Is Jesus the Only Way? The Plausibility of Belief

John 14:6 Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Would You Live a Lie? How many of you would intentionally live a lie?

What sets Jesus apart? Buddhism Islam Ancient Religions/ Mythologies Mormonism New Age Beliefs Atheism/ Science

How Can I Know that Buddhism is Plausible and True? The answer from Buddhism: You know by your own experience

How Can I Know that Islam is Plausible and True? The answer from Islam: If you are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time Our servant [Muhammed], then produce a Sura like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (if there are any) besides Allah, if your [doubts] are true. Qur an Ch. 2: Al Baqara v. 23 In other words: The Qur an is so wonderful that it has to be from God

How Can I Know That The Ancient Religions are True? The answer from Mithraism, Roman Mythology, Ba al, Dagon, etc.,: Most of these are no longer active They don t make truth claims but appealed to inner sense of knowing it s true

How Can I Know that Mormonism is Plausible and True? The answer from Mormonism: If you ask God, the Holy Ghost will give you an inner confirmation that the book of Mormon is true

How Can I Know that New Age Beliefs are Plausible and True? The answer from the New Age Movement: Look within to find the truth If it works for you, then it must be true

How Can I Know that Atheism/ Science are Plausible and True? The answer from Atheism: Look to science to find truth But science cannot answer regarding truth because science is limited to things that can be observed and tested Science cannot actually confirm its own truth because if there are things outside of the scientific physical realm then science is unable to test it

The Response of Our World We have come to a conclusion that there is no objective truth This is an implicit acceptance of the recognition that none of those religions or worldviews can verify truth They assume that the problem is with truth not with their worldviews

But What About Christianity? Does Christianity have an answer to the problem of demonstrating truth that is significantly different than looking within, just knowing you are right, or rejecting truth?

How Can I Know that Christianity is Plausible and True? And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.... And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 1 Corinthians 15:14-19

Did Jesus Exist? Sources Citing Jesus within 150 years of his death: 42 known sources within 150 years 9 New Testament authors 20 Early Christian authors 4 Heretical Christian authors 9 Secular non-christian sources [ Josephus (Jewish historian); Tacitus (Roman historian); Pliny the Younger, (Roman politician); Phlegon (a freed slave who wrote histories); Lucian (Greek satirist); Celsus (Roman philosopher); Suetonius (historian); Thallus (historian); Mara Bar-Serapion (prisoner)] Julius Caesar s military conquests: Tiberius Caesar (Caesar during Jesus ministry and crucifixion): Only mentioned by 5 known sources within 150 years Mentioned by 10 sources within 150 years of his death

Did Jesus Exist? Sources Citing Jesus within 150 years of his death: 42 known sources within 150 years 9 New Testament authors 20 Early Christian authors 4 Heretical Christian authors 9 Secular non-christian sources [ Josephus (Jewish historian); Tacitus (Roman historian); Pliny the Younger, (Roman politician); Phlegon (a freed slave who wrote histories); Lucian (Greek satirist); Celsus (Roman philosopher); Suetonius (historian); Thallus (historian); Mara Bar-Serapion (prisoner)] Julius Caesar s military conquests: Tiberius Caesar (Caesar during Jesus ministry and crucifixion): Non-Christian sources that mention Tiberius and Jesus within 150 years of their deaths: Only mentioned by 5 known sources within 150 years Mentioned by 10 sources within 150 years of his death It s a tie! They each have 9 non-christian sources

Fact 1: Jesus Died by Roman Crucifixion Biblical Sources: Four gospels; 6 other NT books Non-biblical: Jewish/ Roman historian Josephus: When Pilate, upon hearing him accused by men of the highest standing amongst us, had condemned him to be crucified Other non-biblical sources: Tacitus, Lucian, Mara bar Serapion, the Jewish Talmud

Fact 2: Disciples Believed Resurrection They claimed it: Paul (2 Tim. 2:8): Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel Early oral tradition citing eyewitnesses (1 Cor. 15:3-7) that Paul likely received about 34-36 AD Other non-biblical sources: 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance [a] : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, [b] and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles Tacitus, Lucian, Mara bar Serapion, the Jewish Talmud

Fact 2: Disciples Believed Resurrection They believed it: The willingness of the disciples to boldly proclaim the resurrection and go to their own violent deaths for doing so is strongly attested to: Important Points Luke (Acts 7, 12) Clement of Rome Ignatius Polycarp Dionysius of Corinth (cited by Eusebius) Tertullian Origen Their willingness to die is evidence of sincerity This doesn t verify the truth of their beliefs but does confirm that they were not liars Legends and liars make poor martyrs

Fact 3: The Persecutor Saul (Paul) His Conversion: Paul as a source (1 Cor. 15:9-10; Gal. 1:13-16; Phil. 3:6-7) Luke as a source (Acts 9; 22; 26) Early oral tradition in Judea (Gal. 1:22-23) His suffering and martyrdom Paul as a source (2 Cor. 11:23-28) Luke as a source (Acts 14; 16; 17; 18; 21; 23) Important Note Other Sources: Clement of Rome; Polycarp; Tertullian; Dionysius of Corinth; Origen Paul lost everything by converting and gained persecution, and death

Fact 4: The Skeptic James His skepticism: John 7:4-5; Mark 3:31-32; 6:3-4 Appearance to James of Resurrected Christ: 1 Corinthians 15:7 Identified as a leader in the church in Jerusalem: (Gal. 1:19; Acts 15:12-21 His suffering and martyrdom: Josephus Hegesippus Clement of Alexandria

Fact 5: The Jerusalem Problem The Jerusalem Problem: Preaching of Resurrection in Jerusalem within months of resurrection would be impossible with eyewitnesses everywhere Producing a corpse would have ended Christianity immediately The Record: The entirety of the NT and secular sources attest that the gospel preaching began in Jerusalem within months of the crucifixion

Fact 6: Testimony of Women Women are listed as the first eyewitnesses of the empty tomb: Luke 24:11; Josephus; The Jewish Talmud; Origen; Seutonius The problem: Soon let the words of the Law be burnt than delivered to a woman (Talmud, Sotah 19a) But let not the testimony of women be admitted, on account of the levity and boldness of their sex (Joesphus, Antiquities) Any evidence which a woman [gives] is not valid... A robber is qualified to give the same evidence as a woman (Talmud, Rosh Hashannah 1.8)

Fact 7: The Empty Tomb The Empty Tomb Problem: Producing a corpse would have ended Christianity immediately Enemy attestation: Matthew 28:12-13; Justin Martyr; Tertullian Claiming that the disciples stole the body is inadvertent affirmation that the tomb was empty

Facts The bodily resurrection of Jesus Legend Fraud Mistake Halluc. Delusio n Swoon Spiritual Exp. 1. Jesus Died by Roman X X X X X X X X Crucifixion 2. The Disciples Believed X? X X It 3. Conversion of Saul? X 4. Conversion of James?? X 5. The Jerusalem Factor X X Res. Of Jesus 6. The Witness of Women X 7. The Empty Tomb X X X X

Acts 2:31-36 [The Messiah] was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it... Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.

2 Corinthians 5:14 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

Philippians 2:3-5 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Romans 6:5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.