Evidence of the Resurrection

  Believe it or not, still today, with all the evidence that has been recorded, there are some who deny the physical resurrection of Jesus.  It is no wonder though.  To accept the fact that Jesus was dead and was resurrected physically, as predicted thousands of years before it happened, would mean that you have to face the reality that not only does God exist and is all powerful, you'd also have to seriously consider the reason for Jesus' death and resurrection.  And, you have to consider who Jesus really is.  Could it be that the Bible is true and the purpose for the death of Christ and subsequent resurrection was to reconcile us to Almighty God---indicating that we need reconciliation and unable to do it ourselves?

  This coming Sunday, we Christians celebrate the physical resurrection of Christ because without this event, the entire foundation of our Christian faith is false.  But we don't cling to this faith blindly.  There is ample evidence of the physical resurrection literally taking place (as apposed to some who suppose this story is a metaphor or hyperbole).

• The circumstances at the tomb reveal a missing body.  Immediately there was a cover-up story invented by those in charge to discount this fact (Matthew 28:11-15).
• Jesus appeared first to a woman, Mary Magdalene (John 20:1).  In ancient Jewish culture, no one would make up a resurrection account in this way, for a woman's testimony was considered weightless.
• After the crucifixion, the disciples were full of doubt and fear. Suddenly they became willing to die for their claims.  Only the resurrection explains the change.
• Only the resurrection explains the conversion of hardcore skeptics, such as the apostle Paul, James and doubting Thomas.
• Only the resurrection explains the growth and survival of the Christian Church amid Roman oppression.
• Too many appearances occurred over too many days to too many people for the resurrection to be easily dismissed (Acts 1:3)
• Jesus appeared to 500 people at one time, many of whom were still living and could have disputed Paul's resurrection claims (1 Corinthians 15:6). They did not do this however because the appearance of Christ was well attested.

  Scripture is clear that Jesus' resurrection from the dead was physical.  In the New Testament, the Greek word for body (soma), when used of person, always means a physical body.  There are no exceptions to this. So all references to Jesus' resurrection body (soma) in the New Testament must be taken to mean a resurrected physical body.

 And you know what, in the same way that Christ was resurrected (physically) those of us in Him will be too!!!  I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to my new body that will never get sick, never get weak, never die!  

  Our Redeemer LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How Did We Get the New Testament?

  I recently had someone ask me how we can know that the Bible we have today is complete.  What about the other documents that were written by the Gnostics and others?  We hear a lot about these "lost gospels" of late thanks to the novel by Dan Brown called the Da Vinci Code.  By his own admission, this is fictional work but many have clung to it as fact. Even his fact page in the book as been discredited by historians.  Yet, so many are willing to believe a lie without question, but truth they will question relentlessly.


 So how did we get the New Testament of the Bible?  Again, the following is provided by Ron Rhodes' book "5 Minute Apologetics".


  "The word canon comes from a Greek word meaning "measuring stick."  The word eventually came to be used metaphorically of books that were "measured" and thereby recognized as being God's Word.  The canon of Scripture includes all the biblical books that collectively constitute God's Word.


  Many books written during New Testament times were recognized as being the Word of God during the general time they were written.  In 1 Timothy 5:18, Paul joined an Old and New Testament verse and called them both "collectively" Scripture (Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7).  For a New Testament book to be referred to as Scripture so soon after it was written says volumes about Paul's view of the authority of contemporary New Testament books.


  To be more specific, only 3 years had elapsed between the writing of Luke and 1 Timothy (Luke was written around AD 60; 1 Timothy was written around AD 63).  Yet Paul--himself a "Hebrew of Hebrew"--does not hesitate to place Luke on the same level of authority as the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy.


 Further, Peter referred to Paul's writings as Scripture (2 Peter 3:16; see also 1 Corinthians 14:37; 1 Thessalonians 2:13).  Paul, of course, wrote most of the books in the New Testament."


  Contrary to those who say no one knew what books belonged in the New Testament canon until a council met centuries later, the Bible itself reveals that many of the New Testatment books were already being recognized as belonging in the canon.


  The Spirit warns us in Revelation 22:18-19 "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll."  Anyone claiming to have new insight or special revelation that contradicts anything written in the manuscripts by the original apostles who had eyewitness accounts and first-hand knowledge---beware!


  The New Testament can be trusted as God's word, but don't take our word for it. Examine and explore for yourself and be ready to defend the next skeptic's question!

Fulfilled Prophecy & Inspiration of Scripture

  Now that we've determined that the Bible is indeed of supernatural inspiration and we can trust it fully, we'll start looking at specific details of Scripture.  Today's topic is a look at some of the fulfilled prophecies.

