Do you understand the logical basis for faith in Christ?

1. Do you understand the logical basis for faith in Christ? • What if someone asked you this question: “Why Christianity?”

2. Do you understand the logical basis for faith in Christ? • What if someone asked you this question: “Why Christianity?” • If you have not heard this question, your children will.

3. Do you understand the logical basis for faith in Christ? • What if someone asked you this question: “Why Christianity?” • If you have not heard this question, your children will. • Christianity is not based upon a “blind faith” but rather a reasonable faith.

4. Do you understand the logical basis for faith in Christ? • (1 Pet 3:15 NKJV) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

5. Do you understand the logical basis for faith in Christ? • Christianity is not just a system of philosophy or values.

6. Do you understand the logical basis for faith in Christ? • Christianity is not just a system of philosophy or values. • It is dependent upon the identity of its founder, Jesus.

7. Do you understand the logical basis for faith in Christ? • (Mat 16:13-17 NKJV) When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” {14} So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” {15} He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

8. Do you understand the logical basis for faith in Christ? • {16} Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” {17} Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

9. Do you understand the logical basis for faith in Christ? • Contrast this with the religions of Buddha and Mohammed.

10. Do you understand the logical basis for faith in Christ? • If either figure never actually existed, you still would have in essence their religion.

11. Do you understand the logical basis for faith in Christ? • If either figure never actually existed, you still would have in essence their religion. • These systems have no crucial historical events at their foundations.

12. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • Paul knew the consequences! (1 Cor 15:12-19)

13. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • (1 Cor 15:12-19 NKJV) Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? {13} But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. {14} And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

14. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • {15} Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up; if in fact the dead do not rise. {16} For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. {17} And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! {18} Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

15. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • {19} If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

16. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • The apostles are liars.

17. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • The apostles are liars. • There is no forgiveness of sins.

18. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • The apostles are liars. • There is no forgiveness of sins. • Those who died as a Christian are gone forever.

19. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • The apostles are liars. • There is no forgiveness of sins. • Those who died as a Christian are gone forever. • Those who make sacrifices to be a Christian are "of all men the most pitiable.“

20. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • The apostles are liars. • There is no forgiveness of sins. • Those who died as a Christian are gone forever. • Those who make sacrifices to be a Christian are "of all men the most pitiable.“ • The Jesus of the Bible is an impostor

21. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • Knowledgeable Atheists will challenge Christianity here.

22. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • Knowledgeable Atheists will challenge Christianity here. • Could Jesus have been only a good, moral man and nothing more?

23. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • Knowledgeable Atheists will challenge Christianity here. • Could Jesus have been only a good, moral man and nothing more? • Jesus claimed to be the Son of God!

24. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • (John 10:36 NKJV) “do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?

25. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • If people believed this claim, they would radically change their lives to follow Jesus.

26. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • If people believed this claim, they would radically change their lives to follow Jesus. • Jesus said his words were so important that one day men would be judged before God by how they followed them..

27. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • (John 12:48 NKJV) “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him; the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

28. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • In light of his claims Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord.

29. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • In light of his claims Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord. • He was a liar if He claimed to be the Son of God and knew He was not. If this is true He should be exposed.

30. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • In light of his claims Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord. • He was a liar if He claimed to be the Son of God and knew He was not. If this is true He should be exposed. • He was a lunatic if He claimed to be the Son of God but was just a man. Sane people do not make this claim!

31. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • In light of his claims Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord. • He was a liar if He claimed to be the Son of God and knew He was not. If this is true He should be exposed. • He was a lunatic if He claimed to be the Son of God but was just a man. Sane people do not make this claim! • He is Lord if His claim is true.

32. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • There is no middle ground!

33. What if there was no Historical Jesus? • There is no middle ground! • So far we have not considered any evidence. We have only identified the nature of Christianity and the foundation on which it rests.

34. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • Many when they speak of faith think in terms of feelings, tradition, and prejudice.

35. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • Many when they speak of faith think in terms of feelings, tradition, and prejudice. • This is not the Biblical concept of faith.

36. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • Many when they speak of faith think in terms of feelings, tradition, and prejudice. • This is not the Biblical concept of faith. • Faith is based upon evidence.

37. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • (Heb 11:1 NKJV) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

38. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • (1 Pet 3:15 NKJV) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

39. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • (John 8:32 NKJV) “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

40. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • Those who say faith is a “blind leap in the dark” are wrong.

41. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • The Christian is not to "park his brains at the door".

42. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • The Christian is not to "park his brains at the door". • At the heart of every sermon of the apostles is their eyewitness testimony of the raised Christ.

43. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • (Acts 2:32 NKJV) “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.

44. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • (Acts 3:14-15 NKJV) “But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, {15} “and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.

45. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • (Acts 5:30-32 NKJV) “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. {31} “Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. {32} “And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

46. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • (Acts 10:39-43 NKJV) “And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. {40} “Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, {41} “not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

47. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • {42} “And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. {43} “To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

48. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • (Acts 13:27-31 NKJV) “For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. {28} “And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death.

49. The Nature of the Evidence - Historical, Eyewitness Testimony. • {29} “Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. {30} “But God raised Him from the dead. {31} “He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people.

50. The Validity of Historical Testimony. • All personal knowledge that we have can be reduced to two categories - testimony and memory.