 2004 article on National Review Online. It is titled "Princeton's Passion," by Carlos Ramos-Mrosovsky.
The university sponsored a panel called "Princeton discusses The Passion." It exposed "the cultural gulf dividing many of America's academic elite from their students on questions of faith. Seemingly unbeknownst to many of the faculty, a religious revival is taking place at one of America's top-ranked universities."
About 500 were in attendance. On the panel were Princeton professors, mainly from the religion department. John Gager, an early-church historian said he might see the film bacause of a professional responsibility. He indicated that the Gospels do not place much emphasis on Jesus' sufferings and, even though he had not seen the film, argued that defenders of it against charges of anti-Semitism were "either naive, or disingenuous, or perhaps even both." Others spoke on peripheral subjects, generally faulting the film.
The only faculty member who addressed the central question of the controversy relating to the film -- "Who is responsible for the death of Jesus,?" was Politics professor Robert P. George. His answer was, "I am. It was for my sins that Christ died." His answer received a "prolonged and deep applause."
Brad Flora, president of Princeton's Agape Christian Fellowship, said, "It was problematic for many of us that most of the professors on the panel didn't seem to get the main point. They weren't interested in discussing what had brought us to the event that afternoon -- the undeniable and powerful impact the film had on us."
- Finally, here are a few quotes from people, as found on the Opinion Journal website, from the Wall Street Editoral Page. The names of the respondents are with the quotes at that location.
- This Passion story by Mel Gibson is the greatest love story ever told! Thank you for sharing!
- If people view the movie for themselves, they will see above all God's love and nowhere near being anti-Semitic. I was definitely moved by the content of Jesus's suffering, but am also reminded He rose again as indicated in the last scene of The Passion. The Passion is a masterpiece and am so glad Mel Gibson is getting his reward for a job well done. Hopefully we will see more decent films come out of Hollywood. I would recommend The Passion to anyone.
- Unlike some critics, I saw the movie. Half way through, a number of people fled. There was no clapping at the end. After the credits and the house lights went up, many people just sat. Most wept, some shook. Few spoke.
- The Passion of the Christ is likely to have a greater impact on America than most can even imagine. I await those changes with great anticipation.
- I saw the movie last night with my wife and daughter. I had seen many film clips and read many articles about this movie and how and why it was made, prior to seeing it. I was a bit apprehensive about the violence that I was about to see. When it began, I was immediately absorbed in the story. The violence was there, but it was not gratuitous. Tears came to my eyes several times and I was glad the theater was dark. This movie is a piece of art just as Michaelangelo's Pieta or stained glass windows in cathedrals. In a way it's a cinematic prayer. The depiction of the devil is inspired.
- I think one of the reasons for the extreme reaction against this film by the Hollywood establishment and others is that it forces them and us to face the question itself--what is the purpose of our lives? What is the truth? Secular U.S. (and UK for that matter) wants to paint Christianity as a crutch, a fantasy, a fairytale. So, a film like this that seeks to present Jesus' experience and message in a real sense is a very large threat to their power and control.
- The Passion may not be geared to this group, (late teens to early 20's) but I can offer at least anecdotal evidence that it is attracting those viewers too. My daughter and many of her friends tried, unsuccessfully, to see this film on opening day. Their failed quest went so far as crossing state lines, and thus paying a toll. My daughter finally saw it the next day, gave it a rave review and said the theatre had the most diverse audience she could remember. Many of her other friends went on Friday. She came home from the movie uplifted. I think this movie must be seen to be comprehended.
A television advertisement for life insurance appeared some time ago. Those of you in the U.S. may have seen it. It's about a businessman who thinks that he was almost hit by a car. Somewhat ruffled, he says, "Whew, that was close! I didn't think I was going to make it." Suddenly two men in white suits join him on the busy street, and one of them replies, "You didn't!"
