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Jesus claimed to be God man
- 1. Each person gives the name of a famous person before they throw the soft toy to another. No repeats allowed. If they can’t think fast enough, they’re out! (10mins) Ice Breaker
- 2. welcome to
- 6. Click to start Elephant Towers
- 7. Jesus has been famous for more than 2000 years!!! Why?? Who is he???
- 8. Click the centre to start the clip
- 9. Who do you think Jesus is? (10mins) Group Activity
- 10. Millions don't believe in Jesus millions do everyone seems to believe different things about him…. …..so who's right?
- 11. What is the evidence for Christianity?
- 12. Most people agree these facts about Jesus…
- 13. He Existed! A Jewish man born in Bethlehem in Judea about 2000 years ago.
- 14. No serious historian would deny that Jesus existed. … There is simply too much evidence that Jesus lived on earth e.g. The Roman historians Tacitus and Suetonius speak about him.
- 15. ‘Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man — if it is lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles.' – Josephus (Jewish historian)
- 17. He was fully human The Hollywood movie director Martin Scorsese made the film THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST out of a desire to show that Jesus was just that: a real human being
- 18. He was fully human • tired (John 4:6) • hungry (Matthew 4:2) Human body • anger (Mark 11:15–17) • love (Mark 10:21) • sadness (John 11:32–36) Human emotions • temptation (Mark 1:13) • learning (Luke 2:46–52) • work (Mark 6:3) Human experiences
- 19. Famous as a great teacher and miracle worker.
- 20. "I can't believe in Christianity, but I think Jesus was a wonderful man. He was a great religious teacher." - Billy Connolly, Scottish comedian
- 21. “ Christ has his rank among the world’s great thinkers. But Son of God, isn’t that far fetched?” Bono replied, “No it’s not far fetched to me. Look, the secular response to the Christian story always goes like this: he was a great prophet, obviously a very interesting guy… But actually Christ doesn’t allow you that. He doesn’t let you off that hook. Christ says “I am God incarnate”… So what you are left with is either Christ was who he said he was or a complete nutcase. I’m not joking here the idea that the entire course of civilisation for over half the globe could have its fate changed and turned upside down by a nutcase, for me that’s far fetched.”
- 22. Jesus was fully human. He had a body, emotions and experiences just like ours.
- 23. He was a good man but…
- 24. Was crucified by the Roman authorities
- 25. His followers believed he was the Son of God and that he rose from the dead… They took the good news through the world
- 26. In every human heart there is a hunger. Do you believe that to be true? If so, what do people hunger for? (10mins) Group Activity
- 27. What did he say about himself? The New Testament of the Bible is our best source of information about Jesus. The wise teacher also made outrageous claims about himself.
- 28. His teaching centred on Himself.
- 29. In every human heart there is a hunger. Jung: `People are hungry for security.' Freud: `People are hungry for love.' Adler: `People are hungry for significance.' Three leading psychologists of the 20th century have all recognised this.
- 30. People are hungry… I am the bread of life. “ ”Jesus
- 31. Many people are walking around today in depression, disillusionment, despair.... It's like an emotional darkness.
- 32. This world is dark… I am the light of the world. “ ” Jesus
- 33. People want to stay healthy and alive… because they are afraid to die… We try to avoid talking about it.
- 34. I am the resurrection and the life. “ ” Jesus
- 35. “Dying is going home to God. I've never been afraid......on the contrary; I'm looking forward to it!” – Mother Teresa
- 36. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. “ ”
- 37. Many are burdened by worries and guilt. Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. - Jesus ” “
- 38. Follow me. “ ”Jesus Jesus said, • Receive me receive God (Matthew 10:40) • Welcome me welcome God (Mark 9:37) • To have seen me is to have seen God (John 14:9)
- 40. He claimed to be able to forgive sins…
- 41. He claimed to be The One to judge the world.
- 43. He claimed to be MESSIAH and SON OF GOD “But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” ” - Mark 14:61,62
- 44. "…now stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus
- 45. He claimed to be God the Son "I and the Father are one." - John 10:30
- 46. Let’s think…
- 47. He claimed to be God the Son. Jesus didn’t make it possible for us to think of him as just a good man.
