You Need to Know By Steve Mann

This is the Good News” 2Timothy 2:8, Paul to Timothy Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel,

How important is assurance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ I Corinthians 15:14 “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”

The Believer… Has made the decision that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, given by God as the atoning sacrifice for sin. The foundation for the acceptance of Jesus Christ is His Resurrection from the dead.

The ROC Critically important… do you have enough evidence, enough information that you are comfortable with accepting that Jesus Christ lived was crucified, and on the third day was raised or resurrected from being dead?

Cause and effect are tied together The evidence of this conclusion is a changed life that continues to change “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” 2 Timothy 2:19b

In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. 2 Timothy 2:20-21

Today some call Christianity a “myth” Luke 1:1-4 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.

With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Myths do not locate In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.

The New Testament Represents itself as a record of the facts that took place on earth in the region of Judea in the time of Herod…

It is history not myth Luke 3:1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—

Collateral Evidence Evidence from Tacitus - A.D. 64, a Roman historian Evidence from Pliny the Younger – Found in a letter dated A.D. 112 Evidence from Josephus - a first century Jewish historian Evidence from the Babylonian Talmud – a collection of Jewish rabbinical writings. Source: http://www.bethinking.org/jesus/ancient-evidence-for-jesus-from-non-christian-sources

From the NT record… Mark 15:39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” Mark 15:44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died.

The position that Jesus did not die Is not support by the text or history – Those who think this are following what they have been told. When a position exist or is taken that is not represented by historical records, it is the creation of an unbelieving mind.

He was raised By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[fn]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:2-4

Who moved the Stone? "Frank Morison" is actually a pen name of an English journalist and novelist named Albert Henry Ross (1881-1950);

"I owe Morison a great debt of gratitude. Who Moved the Stone "I owe Morison a great debt of gratitude. Who Moved the Stone? was an important early link in a long chain of evidence that God used to bring me into his kingdom. Morison’s stirring intellectual exploration of the historical record proved to be an excellent starting point for my spiritual investigation." --From the foreword by Lee Strobel

What we know… Jesus was placed in a new tomb - John 19:41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.

The unbelievers John 20:1ff Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. See also John 20:19ff