The three then engage in some light talk as they begin walking together. The businessman remarks that at least he has peace of mind because he knows his family is covered by insurance. Then they all mysteriously walk through some solid objects to show that they now exist in a new dimension.
The real punch comes in the last line of the ad as the man and his two escorts are riding an escalator up into the clouds. It is then that you hear him say with relief, "I'm sure glad we're going up!"
That last line was meant to provide some comic relief, but for the thoughtful person it raises the serious issue of heaven and hell. It reminds us of Jesus' words that not all people are "going up." He said that in the resurrection some would come forth to the resurrection of life and some to the resurrection of damnation. Jesus is the only One who can give us eternal life.
Many of you visit this website from parts of the world where Christianity is little known or understood. In this article, I would like to clearly relate what it means to trust Jesus Christ. I have previously pointed out that Jesus Christ is God's Son. He is one of the three expressions, or persons, of the one God who created the whole universe and all that is within it -- one God expressed in three ways (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). Jesus was born of a woman named Mary, but he was conceived by the Holy Spirit. On this earth he was the God-man. He was fully God and fully man. He lived a sinless life and offered himself as a sacrifice for our sins, and rose back to life three days later. Then after 40 days, he ascended into heaven where he now is with the Father. Because of his sacrifice, all who allow him to take charge of their lives receive eternal life and will go to heaven when they die. All others will spend eternity in a burning hell.
Now, I would like to explain what salvation is all about and how to receive it. We will look briefly at the three aspects of salvation. They are regeneration (receiving salvation), sanctification (growing in grace) and glorification (the culmination of salvation).
The Bible says in Titus 3:4-7, "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."
Regeneration (have been saved)
Let's first look at regeneration. We also refer to this by the term, "Justification" or the "new birth." When one recognizes the Lordship of Jesus Christ and entrusts his or her life to Him to follow and obey Him, that person is regenerated or born again. When a Christian speaks of having been saved at a given time, this is what he or she is talking about.
In John 3, Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about being born again. Nicodemus had a problem understanding this, but Jesus was talking about a spiritual birth. Just as a person is physically born into an earthly family, to be a part of God's family, one must be born into it.
To receive the salvation that Christ offers, one must first recognize his or her sin and in sorrow turn from the self-centered, sinful life to the Savior. This is called repentance.
The Scripture teaches that every person, from Adam to the present time, has sinned. The prophet Isaiah talked about it. He said, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa. 53:6)
Romans 3:23 tells us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
The new birth is made possible through the sacrifice, the shedding of blood for our sins, by Jesus Christ. It is the work of the Holy Spirit, first in convicting the person of his or her sin, then by indwelling the life of the repentant sinner.
Salvation is based upon the recognition of Jesus Christ as God's Son who lived a perfect life on earth, offered himself on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins and arose from the grave in victory over death. He paved the way for us. He sent the Holy Spirit to walk with us and guide us. When we repent of our sins, ask Jesus to come into our lives & let him take charge of our lives, the Holy Spirit permanently indwells us to convict us, to encourage us and to help us understand God's purpose for our lives.
Salvation is not dependent on what you or I do, but only on what Christ has done. We accept his loving sacrifice for our sins and let him take charge of our lives. Baptism plays no part in regeneration, but it is a command of Christ and the believer is to be baptized in obedience to Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (in the Bible) says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this is not from yourselves. It is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast."
Jesus, in John 12:32 said, "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself." He was speaking of his crucifixion on the cross. He didn't say, "I will draw some people." He said "all people." Does that mean everyone is going to be saved? No, it means he has taken the initiative and the drawing power is there.
When I was a young boy, we used to play with horseshoe magnets. I think they came out of a Model T Ford's magneto. I could put a bunch of nails in a pile and hold that magnet near them and those nails would fly to the magnet. However, if I would hold the magnet near a nail driven in a wall, the story would be different. The drawing power would be just as strong, but the nail would refuse to turn loose of the wall and come to the magnet.
