Why I Believe - Why I Believe in the Resurrection, Part 1

There are many difficult and challenging questions about Christianity, the Bible, science, and other world religions, but our faith is rooted first and foremost in one miraculous and historically verifiable either Jesus rose from the dead or he did.

Here's the question. Is it true, why do you believe stay with me yesterday. Thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge Chip Ingram chips or Bible teacher for this international discipleship ministry focused on helping Christians like Christians in the middle of our series why I believe if you ever struggled to answer questions about God Bible revolving these messages were created to help you better understand your faith can provide you with simple, memorable answers to questions like what happens after we die. The Bible really God's word and which is true creation or evolution. This is such a relatable series. So let me in origin after today's message to share it with someone in your life can easily do that to the chipping revamp by downloading the free MP3s Living on the Edge going in Georgia for his talk, why I believe in the resurrection I received a note a few years ago from a name that I recognize I pastored a church in a very small community in Texas and this was a young man who was involved in young life is zealous Christian and I was the pastor. Are you ready for this. Back in my 20s early 30s I got this note and had a gift toward the ministry and said thanks a lot and so I thought well you know I haven't heard from the sky in ages so I gave him a call and I said hey I just called to tell you in a thanks so much for the gift. We really appreciate it. In your note is just so encouraging on the pastor and make you know all these years later that you still walk with the Lord and the guy said something the kind shocking as well. Actually I don't walk with God at all anymore. I said what he is. Yeah, I'm a doctor.

I work as a ER doctor and shortly after high school.

My dad who was a distant atheist, I mean radical atheist. He just asked me a bunch of questions and he just took my faith and threw it in the trashcan and settle never amount to anything and it literally destroyed my faith. He said that I drive back and forth to the hospital and eyecatcher radio program. I don't know that you take this as a compliment or not because I don't think even have to believe in God. I think when you talk, it just encourages people thoughts. I said well while in that I had a moment you know one of those moments on the phone I thought one.

I was really disappointed and and second and I said you know something can I share something with you. Sure, I said you know I had a moment like that as well.

His name was Dr. P and he was a very smart intelligent person and he asked me a bunch of questions that cause me to doubt my whole faith and I went on a journey and went on this journey to to try and really, how do you solve these doubts and can I intellectually believe in the Bible is true and Jesus is the only way in these things that the Army he ridiculed me and I asked him I use his name and I said would you be willing even after all these years to go on may be a little journey with me when I'm not gonna preach at you. Not gonna tell you, you ought to do this, or ought to do that but I went on this journey. Could we explore your doubts together and just see you ready is it intellectually feasible to believe that Jesus is God that he is the only way to heaven, that the Bible is true and all the things that we shared. When you were young. Our reality and then there was this pause. Yeah.

Be willing to do that.

I said okay well I'll I'll send you some stuff to read and and all read it will get on the phone will talk back and forth and we went on that journey and I will wait to tell you little bit about the outcome was pretty exciting and so I didn't say you ought to believe this, you need to do that.

I said let's begin asking some questions and let's ask them.

I mean, at the most basic basic level, and said you'd be surprised but atheist, and Christians have one thing that they violently agree on together.

Is it what's that I said they both believe that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is central.

The issue rises or falls, either Jesus rose from the dead or he didn't. And in fact, let me quote probably the best known atheist of the last century. Anthony flew uses the physical literal bodily resurrection is the best if not the only reason for accepting that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We both agree he's talking about it a debate that he's having with the Christian leader.

We both agree that the identification in defining and distinguishing the characteristics of the true Christian that it is scarcely possible to make it without also accepting the resurrection did literally happen. Not spiritually, not just you know people have some experience, but literally Jesus was fully God and fully man that made these outrageous claims he physically actually died and that he physically and bodily rose from the dead, walked upon the earth for 40 days in a resurrection body. It either happened or it didn't know you ready for this. This is what the apostle Paul says, first Corinthians 15 versus 16 to 19. Paul agrees with the atheist forth the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised and if Christ is not been raised, your faith is worthless, you're still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep.

Literally those who died in Christ.

They perished. If we have hope in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied and so what I did with my friend as I said how about this, let me walk you through my journey in the way I'd like to do it is. I'd like to just share with you the seven reasons that led me to believe that the resurrection actually happened. But rather than say these are the seven reasons you ought to believe this. This is airtight… Should should should I didn't do any of that. I said to them, you know what, let's just ask basic intellectual questions that really play out in all of our lives. Okay because you know I live in a place where people come from Buddhist, Hindu Islam, all kind of backgrounds from all around the world and so I just started with some very, very basic questions so let's dig in together.

