1. LEADER PREPARATION

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1 apologetics: Jesus Christ Lesson 3: The Reality of the Resurrection This includes: 1. Leader Preparation 2. Lesson Guide 1. LEADER PREPARATION LESSON OVERVIEW Since its birth, Christianity has faced attacks from non-christians and been deemed irrational, superstitious, absurd, and a scam. One of the most frequently targeted core doctrines of Christianity is the resurrection of Jesus. Many critics have tried to explain away the Resurrection, but the historical evidence just can t be discounted. In this lesson, your students will thoroughly examine the evidence that supports this historical event. LESSON OBJECTIVES 1. WHAT: When we examine the historical facts, we find an abundance of evidence that confirms the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 2. WHY: Jesus resurrection is the most important event in the history of humanity, and teenagers can be equipped to explain to people why it s supported by evidence. 3. HOW: Your students will discuss historical and biblical evidence about the way different people reacted to the risen Christ, how their lives were changed, and the signs that lead us to trust the biblical account of Jesus resurrection. PRIMARY SCRIPTURE Matthew 27:57 28:15 SECONDARY SCRIPTUREs Luke 24:1-12; John 20:19-29; Acts 8:1-3; Romans 1:1-4; 4:25 5:2; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 17-20; 2 Corinthians 11:24-28; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13

TEACHING PREP The overview below is designed to help you prepare for your lesson. We have included lots of content to help you prepare for the discussion on apologetics.

2 TEACHING PREP The overview below is designed to help you prepare for your lesson. We have included lots of content to help you prepare for the discussion on apologetics. While you may not want to convey this information word-for-word with your teenagers, you ll definitely want to refer to it as you lead and some of the content can help with further conversations with students. Read Matthew 27:57 28:15. The church throughout its early years suffered intense persecution at the hands of both the Jews and Romans, yet it flourished. Many of the first missionaries of the Christian faith died a martyr s death because of their belief in Jesus Christ. Why were these early Christians willing to face death for their belief in Jesus Christ? It was because they were convinced of the historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that this event proved without a doubt that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and the one and only Savior of the world. Historical Background The message of the early church was always centered on the historical fact of Jesus resurrection. This was not some theological myth that began circulating decades later among the followers of Jesus Christ. It was a message proclaimed immediately: In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:1-3). Without the Resurrection, Luke couldn t have written that entire passage. Jesus ministry would have been sealed in the tomb and covered by the stone. Death would have been the destination. But notice what the rest of that passage says. Jesus appeared to the apostles and proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. The phrase he proved to them in many ways includes the translation of the Greek word tekmerion. The root of this word means a fixed boundary, goal, end. In this context, tekmerion means a fixed and sure sign, evidence, or proof. This word emphasizes that there was undeniable proof and evidence for the resurrection of Jesus.

3 Luke was a historical physician who was well-practiced in gathering evidence, and he specifically chose this special word for sure historical proof, the strongest type of legal evidence. Luke also adds the word many. Luke is telling us that he himself has carefully examined the evidence. From the beginning, some have rejected Jesus resurrection as a hoax, a tale, a lie, or fiction. A number of theories have been advanced to disprove the Resurrection, but all have been solidly discredited by one historical scholar after another. If this is true, why do people make these claims to refute Jesus resurrection? One reason is that most people who stand against Jesus and his followers have never examined the evidence themselves because of preconceived prejudice, philosophical bias, and unbelief in the miraculous work of God. Archaeological discoveries continue to support the Bible s historical accuracy (as we talked about in the second lesson of the apologetics overview series). We tend to forget that the Gospels and book of Acts are eyewitness accounts of the life and death of Jesus. Further non-biblical evidence for Jesus existence comes from such sources as Flavius Josephus, Cornelius Tacitus, Lucian of Samosata, and the Jewish Sanhedrin. Reliability of the New Testament As you lead your students through this study, you may need to remind them of the reliability of the New Testament. In the 19th century many critics attacked the reliability of the biblical text, but discoveries of ancient texts helped to validate the accuracy of the New Testament manuscripts. From William F. Albright s perspective, the New Testament was written no later than 80 years after the death of Jesus. He is quoted as saying, We can already say emphatically that there is no longer any solid basis for dating any book of the New Testament after about A.D. 80, two full generations before the date between 130 and 150 given by the more radical New Testament critics of today. With this in mind, we can be convinced that the writings of the New Testament are accurate, because at the time of their writing and subsequent circulation we have no historical record of people refuting the claims of Paul as he spoke openly about the resurrection of Jesus and what it meant for the church.

