Apologetics Class 4/29/2018

Craig Hazen – Evidence for the Resurrection

Tomorrow in our apologetics class (Lord willing) I will be having the students watch the excellent lecture by Dr. Craig Hazen on the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus, which includes a discussion of 12 facts agreed upon by scholars, both liberal and conservative.  He then evaluates those 12 known facts against 13 theories about what happened to determine each theory’s explanatory power (which of the 12 facts it doesn’t account for).  The only 2 theories that account for all 12 known facts are:

1. Jesus was an alien
2. Jesus was bodily resurrected

Great video, great analysis!  Here’s the video:

 

Here is the note taking form, along with the chart showing the 13 theories which attempt to explain the 12 known facts:

Notes for “Evidence for the Resurrection” by Craig Hazen

(Professor of Comparative Religion and Christian Apologetics at Biola University)

1. Outline for talk at U.C.L.A. Jesus was:
   1. A___________ at point A
   2. D___________ at point B
   3. Alive a_______ at point C
2. Student said, “You’re making it sound like its true true! You’re making it sound like I can k__________ i___ to be true.”
3. Pudd’nhead Wilson (Mark Twain book): “Faith is believin’ what ya know a______ so”
4. This idea that Christianity is t___________ sets it apart in dramatic fashion from the other great world religious traditions.
5. University of Miami talk – “if I’m going to address the topic of science and religion, it would probably be very helpful if I perform a miracle” – he proceeded to raise his arm and challenged his audience to explain what just happened. Someone shouted, “You did it!” (I am not my b________)
6. There’s something more to life than the stuff of the p______________ world.
7. We’ve got “the goods” on this – you are well within your e____________ rights to say “I know the resurrection happened”.
8. One of the strangest passages in all of religious literature: 1 C____________ 15:12-17
9. He (Jesus) doesn’t just live in my heart, He lives in His body, which came back from the grave on the 3^rd day, exactly as the S____________ declare!
10. Scholars confirm, Jesus was indeed a real historical figure and He died by Roman crucifixion in 1^st century J___________.
11. Same scholars (except for the conservatives), regarding the resurrection, based on the same body of evidence, said, “Well, who can possibly know what h_____________ so long ago?”
12. This is not about evidence – this is about people’s w________ v_______ – these people were not open to the idea of a miracle.

12 Minimal Facts about the Resurrection of Jesus That Most Scholars Agree On

1. Jesus died by cr_______________
2. He was b_____________
3. Jesus’ death caused the disciples to d____________ and lose hope, believing that his life was ended
4. The tomb was discovered to be e____________ just a few days later
5. The disciples had experiences which they believed were literal a___________________ of the risen Jesus
6. The disciples were tr_______________ from doubters who were afraid to identify themselves with Jesus to bold proclaimers of his death and resurrection
7. This message (the resurrection) was the center of pr_____________ in the early church
8. This message was especially proclaimed in J_____________, where Jesus died and was buried shortly before
9. As a result of this preaching the church was b____________ and grew
10. S_______________ became the primary day of worship
11. J____________, who had been a skeptic, was converted to the faith when he also believed he saw the resurrected Jesus
12. A few years later, P________ was also converted by an experience which he, likewise, believed to be an appearance of the risen Jesus

Discussion Questions

1. Would an unbiased observer conclude that the best explanation for the facts about Jesus is that He was raised from the dead? Why or why not? (there are no unbiased observers – most people have an anti-supernatural bias) – John 12:37 says “Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him”
2. If there was so much evidence for the resurrection, then why didn’t the Jewish leaders believe? (John 12:42-23 – they loved praise from men more than praise from God) – also, the Bible says that “it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him (Pilate)” (Matt 27:18; Mark 15:10)
3. Why is it considered a piece of evidence that the disciples believed they saw Jesus risen from the dead? (Liars make poor martyrs. No one dies for a known lie.  The disciples were in a position to know whether their beliefs were true or false).

Here is the chart

mid-week apologetics booster (4-26-2018)

Good morning friends,

Here are your weekly links:

