[CS-FSLUG] THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST

Sat Sep 4 10:58:55 CDT 2004

My wife and I just got our copy (we pre-ordered) of the Passion. We have already seen the movie in the theatre so we know how graphic it is, and yet the truth is often quite graphic.

In Christ,

Christopher

----- Original Message -----
From: Fred Miller <fmiller at lightlink.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Sep 2004 00:37:51 -0400
To: "CS-FSLUG" <christiansource at ofb.biz>
Subject: [CS-FSLUG] THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST

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> DAILY DEVOTIONAL    SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 4, 2004
> (Luke 23:26-47)
> 
> ***Please be in prayer for those whose live have been affected by Hurricane
> Frances.
> 
> 
> THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST       Part One of Two
> (*Churches and Believers should purchase the DVD and use it as an
> evangelistic tool)
> 
>  The PASSION of the Christ.  This movie is a perfect example of what I have
> been talking about these past 60 months and what Liveprayer is all about,
> taking the message of Christ TO THE WORLD.  Bringing Christ to the world
> through the same mainstream channels satan uses to take his message of
> destruction to the masses every single day.  We need MORE movies like this,
> we need programs on SECULAR television that tell the truth of God's Word, we
> need those on secular radio willing to tell people the truth of God's Word
> in the context of the day to day issues we face in our world.  Did you see
> all of the airtime the secular media outlets devoted to this movie?  People
> that
> will never go to church, never watch the Christian media, were being exposed
> to
> Christ daily because of it.  AMEN!!!
> 
> I want to start by saying thank you to Mel Gibson for his personal sacrifice
> to make this movie.  He was truly an instrument God used to make this
> happen.  I do need to address however an error in Mr. Gibson's theology.  He
> is widely quoted as saying, "there is no salvation for those outside the
> Church (meaning the Roman Catholic Church)."  That of course is not what the
> Bible, our final authority in ALL matters, teaches.  It is NOT a church that
> saves you, but your faith in Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 2:8,9 clearly tells us
> that salvation is a two part process, God's grace and our faith plus
> nothing else.  No church can save you, no amount of good works can save you,
> ONLY faith in Jesus Christ can save you.  As for the movie itself, it was
> theologically very true to the Gospels.
> 
> Of course, one of the biggest controversies surrounding this movie has been
> the charge that it is anti-Semitic.  Nothing could be further from the
> truth!  Again, the movie was very true to the Gospels and accurately
> portrayed the role each group played in the death of Christ.  The fact is, I
> killed Jesus Christ.  It was MY SINS that He died for.  YOU killed Jesus
> Christ.  It was YOUR sins that He died for.  All mankind killed Jesus
> Christ.  It was for the sins of all mankind that He died for.
> 
> The Gospels clearly lay out and contemporaneous history confirms that Jesus
> was seen as a threat to the Jewish religious leaders of His day.  They
> plotted to kill Him and were able to use the Roman government that was in
> power to carry out His death.  That is an historical fact.  This movie does
> not promote anti-Semitism any more than it promotes a hatred of Italians for
> the role they played in Christ's death.
> 
> The other controversy surrounding this film is the intense and graphic
> violence.  While I personally do not enjoy movies with this type of
> violence, you could not accurately tell this story without it.  Few people
> really comprehend the horror and brutality of the death Christ endured.  You
> MUST WATCH every second as painful as it will be to begin to understand the
> price that He paid for OUR sins.  Not His sins, OURS!  I pray that the next
> time you make a choice to sin, you remember the pain He endured for that
> sin.  After seeing this movie, you will never be able to take sin lightly
> again!
> 
> *I do need to add that in my personal view, this is NOT a movie a child
> under 12 should watch.  It is simply too brutal, too graphic for a child
> under 12 to see.  Of course, this is something each parent will need to pray
> about, but I advise you to see the movie FIRST before taking children under
> 12.
> 
> The reason I am so excited about this movie is that it can be an incredible
> evangelistic tool to lead many people to know Christ as their Savior.  I
> realize that Mr. Gibson is a filmmaker and not an evangelist, but the only
> problem I had with the movie is after the last scene there NEEDED TO BE AN
> ALTAR CALL!  It opens a person's heart to the Gospel, it moves them towards
> Christ, and then it ends.  A thirty second explanation of what it takes to
> be a Christian and then giving an invitation to accept Christ would yield an
> incredible harvest of souls.
> 
> Since there is no altar call at the end of the movie, this is a unique
> opportunity
> for the church to fulfill part of its mission in the world.  I suggest that
> churches
> buy the DVD and show the movie as an evangelistic outreach.  Those in the
> church can bring unsaved family members and friends.  The pastor will have
> the opportunity to gather everyone together after the movie and share the
> plan of
> salvation to lead those who are ready to make a commitment to accept Christ.
> 
> The other role the local church MUST play is in the follow-up.  Those who
> commit their lives to Christ through this movie MUST BE DISCIPLED.  That is
> a mission the local church has to play to see the maximum fruit from this
> unique evangelistic opportunity.  A local church that makes full use of this
> movie could see hundreds, even thousands of new believers in their pews over
> the next few months!
> 
> I love you and care about you so much.   I will be praying for you to take
> time out of your busy life to see The Passion.  As powerful as the various
> movies about the life of Christ over the years have been, none of them ever
> properly captured the brutality and horror of His death the way this movie
> does.  It is IMPORTANT for every person who knows Christ as their Savior to
> understand the price of  our sin.  We often sin without regard because we
> know
> we can ask God to forgive us and He will according to His promises.  But for
> the first time, many are going to see a brief glimpse of the incredible
> PRICE
> that was paid by Jesus for our sins.
> 
> I will also pray that you take advantage of this movie as an evangelistic
> tool to
> reach the lost for Christ.  It is a great personal witnessing tool for those
> who
> know the Lord to show the movie to unsaved family members, friends,
> co-workers,
> those you go to school with, and be able to share with them afterwards how
> Jesus
> Christ has made a difference in your life.
> 
> The most important decision that we will make in this life is what we do
> with this man named JESUS.  The moment we die we will stand before God and
> be held accountable for our choice to accept Him into our heart and life by
> faith or reject Him.  That choice will determine whether we spend
> eternity WITH God our Creator, or SEPARATED from God.  The beauty of The
> Passion is that it will force people to make a decision about Jesus.
> 
> The Bible says that TODAY is the day of salvation, tomorrow is not promised
> to us.  If you do not have the assurance that when your life is over you
> will
> spend eternity WITH God and want to have a personal relationship with this
> Jesus who paid the ultimate price for your sins, simply pray for God to open
> your
> heart and read the words at:  www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.html .
> 
> 
> In His love and service,
> Your friend and brother in Christ,
> Bill Keller
> 
> If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email
> at bkeller at liveprayer.com
> 
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> 
> ©Copyright 2004, Bill Keller Ministries. All rights reserved
> 
> -- 
> "Running Windows on a Pentium is like getting a Porsche but only being
> able to drive it in reverse with the handbrake on."
> 
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