CSI:
“Evidence of Life”
Alleluia, Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
As some of you know, I write video reviews for Lutheran Partners magazine. In the course of that work I receive press releases and DVDs for review from
Then imagine my even greater surprise when attached to that email was a file containing the shooting script for the pilot episode of what appears to be a groundbreaking addition to the CSI franchise: a CSI that would be the first set in a foreign country, and which takes place 2000 years ago in the first century A.D. The pilot script is titled: CSI:
GG: My name is Gilead Grissimus. I run Jerusalem CSI -- the Crucifixion Scene Investigation unit. Jewish by birth, I become a Roman citizen and took a Roman surname. That means I live and work in the no-man’s land between the Roman occupiers and my fellow Jews. It’s a life filled with tension and danger as my crucifixion scene investigators and I deal with the hundreds and sometimes thousands of crucifixions every year in the
I’d prided myself on being a man of reason and logic. But this most recent case challenged everything I built my life upon as my CSI team found itself confronting evidence of life after death. The case began very early one spring morning.
GG: The pounding on door was so loud, I flew out of bed like a catapult shot. I had a feeling this meant trouble. And I wasn’t disappointed. The Roman courier at the door was outlined in the first light of dawn. He grinned as he gave me the bad news.
RC: “Hail Grissimus!”
GG: “Hail you!”
RC: Well Griss, looks like the boss has a hot one for you. One of your boys from Friday’s
GG: Terrific! It had been a long Passover -- a mysterious ten-chariot pileup on the Sanhedrin Expressway, a baffling suicide by hanging a couple days ago -- what kind of nutjob would kill himself and leave a bag of silver at the foot of the tree? And now this missing body. Probably a straight-up grave robbery, but with all the crazy stuff going in the last week, who knew? And if CSI had screwed up, it could mean the end of the team and a reservation for me on one those wooden crosses.
So I jumped into a clean toga, girded my loins, and made for the cemetery. The flashing red and blue lanterns on a half dozen police chariots told me I’d found the right place.
GG: Well, if it isn’t Centurion Bronze. What have we got here?
CB: You’re the crucifixion expert, Grissimus. You tell me. All I know is I’ve got an empty tomb, fleeing witnesses, some pretty wild rumors about the former resident of that tomb, and not much in the way of evidence. We’ve got APBs out for a young man dressed in shining white and some known associates of the dead man. What I know for sure is your team certified this Jesus of
GG: But I reviewed the report, checked and double-checked the data. All the labs came back consistent with death. Evidence of shock, trauma, nail and spear wounds. Usual crucifixion cause of death. I stand by the team’s findings. There was no evidence of life in this Jesus as of
CB: Tell that to the big guy. Here’s Pilate himself. You’ve really stepped in this time, G-man.
PP: Grissimus, I want you to put a cork in this bottle. I almost had a riot with this Jesus on Friday. I don’t want an insurrection tomorrow.
GG: But there’s evidence here that something happened this morning. It just doesn’t add up yet. I’m sure there’s an explanation.
PP: There is. And that explanation is grave robbers.
GG: But I’ve got loose ends, like the unsub in shining white robes reported talking to witnesses at the scene.
PP: Don’t go there, Grissimus. There is no unsub. There are no loose ends . . .
GG: But the evidence . . .
PP: You can play with your precious evidence until your toga smells like an old camel. But I can already tell you what you will find: a case of simple grave robbery -- perp or perps unknown. The last thing this God-forsaken backwater of the empire needs is more religious and political unrest. I want this case closed -- today!
GG: As Pilate left, I spotted a mane of gorgeous red hair walking my way. I didn’t recognize her, but if she was involved with the missing body, this case had suddenly taken a turn for the better.
MM: Mr. Grissimus, I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation with the Governor. Perhaps I can help. My name is Mary Magdalene. I am one of the witnesses to the empty tomb.
GG: I’m not gonna pull any punches Miss Magdalene, did you flee the scene this morning?
MM: I don’t deny it. I know Jesus well. I believe he is who he says he is. The Messiah, the Son of God. It was a horrible shock this week when he was wrongfully accused and condemned. And then to see him executed, it was too much. My world was shattered. When I gathered my wits I came back to see if perhaps Jesus had come back here.
GG: You keep talking in the present tense, like this Jesus is alive. I hate to break it to you, but CSI team pronounced him dead right there on
MM: I’m sure you do. And your work is 100% correct. Jesus was dead. And buried. But today, on the third day, he was raised from the dead. That’s why his body is missing. Not because the body was stolen, but because He lives. Present tense, not past. He has destroyed death for all who believe.
GG: So where’s the evidence. Evidence never lies. An empty tomb isn’t evidence. The words of an alleged young man in white are just hearsay. They wouldn’t stand up in a court of law.
MM: They wouldn’t stand up in a court of law because they are gospel. Those words are the good news about Jesus Christ. And after following Jesus, I no longer put my faith in evidence. I believe in the God who created the evidence in which you believe. And I believe in that God’s Son, my Lord, Jesus Christ.
I didn’t receive test results or proofs from Jesus. I received faith. And through that faith I have discovered the truth about who He is and therefore, who I am. Not by forensic evidence and police interrogations, but by simple faith in the person of Jesus Christ, who suffered, died and was buried -- I saw it all -- and who was resurrected by his Father in heaven this very morning.
GG: I felt my life spinning out of control. Maybe it was my turn to have my worlds shattered. Her words were confusing and disorienting enough, but I was beginning to think I was falling in love, that hair those eyes . . . then it hit me [SLAP!] A right cross to the jaw. Man, that woman packed a wallop.
MM: Snap out of it Grissimus! I know what you’re thinking and I don’t like it! Stay focused on what I’m telling you. It’s not about me, not about you, it’s about Him. The truth about Him, because He is the truth. Everything comes from Him -- especially life. You want evidence of life? Believe in Him. Believe in what God in Jesus Christ has done for you this morning by being raised from the dead. What more do you need?
GG: Oh Mary, Who are you? Who . . . who are you? I really wanna know!
MM: Sheesh. Get a clue! Not me, Him. You really wanna know Him. You really want to believe in Him. It’s way beyond evidence; it’s about life, life out of death. Jesus is evidence of life! Look Grissimus, let me tell you about Jesus. If you’re really interested in me, come to
GG: I’d like to see this Jesus, the walking talking evidence of life after death. But I from you’ve said, I feel like I‘ve already met him. But I’d hate to think that your giving me the brush-off. I hope you’re telling me that you’d at least consider changing your name to Mary Grissimus? [CSI Theme HERE]
Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! He is the Evidence of Life!
ALLELUIA!
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