1. Three Creepy Christian Principles We Can Learn from Chick-fil-A: https://townhall.com/columnists/jwarnerwallace/2018/04/18/three-creepy-christian-principles-we-can-learn-from-chickfila-n2471767
2. What is the Greatest Need of this Generation? – Sean McDowell: http://seanmcdowell.org/blog/what-is-the-greatest-need-of-this-generation
3. Is It Wrong to Try to Persuade Others to Change Their Beliefs?: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/is-it-wrong-to-try-to-persuade-others-to-change-their-beliefs/
4. Greg Koukl – What about those who’ve never heard? – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIXs5wOSVk4
5. Does History Reliably Prove the Bible’s Gospels? – Josh.org: https://www.josh.org/history-prove-gospels/
6. Will California Go from Banning Religious Books to Burning Them? | The Stream: https://stream.org/will-california-go-banning-religious-books-burning/
7. A Curious Clue About the Origins of the New Testament Canon: https://www.michaeljkruger.com/a-curious-clue-about-the-origins-of-the-new-testament-canon/
8. California school district says parents can’t pull kids from new LGBT sex ed | LifeSite: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/california-school-district-says-parents-cant-pull-kids-from-new-lgbt-sex-ed
9. Five Tools to Help Discern Truth from Deception iApologia: http://iapologia.com/five-tools-of-to-help-discern-truth-from-deception/
10. Dear Young Apologist (some good advice from an experienced apologist) Exe-Jesus: http://exejesus.com/dear-young-apologist/
11. Mormonism Disproved – Book of Abraham: http://mormonismdisproved.org/book_abraham.html
12. Believing in the Resurrection – 3 points: https://heresthething.blog/2018/03/30/believing-in-the-resurrection/
13. Fragments of Truth Film Review | Answers in Genesis: https://answersingenesis.org/reviews/movies/fragments-of-truth/
14. SMART FAITH CONFERENCE – April 28th 2018: http://www.smartfaith.org/
15. Is Jesus Superior to All Other Religious Leaders? | NAMB: https://www.namb.net/apologetics/is-jesus-superior-to-all-other-religious-leaders
16. Feedback: Where Did All the Floodwater Go? | Answers in Genesis: https://answersingenesis.org/the-flood/feedback-where-did-all-floodwater-go/
17. Why we all need to be trained in Christian Apologetics Take the test Truth, Faith and Reason: http://truthfaithandreason.com/defending-your-faith-101-why-we-all-need-to-be-trained-in-christian-apologetics-take-the-test/
18. Worldview Training in Action | Stand to Reason: https://www.str.org/blog/worldview-training-action#.Wtv9iOplA0M
19. Carbon 14 in Coal? It shouldn’t be there! – creation.com: https://creation.com/m/carbon-14-in-coal-it-shouldnt-be-there
20. 10 Arguments for the Existence of God – PlainSimpleFaith.com: http://www.plainsimplefaith.com/2013/05/10-arguments-for-the-existence-of-god/
21. Evidence of Design in the Biological Realm 1 Peter 4:12-16: https://1peter41216.wordpress.com/2014/11/15/evidence-of-design-in-the-biological-realm/
22. Earth age opinions of prominent Christians – pre-1800 – Conservapedia: http://www.conservapedia.com/Earth_age_opinions_of_prominent_Christians_-_pre-1800
23. Jesus Calling was inspired by a channeled New Age book: https://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/newsletters/2014/newsletter20141110.htm
24. Ainsley Chalmers interview – Blinded by evolutionary brainwashing: https://creation.com/ainsley-chalmers-interview
25. Why Our Moral Debt Could Be Transferred to Jesus – Stand to Reason Blog: http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2014/11/why-our-moral-debt-could-be-transferred-to-jesus.html
26. The Fine-Tuning Argument | Worldview of Jesus: https://worldviewofjesus.com/2012/06/07/the-fine-tuning-argument/
27. Is Intelligent Design Just God-of-the-Gaps? | Stand to Reason: https://www.str.org/articles/is-intelligent-design-just-god-of-the-gaps#.WtyJocgvyUk
28. Worldviews & Earth Day | Stand to Reason: https://www.str.org/articles/worldviews-earth-day
29. Arches of Utah | Answers in Genesis: https://answersingenesis.org/geology/natural-features/arches-utah/
30. Why Isn’t the Church More Eagerly Embracing Apologetics? Here’s an Idea! – Sean McDowell: http://seanmcdowell.org/blog/why-isnt-the-church-more-eagerly-embracing-apologetics-heres-an-idea
31. A Little Bit of Religion is a Good Thing But Don’t Take it Too Seriously?: http://www.cltruth.com/2018/a-little-bit-of-religion-is-a-good-thing-but-dont-take-it-too-seriously/
32. Is the Bible Reliable?: https://justmy2-cents.blogspot.com/2017/02/is-bible-reliable.html
33. Planned Parenthood – false 3% claim: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c1TytJVtXs
34. Who Is Jesus / What books should be in the Bible / Is the Bible Really Trustworthy?: https://1peter41216.wordpress.com/2018/04/21/apologetics-class-4-22-2018/
35. Bibles pulled from online stores as China increases control of religion – CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/05/asia/china-bible-online-christianity-intl/index.html
36. Why the KJV Only Movement is Wrong | RunningAwayFromMyChurch.com: https://runningawayfrommychurch.com/kjv-only-king-james-bible-controversy/
37. Regenerating ribs: Adam and that missing rib – creation.com: https://creation.com/regenerating-ribs-adam-and-that-missing-rib

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words. When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the [temple] messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God. Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

Blessings to you all

Apologetics Class 4/22/2018

Who Is Jesus / What books should be in the Bible / Is the Bible Really Trustworthy?

Tomorrow, we’re planning to watch 2 videos.  First is lesson 11 of the DVD series

and a second video “The Bible’s Reliability & Accuracy”:

Here is the note taking form I will be handing out with the discussion questions for each video:

Who Is Jesus / What books should be in the Bible (4/22/2018)

