Pursue The Passion: A Devotional Based on the Film The Passion of the Christ

CHALLENGE

Pursue Participation: Have you been feeling like you need to serve? Maybe at the church, or an outreach or maybe mentoring someone?  Today is the day to step out in faith and commit to serving.  If you’ve been called, He will equip you.  Prepare yourself for the blessing, when you serve others, you are serving Christ and Christ is serving you.  It is a win-win situation. 

DAY 4 

PEOPLE

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” - Romans 3:23-24 NIV

Watch the video before you begin.

WHAT WE SEE IN THE FILM

One particular powerful moment in the film is where Jesus draws a line in the sand for Mary Magdalene, being persecuted for committing  adultery.  In John 8:7-11 it says, “When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let any one of you who is without sinbe the first to throw a stone at her.’ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.  At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.  Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they?  Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir,’ she said.  ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’  Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’”  The amazing part about Jesus is He does not condemn nor judge us.  Yet He doesn’t condone our sin either.  He loves us and reminds us that we are already forgiven, thanks to what He did on the cross.

PURSUE THE PASSION: People are the passion of Jesus Christ.  While living here on Earth, Jesus spent time with all kinds of people, especially those who were seen as outcasts -- prostitutes, lepers, tax collectors, etc.  He healed them, He forgave them, He taught them by speaking truth, He listened. He knew all their flaws but saw them as beautiful.  When He died, He did it for ALL people.  EVERYONE.

WHAT WE LEARN FROM JESUS

God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things!  In the Bible God constantly uses regular people to do the most amazing miracles.  He took a peasant girl and made her the mother of the Messiah.  He took a shepherd and turned him into a king.  Even Jesus was born in a manger and lived the life of a carpenter. God uses people just like you and me to do His work. Don’t think that because you aren’t rich, don’t know enough people or may not have all the skills that God can’t use you.  Because He can and He will.

God calls us to love all people.  Jesus made people His priority. He says in Matthew 22:37-38 NIV, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it; “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Forgive others and do not judge them. In Luke 6:37 NIV it says, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.  Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”  How liberating it is when we freely forgive.  Christ does not hold our mistakes against us, we too should not hold them against others. He died on the cross to do away with our sins so that we could be seen as holy and blameless.  We must see others in that way.

Forgive yourself.We are redeemed through Christ, once and for all. To think we are not, is to deny what Jesus did on the cross. Just as we forgive others, we must show ourselves the same grace. One of the biggest lies the enemy tells us is we’re unworthy or we’ve done something so awful that God could never love us again.  Yes, we must “stop sinning” and walk according to God’s will. But regardless of what we’ve done, God loves us unconditionally.

QUESTIONS

1. What do you think Jesus was writing in the sand as the religious leaders stood in front of Him ready to stone the adulterous woman?
2. Do you believe that the Lord stands before you ready and willing to take your hand, leading you into truth, loving you right where you are at?  If so, thank Him and praise Him.  If not, ask Him how you can get to that place, what it is that is holding you back from believing it.
3. These two stations of the cross are specifically noted as Jesus speaking to the women and sees Mary Magdalene. The Lord has a very specific love language for His women (and men) speaking to us and reminding us that we are His and He stands before us to take the pain and insults.  Think of a recent time someone has judged you or said something offensive to you.  Do you see the Lord standing before you, enduring whatever is hurled your way?