 From Genesis to Malachi, the Old Testament abounds with anticipation of the coming Messiah.  Numerous predictions---fulfilled in their entirety in the Old and New Testament---predict Jesus' birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, and glory.  These fulfilled prophecies constitute a powerful apologetic for the inspiration of Scripture.

 The New Testament writers showed that Christ specifically fulfilled Old Testament messianic prophecies.  For example, Jesus was to be the seed of woman (Genesis 3:15), virgin born (Isaiah 7:14), born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), and preceded by a messenger (Malachi 3:1).  He was to have a ministry of miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6), be betrayed and sold for 30 shekels (Zechariah 11:12), have His hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16), be crucified with thieves (Isaiah 53:12), have no bones broken (Psalm 22:17), suffer thirst on the cross (Psalm 69:21), and then be gloriously resurrected from the dead (Psalm 16:10).

 These prophesies were written many hundreds of years before they were fulfilled.  Their fulfillment could never have been predicted by natural means and their fulfillment depended on factors outside human control.  And they were all fulfilled precisely.  Obviously Scriptures have a divine origin and are not simply man-made.

(From 5 Minute Apologetics for Today - Ron Rhodes)

The Bible Part 4, Its Unique Survivability

  Many of us think that the Bible is under attack like no other time in history.  While this may be true in some sense (because there are more Bibles available and a larger population of people), the Bible has always been under attack in more ways than any other book.


  Before the printing press, there were handwritten manuscripts kept in safe places which together made up the Old Testament of the Bible.


 In A.D. 300 the Roman emperor Diocletian ordered every Bible burned because he thought that by destroying the Scriptures he could destroy Christianity. Anyone caught with a Bible would be executed. But just 25 years later, the Roman emperor Constantine ordered that 50 perfect copies of the Bible be made at government expense. The French philosopher Voltaire, a skeptic who destroyed the faith of many people, boasted that within 100 years of his death, the Bible would disappear from the face of the earth. 


  Voltaire died in 1728, but the Bible lives on. The irony of history is that 50 years after his death, the Geneva Bible Society moved into his former house and used his printing presses to print thousands of Bibles. 


   No other book has been so attacked throughout history as the Bible.  Isn't it strange that book banning and burning has met with great public protest and outcry. But when it comes to banning the Bible or wanting to destroy its credibility, many cheer that on.  Do you ever wonder why???



 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." (Jesus).

  

The Bible Part 3, Its Unique Circulation

 In our current age, where print has been around since all of us were born, we don't think much about the time before books and magazines as being the main source of communication. 


 Today, even printed publications are becoming a thing of the past.  But prior to the printing press, the pages of the Bible were handwritten meticulously,  kept in safe places, and God used word of mouth to teach Scripture by a chosen few.  Again I say, it is a supernatural thing that the truth of God's word was spread from one generation to another, for more than a thousand years. Only the elite could physically read what was penned through the Holy Spirit. 


  But then, the invention of the printing press in 1450 made it possible to print books in large quantities. The first book printed was the Bible! Since then, the Bible has been read by more people and printed more times than any other book in history. By 1930, over one billion Bibles had been distributed by Bible societies around the world. By 1977, Bible societies alone were printing over 200 million Bibles each year, and this doesn’t include the rest of the Bible publishing companies.  The Bible has been translated into approximately 1,400 languages. No other book even comes close.


  It is human nature that when something becomes readily available, we seem to value it less (unless it's money, power or fame ;-)).  But we need to resist that and value the written Word of God above all other physical things for He has made it available to any and all who will hear from Him.


  Part 4 will talk about the Bible's unique survivability! 

The Bible - Part 2, It's Continuity

  While it is true that the Bible was penned physically by men, the inspiration for what's penned there is definitely beyond human manipulation.  How can we know that?  Well, look at the following facts and be prepared to be amazed again at the Sovereignty of God.  Man cannot even get a story told consistently through a few people without the story changing; sometimes drastically (compared news channels or newspapers lately?) Ever played the childhood game where you pass a phrase down through a group of kids and see what is told by the time it gets to the last person?


  Check this out:

  If today just 10 people were picked who were from the same place, born around the same time, spoke the same language, and made about the same amount of money, and were asked to write on just one controversial subject, they would have trouble agreeing with each other. 


