The ‘EVENT’ [v140]

OCTOBER 2010

The ‘EVENT’

Did you watch the premiere of the TV show they call “The EVENT”? (Sub titled:  “What Will You BeLIEve?”). If not, I’ve got to believe that you at least heard about it—they started promoting it way back in the spring—over 4 months ago—using every media ‘outlet’ known to man (Magazine ads; TV ads; Press releases; Hollywood parties; Web site; Radio; Internet banner ads and video trailers; YouTube; a Wiki ‘page’; Facebook Page; Twitter feed; Blogs; Message ‘boards’; a Sweepstakes; Online “conspiracy” game; Behind-the-scenes photos; and a “Walk-on” event for one of the roles—and I probably missed a few). In additon to all that, it is going to be aired worldwide! (U.S; Canada; U.K.; Sweden; South Africa; Russia; Poland; Italy; and Australia).

Now, I’ve been in advertising and marketing for over 20 years, and have been doing broadcast TV ‘promotions’ for over 15 years, but I can’t remember when this much ‘hype’ was used to promote just a TV show. [ I did forget one: You can even buy your own “What Will You BeLIEve?” T-shirt already! ].

I know all about ‘teasing’ to ‘hook’ someone—to heighten their interest—but, in my opinion, this was way ‘over-the-top’ (I guess there’s so much ‘media bombarding’ these days, that NBC felt they needed to be ‘excessive’ just to get noticed).

So, if you haven’t heard the story line, it’s another one of those disappearing-plane-flashback-what’s-true-not-true kind of shows. The main character, Sean, discovers, while investigating the myserious disappearance of his girl friend, Leila, he is on to the biggest “cover-up” in U.S, history—okay, that’s fine. But, then when the plane gets sucked into some kind of ‘vortex’, and the character, Sophia, implies that the ‘detainees’ have something to do with it, I felt like I entered the realm of the “Twilight Zone”—and that NBC was trying way ‘too hard’ to fill the ‘void’ left by “Lost” and “24” [ FYI: If it catches on, the producers have led on that there is five season’s worth of material already “mapped out”! ].

[ FYI: Official web site: http://www.nbc.com/the-event/ ].

Well, according to tested, tried-and true marketing principles, after you present an enticing ‘offer’, you have to, at least somewhat, ‘deliver’ on that offer. What transpired over the first hour of “The Event” were a lot of mysterious happenings with very little context behind them. Ken Tucker of “Entertainment Weekly” called the pilot “an irritating tease” and hoped that the second episode would ANSWER some of the questions the premiere ‘asked’ (For most viewers, the producers may have gone a bit too far with the overwhelming quantity of ‘mysteries’).  [ FYI: After all that promotion, “TV By The Numbers” cited that “The Event” had 11.19M viewers, placing it third in its timeslot behind “Dancing With The Stars,” and “Two and a Half Men”! ].

BUT, probably the one thing that ‘peaked’ my interest, was their blog called “TruthSeeker5314” [http://www.truthseeker5314.com/ ] (“5314″…Hummm, Sean and Leila’s cruise ship room #; the Flight was #531; Isn’t 5314 assigned to an asteroid belt?…I digress). Here’s the first post:

“Posted by TruthSeeker on August 31, 2010 at 14:49

If you found this website, it means you’re searching for answers. Seeking the truth. I have decided to start this site to expose some of the fallacies propagated by our government.  Something big is coming, sooner than later.  Something that will change life as we know it.  Some high-level executives inside the Martinez administration are continuing to hide the truth, and I can no longer sit here and passively watch them toy with our future so carelessly.

The truth must be heard.

My position grants me access to highly sensitive information.  In order to continue exposing the truth in these pages, and for considerations that I am sure you understand, I am not at liberty to divulge my true identity.

I am still putting together the pieces of the puzzle and formulating my theories.  And I need your help.  Every document I manage to obtain will be posted on this website.

Together, we will seek out the truth…

– TruthSeeker5314”

The two “truth” statements ‘resonated’ with me a lot—“The truth must be heard,” and “Together, we will seek the truth.”

