First, I’d like to give a little medical update. I’ve not shared health news lately because everything has stayed about the same. I’ve had seven rounds of chemo this school year and the unwanted protein count has stayed exactly the same (1.3) for the last three. About a month ago, I told the doctor Susan and I were going to Italy and Namibia in February and March, which would mean longer time periods between chemo treatments. When I gave blood last Friday, I truly expected the result to be rather dreary. I admit my frequent faithlessness, but even “if we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown himself.” Isn’t that a cool verse? Yesterday a nurse called to share that my protein count had dropped to .5! I don’t think there’s going to be much of a medical explanation for this and I doubt a weeklong diet of Italian food will impress many researchers. So please give all praise to our kind Father in Heaven and please accept our thanks for your prayers. I feel there are many who often have a measure of faith far beyond mine. Oh to remember that the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective.
A documentary is to air Sunday night about the discovery of the bones of Jesus and Mary Magdalene in a common burial site in Jerusalem. Some think archeological evidence of the story set forth in the best-selling book, The Da Vinci Code, will be powerful proof that Jesus was just a man and that Christianity has been a great hoax. Similar lies started the week of the resurrection. It seems the devil will never tire of trying to deceive the world about the Hope of mankind.
Paul’s proclamation of salvation for all who put their faith in Christ hinged on the truth of the resurrection. “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead…” (I Cor 15:14-20)
Regarding the upcoming documentary about the tomb found in 1980, Lawrence Stager, the Dorot professor of archeology of Israel at Harvard said, “One of the problems is there are so many biblically illiterate people around the world that they don’t really know what is real judicious assessment and what is what some of us in the field call ‘fantastic archeology.’” The Word of God puts all arguments against the resurrection to rest and so does the Living Christ who abides in the hearts of God’s children.
This week I’ve talked to a fifty-year-old father, a seventy-year-old grandfather, and a seventeen-year-old girl. If I tried to convince them that a guy in Jerusalem has just proven that the resurrection was a concocted story, they would be unimpressed. The father would tell me of an amazing thing God did in his family this past week. He would share of the deep work of conviction in his heart and the glorious answer to prayer that only God could have accomplished. He would say, “Dana, don’t even give those worthless claims the time of day. The risen Christ is alive and at work in all who will humbly believe and obey. Look what He’s just done in my family!” The grandfather would share of God’s mighty work through a trial that lasted exactly four months. He would praise God with all his might and through tears of joy would say, “Dana, you listen to me. The story I have just told you about the risen Christ is an example of what He will do for any soul that comes to Him with empty hands and a trusting heart. The devil is trying to snuff out faith any way he can before Jesus returns, but we must do nothing with his lies but expose them!” With a gleam in her eyes the teenager would share of God’s faithfulness on a recent mission trip. Her team faced hardship and sorrow, but God overcame with tremendous victories. This sweet girl would respectfully say, “Mr. Davis, there’s no reason for me to even watch that documentary Sunday night. I know Jesus; He is not dead. He lives in my heart and He has just performed wonders that I can’t really describe. I wish everyone could know Jesus as their best friend. He is the only One who gives meaning to life.”
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26