COMPosition 19
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
Easter is just 3 weeks away on Sunday, April 4th. As I wrote last week and you can read in the newsletter, we are planning a number of special events to help people prepare and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus! Please be in prayer for these special opportunities, plan to participate, and invite your family & friends.
On Wednesday evening, March 31st, we will be showing the recut version of the Mel Gibson film THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST which was originally released in 2004. It is a dramatic and graphic depiction of the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus, opening with his betrayal by Judas through his trials, torture, and crucifixion; ending with a brief portrayal of his glorious resurrection. Dr. James Dobson, Founder and former President of Focus on the Family said of this film, “It is among the most powerful and important [films] ever made. In addition to being faithful to the essentials of the biblical account, it is easily the most heart-wrenching, powerful portrayal of Christ’s suffering that I have ever seen.”
The original film was rated R and families should never undertake its viewing lightly or without spiritual and emotional preparation. However, unlike films with lesser ratings that exploit brutality, it doesn’t at all glamorize maliciousness and murder. Indeed, it is disturbing for all the right reasons.
After the initial showing in movie theaters, Gibson decided to re-edit the more brutal scenes without removing them or compromising the impact of the film. As a result, those who have seen the original will notice that the scourging scene is shorter and less brutal. The crucifixion scene has also been trimmed in places. Gibson took “The Passion Recut” to the Motion Picture Association of America asking for a PG-13 rating, however the MPAA felt it still deserved an R rating. Therefore, this re-edited version was released with no rating (NR). We will start the re-edited film at 6:00 PM with a running time of two hours plus a fifteen minute intermission mid-way through the film.
Next weekend, March 19th–21st, our Student Ministry will be hosting the Mississippi State Youth Convention here at NorthPark and Pastor Justin has done an excellent job of planning and promoting this statewide event. As a result, on Sunday, March 21st the MSYC will be using the Celebration Center for their closing worship service from 10:00 to 11:15 AM which will overlap with our regularly scheduled Children’s Ministry and adult worship. Pastor Amy has made the necessary adjustments to Kid’s Connection and we ask that you be mindful of this change as you move about the building.
I read a thought-provoking article this week by a trusted veteran preacher friend titled “Rebuke Unapologetically” in which he writes, “Most preachers bend over backward not to hurt anyone’s feelings. As soon as someone protests, ‘You offended me!’ we scramble to apologize or explain our position more tactfully. Since people are so easily offended today, we walk on eggshells around controversial, Biblical subjects…or avoid them altogether. The Bible does instruct us to preach the truth in love. But the Bible also commands faithful preachers to ‘rebuke and encourage’ (2 Timothy 4:2). Sometimes the truth is offensive no matter how tactfully it is presented. It has been said, ‘Love sounds like hate to those who hate the truth.’ A good coach knows when to build up and when to chastise. So does a good preacher.” This really resonates with me as I reflect on our current sermon series “MESSY: A Study of 1 Corinthians” in which the Apostle Paul strikes that crucial balance of speaking/writing the truth in love. It is not an either/or but a both/and. As I said last Sunday in connection with 1 Corinthians 4, Christians are to be more concerned about the approval of God than the applause of people. This Sunday will be another example of this fundamental challenge as we look at 1 Corinthians 5 and talk about blatant sin in the church. Don’t miss it! (NOTE: The entire article referenced above can be read by clicking on this link http://www.bobrussell.org/rebuke-unapologetically/)
For His Glory, Pastor Greg
On Wednesday evening, March 31st, we will be showing the recut version of the Mel Gibson film THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST which was originally released in 2004. It is a dramatic and graphic depiction of the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus, opening with his betrayal by Judas through his trials, torture, and crucifixion; ending with a brief portrayal of his glorious resurrection. Dr. James Dobson, Founder and former President of Focus on the Family said of this film, “It is among the most powerful and important [films] ever made. In addition to being faithful to the essentials of the biblical account, it is easily the most heart-wrenching, powerful portrayal of Christ’s suffering that I have ever seen.”
The original film was rated R and families should never undertake its viewing lightly or without spiritual and emotional preparation. However, unlike films with lesser ratings that exploit brutality, it doesn’t at all glamorize maliciousness and murder. Indeed, it is disturbing for all the right reasons.
After the initial showing in movie theaters, Gibson decided to re-edit the more brutal scenes without removing them or compromising the impact of the film. As a result, those who have seen the original will notice that the scourging scene is shorter and less brutal. The crucifixion scene has also been trimmed in places. Gibson took “The Passion Recut” to the Motion Picture Association of America asking for a PG-13 rating, however the MPAA felt it still deserved an R rating. Therefore, this re-edited version was released with no rating (NR). We will start the re-edited film at 6:00 PM with a running time of two hours plus a fifteen minute intermission mid-way through the film.
Next weekend, March 19th–21st, our Student Ministry will be hosting the Mississippi State Youth Convention here at NorthPark and Pastor Justin has done an excellent job of planning and promoting this statewide event. As a result, on Sunday, March 21st the MSYC will be using the Celebration Center for their closing worship service from 10:00 to 11:15 AM which will overlap with our regularly scheduled Children’s Ministry and adult worship. Pastor Amy has made the necessary adjustments to Kid’s Connection and we ask that you be mindful of this change as you move about the building.
I read a thought-provoking article this week by a trusted veteran preacher friend titled “Rebuke Unapologetically” in which he writes, “Most preachers bend over backward not to hurt anyone’s feelings. As soon as someone protests, ‘You offended me!’ we scramble to apologize or explain our position more tactfully. Since people are so easily offended today, we walk on eggshells around controversial, Biblical subjects…or avoid them altogether. The Bible does instruct us to preach the truth in love. But the Bible also commands faithful preachers to ‘rebuke and encourage’ (2 Timothy 4:2). Sometimes the truth is offensive no matter how tactfully it is presented. It has been said, ‘Love sounds like hate to those who hate the truth.’ A good coach knows when to build up and when to chastise. So does a good preacher.” This really resonates with me as I reflect on our current sermon series “MESSY: A Study of 1 Corinthians” in which the Apostle Paul strikes that crucial balance of speaking/writing the truth in love. It is not an either/or but a both/and. As I said last Sunday in connection with 1 Corinthians 4, Christians are to be more concerned about the approval of God than the applause of people. This Sunday will be another example of this fundamental challenge as we look at 1 Corinthians 5 and talk about blatant sin in the church. Don’t miss it! (NOTE: The entire article referenced above can be read by clicking on this link http://www.bobrussell.org/rebuke-unapologetically/)
For His Glory, Pastor Greg
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