If you have been reading this monthly ‘newsletter’/blog for any amount of time, you know that it is my utmost desire to SEEK the TRUTH about GOD together, and to present the ‘truths’ I uncover in a straightforward manner for you to DECIDE for yourself.

As I wrote about last month, we all are “searching” for something, and two of the ‘top’ questions humans ask are: “What am I here on this Earth for?” and “Where do I go after I die?”  But, as important as these questions are, I want to ‘lazer focus’ you on what has been termed as “THE EVENT” that ‘changed’ all of humanity—the RESURRECTION of JESUS CHRIST—and if it’s true, the ‘ANSWER’ for these and many other questions about life.

One of the most succinct and easy-to-remember ‘proofs’ for the Resurrection of Jesus was put forth by the President of the “Christian Research Institute,” Hank Hanegraaff. Here is the ‘essence’ of his article (link to PDF after):

“A GARGANTUAN FRAUD OR THE GREATEST FEAT IN HISTORY
If liberal scholars, adherents of world religions, or devotees of the kingdom of the cults are correct, the biblical account of the Resurrection is either fiction, fantasy, or a gargantuan fraud. On the other hand, if Christianity is factually reliable, the Resurrection is the greatest feat in human history. As apologist Josh McDowell puts it, “After more than 700 hours of studying this subject, and thoroughly investigating its foundation, I have come to the conclusion that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the ‘most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted upon the minds of men, or it is the most fantastic fact of history.'” The apostle Paul made it crystal clear that no middle ground exists. The Resurrection is either history or hoax, miracle or myth, fact or fantasy:

‘If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men’ [1 Corinthians 15:14–19].

It is precisely because of the strategic importance of the Resurrection that each Christian must be prepared to defend its historicity. Apologetics—the defense of the faith—has a dual purpose. On the one hand, it involves ‘pre-evangelism’. In post-Christian America few people are aware that belief in the Resurrection is not a blind leap into the dark, but faith founded on fact. It is historic and evidential. Thus, it is defensible. On the other hand, it involves ‘postevangelism’. During an age in which the Resurrection is under siege, knowing how to defend its reliability serves to strengthen our faith.

The Resurrection is not merely important to the historic Christian faith—without it there would be no Christianity. It elevates Christianity above all other world religions. Through the Resurrection Christ demonstrated that He does not stand in a line of peers with Abraham, Buddha, Confucius, or Muhammad. Jesus Christ is utterly unique. He had the power not only to lay down His life, but also to take it up again.

Because of its centrality to Christianity, those who take the sacred name of Christ upon their lips must be prepared to defend the reliability of the Resurrection. To make the process memorable, I’ve developed the acronym F-E-A-T. Each letter in this acronym serves to underscore an undeniable fact of the Resurrection

Fatal torment
The fatal suffering of Jesus Christ is one of the most well-established facts of ancient history. Even in today’s modern age of science and technology, there is a virtual consensus among New Testament scholars, both conservative and liberal, that Jesus died on the cross, that He was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, and that His death drove His disciples to despair.10 The best medical minds of ancient and modern times have demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt that Christ’s physical trauma was fatal…

Empty tomb
John A. T. Robinson of Cambridge conceded that the burial of Jesus Christ “is one of the earliest and best-attested facts about Jesus.” As scholar D. H. van Daalen has noted, “It is extremely difficult to object to the empty tomb on historical grounds; those who deny it do so on the basis of theological or philosophical assumptions.” These statements are not merely dogmatic assertions but rather stand firmly upon sound argumentation…

Appearances
One thing is sure. The apostles did not merely propagate Christ’s teachings; they were absolutely certain that he had appeared to them in the flesh. Although two thousand years removed from the actual event, we too can be absolutely confident in Christ’s postresurrection appearances…

Transformation
What happened as a result of the Resurrection is unprecedented in all of history. In the span of 300 years, a small following of seemingly insignificant believers succeeded in turning an entire empire upside down and conquering it.As has been well said, “They faced the tyrants’ brandished steel, the lions’ gory mane, and the fires of a thousand deaths” because they were utterly convinced that they, like their Master, would one day rise from the grave in glorified, resurrected bodies. While it is conceivable that they would have faced torture, vilification, and even cruel deaths for what they fervently believed to be true, it is inconceivable that they would have been willing to die for what they knew to be a lie…”

[ For the entire article, click the link below to download it:
http://www.equip.org/PDF/DR202.pdf ].