- 48. A normal man who said things like Jesus did wouldn’t be good man at all. If he believed what he said he would have to be a MAD MAN.
- 49. If he didn’t believe it but said it anyway (just to get influence over people) then he would be a con man, a BAD MAN.
- 50. So, why do we believe that Jesus was not a mad man or a con man but the one and only God man?
- 51. “A man who was merely a man, and said the sort of things Jesus said, wouldn't be a great moral teacher. He'd either be insane; or else he'd be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God, or else insane or something worse. But don't let's come up with any patronising nonsense about his being `a great human teacher'. He hasn't left that open to us. He didn't intend to.” - C.S. Lewis
- 52. Do you think Jesus was a bad man, a mad man, or a God man? (15mins) Group Activity
- 53. What evidence is there?
- 54. 1. HIS TEACHING foundation of Western civilization. Jesus’ teaching acknowledged as greatest teaching ever fallen from anyone’s lips
- 55. 2. HIS WORKS His actions were sometimes miraculous but always filled with love.
- 56. 3. HIS CHARACTER So perfect that his worst enemies had to make up stories to hurt him.
- 57. “ Jesus …The most persistent symbol of purity, selflessness and love in the history of Western man.‘ – Time Magazine “I’ve got such huge respect for Jesus because his life was so radical, it was so inconvenient. ..If Jesus had not existed, the church most certainly would not have invented him.” - Matthew Parris, British journalist in “The Spectator” who describes himself as `an avowed atheist’
- 58. 4. HIS FULFILMENT OF OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY He fulfilled prophecies given hundreds of years before his birth.
- 59. 5. HIS CONQUEST OF DEATH The physical resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of Christianity. He died, but was risen again by God, his Father. “If the resurrection is not true Christianity becomes null and void.” - Richard Dawkins, atheist & writer
- 60. “The Christian claim …… is this: the resurrection of Jesus strongly suggests that the world has a Creator, and that that Creator is to be seen in terms of, through the lens of, Jesus.” - Tom Wright, NT Theologian
- 61. Jesus’ absence from the tomb separation of the clot and the serum in the blood.. strong medical evidence that Jesus was dead.
- 62. His presence with the disciples Number of appearances – at least 11 different occasions – 500+ people
- 63. The nature of the appearances While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." They were startled and frightened, thinking that they saw a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your mind? Look at my hands and my feet…. Touch me and see: a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.“ When he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and he ate it in their presence. ” “ – Luke 24:36
- 65. Christian experience down the ages Effect down the ages. Billions of people down the ages have experienced Jesus Christ. Immediate Effect It transformed the disciples, and resulted in the birth and explosive growth of the Christian Church right across the globe.
- 66. Therefore… in the light of what Jesus claimed about himself, there are those three logical possibilities: either Jesus was insane, or he was evil, or he is God.
- 67. “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” – Sherlock Holmes
- 68. “We're faced, then, with a frightening alternative. The man we're talking about was, and is, just what he said, or else insane or worse. Now, it seems to me obvious that he was neither insane nor a fiend. And consequently, however strange, or terrifying, or unlikely, it may seem, I have to accept the view that he was, and is, God.” - C.S. Lewis
- 69. So… few of those who are famous will be remembered next year, let alone next century…
- 70. but for Jesus, 2000 years after he lived… not millions but billions of people follow him.
- 71. Conspiracy Theories. Has your view about Jesus changed? (15mins) Group Activity
Notas del editor
- (Self-Introduction if people don’t already know each other) Each person to say what they want to be famous for. Throw soft toy. The catcher gives the name of a famous person then throws to another person as quickly as possible. If they can’t think of a person quickly enough they are out.
- Welcome to Youth Alpha! What Youth Alpha is- Ten week Course Weekend Away Typical session- games, talk, discussion, ask any questions Topics include: Who is Jesus? Why did Jesus die? How can I be sure of my faith? Why and how should I pray? Why and how should I read the Bible? How does God guide us? Weekend Away- Who is the HS? What does the HS do? How can we be filled with the HS? How can I resist evil? Why and how should we tell others? Does God heal today? What about the church Announce the time and venue of your Youth Alpha.