4 Jewish Burial Customs The body of Jesus, in accordance with Jewish burial custom, was wrapped in a linen cloth. That custom included mixing about 75 pounds of aromatic spices (myrrh and aloes) to form a gummy substance that was then smothered on the lifeless body. After the body was covered in this burial mixture, strips of cloth were wrapped around the body (John 19:39-40). Large two-ton stones were typically rolled (by means of levers) against a tomb entrance. For politically focused burials, a Roman guard of strictly disciplined fighting men was stationed to guard the tomb. If a guard was present to watch over a tomb, a Roman seal was then affixed on the tomb to prevent any attempt at vandalizing the grave. Anyone who would try to remove the stone from the tomb s entrance would break the seal and would face the wrath of the Roman authorities. As we combine what we read in the Gospels and historical data on Jewish and Roman culture, we see that countless security precautions were taken regarding Jesus trial, crucifixion, burial, and sealing of the tomb precautions that make it very difficult for critics to defend their position that Christ did not rise from the dead. THE BEFORE & AFTER [optional] Text Message Questions We ve provided a couple of different text message questions to send out to your students prior to your meeting. Feel free to use one or both of the questions below. As with the rest of the curriculum, edit these questions to fit the needs of your ministry. What s one thing in life you re 100% sure of? Tell us tonight as we talk about why we can be sure Jesus resurrection really happened. When you re scared, what gives you courage? Find out tonight how Jesus resurrection gave the disciples courage in a tough time.

5 Parent We ve provided you with an below that you can send to parents following the lesson. Our hope is to encourage parents to continue the conversation at home. Feel free to edit and customize the to fit your ministry needs. Dear parents, We are continuing our apologetics series that focuses on understanding Jesus foundational truths that will help teenagers as they explain and defend their faith in Christ. This week we talked about the evidence that validates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the most central event in the Christian faith, and the Bible teaches us that if Jesus was not raised from the dead, then we have no hope in our faith. The evidence from the apostles, as well as the Apostle Paul s changed life, is greatly encouraging. If the risen Christ can empower terrified disciples, who locked themselves in a room out of fear, to stand up and preach just a few weeks later, then imagine what he can do in our lives. If Jesus appearance to the most notorious Christian persecutor propelled him to change into the most passionate church planter this planet has ever seen, then the resurrection of Jesus has great power in our lives. Here are some questions that could help spur conversation this week with your teenager: As someone who hasn t seen Jesus like his disciples did, how have you struggled with doubts about faith or God? What evidence for Jesus resurrection do you find strongest and most persuasive? Why? How can this week s discussion help you as you talk with people who reject or are unsure of the reality of Jesus resurrection? There is a wealth of evidence that upholds the historical facts of Jesus resurrection. Have some fun asking your teenagers what they learned about it. Have a great week!

6 apologetics: jesus christ Lesson 3: The Reality of the Resurrection 2. LEsson guide GETTING THINGS STARTED [optional] Welcome your students and invite them into your meeting area. Open in prayer, and then Tell us about a time a friend claimed to have done something, but you found it impossible to believe because you didn t witness it for yourself. Why were you unable to believe it really happened? Now tell us about a time when you easily believed what a friend said, even though you didn t witness it. What made the difference? Why did you believe that story? Do you find it difficult to believe that Jesus really came back to life after his crucifixion? Why or why not? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: It s been said that the resurrection of Jesus is either one of the greatest con jobs in all of history or the most remarkable event humanity has ever seen. Jesus was born in a humble setting, was brought up in a Jewish family, followed the customs of his culture, and ministered to many people and then he was betrayed and arrested, condemned as a criminal, sentenced to death, and executed in the cruelest way possible. Three days after his death, some women went to his tomb but found his body missing. In the following weeks, the risen Jesus spent time with his closest friends and appeared to more than 500 of his followers. His disciples became infused with a courage that they previously lacked and boldly preached his gospel after he ascended into heaven. The central event of the Resurrection is the reason the message of Jesus has spread around the world and has carried from generation to generation. TEACHING POINTS The goal of the Teaching Points is to help students capture the essence of each lesson with more discussion and less lecture-style teaching. The main points we have chosen are (1) We see evidence in the empty tomb, (2) We see evidence in the first eyewitnesses, (3) We see evidence from the apostles and others, and (4) We see the evidence of Paul s life.

7 Remember: All throughout these lessons, it s up to you to choose (1) how many questions you use, and (2) the wording of the main points keep ours, or change the wording to make it clearer for your audience. Read Matthew 27:57 28:15 together as a group. Consider dividing verses among your students so everyone has a chance to read. SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Let s take a few minutes to explore evidence that points to the validity of Jesus resurrection. 1. We see evidence in the empty tomb Imagine sitting on a jury in a criminal trial. Each attorney presents information and evidence in an attempt to persuade you to support either the prosecution or the defense. What kind of evidence would you find most persuasive, and why? What do you find most remarkable in this passage of Scripture? Why? Look at verses What is the significance of this conversation? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: The departure of the Roman guards at the tomb was significant because Roman military discipline was incredibly remarkable. If a guard left his post for any reason, that particular guard could be put to death by being stripped of his garments and burned alive by a fire that was started with his own clothes. If it wasn t clear which soldier had failed to do his duty, then they would cast dice to see which one would be punished. The religious leaders told the Roman guards to concoct a story about the disciples coming to steal the body of Jesus. Based on what we read in this passage about the tomb of Jesus, why was it not possible for anyone to steal his body? Do you think the Romans and religious leaders might have removed Jesus body from the tomb? Why or why not?

