1. The Importance of Jesus' Resurrection

2. What had happened to Jesus in the last week of his life? Recap the story by highlighting the key points to your partner You are now going to play detective and answer the question ‘Did Jesus really rise from the dead’ Besides the evidence in this powerpoint try to interview someone who believes Jesus is risen and add their views to your evidence.

3. The Romans were masters when it come to torturing and killing people. It was very important both to the Romans and the Jewish authorities he was dead. After he was dead they placed him in a sealed tomb, wrapped up in cloth They guarded the tomb The tomb was empty on Sunday Morning When people met Jesus after his resurrection they changed Over 2000 years later people still believe in the resurrection

4. Resurrection Appearances We have accounts of post-resurrection appearances in six NT books:  1 Corinthians 15:1-9  Mark 16:1-8 (9-20)  Matthew 28  Luke 24  John 20-21  Acts 1, 9, 22, 26  You may want to look at some of these to help you with the next tasks

5. However there are different theories Theory no 1: Stolen Body Theory. It goes like this: The disciples crept up whilst the soldiers were asleep and stole the body to make people think Jesus was alive. What do you think?

6. Evidence Before you decide think about the Apostles. How did they behave when Jesus died? Afterwards? What do we know about the tomb? Think about the stone- could it have been moved without disturbing anyone? After the resurrection they were prepared to die for their beliefs. Is this likely if it wasn’t true? Find out how many people saw Jesus after resurrection

7. Theory number 2: Everyone just hallucinated. It goes like this: Women go to wrong tomb, mistake gardener for Jesus, begin to have hallucinations. After that everyone else joined in the hallunciation

8. Evidence Before you decide think about the women. Read the account again. It was broad daylight Same as before how many people saw Jesus and would people have been ready to die if it wasn’t real? Why didn’t the authorities produce the body if they still had it? They wanted to stop all the stories but they couldn’t. If they had evidence why didn’t they?

9. Theory number 3. He wasn’t really dead. It goes like this: Jesus is unconscious not dead and revives in the tomb Somehow he got out

10. Evidence Before you decide read the account again. Could he have got out of the tomb by himself? Without any one seeing? The Romans were experts in crucifixion read the account again to see what happened to him Is there anything in the resurrection stories that would count against this theory?

11. What do you think

12. Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead. More than this Christians believe that Jesus is present in their lives today. The resurrection is important because for Christians it proves Jesus really was the son of God, and has power over death. It shows Christians that Love wins out Christians believe it shows that for all of us death is not the end