- Hopefully that game has helped you to get to know each other My name is [insert name], and I will be giving the talk today You may like to introduce yourself to the group [share a bit of your story] Now let’s talk about the reason we’re all here today! Over the next few weeks we’re going to be looking at some of the big questions of faith and life. There will be some short talks given from the front, and there will be loads of time for you to chat together and discuss what you really think about what we’ve said
- Ask them to shout out names of famous artistes. (give out prizes for difficult ones!) Feel free to change the pictures to suit the age group you are speaking to.
- Who are these famous people? How long do you think these people will continue to be remembered? 10 years? 50 years?
- In this video, the boy searched to find a way that would make him famous. Fame is key to our society – make the point that some people think it’s all that matters in our society, and people spend their whole lives trying to get famous! Fame comes and goes for people. People don’t stay famous for very long. However, there is one person who has been famous for 2000 years. And that person is Jesus.
- Jesus has been famous for more than 2000 years. Why is he so famous and for so long? Who is he?
- Let’s take a look at what some people think of Jesus.
- So who do you think Jesus is? (This is to allow guests to give their views /opinions. Do not correct them. Just accept their opinions)
- Millions don't believe in Jesus millions do everyone seems to believe different things about him…...so who's right?
- What is the evidence for Christianity? Christians follow Christ – hence the word ‘Christian’ – CHRIST-ian (obviously). It’s about having faith in this man Jesus – but not blind faith, faith based on evidence. Can we prove it beyond any shadow of a doubt? No. But the evidence is good. Wait a minute – is there any point in looking at Jesus, as we are now, if we don’t believe in God? Many believe that. But I would argue that without looking at who Jesus is, we can’t find out who God is, or if there even is a God.
- Point 1: Jesus existed. He existed. A Jewish man born in Bethlehem in Judea about 2000 years ago
- No serious historian would deny his existence. There is simply too much evidence that Jesus lived on earth, e.g. The Roman historians Tacitus and Suetonius speak about him.
- and he goes on to speak about his crucifixion, and his alleged resurrection.
- Some people say "Well, the Bible was written a long time ago. How do we know that what they wrote has not been changed over the years?" ......the answer is we do know very accurately.......we can know accurately through a science called `textual criticism' .... we can be confident about what the New Testament writers actually sat down and wrote. Professor F.F. Bruce, University of Manchester in the UK, wrote a book called The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? .....in it he shows just how rich the NT is in sheer weight of manuscripts by comparing it to the texts of other historical works. Basically, the idea behind textual criticism is this: as you sit and read a book that is a copy of an ancient manuscript, of any kind, the way you know what you are reading is what the original author/s wrote is by asking two questions: 1. How quickly after the original was written was the earliest copy made? 2. How many copies are there? So ….Herodotus and Thucydides were both written in the 5th century BC. The earliest copy that we have is around AD 900........so there's a 1300 year gap. For each of these works we have 8 copies........And yet no classical scholar would doubt their authenticity. Tacitus: a thousand year gap between original and first copy— total of 20 copies. Caesar's Gallic War: 950 year gap between original and first copy — total of 9 or 10 copies. Livy's Roman History: 900 year gap between original and first copy — total of 20 copies. The New Testament......written between 40 and 100 AD......the earliest copy we have is AD 130. And we have full manuscripts AD 350. So, at most, there's a 300 year gap. And not just 8 or 20 manuscripts: we have, 5,309 Greek manuscripts, 10,000 Latin manuscripts, 9,300 others. You look at this and you see it: the New Testament stands absolutely and unapproachably alone amongst ancient prose writings ........and no secular historian would disagree with that conclusion.
- He was fully human. The Hollywood movie director Martin Scorsese made the film THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST out of a desire to show that Jesus was just that: a real human being
- Jesus was fully human- he had a body, emotions and experiences just like ours. Human body tired (John 4:6) hungry (Matthew 4:2) Human emotions anger (Mark 11:15–17) love (Mark 10:21) sadness (John 11:32–36) Human experiences temptation (Mark 1:13) learning (Luke 2:46–52) work (Mark 6:3)
- Famous as a great teacher and miracle worker.
