Why I believe in the Resurrection

1
Why I believe in the Resurrection

• 1 Corinthians 15

2
Death Dilemma

• Job 1414 If a man die, will he live again?
• Many answer I hope so. I don't know. Maybe. I
  think so.
• Christians claim Jesus' tomb is empty

3
Importance

• 1 Corinthians 1514-17
• Preaching is vain
• Your faith is vain
• Still in your sins
• Romans 14 and declared to be the Son of God
  with power according to the Spirit of holiness,
  by the resurrection from the dead.
• Core, center, heart of Christianity

4
Frank Morison

• Lawyer Resurrection is a fairy tale. Ready to
  write a book to prove with leagal evidence.
• Not as easy as he thought
• Instead Who Moved the Stone?
• The book that refused to be written.

5
The Body Stolen?

• He is not here. He is risen.
• Body stolen Matthew 2764
• Guards slept, apostles stole him
• Guards faced death penalty
• Disciples would live and die for a lie

6
The Body Stolen?

• Paul Little - Men will die for what they believe
  to be true, though it may actually be false. They
  do not, however, die for what they know is a lie.
  If a man ever tells the truth, it is on his
  deathbed.

7
Authorities took body?

• Why post guards?
• Easy to stop Christianity
• Produce the body
• Obviously they did not have the body

8
Went to wrong tomb?

• Women were mistaken
• Peter and John also mistaken
• Easy to stop apostles
• Take them to the right tomb

9
Jesus in a swoon?

• Did Jesus really die? Just passed out from loss
  of blood? Went into a coma?
• Same solution Where is the body / alive person?

10
Jesus in a swoon?

• Requires a greater miracle
• Survive crucifixion
• 3 days with no food or water
• Move huge stone with nail holes in his hands
• Walk 14 miles to Emmaus

11
Who moved the stone?

• None of the theories explain away the
  resurrection
• The tomb was empty because Jesus was not there.

12
His Appearances

• Just a hallucination?
• Wishful thinking?
• Different people, over a month period of time,
  large groups
• Great details hallucinations are fuzzy, vague,
  unfocused

13
His Appearances

• Just a hallucination?
• Thomas saw the scars
• Women came with spices
• They were not expecting His resurrection

14
His Appearances

• From a confused story?
• They had an experience but nothing really
  happened
• Too many accounts different times, places,
  groups

15
Evidence Today

• Bible accounts still remain
• Early church martyrs
• Changed lives of apostles
• Fearful changed to courage
• Abandon Christ changed to die for Him
• Changed lives last 2,000 years

16
Personal Impact

• What does the resurrection of Jesus mean to you?
• Revelation 320 Behold, I stand at the door and
  knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the
  door, I will come in to him and dine with him,
  and he with Me.