In this program, Chip tells us the integrity of the Christian message hinges on the resurrection of Jesus. If Jesus didn’t rise from death to life, none of the other tenets of the faith matter. Well, you gotta live before you can die. So, Chip begins with a look at the proofs of Christ’s life in Israel, and what the historical record says.
Main Points
Did Jesus really exist?
Biblical manuscripts: quality and quantity25,000 New Testament documents that authenticate the reality of Jesus ChristExternal verification: Josephus (Jewish historian), Pliny, Tacitus (Roman historians)What was Jesus really like?
Friend and foe agree: great man, moral teacherClaimed sinless life = John 8:46Affirmed by history and impactThe works of Jesus went unchallenged.
Fact of miracles, feeding 5000 not disputedEyewitness accounts validated miraclesCritics never claimed He didn’t perform miracles; they questioned His source of power to do them = Matthew 12:24Who did Jesus actually claim to be?
His own claim = John 14:6God’s claim = Mark 9:7His followers’ claim = Mark 8:27-30His enemies’ claim = John 10:33External sources’ claim – Pliny, AD 111By fulfillment of over 700 Old Testament propheciesDid Jesus really die?
At the time both friend and foe thought He diedHis flogging, beating, and crucifixionMedical evidence: water and blood indicate puncture of pericardiumBy burial preparation: 70 pounds of spices and linenHis tomb was public and secure.
Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb: a high-profile member of the SanhedrinRoman guardsRoman sealSize of tombstone: would take up to 25 men to roll awayPenalty of death for guards sleepingCould Jesus’ resurrection possibly be true?
Predicted by Old Testament prophets hundreds of years earlierJesus predicted it openly and repeatedlyAppeared to over 500 eyewitnesses in 12 different locations over 40 daysTransformation of the disciplesConversion of Saul of TarsusTransformation of Roman empire and the worldBest legal minds: the evidence is conclusive!My testimony: “He changed my life.”What does this mean for you?
It validates Jesus’ claim that He is the way, the truth, and the life. = John 14:6It gives you absolute hope for the future. = John 14:19It offers spiritual life right now! = John 3:16-17If you believe Jesus rose from the dead, you have all the power you need to be a Christian who lives like a Christian by His grace.Broadcast Resource
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Why I Believe & Jesus Skeptic Book BundleAbout Chip Ingram
Chip Ingram’s passion is helping Christians really live like Christians. As a pastor, author, and teacher for more than three decades, Chip has helped believers around the world move from spiritual spectators to healthy, authent