Did Jesus Really Die And Rise Again? TeenSS Sunday June 23 2013

1. Impossible?

1. Impossible? Christians say Jesus rose from the dead But people don’t rise from the dead Therefore Jesus didn’t rise from the dead

What our church believes “The physical resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and his ascension to the right hand of the throne of God the Father.” In other words we believe: Jesus was dead Jesus was physically raised

2. Historical evidence for the resurrection

2.1. Historical evidence? Yes, our material is the bible But just for this exercise treat it as a historical text, not the word of God So maybe not every detail is true, but reading the NT, what must be true… So look for: Multiple accounts Different perspectives and emphases

2.2. What is certain Jesus was crucified and buried Women found the tomb empty Many people in different times and places and gatherings claim to see Jesus alive There was transformation in the lives of those people

2.3. Alternatives to the resurrection

2.3. Alternatives to the resurrection The “swoon theory” The wrong tomb The body was stolen The hallucination theory The “spiritual resurrection” theory

a) The “swoon theory” Jesus didn’t actually die, so he revived rather than resurrected Roman soldiers were pros at killing people Roman soldiers had to made sure The trauma of crucifixion John 19:31-33 and the breaking of the legs John 19:34 and the flow of blood and water Jesus would have been too weak to remove his grave clothes, move the stone, walk to Emmaus

b) The wrong tomb Everyone went to the wrong tomb, which was empty The women had followed Jesus’ body Peter and John went to the same wrong tomb? There was a Roman guard It belonged to a rich guy Neither the Jews nor the Romans found the right tomb and produced a body

c) The body was stolen Version 1: the disciples stole the body and then made up the story of the resurrection There was a Roman guard Women were not considered reliable witnesses The transformation and martyrdom of the disciples shows they were sincere “They may have been deceived, but they were not deceivers. Hypocrites and martyrs are not made of the same stuff.” (Stott)

c) The body was stolen Version 2: the Jews or Romans stole the body to stop it becoming a shrine They could have produced the body to stop Christianity, but didn’t

d) The hallucination theory The grief of the disciples meant that they imagined Jesus had been raised So many people in a variety of moods Hallucinations are individualistic and subjective Hallucinations are usually nostalgic in time/place They weren’t expecting resurrection eg Matthew 28, Thomas in John 20

e) The “spiritual resurrection” theory A resurrection happened, not a physical one, but a spiritual one like a ghost or a spirit The tomb was empty No body was produced Jesus did physical stuff Eating Touching others Being touched

3. Bias: the sequel The problem…

3. Bias: the sequel If a Christian source says something about Jesus… Well then, that’s because they’re Christian. It’s biased.

3. Bias: the sequel If a non Christian source says something about Jesus… If what they say is so convincing, well then, why aren’t they a Christian?

3. Bias: the sequel The Christian can’t win

3. Bias: the sequel The non-Christian who becomes a Christian ← 1930 1998 →

3. Bias: the sequel Last week we said…

3. Bias: the sequel The person who believes but still doesn’t believe

Pinchus Lapide (1922-1997) “The Resurrection of Jesus: A Jewish Perspective”

“I accept the resurrection of Jesus not as an invention of the community of disciples, but as an historical event.” In this book Pinchus Lapide convincingly shows that an irreducible minimum of experience underlies the New Testament account of the resurrection, however much of the details of the narrative may be open to objection. He maintains that life after death is part of the Jewish faith experience, and that it is Jesus' messiahship, not his resurrection, which marks the division between Christianity and Judaism.

4. So what?

The bible’s picture of Jesus Jesus said: He and his message was from God (John 7:16) God was his Father (John 5:17) He was the only way to God (John 14:6) God had appointed him the judge (John 5:21) He was without sin (John 8:46) To reject him is to reject God (John 15:23)

Stuff CS Lewis says #1 Three choices: Liar (con artist) Lunatic (crazy guy) Lord (what he says he is)

Stuff CS Lewis says #1 Jesus said: He and his message was from God (John 7:16) God was his Father (John 5:17) He was the only way to God (John 14:6) God had appointed him the judge (John 5:21) He was without sin (John 8:46) To reject him is to reject God (John 15:23) The way to work it out is to see what he did

See what Jesus says and does… Jesus said: He said to the paralytic, 11 "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. (Mark 2:10- 12) 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. (Mark 4:39) 14 Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it… 20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. (Mark 11:14,20)

Jesus said: 18 Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?" 19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." 20 The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. (John 2:18-21)

Jesus said: 39 He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matthew 12:39-40)

Jesus said: He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three daysche will rise." (Mark 9:31)

Three choices: Liar (con artist) Lunatic (crazy guy) Lord (what he says he is)

Stuff CS Lewis says #2 Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.

5. Stuff CS Lewis says #2 In other words, either: Christianity is not true GO HOME. Christianity is true It is the most important thing in your life There is no in between.

14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith...20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1Corinthians 15:14,20-22)