I assume many of my audience have watched The Chosen TV series over the last few years (even if you don't consider yourself a Christian). My family and I have been encouraged by the way it portrays Jesus and his disciples. It is well rooted in Scripture, yet the production fleshes out the characters by providing imagined backstories for some of the disciples. It gives creative explanation about religious and cultural traditions which the original New Testament audience would have been familiar with, but our current audience may not. It occasionally uses expressions that feel more modern, less realistic for the time period, yet more relevant to the audience.
Would it surprise you to hear that The Chosen isn't the first production of its kind? I recently enjoyed The Man Born to Be King, a series of BBC radio plays written by Dorothy Sayers. It was recorded and aired from 1941-1942. It is currently available on Spotify Premium as an audiobook! I started listening during Advent and just finished it in time for Easter.
Many have represented the life of Jesus through creative means; plays, movies, etc. Yet, it seems that few have resonated with audiences the way these two productions have. The Man Born to Be King also used language that would have felt more contemporary to the 1940s English audience. It sparked huge controversy for not using word-for-word passages from the accepted translation. It also fleshes out characters and provides a depth of setting and cultural context. It also takes risks by interpreting characters' actions and giving back stories which are imagined.
In the final radio play, the narrator opened with the passage from Mark 16 which was very familiar to me. I memorized and recited it yearly with the 1st grade class I taught.
"Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you." (Mark 16:2-7) *New King James Version because that was the version I memorized.
In my current job, I interview volunteers who want to serve in children's ministry. In the last two years, I've interviewed a couple hundred believers (who regularly attend a Bible-teaching church), from teenagers to senior citizens. One of our standard questions is, "How would you explain the gospel to a child?" Most are able to articulate that we are sinners, but through faith that Jesus died on the cross for us, we can be saved. Only about 5-10% of them mention the resurrection as part of the good news (without prompting).
Christians, that should be concerning! In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul clarifies what is "of first importance".
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me." (I Corinthians 15:3-8 NKJV)
Notice that Paul gives significantly more word space to the importance of Christ being raised and the many witnesses who validated the claim. Further in this chapter, Paul made it very clear that the gospel isn't good news at all if Christ was not raised. In fact, we of all people should be most pitied if our faith is based in hopeless sacrifice without certainty it will be accepted. If Christ was not raised from the dead, our faith is in vain. It is futile and we are still dealing with our sin problem. According to Paul, we cannot share the good news without the resurrection. Christ does give us comfort for this life, but if that is all, we are to be pitied. If we dedicate our lives to a god who can neither preserve us from the trials of this life or give us reasonable hope for life beyond, we are deluding ourselves.
Yet, if Christ was raised from the dead, there is great hope...that all who believe in him will also be resurrected after physical death, with the glory of an imperishable body, to be in God's presence. Hope that he will one day finally put all his enemies under his feet. (If this sounds vengeful, his enemies are sin, death, evil spirits, rulers, and authorities who seek to oppose him who is perfectly good.)
As you worship on Palm Sunday and Easter, take time to focus on the significance of the resurrection.
Photo by Collins Lesulie on Unsplash.
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