Question number one is did Jesus really exist.

I mean, is it a fairytale as I shared with one guy on a plane. He came from a Hindu background and he just said you know we have all kind of things were. There's myths is Jesus a real person. Can you even prove that biblical manuscripts the quantity and the quality of them. The way that we know anything happened in antiquity whether it's home or in the Iliad whether it Shakespeare. Whether it's any old riding Plato and Aristotle.

We have manuscripts and in their reliable and they've been tested. What you find is the New Testament has the greatest number and the greatest quality, I mean we have a handful of manuscripts hundreds of years after Plato or Aristotle we have 25,000 either partial or full manuscripts of the New Testament. Now being a skeptic myself and with my friend I said now you know if all we have is the Bible is kind of circular reasoning to say what the Bible says Jesus was here so I guess that's true.

But what we have is external verification of Josephus was a Jewish historian shortly after the time of Christ aplenty in Tackett's were Roman historians and what we have is actual documentation. I heard actually Ravi Zacharias speak recently and he made this amazing statement.

He said every other religion has only internal verification he says Christianity has external verification.

In other words, you can go to times and places in archaeology and riders that are not a part of the movement that say this is what happened. They quote this is what Jesus said this is what his followers believed and so first and foremost secular scholars, believers and unbelievers have manuscripts. These non-Christian sources and in the confirmation of archaeology, whether it's a inscription with Pontius Pilate, or whether it's tablets that we find about a census that happened during the time that we they dug up they didn't even know about it. They dug up and found Bethlehem and all these different places. It is absolutely a given that this person named Jesus. Now I'm not saying he's a son of God. Yet I'm not sings a Savior, the world, but there's an absolute historical consensus that he lived there is a real person is not the tooth fairy. He's not someone that got a dream from somewhere. He's not some a philosophical something a real man named Jesus lived upon the earth. Now the second question is what was Jesus really like.

I mean, what kind of person was he.

I wasn't there. You weren't there, and what we know is that friend and foe agree that he was a great man and a moral teacher. I mean, even when I talk about people from Islamic backgrounds. I mean you read the Koran. Jesus is a is a prominent visa great profit or moral teacher. Even aren't my New Age friends say that the Christ consciousness, friend and foe believe it.

I mean all of history. A.D. BC.

This man had the greatest influence the greatest moral teacher.

I think every parent would say I would love my children to grow up like Jesus. He was kind he was loving. He helped the poor. He cared for the marginalized. He was a person of impeccable integrity and so what we know is that the kind of life you live. Everyone agreed was amazing.

And yet, here's what he said. He claimed that he was actually sinless.

John chapter 8 verse 46 Jesus says which one of you convicts me of sin.

If I speak the truth, why do you not believe me someone has a great moral teacher, but he makes this outrageous claim and he says I have never sinned in the truth of the matter is, is that what we know is his life has had more impact, more books on ethics, history, culture than any life it's ever lived, so history is airtight real person. Second, his character is beyond dispute.

Third, the works of Jesus went unchallenged to say I think you gotta ask.

Okay, he's a real person. He came in history, but did he really do all that stuff mean all those miracles in the New Testament in Inc., he raises a little girl from the dead. He's walking through the village and lady.

Her son has died and she's a widow and he stops Ernie raises him from the dead.

We have the stories of unit feeding 5000 people and in that day, they usually only counted the men so there's probably 15 to 20,000 people on you in a few loaves and a couple fish did those things really happen and if so how would you verify. Well, let's look at the evidence, the works of Jesus actually want unchallenged all those miracles that I just said were eyewitnesses that validated see what's really interesting I love this about the New Testament.

This wasn't miracles that you hear about say in far-off India or these happen in the Amazon and and so-and-so told so-and-so who told so-and-so and were supposed to believe it. These happened over a three-year period in over three year. What we have is eyewitnesses so you know this little girl is raised from the dead will. She has an aunt and she tells her friends. There's like 15 or 20,000 people and all those loaves are stacked up afterwards and they tell their friends and tell their friends. In fact, it's so validated, but what we know is he couldn't go to a major metropolitan area. I mean this guy is a rock star above all rock stars. I mean, it was absolutely crazy. He was the wrong people. Just wanted to touch him, friend and foe. Even his enemies. They never questioned whether he actually did the miracles. Are you ready what to the question the source of miracle should you do these miracles by the power of Beelzebub, or Satan, is what they were saying. And so we have a historical figure who has impeccable character who did miraculous works that go unquestioned as it raises the next question is who did Jesus actually claim to be. Now here's where we get where people really start to disagree and especially secular scholars.

