3. Son of God? Why should I believe that Jesus is the

4. What does it mean to believe? “ believing about ” “ putting your full weight upon ”

5. What does it mean to believe? Believing Believing: a decision to trust based on a careful examination of the evidence

6. What does it mean to believe? What have I learned about chairs? A structure, strength, laws of physics What have I observed about chairs? A they will always support people (if properly made, sensibly used and in good condition) What have I experienced with chairs? A 99.99% satisfaction (and on reflection, the.01% is down to me not checking!)

7. What does it mean to believe? Ongoing accumulation of knowledge & observation about chairs First decision to sit on one Ongoing (positive) experience of chairs I have become a chair believer!

8. What does it mean to believe? Ongoing accumulation of knowledge & observation about Jesus First decision to trust Him Ongoing (positive) experience of Jesus I have become a Jesus believer!

9. What does it mean to believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Acceptance of propositional truth + Experiential confirmation of truth + Decision to trust

10. What does it mean to believe that Jesus is the Son of God? the character of God unlike any other reliably reported positively experienced doing for me what is promised

11. to the body? What happened

12. The Garden Tomb, Jerusalem The crunch question: What happened to the body?

13. Inside the tomb The crunch question: What happened to the body?

14. Inside the tomb The crunch question: What happened to the body?

15. The crunch question: Abraham – buried in Hebron Mohammed – buried in Medina Gautama – ashes in 8 parts around NE India Jesus ?

16. What happened to the body? The crunch question: Where did the rumours of Jesus ’ resurrection come from?

17. 1.He didn’t die on the cross, but recovered in the tomb 2.The disciples stole the body, and then pretended that Jesus had been raised to gain followers 3.The authorities moved the body to prevent it becoming a focus – this was misunderstood by the disciples 4.He was raised from death What happened to the body? Possible explanations

18.  Moslem belief – Jesus (Issa) too special to die, replaced by someone who looked like him. He will return at the end of the age  rationalist belief – if he was seen alive, he couldn’t have died! What happened to the body? He didn’t die?

19.  expertise of Roman soldiers  “blood” and “water” from Jesus’ side when speared by Roman soldier  soldiers motivated! - capital penalty for failing to ensure death by crucifixion  how did he move the stone? (2 tons) What happened to the body?  how did he look Messiah-like?! He didn’t die?

20.  rational – dead people aren’t raised!  explains the authorities’ failure to produce a body What happened to the body? Disciples stole it?

21.  armed guard at tomb  stone to move  disciples scared  would they have been willing to die for a trick or hoax? What happened to the body? Disciples stole it?

22.  fears about what Jesus had foretold  BUT when rumours of resurrection began, surely they would have produced the body? What happened to the body? Authorities moved it?

23. The changed disciples What happened to the body?

24. The changed disciples What happened to the body? Gordon’s Calvary / Garden Tomb Gordon’s Calvary / Garden Tomb Church of Holy Sepulchre Church of Holy Sepulchre ? Pentecost ? ? Pentecost ? 1 km

25. The changed disciples What happened to the body?  the disciples transformed  the authorities impotent  thousands of conversions in a few days  the rapid spread of belief in the face of persecution

26.  different occasions and people - so not mass hallucination  to many people at various times - more than 500 on one occasion (this claim made in living memory)  not to the highly strung or emotional!  Jesus ate and drank with the disciples after he was raised What happened to the body? Mass Hallucination?

27. “When you have eliminated every other possible alternative, whatever remains – no matter how implausible – must be the truth” Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes What happened to the body? Conclusion

28. What have I learned about chairs? A structure, strength, laws of physics What have I observed about chairs? A they will always support people (if properly made, sensibly used and in good condition) What have I experienced with chairs? A 99.99% satisfaction (and on reflection, the.01% is down to me not checking!) Why should I believe that Jesus is the Son of God?

29. What have I learned about Jesus? What have I observed about Jesus (and His impact upon others) ? What have I experienced with Jesus? Why should I believe that Jesus is the Son of God?