That's the way it is with people. Some respond to the drawing power of the Savior, while others refuse to let go of the world and their own self-will.
Jesus, in his interview with Nicodemus, said "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Some people may say, "I believe in God. I believe that Jesus is God's Son who died on the cross and rose from the grave. I believe he has the power to save. What keeps me from being saved? A preposition in the verse I just quoted is all important. In the Greek language, in which this scripture was originally penned, the writer could have chosen either of two words for the preposition "in." when he said, "whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
One word that could have been used was peri. If that word had been used, the meaning would be to believe the facts about Jesus. We get our English word "peripheral" from it. In medicine it is used as a prefix in words such as "pericardium," the sac that envelops the heart. In the study of the Greek language, peri is illustrated by a circle with an arrow going around it.
The other word to use was eis. It means "into." It is almost an action preposition, if there could be such. It is illustrated by a circle and an arrow coming from outside the circle and going into it. This is the word used here, and it would be translated "whoever believes into him" if thought to be good grammar in English.
Let me illustrate. I can believe certain facts about a chair. The materials seem to be solid and strong; the joinery is well done. I believe the chair will hold my weight. I believe the facts about this chair. But I have not believed into it; I have not trusted it until I have placed my weight on it. Now, having sat in the chair, I have trusted the chair to hold me and keep me from falling.
The Bible says in James 2:19, "You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that -- and shudder."
Salvation is the deliverance from sin and to a new life. The forgiving God wipes away your sins. They are covered by the blood of His Son. Eternal life is received immediately. You don't have to wait until you die to receive it. When you die, you simply pass from this time and space dimension to the fantastic world the Father has waiting for you.
Once saved, the Father will not let the devil or anyone else snatch us out of His hand. Jesus said in John 10:28-30, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."
Another dimension of salvation is sanctification.
Sanctification (are being saved)
Simply put, Sanctification is growing in grace. Sanctification, or holiness, denotes a setting apart to the Lord and begins when we first trust Jesus Christ as Savior. But it is to grow from there. As we allow God to have greater control of our lives, we are growing in grace. He then works in our lives to develop what we commit to Him.
This is closely related to what we refer to as the perseverance of the believer. In Matthew 24:13 Jesus says, "He who stands firm to the end will be saved." And Hebrews 3:14 says, "We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first."
In Jesus' prayer before his arrest and crucifixion, as he prayed for those who were already following him, he said to the Father, "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth" (John 17:7). We are instructed in the Scripture concerning many aspects of growing in grace such as growing in love, forgiveness, knowledge of the Scriptures, prayer, witnessing, ministering to the poor, doing good works, living a clean and upright life, and the list goes on. All of these things are to have the commitment of the Christian.
Ephesians 4:2-3 puts it in a nutshell. There we read, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." These are to be characteristic of our lives as we persevere and grow in grace.
James (in the Bible), after stressing the good works that a Christian should do, said, "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do" (James 2:18). The good deeds of a believer are evidence that Jesus Christ does indeed have control of his or her life. One who claims to be a believer but still lives a self-centered life should re-examine his or her commitment to the Lord.
Glorification (will be saved)
Glorification is the completion of salvation and it is the final magnificent state of the redeemed. In heaven we will be with the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ. We will see the prophets of old, the apostles, and God's people through the ages.
Even David in the OT was aware of life after death. In 2 Samuel 12:23, after his son had died, David said, "Can I bring him back again? I will go to him but he will not return to me." In the 49th Psalm, verse 15, he said "But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself."
We immediately go to heaven when we die. I don't know what form we will have before we receive our new bodies at the end of time, but God knows and that's all that matters. On the Mount of Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah (who had died hundreds of years before) appeared with Jesus. They did not just wait in some nether land for the end of time. In John's vision of heaven he says in Rev. 7:9, "After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb."
When Jesus returns, we will receive new perfect bodies. It doesn't matter if a loved one who knows Christ was lost at sea and eaten by sharks. The new bodies we will receive are not dependent on those in which we currently live.