They'll say you know this whole Christianity movement. Yes, there was a real Jesus. Maybe he was a great teacher. Maybe even these miracles that are hard to say that they didn't happen, but he never claimed to be God. He never claimed to be the Savior of the world what his followers did hundreds of years later they just went back and edited these manuscripts and they made these claims to start this great movement and so we have to ask yourself did he in fact claimed to be God that he can in fact claimed to be the son of God or the Savior of the world. Well, we know from the New Testament documents Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life no man comes to the father except by me. We know from Mark chapter 9 that his followers said you are the Christ, the son of the living God. If you do accept the text of the New Testament we know that God will speak and say what this is my beloved son in whom I am well please listen to him. But what is interesting is even his enemies declare that he claimed to be God. In John chapter 10 they are ready to kill him and the Jews answered and said to him for a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy because you being a man make yourself out to be God.

Now again I'm pretty aware that that could be sort of circular reasoning. Everything you quoted so far about these claims are in the New Testament there was a historian named Pliny the younger in one 1180 and he was doing research. He was stayed on top of what was happening in Rome and so he writes a letter to the emperor at this point in time there is a massive persecution of Christians and many Christians are called on the carpet will you recant and so plenty does the research and we have an actual document him him writing a letter to the emperor explaining about this sect. These Christians so they were called and so he writes to the Emperor and the letter goes something like this because I really don't understand this sect, we give them an opportunity to recant and yet they refuse to worship idols.

They refused to worship Caesar. They meet early in the morning and claimed that a dead man came back to life. They claim that this dead man is God.

They love one another radically and they do strange things greeting one another with a holy kiss. He says why they won't recant. They would rather die because they claimed that this Savior is in fact God is so what we know is from historical documents that this claim that Jesus was God happen in the first century pause. I'm talking to a friend you're talking to a friend. There's not a finger-pointing is not a preaching. It's were on the same side with her arm around the person who has an honest heart that wants to explore truth and so we asked very honest question to Jesus exist. Yes. Was he a good man, absolutely the best man is ever lived will did he actually do miracles verified as much, as any miracle, but thousands of eyewitnesses will who did he really claim to be friend though external evidence says he actually claimed to be God will were moving our way and as I was talking to my doctor friend. This happened over a period of months, and we went back and forth and you know what about this and what about that and and then we we get to sort of the crux of the matter where he gets real specific because it Asked the question.

Did he really die me did Jesus really dive.

Maybe he took you have heard people say maybe you took some special herbs and he got his heart rate to go way way way slow and it only appeared as though you guys see if Jesus didn't die but he wasn't resurrected and if is not resurrected, atheist, and the apostle Paul would agree. Nothing works everything rises and falls on the resurrection list chips message why I believe in the resurrection right back with his application for this teaching knows you may or may not know there's actually a lot of solid verifiable evidence that supports Jesus existence and his ministry. The real challenge is articulating that other biblical truths to those who genuinely want to know more.

So how do we do that will in this series chip shares ways we can effectively and win simply answer honest questions about our faith that will attract people to the gospel not repel them from it. For more information about why I believe, or our resources go to LivingontheEdge.org the chipping roadmap or call AAA 333-6003 trips join me in studio now and chip. I don't think I've ever asked you this before but would you take a minute or so and talk about your heart for writing in the series were highlighting your book. Why I believe but take a step back and share your drive to develop resources like this all day if I think it's the impact books out on me. I would say before I became a Christian unless it was required reading for high school or college. I read books and I played a lot of basketball and and then early in my Christian life I got exposed to some books that really I mean, they help me they'd so challenge me in and I had lots of questions that I didn't grow up as a follower of Christ, and I mean I was always been a skeptic and so it was all those different books that at a certain time in life. I thought I would love to be able to maybe put something in writing that I want to share it in a way that I've done the research, but is for just us regular people that maybe don't have a PhD in this or that and this book. Why I believe was my journey of searching out the truth for myself and part of what I wanted to do was do all that research and of the PhD read it.

He would say well yeah I see all your references here. I see where you got that yes those are the big issues.