1. 1. Who is Jesus? C.S. Lewis “I am trying to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’  That is the one thing we must not say.  A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.  He would rather be lunatic – on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg – or else he would be the devil of hell…You must make your choice.  Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse.  You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God.  But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher.  He has not left that open to us.  He did not intend to.” (Mere Christianity p. 55-56)
      1. Liar – that doesn’t make any sense – if He was a liar, He died for a lie that He knew was a lie
      2. Lunatic – No, He made the clearest, greatest moral teachings ever made.
      3. Legend – the evidence we’ve seen so far in this class makes this unreasonable
      4. Lord – This is the only other option left.
   2. Jesus is God, and whatever God teaches is true!
   3. Jesus claimed to be God and He predicted it and proved it by accomplishing His own resurrection from the dead.
   4. What did Jesus teach about the Bible (the Old Testament):
      1. It is divinely authoritative (Mt 4:4, 7, 10) – when talking with Satan
      2. It is imperishable (Mt. 5:17-18)
      3. It is infallible (Jn. 10:35) – the Scripture can’t be broken
      4. It is inerrant (without error) Mt. 22:29
      5. It is historically reliable – Noah and Jonah really occurred – (Mt. 12:40, Mt. 24:37-38)
      6. It is scientifically accurate – although it’s not a scientific text book (Mt. 19:4-5) – God created them male and female.
      7. It has ultimate supremacy (Mt. 15:3,6) – you nullify the word of God in favor of your traditions.
   5. Christ affirmed (vs. critics denied):
      1. Daniel was a prophet
      2. God created Adam and Eve
      3. Jonah was swallowed by a fish
      4. World was drowned in a flood
      5. One prophet wrote Isaiah (critics say it was written by 3 Isaiahs)
   6. Jesus affirmed:
      1. Beginning at Moses…, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:27)
      2. The Scriptures testify of Me (John 5:39)
      3. From Abel to Zechariah… (Mt. 23:35)
      4. Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets… (Mt 5:17-18)
      5. “It is written” – The authority of the Old Testament is cited that way 92 times in the NT
   7. Jesus promised the New Testament (John 14, 16)
      13. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would teach the apostles “all things” and lead them into “all truth”. (see John 14:26) – By the way that verse has the Trinity in it. Also see John 16:13.
   8. Canon – standard or measuring rod.
      1. Bruce Metzger (Princeton University) – “The Canon is a list of authoritative books more than it is an authoritative list of books.”
      2. He’s saying that what should be in the Bible is not determined by us, it is discovered by us. What should be in the Bible are the books that God inspired and we need to discover what those books are.
      3. The church didn’t decide what would be in Bible, we discovered what the inspired books are. And they had some criteria to do so.
   9. What books should be in the New Testament (how did the church discover the canon) – they used these criteria:
      1. Was it written by a prophet of God (or somebody that knew a prophet of God and was confirmed by that prophet)?
      2. Was the writer confirmed by acts of God or someone who was confirmed as an eyewitness (e.g. Paul confirmed Luke)? Paul quotes Luke as Scripture.  (this is how we know Muhammad was not a prophet of God – when he was asked to do a miracle, he declined saying that he doesn’t do miracles – he just writes a book.  The miracles attributed to Muhammad came much later and they were not written or observed by eyewitnesses.  They’re written in the Hadith, which are later writings of the traditions about Muhammad).  On the other hand the New Testament writers did miracles.
      3. Was the writing accepted by the people of God? Here is confirmation of the authorship and authority of these documents:
         1. 25 of 27 books quoted as authoritative by 110 A.D. They only don’t quote 2^nd John and Jude.
         2. Gospels and Acts are cited during the lives of the Apostles
         3. Quoted as authoritative and unique
         4. They’re collected early in one volume
         5. Publically read & expounded upon it.
         6. Commentaries written
         7. Opponents of the early church admitted Gospels written by disciples
         8. No other “gospels” were treated this way. Da Vinci code – what about the other “gospels”?
            1. They are all forgeries
            2. Written well into the 2^nd century
            3. You write something steals someone else’s name that has authority and puts their name on it. They put the names of eyewitnesses (Apostle).  Would not accept “the Gospel of Ed”.
            4. Back handed complement that they’re putting the Apostle’s names on them. It admits that the Church would only take as authoritative something that came from an Apostle.
            5. Gospel of Thomas
               1. Forgery written 100 years after the NT Gospels
               2. Help of Thomas contains blended saying from the 4 NT Gospels; the sayings are in Syriac and originated in 175 A.D. The language wasn’t even available in the 1^st
               3. Females are not worthy of life. Must become men to be saved.
            6. Gospel of Peter
               1. Forgery found in a 9^th century monk’s coffin in Egypt in 1880.
               2. Could be forgery ancient church historians warned was attributed to Peter.
               3. It’s Anti-Semitic, so it is not written by a 1^st century Jew
               4. The author is ignorant of first century practices and rulers (anachronisms).
               5. Has embellished resurrection account with a talking cross and Jesus’ head stretching to the clouds. Cool, but not true.  The real Gospel writers report this like they’re just news reporters.  They were not writing theology, they were writing history.  They unpack all the theological implications of the resurrection in the epistles.
            7. Gospel of Judas
               1. Forgery, cited by Irenaeus (2^nd century Bishop) as fictitious.
               2. Does not teach monotheism
               3. Says that humans are divine.
               4. Judas was a hero
               5. Salvation is by special knowledge (Gnosticism)
               6. New insights about the relationship between Judas and Jesus. Analogy with Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth.
         9. On Internet prevalent idea that the New Testament documents were copied from Pagan resurrection myths. “Not everything you read on the internet is true”.
            1. Resurrection myths came after Christianity, not before (earliest 2^nd century A.D.)
            2. Copying was the other way around.
            3. Osiris – was not a resurrected figure (zombie in the underworld) – predates Christ, but no parallel.
            4. Just because you have parallels doesn’t mean there’s borrowing going on
            5. NT writers make historical claims – were not writing mythology like resurrection myths.
            6. Theory can’t explain:
               1. Numerous eyewitness details in the NT
               2. Embarrassing details of disciples and Jesus
               3. Martyrdom of the disciples
               4. Growth of the Church (especially in Jerusalem)
               5. Why non-Christian writers tell same story
               6. Jewish, not pagans were the founders of Christianity
   10. Conclusion is that your NT is the one Jesus promised.

Is the Bible Really Trustworthy?

1. 1. 1. More than ½ of all college professors believe the Bible is a b________ of f__________.
      2. 60%-80% of American College students walk away from their f__________________.
      3. The heart cannot exalt in what the mind r_______________.
      4. There are ~24,000 hand-wr___________ c_________ of the 27 books of the New Testament.
      5. The oldest complete N_____ T_____________ is less than 300 years from the or___________s. (Codex Sinaiticus)
      6. The New Testament has 40 lines of textual corruption with an ac____________ of 99.5%.
      7. There are as many as 400,000 te__________ va________s across the New Testament.
      8. Most of the variants consist of sp______________, gr____________ and other scribal errors and less than 1% of those variants affect the m_____________g of the text.
      9. Not one Christian teaching or belief is d__________ on or ch____________ by any variant.
      10. The C___________ is the list of books considered to be Scripture.
      11. The C___________ consists of works that:
          1. Were from tr_________________ sources.
          2. Were consistent with Ap______________ Te_____________.
      12. An early canon that was discovered ~150 years before the Council of Nicaea was the M_______________ fragment (170AD).
      13. 6 lines of testimony that the Bible is historically reliable (Frank Turek):
          1. E_____________________ (most written before 70AD)
          2. E_____________________ (140 confirmed historical details in Acts and John)
          3. E_____________________ (Details in the text that the writers wouldn’t have made up)
          4. E_____________________ (Died as martyrs-by recanting could’ve saved themselves)
          5. E_____________________ (Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in NT)
          6. E_____________________ (Non-Christian sources within 150 yrs of Jesus’ life)
      14. The crucial gap is not the gap between the time of the ev________ and t_____; the crucial gap is the gap between the ev______ and the events d________ by that evidence…. Good ev_______ doesn’t become bad evidence simply because of the la______ of time… We have better sources for the life of J________ of N__________ than we do for most of the major figures of Antiquity. (William Lane Craig)
      15. John’s “Chain of Custody” consists of à (Papias, Ignatius and Polycarp) à (Irenaeus) à (Hippolytus) – J. Warner Wallace
      16. The 1^st council that af__________ the C___________ is the Council of Laodicea in 363 AD.
      17. When you take the book of Daniel, written late 500’s (BC) and you put it “pro-forma” onto Al________ the Gr_______ in the 300’s before Christ, you see specific prophecy centuries before hand…No ancient document – NONE – has the kind of doc__________y sup_______t that the Bible has. (Ravi Zacharias).
      18. The Bible was written th______________ men, by G________. (Mark Spence)
      19. Man was the in__________ used by God to convey His th_______ in the Bible. (Mark Spence)
      20. The Bible’s unity is due to the fact that, ultimately, it has o____ A________ – God. (Mark Spence)
      21. Modern science was birthed in the 17^th century because of a belief in an unchanging God of or___________, pu________ and cons__________y. (Mark Spence)
      22. Skepticism is the hallmark of university education today. (Ravi Zacharias)
      23. I saw him take out a Bible and I thought, “Alright, another op________ to take down a Christian!” (Nabeel Qureshi, author of “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity”)
      24. The people who wrote the New Testament were the di_______, and they were multi-lingual – they could understand Aramaic, they could understand Greek, they could hear in one and write in another without losing the m__________ whatsoever. (Nabeel Qureshi)
      25. The corroboration test: there are 9 n___-C________ sources that mention Jesus within 150 years of His death. Jesus has 4 times as many h________ sources that speak of Him than T________ C__________, the Roman Emperor at the time.
      26. The Bible is not just a book, it is a lo_____ le_______ that God wrote to touch the hearts of people here so that they can know Him.
      27. Why in the world should you believe the Bible:
          1. It’s R____________________
          2. It has E__________________
          3. It’s been P________________
          4. It points to T______________

