"Three Big Questions", Class Two: “Did Jesus Rise?”, Malcolm Cox

Season 1,   May 25, 2019, 09:12 AM

Three Big Questions

Class Two: “Did Jesus Rise?”

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” (1 Peter 3:15–16)

Before you begin

  1. Ask what they think of the resurrection of Jesus
  2. Ask what kind of evidence they would need in order to believe Jesus rose from the dead
  3. Ask if they would be open to revising their opinion if convincing evidence were presented
  4. Reminder: Something happened or we would not have 2,000 years of Christendom

Why this matters 
  1. Jesus: Matthew 12:38-41 
  2. Church: Acts 1.3, 22; 2.24, 31, 32; 3.15, 26; 4.2, 10, 33; 5.30; 10.40; 13.30, 34, 37; 17.18; 23.6; 24.21; 25.19 
  3. Faith: 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 
  • See also 1 Peter 121; Psalm 16.10; Matt 17.22-23; Rom 1.4; Acts 17.31; Rom 4.25; 6.4-5; 1 Thess 4.14; Heb 7.24-25; Matt 12.38-41

Objections

  1. Tomb Occupied
  • Wrong Tomb: John 20:15; 4-6
  • Hallucination: 1 Cor 15
  1. Tomb Empty 
    1. Jesus not dead (swoon theory) John 19:34 
    2. Jesus dead but body removed by: 
  • Disciples: 1 Pet 1:16; Jn 13:36-37; Jn 20:9; Mk 14:50; 1 Cor 4:9-13, 2 Cor 11:22-33; Luke 23:50-56; Matthew 26:62-66; Luke 24:1. Also, Acts 12:19, 16:27
  • Romans, Matthew 28:11-15
  • Jews, Matthew 28:11-15
  • Robbers; Gardener; Worms; Aliens

Positive Evidence
  1. Emergence of the church
  • Conviction
  • Conversion of sceptics
  • Growth of the church
  • Change from Sabbath to Sunday
  • Opponents of Christianity

  1. The unlikeliness of the doctrine
  • “criterion of embarrassment”
  • “evidence against interest”
  1. Women
  2. Variations
  3. Messianic expectations: Jews; Disciples; Women
  4. Numbers: 1 Cor 15
  5. Jerusalem 

Conclusion
  • Reminder why this matters: The resurrection declares Jesus as worthy in his authority to teach us about life, death and what lies beyond

Suggested questions for your friend…
  • How does this evidence affect your view of Jesus?
  • How does this evidence affect your view of Christianity?
  • Would you like to know more?

Scripture to share:
“Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.”  John 7.17

Motivation for us:
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Resources


Next week
  • “Why would a good God allow suffering?”

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.

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“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John

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