World Impact Ministries / Peter Youngren

Can you believe the Bible literally? Books and movies today convey the idea that the Bible developed from oral traditions that were written down only centuries after the events had occurred. The time span involved would make it next to impossible to know if any stories of the Bible represent actual historical events. Take the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as an example. Can we know the real historical Jesus? After Jesus’ crucifixion and death, it is suggested, that many viewpoints emerged, one that Jesus was a mere human teacher who “lived on” spiritually in the hearts of his disciples, while others claimed that he was divine and had physically risen from the dead. The power struggle of ideas lasted for several centuries, and finally with the help of the Roman Emperor Constantine, those who advocated “a divine Jesus” won, and the four Gospels we have in our Bible today were approved, while the “lost Gospels” of Thomas, Judas and others were disallowed. Consequently, no one can really know what Jesus said and did; his deity, atonement and resurrection become legends.

The Easter season has reminded us again that religion deals with ridding the soul of sin, guilt, remorse and shame. There are hundreds, if not thousands of recommended ways to get the job done. In the early fourth century, empress Helena, later St. Helena, believed she had discovered the staircase that led to the guardroom in Jerusalem where Jesus appeared before Pontius Pilate. Helena was the mother of emperor Constantine the 1st, who adopted Christianity as the religion of Rome, though, to this day, no one knows for sure whether his conversion was a political convenience or a heart-felt conviction. Helena saw to it that the Sancta Scala, the Holy Stairs, were transported to Rome.

It’s been rewarding on our Grace 2010 tour to be able to announce that as of March 15th we are now available on Shaw Cable, channel 166. That in itself is an answer to prayer. I knew from the onset when we took over The Christian Channel now Grace TV, that to be really effective we would need Shaw Cable, which is so strong in the four western provinces.

It’s a suggestion I have heard repeatedly, and just last week I heard it again; this time from a well-known Canadian media personality. “Every religion is the same; it’s all summarized in the golden rule, ‘Whatever you want that people should do to you, do so to them.’ Or the reverse, ‘Don’t treat anyone in a way that you wouldn’t want to be treated yourself’.”

Every day people make thousands of decisions, expressing thousands of opinions. All these various views beg the question: In what is our knowledge grounded? Furthermore, how do we know about God? What about the accuracy of the Gospel accounts of Jesus? How can we be sure that God made us, and not the other way around? Many people have ready-made answers, but maybe we should ask; “how do we know anything?” Regardless of the answer let’s not apply a double standard, but whatever criteria we use to gain knowledge about anything, let’s apply that criteria to God as well. There are three fundamental ways in which people know things; experience, reason and authority.

If you tuned in to the news this week you probably know that yesterday Elvis would have been 75 years old had he lived. I was never a devoted Elvis fan, though like most people I enjoyed his music from time to time. Whether a fan or not, no one can deny the impact Elvis continues to have on the American psyche.

A few years ago, while pastoring at Niagara Celebration Church, we did an illustrated sermon, “Crying in the Chapel”, telling some of Elvis’ story. To prepare myself, I read Elvis’ life story, “Down at the End of Lonely Street”, by Peter Harry Brown and Pat H. Broeske.

One of the unique aspects of the Christian Gospel story is the humility of God. Religion normally allows for a distant deity, not a god who stoops, who comes down, entering human history to be a part of the human situation.  No, deities are described as remote, somewhat out of touch for mere humans. In the Gospel story, the divine incarnation happens in the most unpretentious place, in a stable. Christmas is a story of the creator God, who wants to be united with His creation. Yet, it is more than a desire. God is willing to humble Himself, and to endure enormous suffering to accomplish this union with humanity.                                                                

The other day I stepped out of Coffee Culture on St. Paul Street. The rain was coming down heavily, so I lingered on the steps hoping for a quick improvement. Suddenly, a lady appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, shouting, “You people – why do you support the Jews over the Palestinians? That land belongs to the Palestinians, you know!” I have no idea who the person was, but she must have recognized me as an “evangelical Christian”, thus the “you people”. I hurried to explain that our organization works in Israel; six of our projects are with Jews and six with Palestinians. My response seemed to bring some calm.

Believers in Christ accept that something utterly amazing happened at the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Once and for all, God put the punishment for the world’s sins on Jesus. The phrase “the world’s sins” is all inclusive from Hitler’s murders to a gossiping church member; all was put on Christ. To millions this carries a profound meaning for their daily life, and they believe that what happened at the cross has power to transform people from the inside out. The message of what Christ did is commonly called “Gospel”, which means “Good News”.