Personally, Promoting the Passion of Christ
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:4
For the faithful followers of Jesus Christ, Passion week marks the most extraordinary and transcending eventful days in human history which enjoys eternal consequences. Because what you believe and do with the Lord Jesus Christ will absolutely dictate your experience in eternity.
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
The term passion is derived from the Latin pati, which basically conveys “to endure” or “to suffer.” The word of God records the time from our Lord Jesus Christ positioning and petitioning for power and persistence in the Garden of Gethsemane to His proceeding death on the cross. There is a colossal consensus among Christian scholars and laymen that our Lord experienced the most excruciating and severe suffering that far exceeds any other human experience with suffering. The word “excruciating" actually comes from the word "out of the cross" or "crucifixion".
Our opening text speaks to the enormity of his Passion. On our behalf He was beaten by God. (stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted) Isa.53:4.
The details of our Lord’s passion are documented in the word of God: Matthew 26:36–27:56, Mark 14:32–15:41, Luke 22:39–23:49, and John 18:1–19:37.
Therefore, to help us personalize and promote the power of the Lord’s passion in our lives let's look to the word of God. Like the Apostles, our heads and heart should be arrested by this ascending attitude.
1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, pointed to the Corinthian believers as well as us, the fact that his conscience was captured by Christ. Therefore he (I determined) to put the prominence on Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Thus, when we are personally promoting the passion of the Lord Jesus Christ, we will not be preoccupied with what people think about the message of the gospel or purpose to please them. We will be intentional in not giving people what they want but purpose to give people what we know they need. (Jesus and his crucifixion) Death Burial and resurrection. We will be emphatic in not meeting people's expectations but giving them what is exceptional and exclusively eternal. This is the same type of message given by Paul in the book of Romans and his other epistles.
“It is because of the passion of Christ that we are made right with God.”
Romans 1:15-17 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Romans 5:8-10 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
I invite you next time to continue the pursuit of this truth with respect to personally promoting the Passion of Christ in our walk with God.
Not a sermon, just some thoughts.
For the Glory of God,
PBKSR