The Easter season is upon us again. This year the great day itself falls on the last day of March. Although this foundation of the Christian faith does not draw anywhere near the attention or fascination seen in the festivities of Christmas, it should. And if there are two verses that alone reveal the incomparable importance of the crucifixion and the subsequent resurrection, it would be these:“So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” (John 19:29-30) The Savior declared here that the price of forgiveness and man’s redemption had been paid for – fully and forever! This second related verse shows how crucial His resurrection was for a lost and helpless human race.“For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!” (1 Corinthians 15:15-17)
But while this and much more can be found in the Bible, this year some of it can also be watched on the History Channel on five successive nights leading up to Resurrection Sunday. The mini-series is called simply “The Bible”. Thus far the ratings have been quite good. Reviews have been favorable overall as well. And as always, there are some outspoken critics. These are sometimes the typical spiritual skeptics who are offended at anything even suggesting the Bible is God’s truth on any level. Others may have found an artistic portrayal of some story in Scripture as not to their personal liking or preconceived notion. And of course, some will site their dissatisfaction on some issue of accuracy in one way or another.
Geoff Tunnicliffe, of The Christian Post, said: “This Time, Hollywood Got It Right.” He stated, “Burnett and his wife have produced a mini-series that is not only ‘not disappointing,’ but actually rises to the top of the ‘Wow’ scale. Attempting to take on the whole Bible in 10 hours is pretty much an impossible task for just about anyone, but apparently not for the Burnetts. They really have produced something of epic proportions. Over the last 3 1/2 years, Mark and Roma have been driven by the singular vision of producing a project that would honor the sacred text, yet bring it to life for a new generation. The end results something that has the feel of a $150 million big budget film.”
Obviously, it is indeed a very difficult job to try to convey God’s great revelation in just five short programs. But at least someone acted on the burden to share their faith with their world. And it is very easy for those who may do very little to share much of anything along these lines to just sit in their living rooms, with a bowl of popcorn, and enjoy their self-imposed roles as critics.
If you are among those who need some reason to view this rare project favorably, or cut it some slack at least, then perhaps consider a few things. First would be the rampant biblical illiteracy today in America and worldwide. It is an epidemic and will get only worse as time goes by. If you need another reason to err on the positive side, then think upon this one. Conservative estimates state that well over a billion people around the globe will pick a real Bible, maybe for the first time ever, just from seeing some portion of this series.
And then if those two reasons are not enough, maybe this one will be of some help just from the sheer contrast it brings. It was reported that the Sunday night cable ratings were ruled by ‘zombies’ according to the Nielsen ratings for March 3, 2013. This top spot was filled by AMC’s “The Walking Dead”. But the premiere of “The Bible” pulled in a second-best rating with 13.103 million viewers. That’s the highest number of total viewers on the night. So if you are a Christian, or just a decent and fairly moral individual, which program would you rather have your kids, family, friends and neighbors watch and consider? Would it be the hit show about “The Walking Dead” or the mini-series attempting to share “The Living Savior”?
Paul the Apostle referred to this concept of the “walking dead” twice in his letter to the Ephesian church. “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.” (Ephesians 2:4-5) The other verse reads, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”(Ephesians 2:1)According to God’s word, those who have not personally trusted the living Savior are “the walking dead” in the spiritual realm. They eat, breathe, walk and go through their daily routines. But their inner souls are dead and will remain lifeless until Christ gives them His new life through His Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 3:16, Romans 8:10-11, 2 Corinthians 5:16)
In Romans 10:17 the writer penned, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” That “hearing” may come through a verbal witness, the pages of the written Scriptures, the Internet, by way of radio or even through a cable TV mini-series. Any of these can begin to break through spiritual darkness and produce interest and even life-changing results when fueled by the Spirit of God.
There is one more thing worth mentioning concerning “The Bible” mini-series. It is not at all for the faint of heart and, at times, hard to view. Many scenes are quite violent, graphic and quite brutal. But so are many portions of biblical history. Often we have a “sanitized” view about the conduct of the human race – whether back then or today. The reality is that sin is brutal and graphically so. If that were not the case, there would not have been the dire need for Christ’s coming and for His horribly brutal sacrifice on the cross.
The events of Good Friday are a stark and vivid reminder of God’s amazing love for His lost race. It reveals the sobering price paid to achieve His miraculous plan of redemption. And Easter Sunday clearly declares the absolute deity of the Lord! It is the essential proof that He, as God, can alone forgive all sin and save any soul – all of which can be heard, read and even viewed today in “The Bible”. (Acts 4:12)At this resurrection season, pray for all in need of the Savior and that faith will come by hearing, reading or even viewing of the word of God!
Bill Breckenridge
