Altar Call -- Opelika-Auburn News
Walter Albritton
For November 16
New Mel Gibson movie
stirring debate about Jesus Christ
A new Mel Gibson movie will be released in about two months. Called “The Passion of Christ,” the film has stirred considerable controversy. Some have labeled the movie anti-semitic. Others refute this charge.
The debate will probably fuel widespread interest and increase the number of persons who will go to the theater to see for themselves. I am eager to see it myself.
My friend,
Lester Spencer, was privileged to see the movie in a private screening in
He joined about 50 other people to view a “rough
cut” of the movie, set to be released in movie houses on Ash Wednesday,
“From start to finish it blew me away, it overwhelmed me, it shocked me, it captured me, it disturbed me, it hurt me, it revealed my own sin, it left me speechless. The only way I know how to describe it is to say that you don’t watch this film—you experience it!
“You become
a part of it—you are as close to being there as you’re ever going to get—in the
“It is not anti-semitic in any way, shape, or form. Sub-titles are used to translate into English and interpret the Latin and Aramaic languages used in the film.”
Lester was
so moved by the film that he is encouraging theatre managers and owners in
“It
will be an incredible instrument or tool to introduce people to the passion
that Christ has for them and for the world,” Lester said. “I plan for our church to be very involved in
supporting "The Passion of Christ" as comes to our theaters.”
He
explains why he wants his congregation to support attendance for the movie: “I
believe God is going to use this film to bring millions of people to Christ
around the world—what an incredible opportunity for the Church to share the
good news about God’s passion for His children and the incredible sacrifice
that was made for the forgiveness of our sins. I will never again partake of
Communion—the body and blood of Christ—half-heartedly. I will never look at the
Cross in our worship center the same way—without the image of a battered and
bloody Savior hanging on that tree for me.
“One
of my favorite songs has a line that says: ‘I will never know how much it cost to
see my sins upon that cross.’ I will never know! But this movie helped me catch
a glimpse of what it cost in blood -- Jesus’ blood.
“I
walked out of that screening room thinking that the message of this film—which is
the heart of the gospel—is in complete opposition to our culture. And it will
be a stumbling block for many because we don’t want to see blood, we don’t want
to hear about sacrifice, we don’t want to admit our sins, we don’t want to
acknowledge that we need to be cleansed and justified, and we are afraid to
face up to how much God passionately loves us—because if we ever fully
acknowledge His overwhelming love for us, then we will be forced to respond to
His Passion.”
What an endorsement for a movie! I wish I had attended the screening so I could offer my own reaction. That must wait until after Ash Wednesday. For the moment, I just had to share my good friend’s passionate response to “The Passion.”
I can
hardly wait to experience this movie for myself on the big screen! + + + +