- Quote "I can't believe in Christianity, but I think Jesus was a wonderful man. He was a great religious teacher." - Billy Connolly, Scottish comedian
- Quote from an interview with Bono, lead singer of U2 Band, one of the most successful rock bands in the world today. Interviewer: “Christ has his rank among the world’s great thinkers. But Son of God, isn’t that farfetched?” Bono replied, “No it’s not farfetched to me. Look, the secular response to the Christian story always goes like this: he was a great prophet, obviously a very interesting guy… But actually Christ doesn’t allow you that. He doesn’t let you off that hook. Christ says “I am God incarnate”… So what you are left with is either Christ was who he said he was or a complete nutcase. I’m not joking here the idea that the entire course of civilisation for over half the globe could have its fate changed and turned upside down by a nutcase, for me that’s farfetched.”
- We know Jesus was fully human. He had a body, emotions and experiences just like ours. We know that he was a great teacher and miracle worker, and he was a great thinker. The question is “Was he more than human?” Was He God?
- We know that Jesus was a good man but…
- He was crucified by the Roman authorities like a common criminal. Crucifixion was the death sentence. Was he a bad man? How was it possible then that a good man like him would have been given a death sentence, and yet …
- His followers believed he was the Son of God and that he rose from the dead, and boldly they took the good news through the world?
- In every human heart there is a hunger. Do you believe that this is true? If so, what do people hunger for? (Use a piece of mahjong paper for guests to write/draw their views /opinions. Do not correct them. Ask them to present their views. You may choose to give out awards for most creative/colourful presentation!)
- What did he say about himself? The New Testament of the Bible is our best source of information about Jesus. The wise teacher also made outrageous claims about himself.
- Most good religious teachers point away from themselves and to God. They say "Don't look at me! Look at God." Jesus, in pointing to God, pointed to himself. ...in other words he was saying that it's through him that we encounter God.
- Just as you discussed earlier, we agree that in every human heart there is a hunger. Three leading psychologists of the 20th century have all recognised this. Jung: `People are hungry for security.' Freud: `People are hungry for love.' Adler: `People are hungry for significance.'
- Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35). He alone can satisfy that hunger in our lives
- Many people are walking around today in depression, disillusionment, despair. It’s like an emotional darkness.
- It's always interesting to talk to people after they've done a Youth Alpha course.......one person spoke of their experience like this: "It was as if the light had suddenly been turned on, and I could see things for the first time.“
- People want to stay healthy and alive… because they are afraid to die. We try to avoid talking it.
- And Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John11:25–26)
- Somebody asked Mother Teresa shortly before she died: "Are you at all afraid of dying?" And her answer was: "How can I be? Dying is going home to God. I've never been afraid......on the contrary; I'm looking forward to it!"
- Many are dissatisfied with materialism. And they're searching for some kind of spiritual reality. Jesus said "I am the way." When you're searching for some kind of value system. Jesus said "I am the truth." Many ask "what is the point of life? What's its meaning? What is its purpose? Jesus said "I am the life.“ Others in the past have said "That's the way. That's the truth. That's the life." Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life."
- Many are burdened by worries and guilt. Jesus also says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
- Many are not sure what they should be doing with their lives. What kind of model should we be following? [The traditional models that people have often followed are now breaking down.] Who should we follow? Jesus says, “Follow me.” Jesus said, Receive me – receive God (Matthew 10:40), Welcome me – welcome God (Mark 9:37), To have seen me is to have seen God (John 14:9)
- Jesus said a number of things which, although not direct claims to be God, show that he regarded himself as being in the same position as God.
