Easter: Fact or Fiction? BCS Deaf Church Easter Week 2 4/3/2016

Children’s Chat: Why Do People Play High School Sports?

Glory Days!

Reliving the Glory Days!?!

Katy High School Soccer Spring 1989 5A State Finals

What About Easter?

What About The Apostles?

Worship Holy Spirit Bryan and Katie Torwalt God of the Redeemed Bethel Church feat. Jeremy Riddle

Easter: Fact or Fiction?

“Easter is not primarily a comfort, but a challenge. Its message is either the supreme fact in history or else a gigantic hoax…. Either it is infinitely more than a beautiful story, or else it is infinitely less. If it is true, then it is the supreme fact of history; and to fail to adjust one's life to its implications means irreparable loss. But if it is not true, if Christ be not risen, then the whole of Christianity is a fraud, foisted on the world by a company of consummate liars, or, at best, deluded simpletons.” -Sir Norman Anderson Professor Oriental Law, University of London

Is the Resurrection on Easter Just a Hoax?

Are the NT Books Even Historical? Can we trust them?  If you wanted to write a biography about your friend – what would you do?  Could you do something similar to learn about your friend’s grandfather?  Point: Witnesses who are very close to someone give the most accurate story of that person’s life. Witnesses who didn’t know the person as well are less accurate.  So: were the Biblical accounts accurate?

 Archaeologist William Albright said there is “no longer any solid basis for dating any book of the NT after A.D. 80” (Jesus’ death around A.D. 30)  Oxford Professor William Ramsay was a skeptic who set out to disprove Luke and Acts. After studying 25 years in the Holy Lands, he concluded: ‘Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy… this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians. …Luke’s history is unsurpassed in respect of its trustworthiness.’ Validity of the accounts:

 Paul wrote 1 Corinthians in 56 AD but refers to earlier accounts dating back to the 40s AD.  The Gospel of Mark appears to have been written in 44 AD, around 15 years after Jesus’ death.  Just because the accounts were near in time to the death of Jesus does not mean they are definitely true, but claims that they were written generations later, or are legends written 100 years later, are clearly false!  The first disciples really believed Jesus physically rose from the dead! Validity of the accounts:

Why don’t we believe the Apostles’ stories are lies?  The Apostles often seem weak and foolish in New Testament accounts. Most people make themselves look good in their made-up stories.  In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul states that 500 people saw Jesus and many of them were still alive to confirm the stories 30 years after the Resurrection.  NT accounts use the writing style of an investigator gathering eyewitness accounts – not of a legend. Is the Resurrection a Lie the Apostles Made Up?

“I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren't true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world — and they couldn't keep a lie for three weeks. You're telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.” - Chuck Colson Conspirator in the Watergate Scandal Is the Resurrection a Lie?

 Women saw Jesus first, even though Jews would not accept the testimony of a woman in court.  The Apostles admitted their doubt before seeing Jesus.  The Apostles were weak and frightened before the Resurrection, but boldly proclaimed the Gospel after.  If the Apostles were lying, what did that earn them? A life of persecution and poverty, followed by martyrdom. Would you die for a lie?  A faked resurrection would be easy to disprove. Is the Resurrection a Lie? NO!

The Empty Tomb:  If the Resurrection had been faked, the Jews or Romans could have produced Jesus’ body as proof of the lie. When Peter shared the Gospel publically, he did not even mention the empty tomb – because it really was empty!  How could the Apostles have stolen the body from a tomb carefully and continuously guarded by skilled Roman soldiers? Is the Resurrection a Lie? NO!

Hostile Witnesses:  In Acts 5, Gamaliel did not argue to the Jewish Council that the first Christians made up the empty tomb… it was a fact.  Paul went from murdering Christians to planting Christian Churches and proclaiming the Gospel among the Gentiles (Non-Jews). He was even martyred for his faith!  The Roman soldiers or Jewish leaders could have produced Jesus‘ body, showing the Resurrection to be a hoax! Is the Resurrection a Lie? NO!

Maybe it was the wrong tomb?  Jesus’ tomb was guarded around the clock by highly-trained Roman soldiers. They would have made sure to guard the right tomb!  If the “empty tomb” really was the wrong one, it would have been pretty easy to point out the right tomb where Jesus’ body still lay if he hadn’t been resurrected.

Maybe Jesus was not dead yet?  Roman executioners were experts in cruelty and death. They would have made sure Jesus was dead before they let his friends remove and bury his body.  Could a tortured man with serious wounds, deprived of food and water for days, break out of a tomb sealed with a heavy stone?  Would the sight of a beaten, half-dead man make you want to claim resurrection and deity?  How would that inspire anyone?

Maybe it was a hallucination?  Mass hallucinations can occur. There are historical accounts of such events taking place.  For a mass hallucination to continue for 40 days and be believed for decades afterward is unlikely, especially when there is no reward from the hallucination. Adding to that, Jesus‘ appearing to 500 witnesses and then to Paul much later makes the claim of a hallucination seem pretty unreasonable!  On top of that, hallucinating people are not very inspiring...

Is The Resurrection Story Real? Based on all of this evidence, we are essentially left with two possibilities: 1. The first disciples, whose teaching focused on the importance of truth, created one of the largest scams in history and held fast to their false claims even through persecution and death. 2. The Resurrection really happened!

So What? Now What?  If the Resurrection of Jesus really happened, that truth has to impact you! Ignoring this fact is careless and dangerous for both your life on earth and your eternity.  If Jesus really was raised from the dead, as he said he would be, you have to trust and obey his teachings.

Are the facts enough? “Doubting” Thomas insisted that he would not believe in the Resurrection of Jesus until he saw Jesus face-to-face and touched his wounds. John 20:29 ‘Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” ’ Jesus wants our FAITH, not just our knowledge of facts.

No content

Prayer  Trachelle needs prayer for her future, specifically: how to support and help her now that she is finishing school. She will need more socialization and help becoming independent.  Raynen is looking for a job and needs wisdom about a potential opportunity with a company called Love 146 in Houston.  Jena’s cousin, Teri, is pregnant and having surgery on the baby.  Alissa’s uncle, Don, recently returned from ministering in Korea. He is now sick with an unknown illness involving abdominal pain, fever.

Announcements  Social Dinner at Jason’s Deli Tuesday, 7pm.  Breakaway Tuesday, 9pm in Reed Arena. Certified Interpreters in Section 109, floor level. Free parking in Lot 100 (around the arena) starting at 8pm. Open to all – you don’t have to be a student to come.  Parents’ Weekend next weekend:  Breakaway in Reed Arena Saturday at 9 PM, same info as above.  Invite mom and dad to church Sunday!  Next Sunday: Second Sunday Supper (free dinner after church) and Lord’s Supper. Invite a friend!