Christian Apologetics Class Session #7 3:00 to 4:30 PM 9 October 2013! Teacher: Mr. Darryl Record, MA Christian Apologetics! International Fishers: Christian Evidence Ministry
Bible Prophecy and the Historical Jesus Chapter 15 Prophecy: The Bible Accurately Predicts the Future.
Evidence that Bible is God s Word Review: 1. The Creator of the universe, earth, and all life exists. 2. Of all the books that claim to a message from the Creator-God the Bible is the most likely candidate to actually be genuine. 1. Unique: Age, Popularity, and Survival 2. Historical Accuracy Confirmed 3. Scientific Accuracy Confirmed
Additional Evidence 4. Fulfilled Prophecies Only the Creator-God, who is outside of time because He created it, can fully see and control the future. No created being such as humans, Satan, can predict the future with 100% certainty. This is why fortunetellers are sometimes right and sometimes wrong. (Page 65).
Prophecy
Prophecy!! Jeremiah 28:9 But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the LORD only if his prediction comes true.
Prophecy: Deuteronomy 18:19-22 19 If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account. 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death. 21 You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD? 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
Bible vs. Other Books There are over 2,000 specific prophecies in the Bible which have already been fulfilled. This is particularly astounding when we recall that there are no such prophecies in the scriptures of any other religion For example, the writings of Buddha are totally lacking in any sort of specific predictive prophecy about the things of the future. In the writings of Confucius, there is absolutely nothing of any predictive prophecies.
In the case of the Koran, the scriptures of the Muslims, we find only the prophecy of Mohammed that he would return to Mecca, a self-fulfilling prophecy, which he himself, of course, fulfilled. This is quite different from the prophecy of Christ, who said that he would rise from the dead. And that is just one of several thousands of prophecies that occur in the Scriptures and which are of the most specific, concrete, and definite nature. Dr. D. James Kennedy http:// www.christiananswers.net/q-aiia/ prophecy1.html
Examples of Fulfilled Prophecies 1. City of Tyre 2. City of Nineveh 3. City of Babylon 4. Israel 5. Messiah 6. Jesus Prophecies! 66-68 Christianity: Reasons for Faith
Chapter 16: Unity Bible Koran Book of Mormon Buddhism 66 Books 40 Authors 3 Languages + 1,500 Years ONE UNIFIED MESSAGE 1 Angel Gabriel 1 Man- Muhammad One message? 1 Angel/Spirit Moroni 1 Man-Joseph Smith Rough Draft many revisions! http:// www.mazeministr y.com/machine/ index.htm 1 Vision 1 Man 1 Religion! Scriptures are hard to define.
Chapter 17: Explains Life Bible: People cannot do enough good deeds to earn salvation. Jesus has already done everything necessary to save us, if we accept Him.! Other Religions: You must do good deeds to save yourself.
Explains Life Bible: Explains the origin of evil, sin, and suffering (Genesis 2-3)! Other Religions: deny that suffering is real.! Bible also explains: Beauty, Justice, Love, and Eternity better than other religions.
Chapter 18: Transforms Lives Those who correctly follow the Bible are more positively transformed than in other religions.!! Forgiveness: Former-Khmer Rouge soldiers become Christian because of Christ s forgiveness, Buddhism only has bad Karma.! Value of Human Life! Equality! Stewardship of Private Property
Transformation What if Jesus Had Never Been Born? D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe Civilizations Public Education Universities Charities End of Slavery Equality Science Limited Government Economic Development
Chapter 19: Honest About Human Nature. Self-help Religions!! Buddhism! Islam! Mormonism! Secular Humanism
Honesty Bible: Humans are sinful and we cannot save ourselves. Buddhism: Suffering is caused by desire. We can save ourselves through eightfold path. Islam: Humans are sinful. We can save ourselves through the five pillars. Mormonism: As man is God was, as God is man may become. Lorenzo Snow LDS Pres. Secular Humanism: Humans are not sinful. We can save ourselves through good government.