Discussion Questions (part 1)

1. 1. 1. C.S. Lewis claims that there are 3 possibilities regarding the identity of Jesus: Lord, Liar, Lunatic. Why are Liar and Lunatic implausible?
      2. Jesus affirmed as true many of the most disputed passages of the Old Testament (Adam and Eve, Noah, Jonah, Daniel, etc.) What is the significance of this for Christian apologetics?
      3. Jesus certainly affirmed the Old Testament. Where did He promise the New Testament?
      4. Why were the Gospels of Peter, Thomas and Judas never included in the New Testament?
      5. Skeptics like to claim that the resurrection of Christ was not an actual historical event, but was instead copied from pagan resurrection myths. Why is this claim not plausible?
      6. In light of all the evidence we’ve discussed in this class, who has to have more faith – the Christian or the non-Christian? Why?  Explain your answer.

Discussion Questions (part 2)

1. 1. 1. What is currently the oldest fragment of a New Testament text and what does it contain? What is the estimated dating of this fragment and how close is that to the writing of it?
      2. How does the New Testament compare to other literary works from antiquity in terms of “Number of Copies” and “Years from Original”?
      3. What is the discipline of Textual Criticism and why is it important in helping to establish biblical reliability?
      4. How can we “know” anything that was written 2,000 years ago?
      5. What is the “Chain of Custody” that J. Warner Wallace describes and why is it relevant to the historical reliability of the New Testament?
      6. How can we trust the Bible when it was written by men?

mid-week apologetics booster (4-19-2018)

Good morning friends,

Here are your weekly links:

1. What To Teach Kids About Unanswered Prayer: https://crossexamined.org/what-to-teach-kids-about-unanswered-prayer/
2. Can You and Your Kids Answer These Skeptics of Christianity? (Part 1 of 5): http://christianmomthoughts.com/can-you-and-your-kids-answer-these-skeptics-of-christianity-part-1-of-5/
3. What Influences Our Kids to Walk Away? | The Real Issue Apologetics Ministry: https://roblundbergapologetics.com/2018/04/15/what-influences-our-kids-to-walk-away/
4. Teacher Gives Student Ultimatum, Deny God, Or Drop My Class! What He Did Next? Is Unbelievable! – Faithreel.com: https://faithreel.org/teacher-gives-student-ultimatum-deny-god/
5. 3 Lies Students Believe About Freedom That Will Ruin Their Lives – Jonathan Morrow: http://www.jonathanmorrow.org/3-lies-students-believe-about-freedom-that-will-ruin-their-lives/
6. Why the New Definition of Tolerance Is Dangerous – Stand to Reason Blog: http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2016/03/why-the-new-definition-of-tolerance-is-dangerous.html
7. Changing My Mind – Experimental particle physicist Dr. Michael G Strauss discusses the relationship between science, God, Christianity, and reason.: http://www.michaelgstrauss.com/2018/03/changing-my-mind.html
8. Were the New Testament Authors Biased?: https://respondblogs.wordpress.com/2017/06/11/respondblog-were-the-new-testament-authors-biased/
9. Atheist-Turned-Youth Minister Starts High School Bible Clubs Across California: https://stream.org/atheist-turned-youth-minister-starts-high-school-bible-clubs-across-california/
10. In Intellectual Neutral | Reasonable Faith: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/popular-writings/apologetics/in-intellectual-neutral/
11. Does Atheism Require Blind Faith? Matthew Ruttan: https://matthewruttan.com/2018/03/21/does-atheism-require-blind-faith/
12. Is Christianity at War with Science? – Sean McDowell: http://seanmcdowell.org/blog/is-christianity-at-war-with-science
13. Four Things You Can Do When Someone Challenges Your Faith – February Mentoring Letter 2017 | Stand to Reason: https://www.str.org/article/four-things-you-can-do-when-someone-challenges-your-faith-february-mentoring-letter-2017#.WtSqWeplA0P
14. Remembering the Christian roots of science – creation.com: https://creation.com/origin-of-science-christian
15. Ligonier Defending the Faith Conference (Seattle) – 2018 West Coast Conference: https://www.ligonier.org/events/2018-west-coast-conference-seattle/register/
16. Gary Habermas Questions Why Atheists Believe in Alexander the Great, but Not Jesus’ Resurrection: https://www.christianpost.com/news/gary-habermas-questions-why-atheists-believe-in-alexander-the-great-but-not-jesus-resurrection-221370/
17. 5 Things Christians Should Know about Wal-Mart’s Decision to Pull Cosmo Magazine – Nicole Weider: https://www.christianheadlines.com/columnists/guest-commentary/5-things-christians-should-know-about-wal-mart-s-decision-to-pull-cosmo-magazine.html
18. When were the books of the Bible written?: http://www.provethebible.net/T2-Integ/B-0402.htm
19. The Comparatively Rich Archaeological Corroboration of the Old Testament | Cold Case Christianity: http://coldcasechristianity.com/2018/the-comparatively-rich-archaeological-corroboration-of-the-old-testament/
20. Can a person believe in both God and Darwinian evolution? | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2018/04/16/can-a-person-believe-in-both-god-and-darwinian-evolution/
21. Why It’s Okay Not to Have All the Answers – A Clear Lens: https://clearlens.org/okay-not-all-answers/
22. Did Jesus Have To Do Apologetics? THINKAPOLOGETICS.COM: https://chab123.wordpress.com/2018/04/16/did-jesus-have-to-do-apologetics-5/
23. A Case for Bible 101: Manuscript Evidence Part 7 Were There Books Left Out? Truth, Faith and Reason: https://truthfaithandreason.com/a-case-for-bible-101-manuscript-evidence-part-7-were-there-books-left-out/
24. If Faith Involves Making An Inference From Evidence, Why Do We Call It Faith?: http://coldcasechristianity.com/2015/if-faith-involves-making-an-inference-from-evidence-why-do-we-call-it-faith/
25. Early Christian Martyrdoms: Persecution in the Roman Empire Christian Apologist: https://christian-apologist.com/2018/04/15/early-christian-martyrdoms-persecution-in-the-roman-empire/
26. Examine Evidence for the Bible’s Reliability: http://faithphilosophy.com/en/bible-examine-evidence-for-the-bible-reliability.php
27. Real People and Real Places: The Biblical Archaeological Approach | Mormonism Research Ministry: http://www.mrm.org/sharing-with-mormons-archaeology
28. Are the New Testament manuscripts reliable? (Part 1) – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtOWUUMoc6Q
29. 5 Ways Apologetics Strengthens Our Faith | John Ankerberg Show: https://www.jashow.org/articles/apologetics-2/5-ways-apologetics-strengthens-our-faith/
30. Answering the Age Old Issue of Religious Relativism | The Real Issue Apologetics Ministry: https://roblundbergapologetics.com/2018/04/02/answering-the-age-old-issue-of-religious-relativism/
31. The Professor: Why Are You a Christian? – When Challenged, Can You Defend Your Faith in Christ: https://probe.org/the-professor-why-are-you-a-christian/
32. You Need to Know Why Young People Leave Church: https://corechristianity.com/resource-library/articles/you-need-to-know-why-young-people-leave-church
33. A Biblical Image For How Apologetics Helps Build the Church – Hope’s Reason: https://www.stephenjbedard.com/2017/10/05/biblical-image-apologetics-helps-build-church/#.Wtc2Y4jwaUm
34. You Can Do A Show About Christianity, Unless You Believe It’s True | Cold Case Christianity: http://coldcasechristianity.com/2017/you-can-do-a-show-about-christianity-unless-you-believe-its-true/
35. Historic Heresies Related to the Nature of Jesus | Cold Case Christianity: http://coldcasechristianity.com/2017/historic-heresies-related-to-the-nature-of-jesus/
36. Francis Schaeffer: Pastor, Evangelist, Apologist, Prophet – Christian Research Institute: http://www.equip.org/article/francis-schaeffer-pastor-evangelist-apologist-prophet/
37. Come Reason’s Apologetics Notes: How to Use Questions to Help Defend Your Faith: http://apologetics-notes.comereason.org/2016/11/how-to-use-questions-to-help-defend.html

Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist–he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 1 John 2:22-23

Blessings to you all

Apologetics Class 4/15/2018

Atheist Role-play Brett Kunkle

Yesterday in our apologetics class, we watched a video where Brett Kunkle transformed himself into a character he calls Pagan Bob, who is an atheist.  Here’s the video:

Here is the note-taking form I handed out before hand, including discussion questions at the bottom:

Brett Kunkle Atheist Role-Play (4-15-2018)

1. “Pagan Bob” – a “fr_______________” atheist (not a serial killer J)
2. Christians say: “How can you prove that God d_________ exist? – you can’t prove a n_______.”
   1. Bob’s answer: You don’t need to go looking for a “square circle” or a “married bachelor”
3. Bob: Christian conception of God is a logical c_____________________ – 3 beings in 1 being
4. Bob: you don’t need to go search every square inch of planet earth to say there are no u______
5. Bob: there’s no e______________________ for God
6. Bob’s question to the audience: Why do you believe in God?

Audience Responses

1. First lady (2^nd row) – Good and evil? Murder/child abuse, asked where morals come from.
   Bob’s response:_________________________________________________________________
   Your response: _________________________________________________________________
2. 2^nd lady –lying in bed, heard audible voice that said “go ask Sue why she believes in Jesus”
   Bob’s response:_________________________________________________________________
   Your response: _________________________________________________________________
3. 3^rd young man – address issue of morality, does not help from an evolutionary standpoint.
   Bob’s response:_________________________________________________________________
   Your response: _________________________________________________________________
4. 4^th lady (white hair) – Jesus Christ is historical figure & resurrection historically validated.
   Bob’s response:_________________________________________________________________
   Your response: _________________________________________________________________
5. 5^th young man – 2^nd law of thermodynamics – entropy, evolution contradicts this.
   Bob’s response:_________________________________________________________________
   Your response: _________________________________________________________________
6. 6^th middle aged man – belief in God a “spiritual thing”. Body is too complex if by chance (DNA).
   Bob’s response:_________________________________________________________________
   Your response: _________________________________________________________________
7. 7^th young man – referred to history, Roman persecution of history. Do you believe in Satan?
   Bob’s response:_________________________________________________________________
   Your response: _________________________________________________________________
8. 8^th young man – loves the tool of reason and logic. Talked about evolution from single cell organisms. Would a system evolve that had no need for the organism to survive?
   Bob’s response:_________________________________________________________________
   Your response: _________________________________________________________________

Debrief Session

1. Grade yourself:
   1. 1 ———————————————————————————————————10
      Owned by Pagan Bob                               Owned Pagan Bob
   2. 1 ———————————————————————————————————10
      We hated Pagan Bob     Pagan Bob experienced love & grace
2. We want to present the truth not only p____________, but with love, grace and c____________
3. I’m ok with you failing “i___ h________”, but I don’t want us to fail “o____ t_________”.
4. Think about this question as you share w/ atheist/skeptic: Why are you a Christian?
   1. Not enough to say “that’s what I was r_____________ in”
   2. Not enough to say “that’s my surrounding culture”
   3. Not enough to say “because the Bible t____________ me so”
   4. Not enough to say “I’ve e_______________ God”
   5. The reason why you should be a Christian and an atheist should be a Christian and a Muslim should be a Christian is b______________ it is t_________! John 17:3
5. How do we show that Christianity is the truth about reality? Not only do we have our personal experience, we have evidence and reasons.  Difference between k____________ and s________
6. Biblical mandate: 1 Peter 3:15 “…always be ready to make a defense (apologia)…”
7. 4 key questions for you to answer:
   1. T___________ exists & is knowable (objective truth)
   2. God exists (if God exists, this changes everything)
   3. God a__________ (Miracles)
   4. God s__________ (the Bible)
8. Don’t be discouraged by failure here, but let the Holy Spirit m_________________ you to action (2 Tim. 2:15).

