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Reasons to believe and to hope… By Dr Dave Geisler

Reasons to believe and to hope… By Dr Dave Geisler. www.meeknessandtruth.org. New claims about Jesus Christ.

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Reasons to believe and to hope… By Dr Dave Geisler

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  1. Reasons to believe and to hope… By Dr Dave Geisler www.meeknessandtruth.org

  2. New claims about Jesus Christ Titanic director James Cameron say “they aren't trying to undermine Christianity in their new documentary that claims the remains of Jesus, his wife, Mary Magdalene, and their child have been found.” "It's very far from the case," said Cameron. "What this does is celebrate the real-life existence of … this man, who, 2,000 years ago, had a vision and communicated it to people.“ http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/02/26/jesus-tomb.html?ref=rss Titanic director James Cameron

  3. Many Are Questioning The Biblical Story of Jesus The Da Vinci Code The Lost Gospel of Judas The Lost Tomb of Christ

  4. The Tsunami of Hopelessness

  5. The World we Live In Today • Rejection of moral absolutes • The skepticism of our society • An indifference towards truth or rejection of truth

  6. The Challenges of Evangelism Today

  7. RELIGIONS JUDAISM HINDUISM ISLAM TAOISM CHRISTIANITY BUDDHISM

  8. Pluralism If there can be no one right answer, How can there be any hope?

  9. Pluralism All views are true! If all views are true then nothing is true!

  10. Pluralism Dr. Norman Geisler

  11. Jesus is the only hope…

  12. What is so special about Jesus? How can I know that Jesus is real and that Christianity is not just one religion among many others?

  13. All religious truth claims by definition are exclusive in some way. The woman is pregnant 2. The woman is not pregnant Both Statments cannot be true!

  14. It is not just Christian Truth that is narrow! Christianity– by faith alone in Christ alone Islam– by belief in Allah, his prophet Muhammad, and good works Hinduism– by overcoming karma and incarnations with good works Buddhism– by cessation of desire through eight-fold path All Truth Is Narrow!

  15. Exclusiveness not necessarily a bad thing

  16. Reasons to believe and to hope…Rom. 1:1-4 (NIV) (Verse 1) Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God – (Verse 2) the gospel he promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures (Verse 3) regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, (Verse 4) and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

  17. Reasons to believe and to hope…Rom. 1:1-4 (NIV) Introduction: A snapshot of the Apostle Paul’s life… (Rom. 1:1) Paul’s connection to Christ (verse 1a) 2. Paul’s calling from Christ (verse 1b) 3. Paul’s commitment to Christ (verse 1c)

  18. Reasons to believe and to hope…Rom. 1:1-4 (NIV) Introduction: A snapshot of the Apostle Paul’s life… (Rom. 1:1) Paul’s connection to Christ (verse 1a) “Paul, a servant (bond servant) of Christ Jesus,” Paul’s calling from Christ (verse 1b) “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle”

  19. Reasons to believe and to hope…Rom. 1:1-4 (NIV) Introduction: A snapshot of the Apostle Paul’s life… (Rom. 1:1) Paul’s connection to Christ (verse 1a) 2. Paul’s calling from Christ (verse 1b) Paul’s commitment to Christ (verse 1c) “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle” and set apart for the gospel of God”

  20. Reasons to believe and to hope…Rom. 1:1-4 (NIV) Introduction: A snapshot of the Apostle Paul’s life… (Rom. 1:1) Paul’s connection to Christ (verse 1a) 2. Paul’s calling from Christ (verse 1b) Paul’s commitment to Christ (verse 1c) How could the Apostle Paul be so committed to what God had called him to do? He had a deep abiding conviction…that Jesus is the one and therefore there are reasons to believe and to hope.

  21. Reasons to believe and to hope…Rom. 1:1-4 Three specific pieces of evidences…for the truth of the message he is proclaiming! Reasons to believe: Footprints in the sand (Rom. 1-2-4)

  22. Reasons to believe and to hope…Rom. 1:1-4 Reasons to believe: Footprints in the sand (Rom. 1-2-4) The Old Testament scriptures pointed towards Jesus (Rom. 1:2) (Verse 2) the gospel he promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures.