Our Sin Nature Romans 7:21-24! Noah-Drunkenness Abraham-Lying Moses-Murder David-Adultery and Murder Peter-Denied Christ
Can t Invent a Self-Condemning Religion People could not have invented a religion that teaches that it is impossible for humans to save themselves by their own effort. If they did, they would also have to invent a god to save them. But, they could never trust an invented god to save them. RFF 79
Chapter 20: Jesus Recognized the Bible as God s Word Matthew 4 It is written.! Matthew 5:18! Matthew 26: 54-56! Luke 24: 25-27
Section 4: Why Follow Jesus? A man who was completely innocent, offered Himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including His enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act Mahatma Gandi RFF 83
Obstacle #5 Lie # 1: I Don t Need God Lie # 2: There is No God Exists and the Bible is True Lie # 3: Evolution is a Scientific Fact Lie # 5: Jesus did not live i History. Lie # 4: The Bible is just another fictional
Chapter 21: History Verifies Jesus Christ s Life! John 1:1-3, 10-12, 14, and 29!! Philippians 2:6-11
Truth Talk # 12
Truth Talk # 13
Historical Evidence 1. Josephus (Pharisee/Supporter of Rome) a. Jesus lived b. Jesus did amazing things. c. Jesus was crucified under Pilate d. James, Jesus brother was stoned to death by Ananias the High Priest.! 2. Tacitus (non-christian) a. Emperor Nero tortured Christians b. Christus, crucified by Pilatus c. Superstition broke out (Resurrection?)
Historical Evidence 3. Pliny the Younger (friend of Emperor Trajan) a. Christians worshiped Christ, as if to a God. b. Avoided sins like theft, robbery, and adultery! 4. Thallus/Africanus/Tertullian/Phlegon confirm darkness and earthquakes during Jesus crucifixion!
Truth Talk # 14
Historical Evidence NT Proved to Be An Accurate Historically 1. Luke 3:1 Lysanius Tetrach of Abiliene 2. Acts 17:6 City officials 3. Pool of Bethesda John 5:1-15 4. Pool of Siloam John 9:7 5. Jacob s Well John 4:5-6 6. Stone Pavement where Jesus appeared before Pilate (John 19:13) 7. Census at the time of Christ s Birth
Specific Confirmation of N.T.! New Testament People. Caiaphas Ossuary As for Jewish leaders in the New Testament, the ossuary (burial box) of Caiaphas the high priest (Matthew 26:3) was discovered in 1990, Gamaliel (Acts 5:34) is mentioned in the Jewish Talmud, and Ananias the high priest is known through secular history.! By David Dann
Specific Confirmation of N.T.! New Testament People. Historical accounts of government officials such as Quirinius (Luke 2:2), Lysanias (Luke 3:1), Pontius Pilate (Matthew 27:2), Sergius Paulus (Acts 13:7), Gallio (Acts 18:12), and Felix (Acts 23:23-24) agree with the Bible. Pontius Pilate Inscription Pontius Pilate inscription was discovered in 1961. By David Dann
Specific Confirmation of N.T.! New Testament People. Herod the Great The ruling family of the Herods, including Herod the Great (Matthew 2:1), Herod Archelaus (Matthew 2:22), Herod Philip (Luke 3:1), Herod Antipas (Mark 6:14-18), Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:20-23), and Herod Agrippa II (Acts 26:1-3), is also well attested in secular history. By David Dann
Specific Confirmation of N.T.! New Testament People. Augustus Roman emperors Augustus (Luke 2:1), Tiberius (Luke 3:1), Claudius (Acts 11:28), and Nero, (Acts 25:10-12), are well known through secular history. By David Dann Tiberius Claudius Nero
Obstacles #6 Lie # 1: I Don t Need God Lie # 2: There is No God Exists and the Bible is True Lie # 3: Evolution is a Scientific Fact Lie # 5: Jesus did not live in Lie # 6: Jesus is not the Messiah Lie # 4: History. The Bible is just another fictional
Chapter 22: Prophecies about and by Jesus
Truth Talk # 11
Prophecy: Jesus ID Card
Prophecies about Jesus