Discussion Questions

1. What responses did the audience not give to Bob that they should’ve given?
2. What questions did the audience not ask that they should’ve asked Bob?
3. What answers did the audience give that were wrong, or not helpful? Maybe even bizarre?
4. Were there any responses that were good, even in part?
5. Pagan Bob made some statements that could’ve been challenged. What are some examples?
6. When Brett said we want to present the truth with love, grace and compassion, can you think of a verse that supports this?

mid-week apologetics booster (4-12-2018)

Good morning friends,

Here are your weekly links:

1. Parenting in the Power of the Gospel: https://corechristianity.com/resource-library/articles/parenting-in-the-power-of-the-gospel
2. How and When the New Testament Was Written – Logic & Light: http://www.logicandlight.org/how-and-when-the-new-testament-was-written/
3. Rhode Island Bill to Legalize Assisted Suicide Could Allow Secretly Euthanizing Patients Against Their Will | LifeNews.com: http://www.lifenews.com/2018/04/05/rhode-island-bill-to-legalize-assisted-suicide-could-allow-secretly-euthanizing-patients-against-their-will/
4. Where Did the Bible Come From? | Zondervan Academic Blog | Zondervan Academic: https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/where-did-the-bible-come-from/
5. Does Religion Cause War? | Come Reason’s Apologetics Notes: http://apologetics-notes.comereason.org/2013/03/does-religion-cause-war.html
6. This Was Your Life Tract (cartoon, but not funny – very serious): http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0001/0001_01.asp
7. The Circular Reasoning of Atheists: http://www.reasonsforgod.org/2013/03/the-circular-reasoning-of-atheists/
8. 40 Influential Christian Books: https://www.christianpost.com/news/40-influential-christian-books-217650/
9. 5 uncomfortable facts atheists need to hear: https://www.premierchristianity.com/Blog/5-uncomfortable-facts-atheists-need-to-hear
10. 10 Biblical Reasons God Allows Suffering – Sean McDowell: http://seanmcdowell.org/blog/10-biblical-reasons-god-allows-suffering
11. Unbelievable Unbelief – If Jesus would only show Himself to me, if God would just work one dramatic miracle, then I’d believe in Him…This kind of person overestimates himself. Even miracles can be denied or dismissed: http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2010/03/unbelievable-unbelief.html
12. Love + Apologetics = Evangelism: http://www.thepoachedegg.net/the-poached-egg/2013/04/love-apologetics-evangelism.html
13. Advice for Christians who discuss their faith with atheists from an atheist | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2013/05/01/advice-for-christians-who-discuss-their-faith-with-atheists-from-an-atheist-2/
14. Has Science Disproved God? Q&A | Saints and Sceptics: http://www.saintsandsceptics.org/a-new-column-good-question-quick-answer/
15. Is the Old Testament Reliable? by Chad A. Gross: http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2017/08/article-is-old-testament-reliable-by.html
16. 3 Reasons Why Christians Should Be Evidential Investigators Instead of Experience Junkies – Alisa Childers: https://www.alisachilders.com/blog/3-reasons-why-christians-should-be-evidential-investigators-instead-of-experience-junkies
17. The Book of Revelation: How Difficult Was Its Journey into the Canon? Canon Fodder: https://www.michaeljkruger.com/the-book-of-revelation-how-difficult-was-its-journey-into-the-canon/
18. The Bible Does Not Approve of Everything It Records – Stand to Reason Blog: http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2016/03/the-bible-does-not-approve-of-everything-it-records.html

John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” “What should we do then?” the crowd asked. John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.” Luke 3:7-11

Blessings to you all

Apologetics Class 4/8/2018

On Sunday’s Apologetics class, I was unable to lead due to a weekend “go live” at work, but there was a guest facilitator.  Here was the video the class watched:

 

Here are the notes that were handed out:

Truth and Tolerance – Peter Kreeft

Introduction

• Truth is “hard” Tolerance is “nice”
• In today’s society truth is relative
• “Dictatorship of Relativism”
• Democracy needs truth
• Tolerance without truth is not tolerance
• Brave New World book
• From the time of Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes we have known how to define truth
• Modern man is a teenager
• The reason to be open-minded is to know truth
• If reason cannot find the truth
• Freud said “our brains are at the service of our desires”
• Civilization is based on “Let us reason together”
• If there is no truth, then we will just fight
• Truth is needed for civilization to exist
• “There is an objective truth” is a humble position

If there is no truth, then only three ways:

Emotional force

Physical force

Totalitarianism (Democracy -> Soft totalitarianism (Democracy In America book)

Let’s define Truth.  What is truth?

-Truth is telling it like it is.

It’s true that I wasn’t born on Mars

-Common sense

-Naive

-Universally known

-Feelings are subjective

-Hard, impersonable, non-negotiable

-God is an artist.  Man’s art is copying God’s creation.

• Common sense
• Role of faith, we believe what we are told
• We don’t repeat experiments
• Religious faith in God
• Philosophy (We are all philosophers)
• Science/scientific method (for understanding the physical universe)

 

Truth in Western Civilization –   Greeks – “alitheia” = not forgetting

Romans – “Veritas” = rightness in thinking

Jews – “emet” = trustworthiness

Tolerance

Old meaning:  tolerate evil things, but not all, eg.  Not murder

Judgmental

Pragmatic, tolerate the lesser evil, eg. War

 

New meaning:  Tolerate everything.

