The other day, a group of us were discussing Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion” which has been out a few years now. Several of the people in the discussion had had the privilege of viewing the film in a private showing, and were relating their opinions about what they saw.  Each “viewee” was positive regarding the movie and its depiction of Jesus crucifixion.  The graphic re-enactment of our Lord’s suffering had a significant affect.  In fact it is so explicit that it has influenced the film industry to give the movie an “R” rating.  There is too much blood in the picture.

Maybe you are already ahead of me on this, but I could not help locking on to the irony of this decision by our entertainment world.  The rating system, as I understand it, was developed to protect the public from unwitting exposure to offensive content within a film.  Certainly, graphic violence is and should be offensive, but we are not talking about any person’s blood in general, but the blood of Christ.  This issue from God, which we hold as the evidence of our redemption, is being rated as an offensive sight for the viewing public’s eye.  How ironic, that the regulatory system we use to protect us from offense, is now used to protect us from a depiction of our only true hope.

However, there may be some good in this explicit violence.  Maybe we Christians have sung, taught, preached and discussed the blood of Christ so much that it has lost its real impact upon us.  We tend to reflect on the glory side of the crucifixion and ignore the gory.  In doing so, we have lost sight of how vile and ugly sin really is.  Hopefully, we will brush aside our inner reluctance to watch an “R” rated movie, and expose ourselves to the ugly, sadistic side of the crucifixion.  Maybe it will once again deepen our appreciation for what Jesus did on our behalf.  Maybe it will help us look past the gilded crosses with which we adorn our homes and ourselves, to see what they really symbolize for us.  Maybe it will challenge our common, light-hearted, view of sin, which feels what is easily done can easily be forgiven.  Maybe, once we see depicted before us, what sin did to Jesus, we will appreciate what it does to us.  I hope, if for no other reason, we view these scenes with disgust and remorse, and if we come away from the theatre offended and sickened, we may take greater care in our activities and choices in the future.

Maybe the “R” rating will carry a reversed benefit, as it might entice those whose interests are heightened by such a rating, to attend the film where they would not have otherwise. Yet, I cannot help but shake my head at the reverse logic Mr. Gibson’s movie has produced.  The entertainment society, usually so bent on offending people in any way it can, is now concerned that the sacrifice of God might offend as well.  My thought – I hope it does.

Pastor Mark