There are many good movies about the life of Christ. One of my favorites is the 2004 film The Passion of the Christ. My favorite scene is the last few seconds of the film, where the viewer simply sees the nail-scarred foot of the Savior walking out of the tomb. Although many of the final scenes of the movie are quite difficult to watch due to its realism, it lets the viewer know just how much our Lord suffered on our behalf. These graphic scenes based on the scriptural narrative of Christ’s suffering leave little to one’s imagination.
But that is why the very last scene brought me such hope. Luke writes it this way:
“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over this, suddenly two men in radiant apparel stood beside them. As the women bowed their faces to the ground in terror, the two men asked them, why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He is risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee: The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.”
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is in fact the verification from our Heavenly Father that Christ’s sinless sacrifice on the cross served to pay our debt of sin in full for all time! When Jesus cried and declared from the cross, it is finished, he was stating that the payment was made for our sin. There never needs to be another sacrifice for sin. The resurrection is the seal of approval for this great demonstration of unconditional love and sacrifice.
The Christian church celebrates two great holidays on our calendar: Christmas and Easter. Christmas, in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, opens the door of possibility of a sinless Savior to become the sacrifice for our sin. He was born to die for us. Having accomplished living a sinless
life, Jesus went to the cross to die on our behalf. The resurrection is the stamp of approval that His sacrifice was received and validated. To this we can only say, “Hallelujah, what a Savior!”
LIVE THE STORY
Take time to thank God for being your savior. What does his salvation mean to you personally? How can you continue to live the story of Christ’s resurrection?
Chip Whitman
Pastor of Care & Counseling