I don't know what my new body will be like but the Bible says it will be like Christ's. In his resurrected body, Christ was recognizable but was not limited by physical objects. It was a spiritual body. Our resurrected bodies may be the same as the spiritual bodies we receive when we die. Those bodies may just be finally & officially affirmed at the final resurrection. I don't know but God does & that's all that matters. The Bible also says that we will know as we are known. In other words, we will still have an identity and be able to recognize one another.
I don't think time, as we know it, will be a factor. It is hard to imagine being out of the time and space dimension, but God has something wonderful for his followers.
Several months ago, I dreamed of being in heaven. Never before or since have I had such a dream. I am not making any claims for it, beyond the fact that it was a dream. In the dream, we new arrivals were going to orientation. We were broken into groups and went into dwelling type structures. There we were given our assignments and I can remember thinking "Great! Heaven is not going to be boring. We all have something to do!" After orientation, we all came out of the houses and were going to the place where we would personally appear before the Father and the Son. That is when I awoke. I guess that scene is saved for when it really happens. But I was so high emotionally that I sat up and thanked and praised God. Heaven will even be much greater than my dream.
In John's vision of heaven (in the Bible), he saw a beauty that was so great it was indescribable. To help us catch just a glimpse of its beauty, he used words with which we are familiar -- wall of jasper, city of pure gold as clear as glass, the foundations decorated with every kind of precious stone. He said there would be no crying or pain in heaven -- no night there -- no need for a sun or moon for the glory of God gives it light.
Don't Miss it! Just hoping and wishing things will turn out right will not get you to heaven.
Poem: The Wish Wand
by Jill Brisco
I had a little wish wand and waved it to and fro
whenever thoughts turned heavenward or the other place you go.
I thought it safe to trust it with my whole eternal soul,
so I wished the life I'd lived on earth would get me to my goal.
I wished that all would get to heaven whatever they believed,
that Buddha sat at God's right hand, that New Age be received.
I wished that Paul would change his mind, that Jesus wasn't right
because He spoke of lostness and a dark eternal night;
about the way to heaven -- one truth, one narrow gate,
and I was so broadminded that I wished away my fate!
So I waved my little wish wand in the radiant face of Him
who met me at the gate of heaven and wouldn't let me in.
I wrote to heaven's congressman, but he courteously replied
that I should have left my wish wand at the feet of Him who died!
For wishes could not wish away a lifetime of rejection,
and wishes could not dress my soul in heaven's own perfection.
And wishes could not save me now for hell was so obscene,
that wishes there die ghastly deaths, strangled with a scream.
So I took my little wish wand into hell the day I died,
and I waved it at the serpent as he slithered to my side.
It was dark, but I could see him and all I knew was fear,
and no matter how I waved my wand he wouldn't disappear!
Oh I wish that I had wished aright I wished I lived again;
I wished I had a body that was whole, not racked with pain.
I wished I could remember something other than the dirt.
I wished I could forget my sin. So every memory hurt.
Oh, I wished and wished and wished that I could have another chance
to cast upon the Crucified a trusting, saving glance.
But the devil took my wish wand and he laughed right in my face
and I went to live eternally in darkness and disgrace,
I never wished a wish again I had no heart to try,
for hell is where hope ended, and where all my wishes died!
Now is the time for you to let God take charge of your life. God loves you. That's why he made salvation available to you at such a cost to Him. Go to the Contact Us page and let me know of your decision, or your need for assistance in making a decision.
Take care and bless the Lord.
-- Don
Nora (my wife) and I recently visited a camp for blind children. The builder/Director of the camp is Mike Gates. He has been blind since he was twelve years old -- blinded in a hunting accident.
Blind children come to the camp for a two-week stay. There they are given archery instructions, swimming, hiking trails and Bible study among other activities. The camp, Christ's Outreach for the Blind, even has a petting zoo. You can read about this camp located in Kentucky at its website, http://www.christoutreach.com/ . It is situated on about 800 acres.
