WITHOUT EASTER
THERE WOULD BE NO CHRISTIANITY!
So much has been written about Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion” that I have been led to write a few lines about it’s importance or lack thereof.
There have been so many theories of why the Crucifixion was necessary that I personally have long questioned it. The apostle Paul obviously would place great emphasis on it since he himself was a Jew and he was attempting to convince Jews to become Christian. He would just naturally tie Christ's death on the Cross to the Old Testament pattern of the slaying of animals on the altar for sin. What else could you expect?
It wasn't the Passion that turned the Christian movement around. It was what happened on Easter. It was the Easter experience that empowered Jesus followers. They were all ready to return to their former patterns of life when the Resurrection event took place. That is what caused his followers to regard his teaching as worthy of being preserved. And they were dynamically changed individuals who refused to be swayed in their determination to press forward in their witness of the Christian message. And Easter was the reason that Saint Paul could write, "if Christ has not been raised then your faith is in vain." Clearly without Easter there would be no Christianity.
With that said I want to add that the message Jesus proclaimed was the absolute necessity of loving God and loving one’s neighbor. Those are the real essentials of the Gospel message. And that message was underscored in his Sermon on the Mount in “The Beatitudes”. Read them over very carefully!
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons
of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’
sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you
and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for
so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
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