- Now, to forgive people who've hurt us is something that we can all do as human beings. But to forgive those who have hurt others is something only God can do. And when Jesus claimed the authority to be able to forgive everybody he was accused of blasphemy. The lawyers said to him: "Who can forgive sins but God alone?“
- ii. Jesus claimed that he was the One who was going to judge the world. He said that one day all the nations would be gathered before him, and he would separate them off. And he would make the decision according to how we have responded to him, Jesus… in this life. Surely these are not the kind of thing simply a `great religious teacher' would say?! Imagine you go along to a church...the preacher gets up and says "One day I am going to judge the world and the test is going to be how you have responded to me….and me alone" . Now, I ask you, would you think: “what a great religious teacher!”…..No! you would be too busy looking for the nearest exit!
- After his resurrection Jesus appeared to his followers, “the disciples”, all of them except Thomas. The other disciples told Thomas that they had seen Jesus for themselves. Can you imagine how disappointed Thomas must have felt?! He’d just gone out to the store to get a pizza for the guys (?!) and Jesus turns up. ….Jesus who was supposed to be dead in a grave. Now, Thomas was a classic 21st Century sceptic and he said "Sorry guys…I can’t believe unless I see for myself!.....I need to see the wounds in Jesus hands and side, from the nails and spear, or I won't believe." And then Jesus appears....to all of them including Thomas, and Jesus welcomes Thomas …he shows him the wounds in his hands and side....Jesus allows Thomas to ask his questions and explore his doubts, right up close (…In a way it’s just like Alpha: we all have questions about life and faith and God....and we have the opportunity over the next few weeks to wrestle with these questions in our small groups...asking each other...asking God....realising how Jesus welcomes each of us to explore our doubts and our thoughts and our feelings……) We may not get a physical body to touch but we do get testimony.
- He claimed to be the Messiah and the Son of God (Mark 14:61) “But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” ” - Mark 14:61,62
- Jesus lays the evidence before him, and then says this to Thomas: "…now stop doubting and believe.“ Look! Thomas called Jesus “God”!.... And this is very important: Jesus didn't say "No no no! Hang on a second — you are going too far!" Jesus’ response to him was this: "Because you've seen me, you've believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." In other words, he says "At last!....you were a bit slow getting the point Thomas!....but you're there now!"
- But these claims were not just for the disciples - everyone around was aware of them. In John, chapter 10, verse 30 we read this: Jesus says "I and the Father are one." Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" "We're not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere human being, claim to be God." Jesus of Nazareth claimed to be God.
- He claimed to be God the Son.(John 8:58) Jesus didn’t make it possible for us to think of him as just a good man.
- A normal man who said things like Jesus did wouldn’t be good man at all. If he believed what he said he would have to be a mad man.
- If he didn’t believe it but said it anyway (just to get influence over people) then he would be a con man, a bad man. So, was He a mad man? A con man? Or a good man? If He was good man, then what he said must be true and that He must be God.
- So, why do we believe that Jesus was not a mad man or a con man but the one and only God man?
- Famous author and Christian thinker, CS Lewis, said this, “A man who was merely a man, and said the sort of things Jesus said, wouldn't be a great moral teacher. He'd either be insane; or else he'd be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God, or else insane or something worse. But don't let's come up with any patronising nonsense about his being `a great human teacher'. He hasn't left that open to us. He didn't intend to.”
- Do you think Jesus was a bad man, a mad man or a good man? Bearing in mind that if he is a good man, he must be God because he claimed to be God. (Again, do not correct them or argue. Just let your guests express what they think)
- The teaching of Jesus is widely acknowledged to be the greatest teaching that has ever fallen from anyone's lips.......for example......The Sermon on the Mount: Love your neighbour as yourself. Turn the other cheek. Love your enemies. Do to others what you would have them do to you. Jesus' teaching has become the foundation of entire civilisations......many laws originally based on His teachings........We're making progress in every field of science and technology..... We travel faster, we know more; yet in two thousand years no one has ever improved on the moral teaching of Jesus Christ. They're the greatest words ever spoken. They're the kind of words that you'd expect God to speak. What we have to ask ourselves is could that teaching have come from someone who was insane, or evil?
