The last hundred years have seen three remarkable "Cold Case" solutions in the discovery of long lost bodies.
In 1922 Howard Carter and Lord Canarvon, after years of persistent toil, discovered the mummified remains of King Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings by the river Nile.
In 1999, the frozen body of George Mallory was found at 27,000 feet on Mount Everest, not far from the place where he had disappeared 75 years previously.
And, of course, last year King Richard Third was dug up from his resting place under a Leicester City parking lot.
In all three instances an examination of these remains was able to establish their manner of death (including King Tut, dead for over three thousands years)
Nevertheless the discovery of the body of Christ has defied all diligent searches:and there have been many of them!
The reason is simple. His body is no longer in the tomb. Three days after His burial Christ, according to His previous promise, was up and walking around!
Warner Wallace, an atheistic LA detective, came to this conclusion after three years of diligent investigation.
I suggest you read his findings for yourself in the book that he wrote,"Cold Case Christianity".
Jubilate
Ian
Cold Case Christianity (Warner Wallace) is by far the most thought provoking book that I have read in the last year.
Wallace, an L.A detective, specialized in solving murder cases that had gone cold.
He applied his forensic skills to the cold case death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Yesterday we looked at the cold case of King Richard Third. He died at the battle of Bosworth Field (1485) when he was knocked from his horse and killed by a massive blow to his head. Later he was draped over a horse and taken to Leicester and thrown in an unmarked grave. In September last year he was exhumed and his skeleton examined.
The skull had been pierced in two places by massive blows and his pelvis also showed great trauma. This is consistent with eye-witness accounts of his death and also the fact that his body was stabbed while dangling from a horse.
A twisted spine finally 'sealed the deal' of his identity for he was known to be a hunchback.
The first day after His resurrection Jesus showed His disciples the evidence of His wounds (the only man-made things in Heaven) and to Thomas He placed the doubting disciple's finger in the spear wound in His side.
For the disciples the "deal was sealed". This was the body they had taken down from the cross and was now alive and well in front of them. If you will allow it, the evidence in the gospels will also help "seal the deal" for you.
Jubilate.
Ian
Pauline and I watched an astonishing documentary on Sunday evening.
It was was the story of how the bones of King Richard third were found in a Leicester city car park. They had lain there undisturbed for over 500 years until historian, Philippa Langley, acting on a
strange hunch, paid for the parking lot to be dug up to see what was underneath.
There, four feet under the tarmac (which had the letter "R" already stencilled on it) lay the bones of King Richard.
It was England's strangest example of intuition, education, personal conviction,and modern science combining to solve the riddle of a lost king.
For the next couple of weeks as we lead up to Easter, I will be sharing some thoughts on "Cold Case Christianity" culminating in the mystery of the Empty Tomb of Jesus Christ.
Please pray with me as we journey towards Easter Sunday.
Jubilate.
Ian.
Just when you think that the limits of nuttiness have been reached something happens to prove you wrong.
Last week Dennis Daugaard, Governor of South Dakota, signed into a law a bill that would allow teachers to arm themselves in State schools.
The law was passed 117 to 56.
Now think about this. In my last year teaching high school in England a law was passed forbidding teachers to use the cane in the enforcement of class discipline
Ten years later in America a law was passed taking the Bible out of teachers hands in the Nation's Public schools.
Now five days ago we see teachers approved to carry guns into school to teach grade five pupils the joys of the English language.
The world truly has gone mad.
Stay tuned for the next headlines:
"TEACHER GOES ON SHOOTING RAMPAGE IN SCHOOL CLASSROOM"
Then where to? Maybe back to a drawing board that brings
PRAYER AND BIBLE READING back into school.
Ian
