The Resurrection of Jesus (1): It’s all or nothing

Humans are amazing creatures. We are so industrious, diligent and creative. We make giant leaps forward with every year that goes past. According to many leading atheists, so creative are humans that we are even able to invent gods to worship, ways of living and bizarre rituals in religion. In the atheists mind, God is merely a human construct that relies solely on something called ‘faith’, which cannot be substantiated by evidence as it is ‘faith’. So wretched is this worldview, in the atheists opinion, that they have labelled faith ‘a virus’ (see Why God won’t go away). How do you feel about this comment? Do you agree or disagree, and why?

What is ‘faith’?

Faith, in my opinion, is a misunderstood concept. If you take the view of the atheist, then what you are referring to is ‘blind faith’. Faith, according to the Christian bible, comes from the Greek work pisteuõ, which means ‘I trust or I believe’ or ‘I am trusting or I am believing’. To say that you have faith in something means that you have examined or observed some form of evidence or evidences and come to the conclusion that it is trustworthy. Every human on this earth demonstrates faith every day. You might have faith in your spouse, your car, your house and even the chair that is holding you up while you read this article. Atheists have faith in the scientific evidence that, in their mind, proves the non-existence of God, the Muslim has faith that Muhammad accurately scribed down the words of Allah and so on. Faith is based on evidence and blind faith is based on a lack of evidence.

The Christian trust

The Christian faith, or better put, Christians trust is based on a man named Jesus. Christians believe, or trust, that Jesus was God incarnate, who died on the cross and rose three days later to reconcile us back to himself. Over this series, my goal is to examine the historical evidence that points to the reliability of the resurrection of Jesus. The content used in these articles will draw heavily from three books titled ‘The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus’, ‘The Case for the Resurrection’ and ‘The Message of the Resurrection’. Additionally, I will also draw key information and implications for the resurrection from the bible. Before we do this however, we need to address one issue.

Christianity isn’t just another religion!

The common view that all religions are the same and lead to the same path, is an absolute idiotic worldview. Sorry if you hold this view, but after a careful examination of the facts, you will have to conclude that each religion is very unique, and that only one is absolutely correct. Take Jesus words for example:

“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6)

See, if Jesus is right, then no other religion can be correct except for Christianity. He clearly states that the only way back to God is through him. Additionally, Jesus gave us an amazing sign to prove that he is the one true way to God. This sign, or evidence, is that he will die on a cross and rise again three days later (Matthew 12:40; 26:61; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34; John 2:19-21).

It all comes down to this, the death and resurrection of God. The Apostle Paul states in the bible:

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.... And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins (1 Corinthians 15:14-15, 17)

The faith, trust or belief, depending on what you want to call it, hangs solely and squarely on the proverbial shoulders of the resurrection. Did Jesus rise from the grave, or is it a huge hoax? If he did, then what does that mean for humanity, and more personally, what does that mean for you? This series is aimed at answering these questions. Please stay posted for the next article in this series as we begin to examine the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus.

Resource Review: The Case for the Resurrection

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Did Jesus of Nazareth really rise from the dead? 

Of the many world religions, only one claims that its founder returned from the grave. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the very cornerstone of Christianity. 

But a dead man coming back to life? In our sophisticated age, when myth has given way to science, who can take such a claim seriously? Some argue that Jesus never died on the cross. Conflicting accounts make the empty tomb seem suspect. And post-crucifixion sightings of Jesus have been explained in psychological terms. 

How credible is the evidence for - and against - the resurrection? Focusing his award-winning skills as a legal journalist on history's most compelling enigma, Lee Strobel retraces the startling findings that led him from atheism to belief. Drawing on expert testimony first shared in his blockbuster book The Case for Christ, Strobel examines: 

The Medical Evidence. . . Was Jesus' death a sham and his resurrection a hoax? 

The Evidence of the Missing Body. . . Was Jesus' body really absent from his tomb? 

The Evidence of Appearances. . . Was Jesus seen alive after his death on the cross? 

Written in a hard-hitting journalistic style, The Case for the Resurrection probes the core issues of the resurrection. Jesus Christ, risen from the dead: superstitious myth or life-changing reality? The evidence is in. The verdict is up to you. 

Paperback Book, 96 pages

Price: Approx. $2.95 (Koorong)

Price: Approx. $3 (Amazon)

Resource Review: The Message of the Resurrection

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The message of the resurrection lies at the heart of the gospel. This accessible and practical exposition takes us back to the firsthand, vivid accounts of the key witnesses who saw the risen and very tangible Jesus. We see the true meaning of this event, which changed history forever.

Paperback Book, 272 pages

Price: Approx. $16.95 (Koorong)

Price: Approx. $18 (Amazon)

Life (8): Anxiety, separation and the merry-go-round

Parking in the city (Sydney) can be rough. I can clearly remember the time when I parked my car on a busy and notoriously rough  street in the city, thinking that it would be safe. I was very naive and stupid, as I had left a bag sitting on the back seat and a boot full of cricket gear and fishing tackle. The day was a Friday, the day before the big cricket match on Saturday and fishing trip on Sunday.

