7/2/2016. The Resurrection is all about Hope. The Resurrection. You Can Have Hope!

Transcription

1 The Resurrection The Resurrection is all about Hope You Can Have Hope!

2 7/2/2016 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, (1 Peter 3:15, NIV84)

3 Five E s of the Resurrection Execution Empty Tomb End of other Messianic Movements Eyewitnesses Early Creed The Execution on a Roman Cross The Execution of Jesus on a Roman Cross Virtually Every scholar concedes Jesus was crucified on a Roman Cross All German, French, English N.T. Scholarship Over the Last 30 Year Jesus Seminar of 1990 s believes in the Crucifixion Minimal Facts Approach

4 The Empty Tomb Jewish and Roman historians concurred that the tomb was empty Women discovered the tomb empty, couldn t testify, better to have Peter or John see the resurrection Byzantine Roman Emperor Justinian in his Digest 49:16 lists eighteen offenses for which a Roman guard unit could be put to death. These included falling asleep or leaving one s position unguarded The Empty Tomb The Jewish Leaders Claimed the Body was Stolen for 200 Years The Empty Tomb Disciples lacked motive to steal the body, didn t want to be tortured for a Lie.

5 The Disciples First Preached the Resurrection In Jerusalem When Peter saw this, he said to them: Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. (Acts 3:12 13, NIV84) You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. (Acts 3:14 15, NIV84) and Acts2:22-24 End of other Messianic Movements

6 From 50 BC to 150 AD 10 to a 12 Messianic/Prophetic Movements All ended in the violent deaths of their leader Two Options for the Followers of the Movements Find a new Messiah, a brother, uncle or whoever would step forward Or, Pick up your ball and go home James the Brother of Jesus James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. (James 1:1, NIV84) The Eyewitnesses

7 Have You Ever Been to a Funeral? For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. (1 Corinthians 15:3 5, NIV84) After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:6 8, NIV84) Saul of Tarsus

8 Saul of Tarsus, the Persecutor of the Church 1. Paul s character was radically transformed -Intolerant, bitter, persecuting, religious bigot proud and temperamental -New creature patient, kind, enduring and self sacrificing 2. Paul s relationship with the followers of Jesus was transformed Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. (Acts 9:19, NLT) Saul of Tarsus Radically Transformed 3. Paul s Message was transformed And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, He is indeed the Son of God! (Acts 9:20, NLT) Saul Transformed 4. Paul s mission was transformed- All those who heard him were astonished and asked, Isn t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests? Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. (Acts 9:21 22, NIV84) Elias Andrews, Principal of Queens College Many have found in the radical transformation of this Pharisee of Pharisees the most convincing evidence of the truth and the power of the religion of which he was converted, as well as the ultimate worth and place of the Person of Christ.

9 James the Brother Of Jesus After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus brothers said to him, You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. (John 7:1 3, NIV84) No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world. For even his own brothers did not believe in him. (John 7:4 5, NIV84) When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, He is out of his mind. (Mark 3:21, NIV84)

10 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, (1 Corinthians 15:7, NIV84) James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. (James 1:1, NIV84) Apostles Who Preached the Resurrection Died a Martyrs Death Peter, originally called Simon, was crucified Paul beheaded in Rome James the Brother of Jesus James, son of Zebedee, was killed by the sword The Early Creed

11 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. (1 Corinthians 15:3 5, NIV84) After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, (1 Corinthians 15:6 7, NIV84) and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:8, NIV84) Paul s Statement -Important information -Received and passed along -Appeared to peter and then the 12 -Most who are still living, CHECK OUT THE FACT -Appeared to James, then all the apostles and to me Paul

12 Date 2 to 8 years after the life of Jesus -No huge gap of time -News flash in the ancient world, like twitter, or snapchat A.N. Sherwin White Classic Historian, Cambridge University - The Passage of two generations of passage of time is not enough for legends to grow up -Take that much time at least to WIPE OUT SOLID ACCOUNT OF THE TRUTH Gary Habermas vs Sir Anthony Flew Debate on the Resurrection in 1985 Flew had no answer for the 1 Cor 15 Creed. 4 out of 5 Independent Judges to this debate agreed that Habermas won. The other judge was undecided.

13 Have You Run Out of Hope? For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. (Romans 8:20 21, NIV84) We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:22 23, NIV84)

14 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:24 25, NIV84) In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God s will. (Romans 8:26 27, NIV84)