Describing the Bible study, Johnston shared that he was able to film on location at all of the resurrection sites in Jerusalem, which include the garden tomb, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and Lazarus’ tomb.
Johnston told ChurchLeaders that one of the reasons he wrote “Body of Proof” was because he became burdened by the fact that, in today’s world, “there’s such a huge focus on the cross and we don’t really hear, other than a footnote, the resurrection. And without the resurrection, the cross is meaningless.”
“Jesus is not behind us in a tomb. He’s not behind us on a cross. He is before us on a throne physically and alive,” Johnston said. “I want my kids to know that. I’m a dad of five kids, and I want them to have a resurrection-centric faith.”
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The other reason that prompted Johnston to write the Bible study was the mental health crisis our world is currently facing. “One hundred times in the New Testament, the word hope appears,” he said, citing 1 Peter 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
“Apostle Paul says that we have a hope that never dies—it can’t disappoint,” Johnston continued. “When you start tracing all these hope passages, they’re all tied to the fact of the resurrection. And so no matter what I’m facing today, I face it with resurrection faith and resurrection energy.”
Johnston used the word hope over 140 times in the Bible study and said that he didn’t even mean to. “I think that’s indicative and illustrative of the power of the resurrection. I am so much more confident now in my faith having been to these spots,” Johnston said. “They’re unimpeachable. I’ve seen the impact they made. And now I get to pass that on to my kids, my friends, and people who hopefully do the Bible study.”
Find out more about Johnston’s “Body of Proof” Bible Study at Lifeway.