I think the most important thing Hank said was this: “The Resurrection is not merely important to the historic Christian faith—without it there would be no Christianity.”

No other single issue is more central to the Christian faith than the reality of Christ’s resurrection. If the resurrection could be disproved, it would destroy Christianity forever. So, why do I believe that the resurrection is not a hoax?

First off, THE BIBLE. The are many ‘proofs’ for its veracity—Manuscript evidence; Archeology; Prophecy; and Statistical Probability. (There are 456 prophecies mentioned in the Bible, and every one of them were fulfilled exactly as prophesied! Probability expert, Peter Stoner, stated that JUST EIGHT of these prophecies being fulfilled in one man is 1 in 10 to the 17th power (100 Quadrillion). Think of it this way: If you piled silver dollars two foot high over the entire state of Texas, took one and put a red “X” on it, randomly threw it out into the pile, and then sent a blind-folded person to walk around the state and, on the first try, pick it out—unthinkable!—and that’s only EIGHT prophecies).

[ It so happens that Hank Hanegraaff has another resource available of ‘proofs’ associates with the reliabiltiy of the Bible using the M.A.P.S. acronym I used above:
http://www.equip.org/PDF/DB011.pdf ].

[ Even more details of what I just summarized above are available here:
http://www.thesearchformeaning.com/sfm_pres/sp_q4_d1_1of10.html ].

To sum up the accuracy of the Bible, a Jewish archeologist named Nelson Glueck said that “there has NEVER BEEN an archeological discovery that HAS CONTROVERTED a biblical reference.” In the addition to Glueck, one of the best known archeologists of recent time is William F. Allbright. In his view, “archeological discovery after discovery has established the accuracy of the Bible as a source of reliable history.” Thirdly, New Testament scholar Dr. Clark H. Pinnock effectively summarizes it like this: “There exists no document from the ancient world witnessed by so excellent a set of textual and historical testimonies and offering so superb an array of historical data on which an intelligent decision may be made. An honest person cannot dismiss a source of this kind. Skepticism regarding the historical credentials of Christianity is based upon an irrational bias.” [ Note: There are over 5,000 Greek New Testaments, many of which are dated to only 40-60 years after Jesus died—compare that to another ancient document, Caesar’s “Gallic Wars,” which we have only 10 copies of, and the earliest copy is over 900 years after his original!—and no one doubts the veracity of Caesar’s document ].

[ I have listed a few resources, at the end of this ‘post’, that helped me come to the realization that the Bible is true, and the Resurrection of Jesus is a historical fact—maybe they will help you, too ].

So now, remember what “TruthSeeker5314” was so ‘adament’ about?—“Searching for ANSWERS, and seeking THE TRUTH.”  That’s what I am ‘exhorting’ you to do.

Spend as much time as you need investigating the TRUTH of the RESURRECTION of JESUS CHRIST. If this is true, and Jesus is God, I’m thinking that you would be ‘somewhat’ interested in what He had to say, and what He said you should ‘do’ before you leave this Earth. In the Book of John in the Bible, Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” [John 14:6]—Wow, pretty straightforward!

Also in the Book of John, Jesus said, “The Father and I are one” [John 10:30] (and the Jews responded by trying to stone Him to death, and said they were doing this “for blasphemy, because You, a mere man, claim to be God”). Jesus also said He came from Heaven: “I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father” [John 16:28].

Jesus also said that He was the ‘solution’ to the one, seemingly insurmountable ‘problem’—our SINS. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” [John 5:24].

In the Old Testament, Jesus’ pre-existence was foretold in Zechariah 2:10 (…”I am coming to live among you.”), and that He existed from the beginning of time: “He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” [John 1:2-3]. Jesus’ pre-existence remained consistent throughout the entire Bible—even in Revelation—where He said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” [Revelation 22:13].

To help people believe He was God incarnate, Jesus performed many miracles—He controlled nature by calming storms; He cured the sick; He raised people from the dead—but the miracle that matters the most, and the one that ‘proves’ His identity—is what we are discussing here, His Resurrection.