- Sometimes people say "Oh, Christianity, it's so boring!" ….but that’s something you could never say about Jesus: Jesus must have been the most extraordinary person to be around. Imagine going to a party with Jesus...the first recorded miracle of Jesus was at a wedding party, turning simple water into beautiful wine! That’s my kind of miracle! Imagine going on a picnic with Jesus! Jesus went on a picnic once…everyone was so excited to listen to his teaching that only one person remembered to bring some food to eat, so Jesus multiplied it for everyone!....and fed 5000! Imagine going to a funeral with Jesus! Jesus went to a funeral once….and, to everyone’s surprise, he said "Take the stone door away from the tomb." His disciples, full of faith as ever, said "We can't do that— he's been dead for four days, it'll stink!" Jesus said "Take the stone away." Then he called out "Lazarus, come out." And his previously dead friend Lazarus came out of the tomb. We might think Christianity, the religion, is boring but Jesus, the man, certainly was not! And it’s not just his miracles, but his love. Jesus continually reached out in love touching people that society had rejected: the lepers, the outcasts. He transformed people's lives. And he's still doing that today. He was then willing to sacrifice his own life. Again we have to ask that question: are these the deeds of somebody who's insane or evil?
- Jesus’ character has impressed millions, who wouldn't necessarily call themselves Christians. The famous US magazine ‘Time’ called Jesus: `The most persistent symbol of purity, selflessness and love in the history of Western man.' Supreme unselfishness, but never self-pity. Humility, but not weakness. Joy, but never at somebody else's expense. Kindness, but not indulgence. And then, of course, a real test is when we're under pressure, when we're in pain. And Jesus, in excruciating pain when he was on the cross said about the people who were doing it to him, "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing." His enemies could find no fault in him, and his friends said "This man has no sin." The British journalist Matthew Parris who describes himself as `an avowed atheist’ was writing in the magazine, The Spectator, and he said this: `I’ve got such huge respect for Jesus because his life was so radical, it was so inconvenient.’ …. `If Jesus had not existed, the church most certainly would not have invented him.’ There was something very special about the character of Jesus
- The famous US magazine ‘Time’ called Jesus: `The most persistent symbol of purity, selflessness and love in the history of Western man.' Supreme unselfishness, but never self-pity. Humility, but not weakness. Joy, but never at somebody else's expense. Kindness, but not indulgence. And then, of course, a real test is when we're under pressure, when we're in pain. And Jesus, in excruciating pain when he was on the cross said about the people who were doing it to him, "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing." His enemies could find no fault in him, and his friends said "This man has no sin." The British journalist Matthew Parris who describes himself as `an avowed atheist’ was writing in the magazine, The Spectator, and he said this: `I’ve got such huge respect for Jesus because his life was so radical, it was so inconvenient.’ …. `If Jesus had not existed, the church most certainly would not have invented him.’ There was something very special about the character of Jesus. Even his family believed he was God. – a bad man or crazy man couldn’t have done that.
- His fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy. He fulfilled prophesies given hundreds of years before his birth.
- Sometimes people say, you know, "On Alpha why don't you start with `Is there a God?, rather than with Jesus....... I don't even believe there's a God, let alone where Jesus fits in!" So what is the evidence that the resurrection really happened? The physical resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of Christianity. He died but was brought back to life again by God, his Father. “If the resurrection is not true Christianity becomes null and void.” – Richard Dawkins, atheist and writer
- Jesus’ absence from the tomb. There have been many theories over the years to explain why Jesus' body was absent from the tomb on that first Easter day.......none are particularly satisfactory. First of all, it's been suggested that `Well, maybe Jesus didn't really die on the cross; he fainted from the pain....then recovered in the cool of the tomb.' But he'd undergone a Roman flogging many people died from that alone. And he had been crucified. People did not survive crucifixion. They had put a stone weighing a ton and a half in front of that tomb...not easy to move at the best of times ......also there's a very interesting piece of evidence in John chapter 19, verse 33. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. Today we know that this indicates the separation of the clot and the serum in the blood.... strong medical evidence that Jesus was dead. They weren't aware of that at the time, they simply wrote it because that's what happened. Other people have said "Well, maybe the disciples came along and they stole the body, and began a rumour that Jesus was risen." Leaving aside the fact that the tomb was guarded, the theory is highly improbable, simply from a psychological perspective. These men were depressed, disillusioned. They'd put all their hope in Jesus and he had died. Something extraordinary then happened to totally transform those people — so much that they were willing to suffer and die themselves. In later years many of them would be tortured, they themselves would be executed for what they believed about Jesus.....if they knew that Jesus’ body was buried in their back garden, would they have been willing to die for what they knew to be a lie? Others have said "Well, maybe the authorities stole the body." But that is absurd: because if the authorities stole the body, all they needed to do when people were saying "Jesus is risen from the dead" was to produce it – …….. but they never did. Others have said "Well, maybe robbers stole the body." What's interesting here is that the tomb contained only one thing that would have held any worth to robbers..........and that is the grave-clothes, filled with expensive spices.........Peter and John heard the rumour that Jesus was risen...... they ran to the tomb and found not an empty tomb at all........ the valuable grave-clothes were still there.....like an empty chrysalis after the butterfly has emerged from the cocoon. And the headpiece, the piece around Jesus' head, had been folded up and put in a separate place. And we're told that when John took one look at that evidence, that was enough: he believed.
