Package Delivery

TITLE: Package Delivery
DATE: March 10, 2019
TEXT: Matthew 24: 23-24 – ESV -Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
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I have to confess. I like Amazon.

• I like the fact that they deliver my packages or our family Christmas celebration in Minnesota. I appreciate the fact that I don’t have to try and stuff all those gifts into my Buick. But there’s more.
• I like the fact they store my pictures in one location.
• I like the fact they are generally good when I need to return some merchandise.
• I like that they let me store all my music on the web and I can access it from anywhere.
• I like their fire-tvstick which adds a new dimension into watching television.

Yes, I like Amazon… but I don’t love Amazon.

I especially don’t love Amazon when they get into areas where they are just out of their element… they are actually whole galaxies out of their element. High on the list of really stupid stuff Amazon has created is the show “Bible Conspiracies” which was released in 2016.

Using a sensation-voiced narrator, the film asks questions like, “What about this person, Jesus? Was he real? Was he created? Was he alien?”

To the credit of the film makers they didn’t propose Jesus was an alien.

What the film does propose is this:

• Jesus never existed.
• History has mistaken the supposed miracles, the message, and the disciples of Apollonius and said they belong to Jesus.

The film is quite brazen as it says: “He (Apollonius) reportedly restored life to the dead and spoke of things beyond the human reach. And, unlike Jesus, there is evidence to prove that Apollonius actually existed….nobody can say with any conviction that Jesus was a real person.” (Emphasis, mine.)

Really?

Well, folks, Amazon is wrong.

The real truth is I am hard pressed to think of anyone who can seriously say Jesus of Nazareth is a fictional character. The most vehement of Christ haters agree He was a legitimate living, breathing person. A tangible, resurrected Person named Jesus is the only way to explain the conversion and the change which swept over the ancient Roman world 2,000 years ago.

Now I have to tell you the majority of people who have spoken in response to the film, have criticized it. As one reviewer said, “The writers of this film not only have NO actual Biblical knowledge, they quote many myths that have been not only been disproved, but are laughed at in theological circles. In this video, there are no experts, no theologians, only many rhetorical lies that are often spewed by evolutionist and atheist.” 

Which means, ‘Maybe Amazon ought to forget criticizing Christ and stick to delivering packages

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, many believe Jesus is made up and no such Person ever lived. I give thanks You have given me a faith which knows Jesus not only lived, I know He lived, died and rose to save me. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

Todas devotion was inspired by various articles, amongst which is the one written on February 12, 2019 t the time of writing, fully active: https://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/jesus-is-actually-a-greek-philosopher-new-amazon-documentary-theorizes.html

The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann, one of my long-ago confirmands. He is singing with three brothers. This song comes from the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html