After He arose, He appeared to more than 500 people, and to one “Doubting Thomas.” He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” [John 20:27]. All this confirms that Jesus is the ‘SINLESS SAVIOR’ as expressed in John 3:16. “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

[ A more detailed discussion of some of the previous ‘proofs’ about Jesus being God:http://www.everystudent.com/features/faith.html ].

Hopefully, in marketing terms, I’ve presented you an enticing ‘OFFER’. Let me try to ‘encourage you a bit more by saying, after over 10 years of my own INTENSE investigations (ask Bob, my business partner), trying in every way to ‘discredit’ the Resurrection, the facts DELIVERED bigtime on their ‘promises’, exposing me to the TRUTH of the Resurrection—and changed my life for eternity!

As author Hank Hannegraaff succinctly put it, this is either “a gargantuan fraud, or the greatest feat in history.”  So, let me once again, encourage you to find out for yourself—because today can be YOUR “EVENT,” that can change YOUR “eternity”!

[Excerpts from: Hank Hanegraaff; “The Event” TV series]

To read more about the Resurrection of Jesus, then visit the following link:
http://www.thesearchformeaning.net/sfm_pres/sp_q2_d3_1of10.html

SOME OF THE BEST RESOURCES I KNOW OF FOR YOU TO CONSIDER:

FREE PDF’s (RBC Ministries):
“Who Is This Man Who Says He’s God?”
http://www.rbc.org/uploadedfiles/Bible_Study/Discovery_Series/PDF/Who_Is_This_Man_Who_Says_He_Is_God.pdf

“Did Christ Really Rise From The Dead?”
http://www.rbc.org/uploadedfiles/Bible_Study/Discovery_Series/PDF/Did_Christ_Really_Rise_From_The_Dead.pdf

SHORT ‘OVERVIEW’ ARTICLE (Josh McDowell):
http://www.leaderu.com/everystudent/easter/articles/josh2.html

FREE BOOKS/AUDIO/NOTES/VIDEO (Josh McDowell):
“Evidence For The Resurrection”:
http://www.josh.org/site/c.ddKDIMNtEqG/b.4172665/k.4AD0/Evidence_for_the_Resurrection.htm

VIDEO ‘SUMMARY’ (Josh McDowell) [10 Minutes]:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3try5woSZcA

BOOK (Lee Strobel):
“The Case For Easter” A Journalist Investigates the Evidence for the Resurrection”
http://www.amazon.com/Case-Easter-Journalist-Investigates-Resurrection/dp/0310254752

VIDEOS (Lee Strobel) [varies 1-6 Minutes]:
“The Case For Easter”
http://www.leestrobel.com/videoserver/video.php?clip=strobelT1017
http://www.leestrobel.com/videoserver/video.php?clip=strobelT1016
http://www.leestrobel.com/videoserver/video.php?clip=strobelT1078
http://www.leestrobel.com/videoserver/video.php?clip=strobelT1079
http://www.leestrobel.com/videoserver/video.php?clip=strobelT1080
http://www.leestrobel.com/videoserver/video.php?clip=strobelT1081

VIDEO (Dr. William Lane Craig) [7 Minutes]
http://www.leestrobel.com/videoserver/video.php?clip=strobelT1184

CD (Bob Dutko):
“Top Ten Proofs for the Physical Resurrection of Jesus Christ”
http://toptenproofs.com/product_res.php

WEB SITE (Search Ministries):
“The Search for Meaning”:
http://www.thesearchformeaning.net/

LIFE’S DEEP THOUGHTS (v140) for OCTOBER 2010

(Note: If you have a ‘neat’ story or some thoughts about an issue or current event that you would like me to try to respond to, I would be glad to give it a try…so, send them to me at: mbesh@comcast.net)

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EMBRACE THE TRUTH
If you believe what the Bible says about “Satan” or the “Devil,” then, starting back in the ‘beginning’ of humanity, the Garden of Eden, the Satan LIED to Eve about the “fruit” and the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil”—that she would surely not die if she ate it. You know the rest of the story, and Satan has been LYING to all of us ever since!

