Over the past two Sundays (and Good Friday) we have been working through the teaching series, “Is Easter Unbelievable?” based on the book of the same name by Rebecca McLaughlin. This apologetics-oriented series has challenged us to consider the evidence for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the final message this Sunday, we’ll hear an impassioned appeal from the Scriptures to take Jesus up on his offer to provide hope for this life and the next by believing the good news that Jesus brought to the world.

Series: Is Easter Unbelievable?

Todd Dugard

Message: 4 – Is Jesus’ offer desirable?

Harvest Bible Chapel

Text: Various Scriptures

April 7, 2024

If you’re offered something that sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Matthew 11:28–30

Jesus is making you an offer…

…of hope beyond this life (Ecclesiastes 3:11; Revelation 21:1–5a)

sensus divintus

John Calvin

Ecclesiastes 3:11b

There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God the Creator, made know through Jesus Christ.

Blaise Pascal

…of peace in this life (John 11:3, 21–26; John 14:2–9)

He’s claiming that relationship with him is what it means to be alive. If we are joined to him, not even death can kill us.

Rebecca McLaughlin

Philippians 1:21

God has a wonderful plan for your life: to crucify, to bury, and to resurrect you with Christ so that you have life in him. What could possibly be better than that?

Chad Bird

John 10:10b

John 11:43

Christianity is not the removal of suffering, but the addition of grace to endure suffering triumphantly.

Thomas Watson

Philippians 4:7a

…and of joy at seeing death defeated forever (1 Corinthians 15:26)

Τετέλεσται It is finished.

John 19:30

…so, will you choose life or death? (Luke 23:42–43; Matthew 7:13–14; 1 Corinthians 2:9)

Jesus’ offer is offensively exclusive. He doesn’t say that he’s one way to God; he says he is the only way by which humans can be right with God. But Jesus’ claim is also utterly inclusive because he says that anyone who trusts in him can have eternal life.

Rebecca McLaughlin

There’s only everlasting life with Jesus or eternal, soul-destroying, hope-extinguishing death.

Rebecca McLaughlin

FOR FURTHER STUDY:

Making Sense of God: Finding God in the Modern World

Timothy Keller

https://a.co/d/cjUdb1I

Handbook of Christian Apologetics: Hundreds of Answers to Crucial Questions

Peter Kreeft, Ronald K. Tacelli

https://a.co/d/aXgRGH9

Confronting Jesus: 9 Encounters with the Hero of the Gospels

Rebecca McLaughlin

https://a.co/d/4jl9z8u

Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World's Largest Religion

Rebecca McLaughlin

https://a.co/d/fjbZ2GG

The Case For Christ

Lee Strobel

https://a.co/d/1gkkbB3

The Case For Christ Movie

Available to rent from Apple TV

I Believe in the Death of Julius Caesar and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Steve Batemand (article)

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/resurrection-jesus-christ/