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All Things New

  • April 4, 2023
  • Posted by: Carolyn Mahal
  • Category: Devotions
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And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” – Revelation 21:3-5

I recently re-watched the Passion of the Christ. I’ve seen the movie several times, but I still find myself moved by the powerful portrayal of the great sacrifice Jesus made on that horrible day. One scene really strikes a chord with me, prompting me to think more deeply about the personal nature of Jesus’ actions on Good Friday.

DISCLAIMER: This scene is found in the Gospel according to Mel Gibson. According to the Scriptural accounts, this didn’t happen. Jesus is making His way to Golgotha. In less than 24 hours, He has been betrayed, beaten, humiliated, and now finds Himself struggling under the weight of the tool that would be used to end His life. Following Jesus along the route is His mother, Mary. As you would expect from any mother, Mary is terribly upset by what her beloved Son is being put through. The movie shows her as she runs ahead of the procession, wanting to find a way to get close enough to Him to help Him in the only way she can – by letting Him know she’s there.

As she waits along the road, Jesus appears. Weakened by the beating and the physical exertion of carrying the cross, He stumbles and falls. As He lies on the ground in agony, the viewers are shown a flashback to Jesus’ childhood – a time when as a little boy He trips and falls.  As any good mother would, Mary rushes to her child, wraps Him in her arms and comforts Him by simply saying, “I’m here.” Overcome by this memory, expressing the great love that a mother has for her son, Mary once again rushes to her fallen child. The guards, the crowd, the chaos – it all fades away as she kneels before Him, gently lifting His head and tenderly reminds Him – “I’m here.”  It is a touching moment of love and comfort between a mother and Son, and a clever way to highlight Mary’s unwavering love of Jesus. Thankfully, it doesn’t end there. That fictional interaction portrays the human side of the story. The importance of Christ’s sacrifice is ultimately centered around the spiritual side of the story, the all-powerful love of God. Jesus, the son of Mary AND the Son of the God returns her offering of love with something far greater, something far more important as He tells her…

“See mother, I make all things new.”

All things new. From the time of the fall of Adam and Eve, Jesus knew that He was the One who would make things right between God and His fallen creation. Jesus would change the direction of man’s destiny from one headed toward destruction to one culminating in joy – from prison to paradise. This statement (while a Hollywood writer’s creation) demonstrates the depth of the love that Jesus has for His people. Jesus chose to be the sacrificial lamb, slain to atone for the sins of mankind. It is the greatest gift given in history, but it’s so much more than that.

It is amazing to think that Jesus’ death and resurrection provided forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life in Heaven for every person who ever lived. It wouldn’t matter if you lived to be a thousand years old or if you had died inside your mother’s womb – Jesus saved you from your sin, from death, and from the power of the devil. May we live every day of our lives in the certain knowledge of who we are in Christ.

You have been cleansed.

You have been forgiven.

You have been made new!

 

Devotion by Richard Schumacher

Senior Director of Operations