Remember what “TruthSeeker5314″ was so ‘adament’ about?…”Seeking the truth” and “Don’t Believe the Lies!”  Seek the truth no matter what it takes—and “embrace the truth, no matter the cost”!

[ FYI: ‘Answers’ from a skeptic, a former Muslim, and a “completed” Jew:
http://embracethetruth.org/home ].

[Mark Besh]

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“Twilight Zone” – “The Whole Truth”

A special Model A automobile compels used car dealer Harvey Hunnicut to tell only the truth. Consequently, he can’t sell a single vehicle on his lot—until he comes up with an unusual marketing idea…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFnSxbeL2n4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qzxhE6qyLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G3oDcy40nw

[Rod Serling – 1961]

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DIED AND ROSE

When the Son come down He was deep within the ground
surrounded by a giant stone
And it’s no surprise that on the Sabbath day
all His pals stayed home

But things were all about to change
and they never were the same

Well, we’re talkin’ cause
He died and rose –
Lord, died and rose!

Well, their leader, Simon Peter, and John the Apostle,
they took a walk to the tomb
And the Gospel came alive when they arrived
and they found an empty room

But they had forgotten His claim
that He’d resurface again

Well, we’re talkin’ ’cause
He died and rose –
Lord, died and rose!

Then He came when the group met Sunday –
They’d locked the doors and shut the room
But standin’ right among them was the man they called Lord
You just should have seen the look in their eyes!

But Thomas would doubt it for eight more days
Till Jesus came when he was there –
He just took one look and he believed!
[1 Corintihians 15:3-5, 1 Thessalonians 4:14)

[A parody by “ApologetiX of “China Grove” by the Doobie Brothers:
http://www.spiritedesign.com/Died_And_Rose(ApologetiX).mp3 ].

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IS THE ‘RESURRECTION’ TRUE?
Simon Greenleaf, one of the greatest lawyers in our time, authored the authoritative three-volume text, “A Treatise on the Law of Evidence” (1842), which is still considered “the greatest single authority on evidence in the entire literature of legal procedure.” Greenleaf literally wrote the rules of evidence for the U.S. legal system. He was an atheist until he accepted a challenge by his students to investigate the case for Christ’s resurrection. Greenleaf became a Christian and wrote the classic, “Testimony of the Evangelists.” He said, “Let [the Gospel’s] testimony be sifted, as it were given in a court of justice on the side of the adverse party, the witness being subjected to a rigorous cross-examination. The result, it is confidently believed, will be an undoubting conviction of their integrity, ability, and truth.”

Sir Lionel Luckhoo (1914-1997) is considered one of the greatest lawyers in British history. He’s recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “World’s Most Successful Advocate,” with 245 consecutive murder acquittals. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II—twice. Luckhoo declared: “I humbly add I have spent more than 42 years as a defense trial lawyer appearing in many parts of the world and am still in active practice. I have been fortunate to secure a number of successes in jury trials and I say unequivocally the evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt.”

[ Lee Strobel – “The Case for Easter” ]

( http://evidence4christianity.blogspot.com/ )

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B.I.B.L.E.

Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth . . .

For God so much loved the world,
That He gave His one and only Son.
That whoever believeth in Him,
Shall not die but live on.

[Bridge]
Living on . . .
Through the Son
Peace almighty
Living on,
Let your heart go
To the one.

Yes the road is narrow.
Yes the road is tough.
But whoever remaineth in Him,
Shall not die, but lift up.

[Bridge]

Basic instructions before leaving earth [4X].

[Burlap to Cashmere]

http://www.spiritedesign.com/BasicInstructions(Burlap).mp3

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DEEP THOUGHT:
“The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is.”

[Winston Churchill]

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Hope you enjoyed some of these insights—share them with your friends and colleagues—so we can have a larger ‘pool’ to receive from, and more to share with!  Also, remember to include your name as the “source,” if some of this wisdom is of your doing—I would like to give credit where credit is due!

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” [John 14:6].

Mark

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Disclaimer: All the above jokes & inspirations are obtained from various sources and copyright are used when known. Other than our name and headers, we do not own the copyright to any of the materials sent to this list. We just want to spread the ministry of God’s love and cheerfulness throughout the world.

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