Believe it or not, we arrived on the first day of the deer hunting season and Mike was going deer hunting. That's right! Mike has built a deer stand and he hunts with a rifle and also by bow and arrow. How does he do it? First, by rifle: A sensor is attached to the gun and is aligned with its sights. It shows up on a computer screen. A person with a laptop computer stands behind Mike and says, "left," "right," "up" and/or "down." When the target is zeroed in, he shoots.
Now, how does he hunt with bow and arrow? He can do this alone. That's right! Out from the deer stand he has erected a small wall in the form of the letter J (a short wall on one side and a longer wall on the other side). In the end of the J he puts a pile of carrots. Deer are the only large animal of the forest that eat carrots. They will come and look over the wall and see the carrots, but are too lazy to reach over to eat them. The deer will then come around and walk right into the "stall". They make a lot of noise when eating carrots and are standing at the pre-determined spot. How does Mike find that spot? He has practiced shooting arrows through a small circle positioned at the target area. He practiced until he could shoot 50 arrows through the circle. Now when the deer walks into the stall and starts eating carrots, it belongs to Mike.
Talk about meeting challenges and overcoming difficulties! Many of us give up when the going gets tough. As tough as the hunting skills were for Mike to develop, even greater is the concern for others that led him and his wife, Lori, to develop and commit their lives to Christ's Outreach for the Blind.
Scores of volunteers also help in this ministry.
Mike's story is especially fitting at this time of the year. Christmas is a time in which we celebrate in a special way the coming of Jesus, God's Son, into the world to help us know the love of God and to offer himself as a sacrifice for our sins.
Jesus' own words, as recorded in John 3:16 (in the New Testament of the Bible) says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish
but have eternal life." What a gift!
To believe in Jesus Christ is more than believing the facts. It requires a commitment to let Jesus Christ direct your life. When you believe in, or trust, him as your Savior, you are also agreeing to live a life of obedience to God, as revealed through His Son. No longer do you set the boundaries and just live for self, but you joyfully invite God to give direction and accept the full and meaningful life He offers.
What would be a better time than now, during this Christmas season, to accept God's offer of eternal life. That's right! When you accept His Son as your Savior, God forgives your sins and gives you eternal life. When your body dies, you will go to heaven to be with Him. He will give you a new, perfect spiritual body.
If you need help with this decision, be sure to contact me or talk to a pastor of a Church
where the word of God is taught. You can reach me by going to the "Contact Us" page on this website.
Merry Christmas! and take care.
-- Don
Various American and European countries celebrate Valentines Day on February 14 each year by the exchange of romantic or comic verse messages called "valentines." The first written valentine is usually attributed to the imprisoned Charles, Duke of Orleans, in 1415. He reportedly passed the time by writing romantic verses for his wife. By the 16th century, written valentines were commonplace.
The Greeting Card Association estimates that world-wide approximately one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making this day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas The association also estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines. However, men purchase most of the boxes of chocolates to give to the ladies they love. Often these expressions are those of infatuation rather than true love.
True love finds many ways to express itself. Here is an example. Dave Simmons related the following event:
"I took Helen (eight years old) and Brandon (five years old) to the Cloverleaf Mall in Hattiesburg to do a little shopping. As we drove up, we spotted a Peterbilt eighteen-wheeler parked with a big sign on it that said, 'Petting Zoo.' The kids jumped up in a rush and asked, 'Daddy, Daddy. Can we go? Please. Please. Can we go?'
"'Sure,' I said, flipping them both a quarter before walking into Sears. They bolted away, and I felt free to take my time looking for a scroll saw. A petting zoo consists of a portable fence erected in the mall with about six inches of sawdust and a hundred little furry baby animals of all kinds. Kids pay their money and stay in the enclosure enraptured with the squirmy little critters while their moms and dads shop.
