April 12, 2022. The rush hour subway shooting in Brooklyn grabbed our attention and launched a breakneck news cycle. Only 2 months later, Brooklyn is just one of many shocking national tragedies.
“Here is what we know”.
That is the jarring, live TV news prelude to updated calamities. “Here is what we know!”
During those first hours of the Brooklyn attack, I stayed glued to our news channel like everyone else. At first, “what they knew” in Brooklyn was limited to a few high level facts:
“Brooklyn, subway, shooting, victims. No idea why, no suspect, no info on the victims, etc.”
Thanks to smart phones and social media, more details quickly burst forward. Images and video revealed some of the horrifying aftermath. Smoke in the subway tunnel. First responders treating the injured.
Soon, “what we know” became “what I saw” as actual eye witnesses came forward and shared their accounts. As you’d expect, people experienced different perspectives of the scene. Some were closer to the assailant than others. Some were less flustered, less frightened and better able to narrate their account.
Within hours, most of the available information had been collected, verified and pieced together for all to see.
Many years from now, “what we know” of this tragedy will likely be unchanged: Brooklyn, subway, shooting, victims and their loved ones, disturbed suspect apprehended, heartbreaking for all. Don’t misunderstand…many other details are accessible in abundance; but most people will absorb just the “what we know” summary. Except the families. Except the loved ones. They will relentlessly pursue every new detail, including anything to help determine… “why?”
I let myself ponder for a moment how a disturbing event might have been handled in the time of Jesus Christ… “Here is what we know:”
“Empty tomb after ‘miracle messiah’ crucified and declared dead, disciples rejoice and cite holy prophecy, authorities deny and search for answers.”
There were no smart phones, but the same post-event narrative process took place. Credible eye-witness bystanders naturally experienced different perspectives from multiple locations. The garden, Jewish Sanhedrin, Herod’s palace, Pilate’s court (not guilty), public flogging, dragged-cross through the streets, crucifixion (no broken bones), donated tomb sealed with stone, Roman guard, risen! All these accounts were collected, scrutinized and compiled. And that was only the final week of Jesus’ life!
It triggered an unprecedented pre-event deep dive. The scrutiny of what led up to that final week and why. More eye witness accounts and prophetic scriptural research. Family members and friends all wanted to get it right. Authorities hoped to pursue and discredit anything that glorified the rebel Jesus.
Of course, Jesus Christ, “Here is what we know,” is riveting history, and thoroughly documented in the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Today’s secular skeptics might re-craft a “what we know” news summary to read something like: “Roman crucifixion ends rabble rousing philosopher; misguided followers left with inconsequential moralizing…” That is the diluted, disingenuous summation of Jesus’ ministry - and of Christian believers by inference! The false headline is easy to absorb, but it fails to dig into eye-witness accounts, centuries of prophetic “back story” and many comparable details by secular authors of the time.
“Here is what we know:”
God made all things and it was good in the garden. Then came sin. Generations of people failed to follow God’s commandments. Sin progressively eroded culture and God’s favor. A Savior was prophesied, became incarnate via humble birth to a poor family, led a miraculous ministry, inspired new hope of love-mercy-forgiveness, was crucified, risen from the dead, faithful believers further advanced his message of love, mercy, forgiveness and Grace across centuries and continents. Eternal life remains in the balance for believers and non-believers to choose.
2Timothy 4:3-4. “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”
What do you believe? What will you do based on what you now know?
