If you've been watching the news, you've no doubt come across the provocative report concerning archaeological "evidence" that questions the resurrection of Christ. According to a report in USA Today,"A TV documentary, The Lost Tomb of Jesus, airs Sunday (Discovery Channel, 9 p.m.). The show's director, Simcha Jacobovici, held a news conference in New York Monday to unveil two stone boxes, or ossuaries, that they say once held the remains of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. The documentary contends that inscriptions on the ossuaries pinpoint a hillside tomb in Jerusalem as the burial place of Jesus, his possible wife, Mary Magdalene, their son, Judah, and his mother, Mary. Finding a burial site for Jesus, much less a son and evidence of a marriage, would contradict the New Testament, the authors note, and challenge the belief that Jesus rose from the dead."
Actually, this so-called evidence was found some twenty years ago. But filmmaker James Cameron (Titanic) has decided it is time to unveil this find to the world. Some historians are saying this will be a bigger blow to Christianity than The DaVinci Code.
While it will undoubtedly validate the views of unbelievers and shake the faith of the skeptical, true believers will not be moved--though we are certainly annoyed at these ongoing attempts to discredit the Word of God!
How will children react to this news? If they have seen the reports on TV or heard adults discussing it, they may have lots of questions. Teachers might even hear some of those questions come up in their Good News Clubs.
So what is the significance of this development to us as IOTs? We need to be even more vigilant in training our TCE students in how they present the resurrection of Christ. Help your students to see that it is vital that they include this truth. They need to do more than just mention that Jesus rose again. Encourage them to do some teaching about the resurrection. They can tell the children that after Jesus rose from the dead He was seen by hundreds of people. Tell the children Jesus arose in bodily form. People ate with Him, talked to Him and touched Him. His followers so believed the truth of the resurrection they were willing to die for that truth in later years.
We have ample proof of the resurrection of Christ. Scripture says, "He showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs..." (Acts 1:3). We can't share all of that proof with children each time we teach, but we need to be diligent to communicate to them in small bites that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead and lives today!
3 comments:
I agree. We should be very careful not to skim over the fact that Jesus is risen. That over 500 people saw him alive and that He is alive today seated at the right hand of the father. The bible needs to be the foundation in which we present that truth for it is alive and penetrates the heart but i do think it is ok to bring other things to show the children that over the years there has been much contrversy regarding his resurrection but the one thing that has stood the test of time is God's eternal word.
Rebecca, CEF Smith County
Good point, Rebecca. Man continually tries to find ways to disprove Scripture and neutralize the Gospel, but it never works! In spite of all the attacks, 1 Peter 1:25 reminds us that the Word of God endures forever!
People are intimidated by Christ; if he is right, then that makes them wrong. No name shakes people more than the name of Jesus, because no name is more powerful. No one can ever change that, but they sure do try. As long as people can keep Jesus in the tomb, they feel as though they are in control; as long as they can disprove his resurrection, they are not accountable for their actions. "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools..." Humanists are some of the few people who in gaining knowledge become more foolish. Educated beyond their own intelligence. Common sense would tell anyone this "tomb" is a hoax. The art and the burial method proves it, anyone who took art survey 101 could tell you that. What's sad is that the devil will use this to not only cause adults to stumble, but to also distract children from coming to know Christ. Children are searching for the truth; we must be the ones to help show them that the truth isn't found on a primetime special, but that it is found in the Word of God. He is truth; and His ressurrection seperates Him from everyone else. How great it is to serve a living Savior, the children can see it in your eye. Ask God to take away any doubt that may be cast on young and old alike. His is the risen Savior. And besides if I had a dollar for every time someone found Jesus' tomb, I would never have to work again.
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