- His presence with the disciples. After rising from the dead, Jesus appeared many times to the disciples and others Some people have said "Well, that was just hallucination." Sure, people do hallucinate. Normally it's people who are highly strung....highly imaginative..... very nervous.....or sick..... or on drugs. But the disciples don't fit into any of those categories. We're talking about burly fishermen! ......and tax collectors! We're talking about realists and cynics and sceptics. Thomas, who said "I'm not going to believe unless I see it for myself ! " And then look at the number of them. Jesus appeared to over 500 people, on eleven different occasions. Are all these people really likely to share the same hallucination?
- The nature of the appearances. Hallucinations are subjective: they have no objective reality. It's like seeing a ghost. Would you like to turn to Luke, chapter 24 verse 36. While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." They were startled and frightened, thinking that they saw a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your mind? Look at my hands and my feet…. Touch me and see: a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." When he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and he ate it in their presence. One friend of mine actually became a Christian because of that one verse....he recognised, quite rightly, that ghosts don't eat fish!, and came to the conclusion that Jesus had to have risen in bodily form Jesus ate with the disciples. He cooked breakfast for them on one occasion! He had long conversations with them.
- Is anyone here in love? (…maybe you’re having a quick look at the person next to you an thinking “Hmmm, I could be persuaded!”) You know what, you could research “inloveness”…you could do a degree, a PhD on what it is to be “in love”… you could be a leading world expert on love…but unless you are IN love yourself it’s purely academic. We would all accept that the best person to talk about love would be someone who is themself in love…..the experience is essential! From my own experience over the last 30 years.....just like the two thousand million Christians around the world, I have experienced the love of Jesus… his power, his kindness, his mercy, his grace, in my own life. I know what it is to have that hunger satisfied....the hunger for love, the hunger for peace, the hunger for meaning and purpose in life. And that is what convinces me….daily…. that he's alive.
- All of this had an immediate effect; it transformed the disciples, and resulted in the birth and explosive growth of the Christian Church right across the globe. The question we have to ask ourselves is what was it that caused that? Unless it was the resurrection.
- In the light of what Jesus claimed about himself, there are those three logical possibilities: either Jesus was insane, or he was evil, or he is God.
- As we look at that evidence — about what Jesus taught, what he did, his character, his fulfilment of prophecy, his resurrection from the dead — surely we can eliminate as impossible that Jesus was insane…..surely we can eliminate as impossible that Jesus was evil. Therefore, as Sherlock Holmes puts it, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
- There is a lot of evidence to support Jesus’ existence and resurrection. Christians believe he is the Son of God. So, as what CS Lewis says, “We're faced, then, with a frightening alternative. The man we're talking about was, and is, just what he said, or else insane or worse. Now, it seems to me obvious that he was neither insane nor a fiend. And consequently, however strange, or terrifying, or unlikely, it may seem, I have to accept the view that he was, and is, God.”
- So…few of those who are famous will be remembered next year, let alone next century…
- ……but for Jesus, 2000 years after he lived… not millions but billions of people follow him. And this is my experience too ……