As we enter 2024, I want to encourage you to keep looking to Jesus because with him the impossible becomes possible. Mary discovered this when the angel appeared and told her she would give birth to a son even though she was a virgin. The angel Gabriel said, “For with God nothing will be impossible.” Then again at the end of Christ's earthly life the impossible became possible as Jesus rose victorious from the grave and conquered death. Neither of these two miracles has ever happened before or since, yet God is still performing the impossible today.

Recently we showed a movie called Breakthrough to a group of mostly Yezidi young people at a Christmas pizza party. You might have seen the movie back in 2019. It is based on the true story of a 14 year-old boy who fell through the ice and sank to the bottom of a lake before the rescuers finally pulled his body out some 15 minutes later. Doctors tried resuscitating him but after 55 minutes without a heartbeat, they gave up hope. The situation seemed utterly impossible. So, it's not surprising that the book on which the movie is based, depicting this astonishing story is titled, Impossible.

After the party was over, I took two siblings home and their parents invited me to come in for a cup of tea. Sitting down on the couch I noticed right beside me an open laptop with the words, BREAK THROUGH, appearing dead centre in bold font! I wondered, “Did their father know the movie we had just watched? Was he reading reviews on the movie so that he could intelligently discuss it with his kids?” This was not the case. He admitted he was simply working on improving his English 'phrasal expressions'! Then I looked closer and noticed the phrase 'break through' was defined: “to overcome an obstacle or difficulty” which fit perfectly with the movie plot highlighting the extreme measures undertaken to try and 'bring John Smith back to life'.

There's an interesting back story as to why we decided to show this particular movie to these young people. A couple of us youth workers had seen the movie Breakthrough and we felt it could positively impact these youth. Most of them had shown little spiritual interest, in fact, over the last couple years several of them repeatedly refused to hear anything about the Bible or Jesus. Leading up to showing the movie we earnestly prayed for a spiritual breakthrough, and we weren't disappointed. We won't stop seeking to engage the youth in meaningful conversations based on the movie, whether visiting in their homes or while playing sports.

I decided to share this riveting story with several non-Christian friends (including six Muslims) and was encouraged to see them respond positively. In fact, most of them have told me that they're planning to see the movie online. One Muslim friend watched the movie this week and excitedly exclaimed “it is really amazing.” We plan to meet soon to reflect on what impressions the movie made. Let me share some observations based on the movie combined with biblical insights showing how to use these simple steps to explain how Jesus' resurrection “broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life.” (2 Tim. 1:10)

I was deeply touched seeing the mother's tearful plea to God when she was finally permitted private time with her son's 'lifeless' body. (He was her only child.) Her tears reminded me of another heart-wrenching story in the Bible involving a grief-stricken mother who had just lost her only son. Jesus said to her, “Don't weep” and then, “filled with compassion,” he raised her son back to life. (Luke 7:11)

I well remember my own experience of weeping inconsolably when I lost my father to cancer at the tender age of eight. Over the years I've experienced the consolation of God as he wiped away my tears. All of this calls to mind a coming day when the “Lord will wipe away all tears” having destroyed death forever. (Isaiah 25:7-9; Rev. 21:3-4) Speaking of tears, calls to mind how Jesus consoled Mary and Martha at the graveside of their dead brother Lazarus. Martha confidently affirmed that Jesus is God's Messiah, agreeing with his declaration, “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:26-27; cf. Revelation 1:17-18)

The movie, Breakthrough, concludes with a thought-provoking question. Soon after John's astonishing recovery, he returns to school and his teacher shares with him the sad story how her husband had died from a severe illness barely a year earlier. John's miracle made her feel (understandably) perplexed, “Couldn't God have intervened and answered her prayers?” Jesus didn't bring everyone back to life who had died during his life on earth, and this is also true today. Not everyone experiences God's miraculous intervention, but Jesus does promise that at the end he will miraculously raise all who are in the grave, some to eternal life and some to judgment. (John 5:29-30) Here is another perplexing point to ponder: John 11:35 tells us that “Jesus wept” but he also felt “deep anger welling up within him.” (John 11:33,38) Why?... Click HERE read full article.