But then I would want a high school student or a young adult, or even a junior higher tech to read through this book. Why I believe and save themselves. Oh, this makes sense yeah while never thought about it that way or I didn't know that you mean Jesus actually said that over people outside of Christianity in the first century, wrote these things about Jesus. You mean he was a real person, etc. etc. if we can't answer the hard questions we can see the whole next generation literally be washed away right before our eyes get a sit down with your family and get the answers first for yourself, and then pass them on and I don't want your kids but I would say is super important. Right now we think people are closed.

People are desperate in the world that are living in. They want answers and my granddaughter invited five kids at school from all ethnic backgrounds. None were Christians, and many you would think would never be open to hear about Jesus, she read my book.

Why I believe that she got a little study and said hey would you all like to do this. They all said yes people are more open than you think. But they need to hear good solid answers shared in humility. Thanks. Chip was order this book. Why I believe go to LivingontheEdge.org or call AAA 333-6003 trips motivation for this resources to reveal the concrete facts that Christianity is built on and how you can take that proof and win simply defend your faith during this series, we discounted trips booked, so be sure to order yours today for complete details, go to LivingontheEdge.org or give us a call at AAA 333-6003 app listeners top special offers will chip to wrap up.

You know I gotta tell you personally what I think about answering someone's question about Jesus resurrection, you know, I feel a bit of a loss and maybe a little intimidated when we think that and how can we get past it. Yeah Dave. I think somehow over the years we sort of got the idea that we need to be this intellectual giant and be able to answer everyone's questions in the very first thing that happens even if it's one of your grandchildren or one of your friends they ask you a question and you start to feel this defense rise up inside what I've learned over the years is maybe the very best thing to do is just a pause in and asked some questions some good logical questions and the fact of the matter is, is that everyone believes something and are just asking you as a friend and and probably with just honest concerns. Why do you really believe that is so even in our time today. You know, rather than say here's the five reasons why the resurrection must be true and this is what I believe in you must believe it.

I really just paused and began to ask some pretty basic questions that I discovered most people want the answers to like did Jesus really exist. I mean how do we know he was even a real person. Or, you know, was he, you know, just a mythical character. I remember us sitting on a plane with a Google executive recently and he had no concept of history and we talked for about an hour and 1/2 about our family and our kids in different things and found out what I believed in why and then he just paused and sort like open this big door and and looked at me and said you know I don't like really get like even when Jesus lived door like Mohamed or Christianity or Confucianism. He goes you know, I just got been in you high-tech on my life and then he asked me a question. A civil do you believe Jesus ever existed. He says I don't know what I just explained to them. Well, like I shared with you or the second question, what was he really like I am in the fact of the matter is we have not just from the Bible but extra biblical resources that whatever you believe Jesus is the most marvelous person is ever walked the earth.

He was the kindest, most loving, I mean all of history is a DBC built around this most amazing human being so pretty soon now. You don't feel defense of what we feel like is were having a real conversation around some questions I think are very logical. The third question we talked about his did Jesus really do miracles know that feels a bit like a stretch because while you how can you prove that well. We have all kind of historical documents and what we know is the logic is really clear that in the season and the period in which he lived. The outrageous miracles that are claimed there and everything written within 20 or 25 years after it happened.

I mean everyone was alive to either authenticated or refuted and and again we begin to tilt her head and say wow if those three things are true. Maybe I should really explore who did you really claim to be and of course we see from not only the Bible but extra biblical resources and historians that not just the early church hundreds of years later. But Jesus himself and the early church believe this outrageous outrageous claim that he was in fact God and he was the Savior of the world and so I want you to know is that as you learn to ask questions and then, yes, we need to do our research we can talk with those we love in a way this not defensive, but with our arm around them and invite them to explore the answers together. I want you to know that God is provided all the answers we need and what he needs is a mouthpiece that's kind and loving and warm and winsome and not defensive. We hope this series is really going to help you do that. Just before we close.

I would think each of you was making this program possible through your generous giving 100% of your gifts are going directly to the ministry to help Christians really live like Christians.

If you found this teaching helpful, but you're not yet on the team. Would you consider doing that today to send a gift go to LivingontheEdge.org or text the word donate to 741 41. It's that easy text donate to 741 41 or visit LivingontheEdge.org app listeners just up donate and let me thank you in advance for doing whatever the Lord leads you to do: select sign for everyone here.

This is Dave really saying thanks for listening to this edition living on the