Saturday morning arrived. I left the place where I was staying, and as I walked to my car, which I could see in the distance, I noticed that the boot was wide open! I freaked out!! All my cricket gear and fishing tackle had been stolen. I was dead – anxiety filled me! All kinds of thoughts raced through my mind, “I have no gear for cricket – all my fishing gear is gone – what do I do”.

Life and anxiety

Life is full of these unexpected twists and turns. One minute we seem on top of the world and then the next, we hit rock bottom. We live in such a fast paced kind of world. We move from dead line to dead line, to event to event. It can all seem like a great big blur really.

Today, I want to tackle the issue of anxiety. According to Wikipedia, about 5 to 7% of the adult population in the Western World suffer from clinical anxiety. This statistic does not include the general worry and anxiety of everyday life (non-clinical). According to one site I visited, at some point in our lives, we are all bound to have a some form of a panic attack. So, why are we so worried and is this natural?

Are you in this category? Let’s do a little exercise. Write down the five things that cause you to worry. Now, think about how many of the things you listed are necessities? Now on a score from 1 to 5, 1 being not at all and 5 extreme, rate the listed items in how much worry or anxiety they cause you? It is interesting to see how the findings vary between ages but most people generally identify the gaining of possessions or work as the greatest cause of anxiety. Does this apply to you?

I want to state that there are clinically diagnosed anxiety disorders caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. However, for the bulk of the general public to be constantly struggling with anxiety, then you have to ask the question “What’s going on”? Let’s delve deeper then shall we?

What is the point?

Let’s change angles to a philosophical discussion. Firstly, what do you consider to be the purpose of your life? Do you consider it merely the pursuit of capital (buying more stuff and making more money) and the conquest of relationships? Are you a materialist – this life is it and therefore, eat, drink and be merry (1 Corinthians 15:32). Or do you sense that there something more to life? Do you sense that there is a purpose and meaning to your life?

At this point, you need to ask yourself the question ‘do you believe that there is a God who transcends our existence?’ The evidence for God scientifically, philosophically and historically is overwhelming. For more on this topic, check out the series on Science and Jesus (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 and Part 7). At this point, you might be wondering, what does God have to do with anxiety? Let us proceed.

Okay, if there is a God, who created everything and who is involved in the world, we then have to ask, ‘how can all powerful God understand how I feel?’ See, the bible teaches that Jesus is God, who became a man (John 1:1-3; 14; Philippians 2:5-6; Colossians 1:15-16; Hebrews 1:1-3). He experienced everything that we experience and he knows exactly how you feel. Jesus is upmost sympathetic to our needs and he calls on us to lay our burdens and anxieties at his feet for he loves us and cares for us.

The core of our anxieties

Anxiety stems from the disconnectedness and brokenness in our world. We were created by God to be in a relationship with him. We were created to know him, and for him to know us, but sadly we reject him and are separated from him by this rebellion. If you don’t live your life knowing Jesus, then you have been separated from your creator. It’s like trying to operate a computer that’s not plugged in. That is us, unplugged from God and living an unguided purposeless life. This leads to anxiety and ultimately, death. You will live for what ever you set your heart to rather then living for the one who made you, and truly loves you.

Jesus, who is God, came to earth and lived the life we were supposed to live (trusting in and in perfect relationship with God) and died on the cross to pay the penalty for our rejection, so that we can be brought back into relationship with him! See, God loves you so much that he would die for you! Wow!

Okay, so if I turn and live for Jesus, will all my anxieties vanish? Yes and no. We still live in a broken world. Life is hard, and it will be hard until Jesus comes back to completely fix up the mess. However, you can know your creator. You can understand the purpose of life, relationships, work, sex, marriage, money and so on. God created these for us and only through Jesus can we experience the fullness of these things.

Get to know him

God is working to get to know you. See, Jesus is speaking to us today through his bible so we can know him. I want to share a verse with you from this library of books called the bible:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Let’s conclude that only through Jesus can we know God our creator, which is the purpose of our lives! Our anxieties are the result of living in a world that is separated from God. In Philippians passage, it explains that we can talk to Jesus (prayer) and lay all requests and burdens at his feet. Are you anxious? Then why not give it a crack and talk to Jesus about it. Why not ask him for help?

Resource Review: The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus

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I have just finished reading this book and must confess, it was very hard to put down. The resurrection of Jesus is the very hinge that Christianity lies on (1 Corinthians 15:13-14). Did it really happen or are trillions of people following a well disguised myth?

Gary Habermas and Michael Licona have produced a thorough examination of what they define as the “minimal facts approach”. I strongly recommend this book to believers and strong skeptics.

According to Lee Strobel, "This compelling book is the most comprehensive defence of Jesus' resurrection anywhere. If you're interested in knowing the evidence for the resurrection and sharing it with others, then you must read this book!"

Paperback Book, 384 pages

Price: Approx. $20.95 (Koorong)

Price: Approx. $17 (Amazon)