By Alyssa Mander (high school student)
A movie with friends and family
is a typical outing for me. I watch comedies, I watch
action films, I watch chick flicks, I watch scary movies,
I watch thrillers, and I enjoy them all. One movie
that I’ve never seen, before Wednesday night,
was one that changed my perspective on life.
Sitting in a crowded theater on opening night with a bag of popcorn, bottle of
water, my family, and a group of friends from youth group, I chatted during the
Twenty Pre-show. I never expected that the next two hundred nineteen minutes
would take my world and my ideas snatch them, rattle them, destroy them, and
rebuild them all without removing me from the building.
Everyone is taught the basic story of Jesus Christ; whether churched or not,
everyone has heard of Jesus. This man born of a teenage girl in a little barn
grows up, becomes a carpenter, has some guys that follow him around, does some
cool things, dies on some wood, and then comes back alive again.
Not everyone believes this, but this is the story nonetheless.
I know the story. I grew up in church. I was the little girl that went home and
memorized the Bible verse so I could get whatever prize the Sunday School teacher
handed out. I am a Christian. I believe the story of Jesus, but it gets old.
Every Good Friday and Easter it gets boring. I mean, it did happen a long time
ago, and it’s the same story every year.
Picture me: blonde hair, blue eyed, preppy teenage girl who’s grown up
in a church, father is worship leader at my church, hanging out with friends
at the movies. I never expected anything. The news showed clips of people getting
emotional, but I wouldn’t. I never cry in movies. The news exaggerates,
anyway. The people they put on the news in interviews are the over-reacting,
melodramatic people. They don't put real life, normal people.
Then the movie begins. I don't want to ruin it for those who haven’t seen
it, but then again, nothing can ruin this movie. The plot is predictable. We’ve
all heard the story. It begins in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus is praying.
Satan, who is portrayed so well that I was uneasy in my seat when he slipped
onscreen, appears within a few minutes of the movie and recurs throughout. Mel
Gibson did a tremendous job with the character of Satan; there was no need for
a red cloak or a tail or horns or fire-it was obvious that the man was the Devil.
The movie moves along showing flashbacks from Jesus’ life that bring up
Bible stories rotting in the back of our minds. The movie forces them back to
be remembered. As the movie progresses about an hour into it, we arrive on the
most horrible day of Jesus’ life: the day of the crucifixion.
Mel Gibson left nothing out; he showed every detail possible for the scenes.
Audience members gasped, yelled, and sobbed as certain images flashed the screen
and permanently imprinted upon minds. I decided before the movie to keep a count
of how many times I cried (seeing that I didn’t think I would even cry).
The total is unknown because I stopped counting after 12. I was bawling for at
least fifteen minutes straight. This movie is so powerful. The inhumane deeds
of the people that once called Jesus their friend stung the audience, and especially
me, with every blow, every crack of the whip, every cry of Jesus, every splatter
of blood, every laugh of the crowd.
I was personally convicted. I never realized how awful the things were that Jesus
endured for the world, for his children, for you, for me. He stood trial for
doing what God told him-for healing people. He remained respectful of leaders,
though they were plotting his death. He was forgiving when they did not deserve
forgiveness. He was spit on and jeered at though he was a hero a few weeks prior.
He was beat with long, hard sticks for a crime that was not even a crime. He
was whipped with a cat-o-nine tails until his body was pulp. He carried a huge
cross full of splinters on his freshly slashed body-a cross that normally required
three men to carry. He lay still when they nailed his hand into the wooden beams
with a huge nail that split his skin, crushed his hand muscles, and shattered
the bones. He lay still when they repeated it to his other hand, then to his
feet. He did not whine when they flipped the cross over with him hanging on it
and gravity pulling at his body, parallel to the ground. He did not yell out
when they roughly slammed his cross into the awaiting hole. He hung on a splinter
filled piece of wood for an entire day watching his old friends yell horrible
things, a criminal attempting to provoke him, Satan watching, and his mother
weeping.
Everything in the world watched as this man, this Son of God, gave not only
his life, but his dignity, suffering, and body. Why? What was the purpose
of this gruesome, unjust death?
He suffered and died because he loves us. He suffered
and died to save the whole world, to save me,
to save you.
Think of someone that you think loves you. Think right now. Would they endure
all this for you? Would they do it and not even complain? Would they do it
for you?
No? Yet, you love this person. Jesus is someone who did it, for you! He loves
you more than anyone ever could. He went through everything for you. And
he did it to save you. He would do it if you were the only person on earth.
He
would even do it all over again. That’s how much he loves you!
This movie has challenged me to love Jesus more than I ever have. Sometimes,
actually, most of the time, Jesus doesn’t make my top ten people list.
This movie has made me want to change that. None of the people that love
me would ever endure something that horrific. Nobody would. Except for Jesus.
Love him back.
It is impossible not to be moved by the movie. Go with friends, grab your
popcorn, sit comfortable. I guarantee you will leave with teary eyes, leftover
popcorn,
and feeling uneasy. It isn’t a movie like anything you’ve ever
seen before.
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