  23. Everything in the Old Testament Points to Jesus! In Genesis, Christ is the Seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15) In Exodus, He is the Passover lamb (Ex. 12:3f) In Leviticus he is the atoning Sacrifice (Lev. 17:11) In Numbers he is the Smitten Rock (Num. 20:8,11) In Deut. he is the faithful prophet (Deut. 18:18) In Joshua he is the captain of the Lord of Host (Josh. 5:15) In Judges he is the Divine Deliverer (Judg. 2:18) In Ruth he is the Kinsman Redeemer (Ruth 3:12); In 1 Sam. he is anticipated as the Anointed One (1 Sam 2:10); In 2 Sam. he is the Son of David (2 Sam. 7:14) In 1 Kings and 2 Kings he may be viewed as the coming King. In 1 and 2 Chronicles he may be viewed as the builder of the Temple (1 Chron. 28:20). In Ezra he is the restorer of the Temple (Ezra 6:14-15) In Nehemiah he is the restorer of Nation (Neh. 6:15) In Esther he is the preserver of the Nation (Esther 4:14) In Job he is the living redeemer (Job 19:25) In Psalms, he is the Praise of Israel (Ps. 150:6) In Proverbs he is the Wisdom of God (Prov. 8:22,23).

  24. Everything in the Old Testament Points to Jesus! • Luke 24:27 “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” * The Bible is a Jesus book from Gen. to Revelation

  25. Reasons to believe and to hope…Rom. 1:1-4 Reasons to believe: Footprints in the sand (Rom. 1-2-4) The Old Testament scriptures pointed towards Jesus (Rom. 1:2) Jesus was of the blood line of the Son of David (Rom. 1:3) (Verse 3) regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David,

  26. Prophecy (Messianic) J. Barton Payne in his Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecies (P. 665-670) lists 191 Prophecies that were literally fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ: • Place of birth (Mic. 5:2) • Time of birth (Dan. 9:25) • Manner of birth (Is. 7:14) • Sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12) • Manner of death (Ps. 22:16) • People’s reactions (mocking, spitting, staring, etc.) (Ps. 22:7,8, 17) • His side pierced (Zech. 12:10) • Burial in a rich man’s tomb (Is 53:9)

  27. Some Reasons To Consider Jesus • James Cameronis quoted in the documentary The Lost Tomb of Jesus as saying that the probability is very remote (about 600 to 1) that a family other than that of Jesus would have the same names as the family buried in the tomb. Yet the Author he quotes (Dr. Andrey Feuerverger) has recanted those statistical conclusions. • “I now believe that I should not assert any conclusions connecting this tomb with any hypothetical one of the NT family.The interpretation of the computation should be that it is estimating the probability of there having been another family at the time living in Jerusalem whose tomb this might be, under certain specified assumptions.” http://fisher.utstat.toronto.edu/andrey/OfficeHrs.txt

  28. Statistical Probability • 8 prophecies all being fulfilled in the life of Christ: I X 10 to the 17 power Taken from Peter Stoner, Science Speaks

  29. Statistical Probability 8 prophecies all being fulfilled in the life of Christ: I X 10 to the 17 power Taken from Peter Stoner, Science Speaks “Texas is 1159 times the size of Singapore. So a 2 ft high pile of silver dollar in Texas would be equivalent to 0.7068 km of silver dollars in Singapore. “This is equivalent to about 166 floors of a tall building. It is like taking the Republic plaza (66 floors) and staking it on top of the UOB Plaza (66).” - that is only 132 floors

  30. Statistical Probability • 48 Prophecies: I X 10 to the 157 power (more atoms then there are in the Universe) Taken from Peter Stoner, Science Speaks

  31. Mathematical Odds • You could win the Singapore Lottery “toto” for billions and billions and billions of years in a row, and never even come close to equaling the high improbability of Jesus fulfilling just 48 prophecies by happy coincidences. • A question we should consider…

  32. Reasons to believe and to hope…Rom. 1:1-4 Reasons to believe: Footprints in the sand (Rom. 1-2-4) The Old Testament scriptures pointed towards Jesus (Rom. 1:2) Jesus was of the blood line of the Son of David (Rom. 1:3) Jesus was revealed to be” or “determined to be” of the very nature of God by His resurrection. (Rom. 1:4)

  33. Reasons to believe and to hope…Rom. 1:1-4 Reasons to believe: Footprints in the sand (Rom. 1-2-4) Jesus was revealed to be” or “determined to be” of the very nature of God by His resurrection. (Rom. 1:4) (Verse 4) and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. * To declare something as true in this context is to reveal or unmask its very nature. How does the resurrection reveal or prove that Jesus is in fact God?

  34. The Bodily Resurrection of Christ is the Cornerstone for the Christian Faith “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” - I Corinthians 15:14 (NIV)

  35. What is the Evidence that Jesus really did die and rise from the Dead?

  36. Fact # 1 Jesus’ Death By Crucifixion • It is reported by both Christians and non-Christian ancient sources. A. All Four Gospels Report it (Matt. 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; Jn. 19) • B. Several non-Biblical sources report it • Josephus • Tacitus • Lucian • Thallus • Phelgon • Mara Bar-Serapion • The Jewish Talmud Accepted by almost all scholars of the N.T.