8 SAY SOMETHING LIKE: The Romans and the religious leaders wouldn t have stolen the body of Jesus. They wanted to keep the body in the tomb and leave it sealed to demonstrate that Jesus was dead. And the disciples couldn t have overcome the Roman guard and rolled away the stone. Plus, once Jesus followers began preaching that he had been resurrected, the leaders and Romans did not produce Jesus body to contest their claims. The empty tomb is powerful evidence of the resurrection of Jesus. 2. We see evidence in the first eyewitnesses SAY SOMETHING LIKE: We can trust that the Bible is accurate because of the overwhelming historical and archaeological evidence that supports every manuscript used to make up the 66 books of the Bible. Keep this in mind as we move on in our conversation. Read Luke 24:1-12. Why would the women s story have sounded like nonsense to the men? How can bias affect your willingness to believe a person s story? Based on what you know from the New Testament, what were some ways Jesus challenged the culture s views toward outcasts and social rejects? Why is it significant that the writers of the Gospels identified the first witnesses of Jesus resurrection as women? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Unfortunately, in that particular culture, the testimony of women was not highly regarded or even allowed in court. Women were treated as second-class citizens. Yet the Bible clearly tells us that women were the first to see the empty tomb, women informed the disciples of the empty tomb, and the risen Christ first appeared to Mary Magdalene. The writers of the Gospels who were men had no choice but to include this potentially embarrassing fact really, an act of God s favor because that s how it happened.

9 3. We see evidence from the apostles and others Read John 20: Were Thomas doubts reasonable or unreasonable? Why? As someone who hasn t seen Jesus like his disciples did, how have you struggled with doubts about faith or God? Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-8. Why was it important that Paul mention Jesus appearance to hundreds of people and why did Paul point out that most of them were still alive when he wrote this letter? Look at John 20 again. Why were Jesus first words to the disciples a message of peace? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Jesus appeared to his followers on several occasions after his resurrection. The sheer number of witnesses is a major piece of evidence to the validity of Jesus resurrection. And we also find support through the lives of these early Christians who witnessed the risen Jesus. The disciples had seen their master die, they had lost hope, and they were downtrodden, heartbroken, and distraught. But the Resurrection changed the disciples, and these fearful and downcast followers boldly spread the message of Jesus. Tell us about a time you boldly did something for God. What did you learn from that experience? These early apostles faced intense persecution and even death for their faith. What does that reveal about their belief in Jesus Christ? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: The church throughout its early years suffered intense persecution yet flourished. Many of the first missionaries of the Christian faith died a martyr s death because of their belief in Jesus Christ. People will not die claiming a lie, but people will go to the grave knowing they are proclaiming the truth. These followers of Christ were convinced that Jesus resurrection really happened, and that this proved without a doubt that Jesus was the Son of God and the Savior. 4. We see the evidence of Paul s life Read Acts 8:1-3. At this point in his life, the Apostle Paul was still known by the name Saul. How would you summarize Saul s attitude toward Jesus and his followers?

Read 2 Corinthians 11:24-28. In Acts 9, we read about Paul s conversion, and here in 2 Corinthians were learn about the troubles Paul had as he fulfilled his mission of sharing the message of Jesus.

10 Read 2 Corinthians 11: In Acts 9, we read about Paul s conversion, and here in 2 Corinthians were learn about the troubles Paul had as he fulfilled his mission of sharing the message of Jesus. What could make a person willingly accept or endure such intense sufferings without a deep certainty about Jesus? Why is it significant that Christianity s most violent enemy became Christianity s most devout missionary? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: On one of Paul s long, dusty commutes to persecute Christians, he encountered Jesus. Paul was on his way to arrest followers of Jesus in Damascus when the course of his life changed forever. This man was no friend of Jesus; he was the most intense persecutor of the Christians. Yet when he encountered the risen Jesus, the persecutor became the missionary. That s powerful evidence that Jesus truly did come back to life. ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION [optional] Ask students to form groups of two or three for these questions. Read the following verses and discuss how each Scripture can give you hope: Romans 1:1-4, Romans 4:25 5:2, 1 Corinthians 15:17-20, Philippians 3:20-21, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13. Which evidence for Jesus resurrection do you find strongest and most persuasive? Why? Bring everyone back together and ask for students to share answers to the previous questions, as time permits. APPLICATION How can encountering the risen Jesus empower people to be bold today? How has today s conversation impacted your perspective on Jesus resurrection? How can today s discussion help you as you talk with people who reject or are unsure of the reality of Jesus resurrection?

11 SUMMARY End your lesson here. Provide your teenagers with a quick summary or take-home challenge based on (1) the content of this lesson, (2) the dialogue that took place during the lesson, (3) your understanding of the issues and struggles your teenagers are facing, and (4) the big picture of your youth ministry and what your leadership team wants accomplished with the teaching and discussion time. FOR KEEPS [MEMORY VERSE] Encourage and/or challenge your teenagers to memorize the verse below. Then Jesus told him, You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me (John 20:29).

Find out more at KidsAnswers.org

Find out more at KidsAnswers.org 1 1 The number of people who have risen from the dead and who are still alive today! Jesus Christ is the only one in all of history who suffered death, was raised to life, and continues to live today.