13th April 2024
It’s all real!
As children, many of us played pretend. My sister and I used to go down to our basement, hang sheets on the furniture and play all kinds of silly make-believe games. We let our imaginations run wild as we sang on the stage, acted in plays and movies, travelled around the world and became any character we could think of or make up.
Reading books fuelled my imagination and I gobbled them up as fast as I could. I began reading science fiction as a child and to this day, I am fascinated by stories of time travel, extra-terrestrials, parallel universes and, of course, space travel. My favourite bit of science fiction, as you know, is Star Trek. But less well-known is my favourite spoof, Galaxy Quest, which makes fun of everything Star Trek. I’ve watched this hilarious movie over and over and I laugh every time.
One of its many memorable scenes is when the captain calls from the spaceship to enlist the help of one of the nerdy fans of the Galaxy Quest television show. The crew is in trouble and needs to know how to enable the self-destruct sequence. Brandon, the poor kid who has been cast aside by the captain several times and told the show is only make-believe, blathers on and on that he knows it’s not real and he isn’t a total brain case. The captain interrupts him with ‘It’s all real!’ and he says, ‘I knew it!’
For many, heaven, eternal life, God and Jesus, all sound like science fiction, made up to make people feel better or give them hope this life isn’t all there is. For others, Christianity and its promises may sound too good to be true. Many dismiss it all as poppycock and its followers as addlebrained. Even Christians can sometimes wonder, just a little, in the backs of their minds, if it’s really true.
When Paul addressed those in Corinth who were refuting the resurrection, he told them if there is no resurrection of the dead then Christ has not been raised, which would mean Paul and the other apostles were lying. In that case, our faith would be futile, and we would still be in our sins, which leads to this discouraging observation: ‘If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied’ (1 Corinthians 15:19, NIV). He goes on to say in verse 20 that Jesus has indeed been raised from the dead. In the New Living Translation, it’s called a fact and in The Message, it’s affirmed as truth.
The truth of Jesus’ resurrection has inspired many to lay down their lives over the centuries and continues to motivate Christians all over the world to die daily in his service. We are convinced by the eyewitness accounts, the assurance of the Holy Spirit, the evidence in all of creation and the solid conviction in our hearts that yes indeed, it’s all real!
Study by Tammy Tkach
First published on 13 March 2024, at www.gemsofgodsgrace.wordpress.com
About the writer:
Tammy Tkach is the Assistant Pastor of the Eugene, Oregon, USA, Grace Communion International congregation. She is a speaker and writer, and publishes a blog at www.gemsofgodsgrace.wordpress.com
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