Being non-judgmental (Didn’t Jesus say “Judge not”)

Judge sin not sinners

Good scientists judges ideas

Good politician judges ideas

You are your actions

Homosexuality

Hate the sin, love the sinner

Transgenderism

When we condemn the sin, we are not condemning the sinners

Moral relativism in our society is mainly in one are – SEX

The sexual revolution is a philosophy

Something you do

Moral relativism -> Intolerance (doesn’t include itself)

Only with moral absolutes can there be tolerance

Like the Gnostics (we know better, and the physical world is an illusion, doesn’t matter what you do with your body)

This has overcome the motherhood instinct

Abortion is accepted

Divorce is accepted and prevalent in our society

50 % divorce rate

No society can last with family life de-valued

The Jews, Confucians, Romans, Islam valued the family

So the sexual revolution affects everybody

Moral relativism

Absolutizes the relative, eg.  The Inquisition

Or Relativize the absolutes is worse

Without an Absolute/God, nothing is left (“Whatever!”)

CS Lewis’s the Abolition of Man says

Relativism changes your nature

Your heart is ripped out, humanity is abolished

mid-week apologetics booster (4-5-2018)

Good morning friends,

Here are your weekly links:

1. 5 Reasons the Resurrection of Jesus is NOT a Copy of Ancient Pagan Myths – Alisa Childers: https://www.alisachilders.com/blog/5-reasons-the-resurrection-of-jesus-is-not-a-copy-of-ancient-pagan-myths
2. The 3 Most Important Conversations about Easter that Most Sunday Schools and Parents Aren’t Having with Kids: http://christianmomthoughts.com/the-3-most-important-conversations-about-easter-that-most-sunday-schools-and-parents-arent-having-with-kids/
3. The Hidden Science That Proves Jesus Definitely Died on the Cross Charisma News: https://www.charismanews.com/world/70320-the-hidden-science-that-proves-jesus-definitely-died-on-the-cross
4. Atheists and Unreasonable Objections: http://apologetics-notes.comereason.org/2015/05/atheists-and-unreasonable-objections.html
5. Three arguments you’ll face on why faith and science are incompatible | Beyond Teachable Moments: https://beyondtm.wordpress.com/2016/02/04/three-arguments-youll-face-on-why-faith-and-science-are-incompatible/
6. Rapid Response: You Can’t Trust the Gospels Because They Were Written by Christians: http://coldcasechristianity.com/2016/rapid-response-you-cant-trust-the-gospels-because-they-were-written-by-christians/
7. We leave ourselves open to the charge of being uncritical and not caring to examine our faith: http://www.thepoachedegg.net/the-poached-egg/2018/03/we-leave-ourselves-open-to-the-charge-of-being-uncritical-and-not-caring-to-examine-our-faith.html
8. 10 Reasons to Accept the Resurrection of Jesus as an Historical Fact: https://crossexamined.org/10-reasons-accept-resurrection-jesus-historical-fact/
9. Ancient Evidence for Jesus from Non-Christian Sources – bethinking.org: https://www.bethinking.org/jesus/ancient-evidence-for-jesus-from-non-christian-sources
10. Four Reasons To Believe Jesus Was Really Crucified | Word On Fire: https://www.wordonfire.org/resources/blog/four-reasons-to-believe-jesus-was-really-crucified/5458/
11. CSI Calvary the compelling case for the Resurrection | The Conservative Woman | The philosophy not the party: https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/rebel-priest-rev-jules-gomes-csi-calvary-the-compelling-case-for-the-resurrection/
12. Why I Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus – Bernard J Mauser: http://www.bernardjmauser.com/philosopher/why-i-believe-in-the-resurrection-of-jesus/
13. 3 Syllogistic Arguments For Jesus’ Deity: https://crossexamined.org/3-syllogistic-arguments-jesus-deity/
14. 53 People in the Bible Confirmed Archaeologically – Biblical Archaeology Society: https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/people-in-the-bible/50-people-in-the-bible-confirmed-archaeologically/
15. Why should we be punished for sin when sinning is our nature?: http://www.blogos.org/theologyapologetics/punished-for-sin-nature.php
16. How Can I Know Which Bible Promises Apply to Me? – Stand to Reason Blog: http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2016/09/how-can-i-know-which-bible-promises-apply-to-me.html
17. Apologetics Film in Theaters on April 24th – Fragments of Truth: https://www.str.org/blog/apologetics-film-theaters-april-24th#.WsN1SIjwaUk
18. Reasons Why One Should Accept the Traditional Authorship of the Gospels | Bellator Christi: https://bellatorchristi.com/2016/11/14/reasons-why-one-should-accept-the-traditional-authorship-of-the-gospels/
19. The Resurrection Answers Three Big Questions – Sean McDowell: http://seanmcdowell.org/blog/the-resurrection-answers-three-big-questions
20. Stephen C. Meyer lectures on intelligent design and the origin of life | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2018/04/03/stephen-c-meyer-lectures-on-intelligent-design-and-the-origin-of-life-6/
21. 3 Startling Truths about the Early Church from the Pre-New Testament Texts: https://crossexamined.org/3-startling-truths-early-church-pre-new-testament-texts/
22. Responding to the objection by Christians who say I don’t need any evidence for my faith! THINKAPOLOGETICS.COM: https://chab123.wordpress.com/2018/04/02/responding-to-the-objection-by-christians-who-say-i-dont-need-any-evidence-for-my-faith-4/

After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. On the seventh day the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.” David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.” Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate. His servants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!” He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” 2 Samuel 12:15-23

Blessings to you all

Apologetics Class 4/1/2018

Yesterday in my apologetics class, for Easter Sunday, we watched 2 videos.  First was a short animated video from Impact 360 institute “Did Jesus Rise From The Dead?”:

Then we watched Tim Barnett of Stand To Reason, speaking on the topic of “Did Jesus Really Rise?”:

 

Here is the note-taking form I handed out for these videos along with discussion questions and the end:

Did Jesus Really Rise From the Dead? (Easter Sunday 4/1/2018)

Short Animated video about evidence for the resurrection

1. What’s the difference between Jesus rising from the dead and all those other fairy tales?
2. My belief in the resurrection of Jesus is r_________, it’s based on h__________ f_______.
3. Here are the facts:
   1. Jesus d_______ by crucifixion: Did Jesus really exist? Yes, even skeptical atheist Scholars agree that Jesus existed.
   2. His disciples were c___________ that he rose from the dead and a___________________ to them.
   3. P__________ became a Christian.
   4. J___________ became a Christian.
   5. The tomb was e_____________.
4. These facts demand an explanation, otherwise you have a big hole in human history.
5. Skeptical explanations:
   1. They all l__________. It was the most monumental prank ever perpetrated.

