the cross

Last night Brad mentioned that we may have become numb to the death of Jesus. From the earliest age we hear about how Jesus died for us. We read about it. We talk about it. We see pictures. We act it out. It seems quite obvious to me that we have become immune to the sting of the murder of Jesus. Every year we have to really contemplate hard in order for it to have as much of an effect.

I think this should bring to light the manner we talk and teach about Jesus. There's something inconsistent at best when churches question whether to show a PG-13 movie at a youth function due to possible violence; but then each year we gather around to put on a singing production where we recreate a vicious murder scene in real life. One of the most barbaric and torturous scenes that made men turn their heads and we proudly put this on display in our churches every year. Ketchup, whips, and thorns. (And we wonder why we have no voice to speak to gratuitous violence.) We don't stick anything on the church door saying, "extreme displays of brutality, torture, murder, and gore. Viewer discretion is advised." Instead we invite second graders to watch and then explain that they're the cause of why Jesus had to die. We would never let our kids see a video of a lethal injection much less a beheading. So why a crucifixion?

It's not that we should be ashamed of the death of Jesus. It's just that we should recognize it for the disgusting and deprave thing it is. We can't tell our kids they shouldn't go see rated R movies and then have the church buy out the theatre for the rated R Passion of the Christ. We have to act with a little more integrity I think. Perhaps then we may actually cringe when we think of the sheer evil and gross display of blood lust that took place so long ago with the murder of Jesus. Maybe then we may approach the cross with a little more caution and humility. Maybe then we wouldn't be quite so numb to the death of Jesus and possibly our own sin.