The Passion of the Christ

Last night, we decided that this year would be fitting to finally let the kids take in The Passion of the Christ movie.

They were pretty excited at the news.  Almost a silly excitement. So we had a talk about the seriousness and the severity of what would be depicted in this movie.  And the kids understood as much as they could without really knowing what was coming.  We all settled in to watch it together.

It didn't take long for Noah and Anna to tense up a little.  We stopped a lot of times to talk about the Scripture portrayed and prophecy fulfilled in different scenes, the symbolism around Satan's role and Judas' losing of his mind basically, the critical and necessary theology being depicted.

As you know, it gets hard to watch.  We would fast forward in some of the more prolonged graphic scenes and stop here and there to watch what they could.  We wanted the kids to absorb the awfulness and the agony.  They did.  We talked about how amazing it was that Jesus would endure such torture ... in meekness, in obedience, in control, in absolute determination to accomplish God's will.  It's pretty humbling and sobering to watch happening.  The kids really got all of this.

By the end of the movie, Noah was covering his ears AND one of his eyes and curled as low as he possibly could, but was riveted and could not look away.  He made a number of really astute observations and predictions throughout.  Two seconds into a scene, he would recall exactly where this was in the Bible, before I even recognized it!

Anna had watery eyes and questions and comments throughout.  At one point, she remarked, "I have read this so many times in my Bible but I didn't it know it was this bad!"

The teaching moments we had throughout and afterwards are so special to me and Josh.  We are so glad for waiting til this year and for deciding to watch this with them this year.  They are nearing the end of a Baptism bible study with Josh with their own baptisms coming shortly after, we think.  I am glad for them to attach the weight of all this to that act of obedience.  I don't think they will ever look at a drawing of Jesus the same again.  I don't think they will overlook the significance of what we sing about on Sundays ever again.  This movie is just so vivid a reenactment.  We are so thankful for it and for the reality of the story it tells!