  37. Scholars by in large accept Jesus’ Death John Dominic Crossan says: (He is a former co-chair of the Jesus Seminar) “That Jesus was crucified is as sure as anything historical can ever be.”

  38. Fact # 1 Jesus’ Death By Crucifixion * Modern medical authorities have verified his death. “Clearly, the weight of historical and medical evidence indicates that Jesus was dead before the wound to his side was inflicted and supports the traditional view that the spear, thrust between his right rib, probably perforated not only the right lung but also the pericardium and heart and thereby ensured his death. Accordingly, interpretations based on the assumption that Jesus did not die on the cross appear to be at odds with modern medical knowledge.” JAMA March 21,1986, p. 1463

  39. Fact # 2 The Disciples were willing to die for their belief that Jesus appeared to them. • Seven sources in antiquity attest to their willingness to suffer and die for this convictions. • Luke • Ignatius • Clement of Roman • Polycarp • Dionysius • Tertullian • Origen * People may die…

  40. New Testament Scholar Pinchas Lapide, “If the Disciples were totally disappointed and on the verge of desperate flight because of the very real reason of the crucifixion, it took another very real reason in order to transform them from a band of disheartened and dejected Jews into the most self-confident missionary society in world history.” Time, May 7th, 1979 He concludes that “a bodily resurrection could possibly have been that reason.”

  41. Fact #3 The Empty Tomb Accepted by 75% of all N.T. scholars

  42. Fact #2 The Empty Tomb? • Jerusalem Factor • Jesus was executed buried and then his resurrection was proclaimed in Jerusalem. • Therefore it would have be impossible for Christianity to get off the ground if Jesus’ body were still in the tomb. • Why? • Because Christianity is not based on a religious ideology but on an actual historical event.

  43. Christianity Is Based On A Historical Event “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. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” I Corinthians 15:14 -19(NIV) * You can take Buddha out of Buddhism…

  44. Fact #2 The Empty Tomb? • Jerusalem Factor • Jesus’ enemies attested to the empty tomb “When the chief priest had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, ‘you are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were sleeping.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble. So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.” Matt. 28:12-14 (NIV) • You would not claim that the body was stolen if the body was still in the tomb. • Little boy, homework, and dog

  45. Fact #2 The Empty Tomb? • Jerusalem Factor • Jesus’ enemies attested to the empty tomb Geza Vermes, Prof. Jewish Studies Oxford Univ. “When every argument has been considered and weighed, the only conclusion acceptable to the historian must be that …the woman who set out to pay their last respects to Jesus found to their consternation, not a body, but a empty tomb.”

  46. Where does that leave us? • Jesus died due to crucifixion • History records that his tomb was empty Fact #3 Something occurred that convinced a number of people both friend and foe of Jesus that he had been resurrected and had appeared to them.* * Almost all scholars agree on this point

  47. Friends of Christianity who knew the disciples of Christ • Clement of Rome (Clement was a Disciple of Peter) - Martyred • Polycarp (He was known to be disciples of John) – Martyred • Earliest Tradition traceable to disciples • 1 Cor. 15:3-8 “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to 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. 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. The he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as one abnormally born.”

  48. Fact #3 Something occurred that convinced others that he had been resurrected and had appeared to them. • Friends of Christianity who knew disciples like Clement of Rome • Foes of Christianity • Paul • James He was an unbeliever through Jesus’ crucifixion. (neither James, nor any of Jesus' younger brothers, apparently believed in Jesus during his lifetime (see Mark 3.21, 31-5; John 7. 1 - 10). Yet he became a leader in the early church.

  49. Fact #3 Something occurred that convinced others that he had been resurrected and had appeared to them. Paula Fredriksen, Ph.D. (Historian of ancient Christianity at Boston University. “I know in their own terms what they saw was the raised Jesus. That’s what they say and then all the historical evidence we have afterward attests to their conviction that that’s why they saw. I’m not saying that they really did see the raised Jesus. I wasn’t there. I don’t know what they saw. But I do know that as a historian that they must have seen something.”

  50. Reasons to believe and to hope…Rom. 1:1-4 • 1. The death of Christ by Crucifixion, • The willingness of the disciples to die for their beliefs, and the empty tomb. • The post-Resurrection appearances Reasons to believe: Footprints in the sand (Rom. 1-2-4) Jesus was revealed to be” or “determined to be” of the very nature of God by His resurrection. (Rom. 1:4)

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