“The Passion of Christ”
By: Alan Smith
- Acts 1:2-3—Until the day in which he (Christ) was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: (KJV)
Did you ever see the movie entitled “The Passion of Christ”? It was absolutely the most powerful and emotionally charged portrayal of the death of Christ that has ever been produced. God’s love shown through the death of His Son, Jesus, has impacted the world for over 2,000 years. Why has the death of Christ been called His passion? The word “passion” seems out of place when thinking about this event. Could it be that we need to understand more about this emotional feeling called “passion”? According to the dictionary, the definition for the word “passion”, in the context of Christ’s death, is as follows: “The sufferings of Christ in the period following the Last Supper and including the Crucifixion.” From this definition we can understand that the time of the passion of Christ was a time of suffering for Christ. Let’s take a closer look at Christ, our example.
The scriptures give us a reflection of the heart of Christ.
- John 15:13-14—Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends. (NIV)
According to Christ, the greatest experience of love or passion is when a person lays down his/her life for a friend. I do not understand this concept, but I am persuaded that it is true. God’s love for us was and is so great that He laid down life itself for those He loved. This dying produced life for others if they would only believe and receive this unbelievable love. Therefore, suffering produced life. How can I know if this type of love is within me? Am I so selfish that I cannot even experience this incredible emotion? What a struggle it must have been for Christ to yield to this love. We know that He even asked God if it were possible, to remove this suffering from Him.
Before this type of love can be experienced, there must be a yielding: a yielding to something greater than ourselves. This yielding is our love for our friends. Christ’s love for us was so great that it produced a “passion” within Him; an emotion and desire so great that He laid down His life. His burning desire or passion was for others to receive life, and to receive it more abundantly.
This passion, when handled incorrectly, can equal death instead of life. It can turn into a sad experience, instead of unbelievable peace. How do I know this, you might ask? I know because this is what happens to me. I have a great passion to see others healed and made whole; to see others happy and not sad; to see others in victory and not in defeat. But when I start thinking about myself first, instead of others it feeds sadness instead of comfort and life. The very thing from which I want to see others free, overtakes me. I start spiraling down the emotional flight of life. When I am falling, it is amazing how smart I think I am. I am the smartest person I know. I have conversations within my head going over all the evidence of how and why I am sad and why I deserve to be. This then starts a pain within my heart that no one can touch. Only God can bring revelation to me and give me understanding to take my hand and lead me out of this jungle of death. Perhaps this happens to you also. You have a great passion for others, but you end up just like one of those that you are trying to help. Christ had victory in experiencing “passion”. He did not fall into this state of sadness and defeat. He gave us the path to follow in this love experience. Do you have a “passion” within you? You know a burning desire for others to be healthy and whole? Have you ever wondered what it really meant for Christ to be in you? Could this “passion” that is in us be originating from another? Could it be coming from the love of Christ that lives in our hearts? Heaven has a hope and that hope is this:
- Col. 1:27—To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (KJV)
Heaven is hoping that we will let the glory of God come to this earth through Christ that lives in our hearts. Let His “passion” live and flow through you this day.
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