1. That’s the conspiracy theory. The problem is it doesn’t explain the facts. How could they overpower the Roman guards, rollaway a 2-ton stone, and why would they lie? People don’t willingly die for known lie.

1. 1. The disciples thought they saw Jesus.

1. The h_______________ theory also lacks explanatory power. 500 Witnesses saw Jesus at the same time, and the disciples touched him. Hallucinations don’t occur in groups. This Theory does not explain the empty tomb.

1. 1. Did people did people stay dead. Rising from the dead would be a supernatural event. Science has proven that M____________ don’t happen.

1. Science has not disproven miracles. Science deals exclusively with natural phenomena. A miracle, by definition, is not a n_____________ phenomenon. It’s s_________natural, which is outside the boundary of science.

 

Tim Barnett Speaks About Evidence for the Resurrection

1. What if the bones of Jesus were discovered tomorrow (with absolute proof)? Would you walk away from the faith?
2. Faith in a dead Jesus is absolutely w_______________. That’s not Tim Barnett’s opinion, it is what the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15!
3. 1 Corinthians 15:12-20: if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile in you’re still in your sins. There’s no h__________!
4. If Christ has not been raised:
   1. Preaching is in vain.
   2. Faith is useless.
   3. We are liars.
   4. We are still in sin.
   5. Former believers have perished.
   6. We should be pitied by the world.
5. The resurrection is the linchpin of Christianity. It is the most c__________ d_______________.
6. We have a way of testing Christianity.
7. If Christ has not been raised, Christianity is false, he is either:
   1. L___________.
   2. L___________.
   3. L___________.
   4. L___________.
8. Other religions use internal experience as their test.
   1. M__________s point to a burning in the bosom.
   2. M__________s point to the literary excellence of the Qur’an.
9. The Christian test is external evidence.
10. If you want to start on a truth quest, start with Christianity.
11. Evidence, establish the facts.
12. Explanation, Explain the facts.
13. Three lines three lines of evidence.
    1. The c__________ produced a dead body.
    2. The t__________ contained no body.
    3. People s____________ and t_____________ somebody.
14. Gary Habermas read ~3500 scholarly papers (liberal and conservative) and compiled the facts that they all agreed on – these are called the “Minimal Facts” (12 of them)

The Cross Produced a Dead Body

1. People could not survive a Roman crucifixion.
2. The flogging itself could kill someone.
3. The convicted person would eventually die through asphyxiation.
4. Crucifixion was so horrible, that the word ex______________ came from it, which means (in Latin) out of the cross.
5. This is attested by both biblical and non-biblical sources (e.g. J_____________, T__________, Pliny the Younger)
6. Jesus’s crucifixion is one of the most certain facts of history.
7. If you want to prove a resurrection, the person has to be d___________

The Tomb Contained No Body

1. The J_______________ Factor: Jesus was crucified and buried in Jerusalem, and the disciples proclaimed is resurrection In Jerusalem. How can Christianity get started, if the body is still in the tomb?
2. The enemies implicitly confirm that the body is gone. Their explanation was that the disciples s______________ the body.
3. If student claims “my dog ate my homework”, this implicitly confirms that their backpack does not contain their homework. In the same way if people claim that the disciples stole the body, this implicitly confirms and e______________ t_______________.
4. In the 1st century Jewish culture, a w_____________’s testimony was not highly regarded (e.g. Talmud, Josephus). But the women, were the first ones to report the empty tomb. If you’re making up a story, you don’t have women as your chief witnesses! This is the principle of embarrassment.
5. In 1968, construction workers stumbled upon a crucified individual who was buried in an ossuary, which confirmed that this was a common practice. Also the person’s legs were b_______________, confirming that part of the story as well.

The People Saw & Touched Somebody

 

1. Oral c____________ dates back to within months of the resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. It describes six appearances of Jesus.
2. During the life of Jesus, his half-brother James did not believe his message. But after the resurrection, James became a key figure in the Jerusalem c___________ and a believer in Jesus.
3. Paul did not believe in Jesus until Jesus appeared to him. He was actually an e_____________ of Christianity.

 

What Are the Explanations Given by Skeptics for these Facts?

1. Jesus wasn’t really dead (the s_____________ theory).  Here are the responses to this:
   1. You’d have to believe that this half dead Jesus revived in the coolness of the tomb, rolled the 2-ton stone out of the way, beat off all the guards and appeared to his disciples. They would respond “you’re in desperate need of medical attention!” If the Roman guards did not do their job making sure that you stayed in the tomb, they were the next ones to be put on the cross.
2. The disciples stole the b_______________.  Here are the responses to this:
   1. We have good evidence that the tomb really was empty.
   2. The disciples were willing to die for this belief.
   3. Liars make poor martyrs.
   4. Paul and James would not have been convinced by a lie, since they were not predisposed to believe in Jesus.
3. H________________ Theory.  Here are the responses to this:
   1. Paul and James wouldn’t have hallucinated seeing Christ.
   2. There’s no such thing as a mass hallucination. _______ (number) people saw the same thing. They ate with this hallucination, they touched this hallucination.
4. The best explanation is that Jesus actually r_________ from the dead.
5. Some people say that s_____________ has demonstrated that miracles are not possible. But they would be inaccurate.
6. Science looks at the natural world, but what we are studying is not natural, it is supernatural-something beyond nature!
7. Only two possible responses:
   1. For u_________________, believe the works. John 10:38. Jesus doesn’t tell us to take a blind leap of faith. It is active trust based on evidence.
   2. For b_________________, this information should compel us to fall on our faces in reverent worship. John 11:25-26. Jesus paid for your sins on the cross. But how do I know that he died for my sins (that’s logical/spiritual)? The resurrection is proof of purchase!

 

Discussion Questions

1. According to Tim Barnett, what is the most commonly held objection to the resurrection? Why does that objection fail?
2. If someone asked you to provide evidence for the resurrection of Jesus, what would you say?
3. Why is Jesus called “the Lamb of God”?
4. What is the “Jerusalem Factor”? Why does that matter?
5. What is the most crucial doctrine of Christianity, according to Tim Barnett?
6. What is C.S. Lewis’s “trilemma”?
7. Name a non-Christian source from the 1^st century that corroborates Jesus’s death on the cross.