"A few minutes later, I turned around and saw Helen walking along behind me. I was shocked to see she preferred the hardware department to the petting zoo. Recognizing my error, I bent down and asked her what was wrong.
"She looked up at me with those giant limpid brown eyes and said sadly, 'Well, Daddy, it cost fifty cents. So, I gave Brandon my quarter.' Then she said the most beautiful thing I ever heard. She repeated the family motto. The family motto is 'Love is Action!'
"She had given Brandon her quarter, and no one loves cuddly furry creatures more than Helen. She had watched Sandy and me do and say 'Love is Action!' for years around the house and Kings Arrow Ranch. She had heard and seen 'Love is Action,' and now she had incorporated it into her little lifestyle. It had become part of her.
"What do you think I did? Well, not what you might think. As soon as I finished my errands, I took Helen to the petting zoo. We stood by the fence and watched Brandon go crazy petting and feeding the animals. Helen stood with her hands and chin resting on the fence and just watched Brandon. I had fifty cents burning a hole in my pocket; I never offered it to Helen, and she never asked for it.
"Because she knew the whole family motto. It's not 'Love is Action.' It's 'Love is SACRIFICIAL Action?' Love always pays a price. Love always costs something. Love is expensive. When you love, benefits accrue to another's account. Love is for you, not for me. Love gives; it doesn't grab. Helen gave her quarter to Brandon and wanted to follow through with her lesson. She knew she had to taste the sacrifice. She wanted to experience that total family motto. Love is sacrificial action. Dad, The Family Coach by Dave Simmons, Victor Books, 1991, pp. 123-124
Speaking of sacrificial love, you are the recipient of such an act. In Acts 5:8, in the New Testament of the Bible, we are told that "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
No matter how evil your life may be, you can receive forgiveness and the new life God offers you. He can turn your life around and provide a new focus. Without Christ, your life will seem to be without purpose and at death your home will be an eternal hell. But that doesn't have to be the case.
John 3:16-18, in the Bible, says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
When you accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for your sins and turn from your self-centered life to a life controlled by Christ, God will give you a new life, a new focus, and a new home when you die.
The Bible makes it clear that to believe does not mean just accepting the facts that Christ is God's Son, that he lived a sinless life, that he sacrificed himself for your sins, that he rose victoriously from the grave and appeared to people for 40 days before he ascended into heaven. It includes acceptance of these facts. But you must repent of your sinful life. That means that in sorrow for your sins, you must turn from them and turn to Christ. In doing so you decide to let Christ have control of your life. He will then send his Holy Spirit to indwell you. The Holy Spirit will guide you in the right way and encourage you, that your life will be pleasing to God.
God has a purpose for every life. It is up to you to find what his purpose is for you. If you do not have a Bible, find one. God will speak to you through his printed word. You can and should regularly talk to God (pray). As God speaks to you through his word and you speak to God through prayer, his Spirit will communicate with your spirit and you will be able to discover how you can best serve Him.
Instead of an eternal fire in hell awaiting you at death, you will have an eternal home in heaven. Heaven is a place of joy in the presence of a loving God.
The decision is up to you. What will you do? You can decide to follow Jesus right now. You can talk to the Almighty God who created the whole universe and all that is within it. He knows you better than you know yourself. He will hear your prayer. Stop and ask God to forgive your sins. Invite Jesus to take charge of your life, and agree to serve him. When you do that, you will pass from the condemnation to eternal death (a fiery hell), to a new life in Christ. You are saved!!
If you have made the commitment to Jesus, you should be baptized. Jesus commanded his followers to be baptized. If a church that teaches the way of salvation as presented above is in your area, contact the pastor and let him know of your decision and that you want to be baptized. He will take it from there. Or, perhaps you know of a missionary that can help. Baptists have missionaries all over the world.
If you wish additional information, be sure to contact me. God bless you and may you bless God.
-- Don
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