In reflecting back on the recent Easter Celebration (the Christian celebration of Jesus coming alive from the grave) many churches are trying to assess what happened. By many innovative presentations, churches were able to attract large numbers to their Services. But few have been able to count lasting results. The presentation of the truth of life after death made no lasting effect. Why? Because we live in a time in the western world where people have no Christian memory.
There are now third generations of families who have never gone into a church building, owned a Bible, or heard a positive Christian message. That’s why I began earlier by defining Easter. A like number of people are ignorant about Christmas. These are not atheists, or agnostics who have rejected the truth, this is the generation that is totally ignorant of the Bible. Called by some “Generation X” or the “lost generation” they are to be handled gently because of spiritual ignorance..
The resurrection of Jesus blows right by the person with no spiritual perception. God foretold this situation in Amos 8:11 (NIV) “the days are coming, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I will send a famine through the land, not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord.”
Churches are going to have to do more than concerts or conferences to confront current ignosticism. Faithful and caring sharing of the Word of God from the Bible can create a basis for response to the news of Jesus. Remember Paul’s words in Romans 10:17 (NIV) “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of God”?
This ignostic generation will respond when the “ignorance barrier” is removed. “Now this is eternal Life: that they may know You, the Only true god, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3 NIV)
“Help us who know much about the Bible that we were not always as
smart as we are now. Help us to be walking Bibles, living the truth. Amen”
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