Night Two - Passion Play Update

The play started in Wednesday, I apologize for not having pictures from that night, but we had Bill's Mom in town visiting so things were a little busy. Opening night we had 200 people attend the play and it was the biggest opening night our church has had so far. This play is powerful, it tells the Easter Story of Jesus, but there are two particular scenes that really stirs hearts, it is what we did to Jesus before he got on that cross.

One scene is the scurging scene. It is a scene where they strap Jesus to some wood and whip him with leather straps that have shards of glass wrapped in them. He was beaten brutally and afterwards the Roman soldiers laid a cape on his wounds so the blood would dry and they could rip off the cape. I think about these soldiers and their sin. Their anger toward Jesus and I wonder how many people today feel the same way? People have such strong opinions and strong viewpoints on who Jesus was and is to them. How much does our own sin cloud our judgement and our ability to think openly about the life of Jesus.

The next scene is when they put him on the cross and the soldiers continue to mock and ridicule him. He was cold, bloody, trembling, in agony... and in those moments when he could be angry at God, angry at the world, angry at those soldiers, he says, "Forgive them... ". Forgiveness in the most painful time in your life. A sinless man who says forgive them. And he does this for you and me every day. So when this song plays, "Do still feel the nails... everytime I fail plays, it makes me realize how much Jesus loves me. The hardest part for people to swallow about Christianity is that our society would like us all to believe we are perfect and we have it all covered. The bottom line is that we don't and we need our sins forgiven. Sin seperated us from God, Jesus brought us back in relationship by paying the price for all we do wrong every day. In repentance we can find ourselves spiritually closer to the God who made us. Understanding I NEED Jesus is the most important decision I have ever made in my life.

Last night, after the play a woman I did not know was in the audience, she was crying after the show. She had prayed and asked Jesus to help her with her life. I was watching her as our pastor spoke. After it was over, I went over and talked to her. I could see the pain in her eyes, she was totally broken. She was so broken she could barely look at me. I asked her if I could pray for her. Her name was Susan. I prayed over her and as I prayed God put it on my heart to tell her how much he loved her and how he had GOOD plans for her. I felt like she had never heard this before. It was so humbling and honest, it was such a gift to me to be able to tell her this. I prayed for her future that she would begin to understand God's almighty specific love. I am praying she comes to church on Easter Sunday to pursue him more. I would like everyone who reads this blog to pray for her too. Susan needs Jesus, she needs to know His love and I am blessed that this play put me in a position to pray for her and bring the hope of Jesus and his love into her life.

So if you think the Passion Play is just a bunch of average people getting together to try to act... not so much. It is a play about reaching out to people, showing them the love Christ has for us and providing opportunity for people to pursue Jesus.

I am honored, humbled and amazed at this awesome production.