  But the Bible stands alone. It was written over a period of about 1,500 years by more than 40 writers from all walks of life. Some were fishermen; some were politicians. Others were generals or kings, shepherds, or historians. They were from three different continents, and wrote in three different languages. They wrote on hundreds of controversial subjects yet they wrote with agreement and harmony. They wrote in dungeons, in temples, on beaches, and on hillsides, during peacetime and during war. Yet their words sound like they came from the same source. So even though 10 people today couldn’t write on one controversial subject and agree, God picked 40 different people to write the Bible— and it stands the test of time.  (Quoted from Way of the Master, Compiled by Jordan and Justin Drake) 


  Pretty amazing huh?  But wait, there is lots more about Bible to come!  Stay tuned.......

The Bible - Part 1, Its Uniqueness

  What we believe about the Bible is foundational to our faith.  It is no wonder that the Bible is under attack at every turn.  If what's written in the Bible can be discounted, or if the Bible is not divinely inspired and true, then we have no foundation to stand on. Have you ever had people tell you that the Bible is full of contradictions, false prophesy, or simply written by man?  Anyone tell you that the Bible is as true as any other religious book in existence?  Do you find yourself unable to defend the truth about the Bible?  Well, the next few blogs are intended to help us defend the facts about the Bible and maybe even help us to recommit to reading it daily as it is indeed God's main way of communicating with us. 


Josh McDowell, in his book Evidence That Demands a Verdict, puts the Bible’s uniqueness into perspective for us: 


The Bible has survived severe criticism. No book has been more attacked for its accuracy. And yet archaeologists are providing more proof every year that the Bible’s detailed descriptions of historic events are correct. 

The [Bible’s] authors, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,...wrote on hundreds of controversial subjects with absolute harmony from the beginning to the end. There is one unfolding story from Genesis to Revelation: the redemption of mankind through the Messiah—the Old Testament through the coming Messiah, the New Testament from the Messiah that has come. In Genesis, you have paradise lost, in Revelation you have paradise gained. You can’t understand Revelation without understanding Genesis. It’s all interwoven on hundreds of controversial subjects. 

Now here’s the picture: 1,600 years, 60 generations, 40-plus authors, different walks of life, different places, different times, different moods, different continents, three languages, writing on hundreds of controversial subjects and yet when they are brought together, there is absolute harmony from beginning to end...There is no other book in history to even compare to the uniqueness of this continuity. (Part 2 of this blog will cover the Bible's continuity).

End of the World

  There has been a rash of false prophecy about the end of the world spread from religious and secular leaders alike.  The secular humanist tout that we are destroying the earth with global warming and religious zealots are always gaining headlines with predictions of Jesus' return with certain dates.  This year, we have the Mayan Calendar ending on 21 Dec 2012, leading many to believe that 21 Dec 2012 is the last day of earth's existence.


 So, as a Christian, how can we use these false prophecies which are getting a lot of public notice for Christ?   Many people of all ages have a real concern about this and are asking questions.  There is a great resource below copied from www.gotquestions.org that answers this question.  The answer is simple and yet, many won't want to hear just the simple answer. The simple answer is repent and turn to Jesus.  But if they don't want to hear that or don't know what that means, read the following and be ready to give an answer that may make them think even deeper about their plight on an earth that is passing away:

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Question: "How can I overcome my fear of the end of days?"

Answer: The best way to overcome a fear of the end of days is to be spiritually prepared for them. First and foremost, you must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in order to have eternal life (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10). Only through Him can you receive forgiveness of sin and have eternity with God. If God is your Father, there’s really nothing to worry about (Luke 12:32).

Second, every Christian should live a life worthy of the calling we have in Christ.Ephesians 4:1-3 teaches, “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Knowing Christ and walking in His will go a long way towards diminishing fear of any kind.

Third, Christians are told what will happen in the end, and it’s encouraging. First Thessalonians 4:13-18:

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Rather than fear the future, we are called to anticipate the future with joy. Why? In Christ, we will be “caught up” to meet Him and we “will always be with the Lord.”

Further, Scripture says we do not need to fear Judgment Day: “By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (1 John 4:17-18).

The apostle Peter reveals that, even if our future holds suffering, we need not fear: “But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed” (1 Peter 3:14). Peter and many other early believers endured much hardship and even death because of their faith in Christ. Suffering is not to be feared; it is a blessing when it is borne for the name of Jesus.

Those who do not know Christ do not have the promise of peace for the future. For them, there is a real concern because they have not settled the issue of where they will spend eternity. Those who do know Christ do not fear the end of days. Instead, we strive to live a life worthy of our calling, live with confidence, suffer patiently, anticipate Jesus’s return, and rest in the knowledge that our times are in His hands (Psalm 31:15).