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June 23, 2020 1:00 am
The truth of the resurrection of Jesus is so transforming that its enemies will do anything to suppress it. Thus, some clam that the bones of Jesus have been found in an old box. In this message, our focus is on an ancient tomb in an ancient city, and on the purported evidence that Jesus never rose from the dead.
Click here to listen (Duration 25:02)The resurrection of Jesus is so transforming that his enemies will do anything to suppress it.
Some claim that the bones of Jesus have been found in an old box today.
Our focus is on an ancient tomb in an ancient city and on the purported evidence that Jesus never rose from the dead.
Stay with us from the Moody Church in Chicago this is coming to with Dr. Erwin looks her clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Estimates are please summarize the six lies you've shared about Jesus and especially this last one will you know Dave, I think the best way I can shared these lies is to invite our listeners to get a copy of this sermon series. So matter fact this is the last day that were actually making it available when you write for it or you connect with us.
It is slandering Jesus. Here's what you can do you can go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or you can call us at 1-888-218-9337. Dave, in response to your question. The simple fact is this, that people make up their own version of Jesus and that's why I've preached a series of messages on slandering Jesus and why we have to believe in the right one.
So now we go to the pulpit of Moody church where we do defend the resurrection of Jesus against secular theories about the probability that you have five names. Matthew has to be excluded because he was not a member of Christ family.
What is the probability that you have. I names and that they turn out to be in such configuration.
All in one tomb and therefore it must be the tomb of Jesus. First of all, the authors acknowledge the commonality of the names. For example, 25% of the women in Jesus Christ time were called Mary, he walked down the street in Jerusalem and said Mary 1/4 of the women would turn their heads in fact, that's why in the New Testament you have at least six different narrates, because it was so common Jesus, about 10% were called Jesus. I'm speaking roughly here perhaps 10% were called Joseph. These were very common names and this explains why when the tomb was found in 1980. Scholars recognize these names. The BBC in England ran a short documentary on them and then quoted a leading archaeologist is saying these are common names there found on ossuary's the name of Jesus is on at least 22 different ossuary's in in Israel and so really and so really it means nothing and it gained no traction at all until the entrepreneurs came along and took a second look, and now they say that the statistics are very impressive. Let me just a comment on a couple of things. First of all, let's look at this name Mary, which they say is Mary Magdalene. No one is sure that Mary name was another name for Mary Magdalene. Certainly not in the New Testament, but there you go. The Gospel of Philip the acts of Philip I should say fourth century document it says in the documentary that was on television as well as in the book there. Mary Magdalene is called Mary on so you kind of take it at face value and say okay well if they say it's true it's true. You look at the text of Philip fourth century document. We don't know that this is Philip of the New Testament.
Because remember, the Gnostics used apostles to gain credibility for the writings and it says that there was a woman who was the sister of Philip by the name of Mary Omni who went about preaching that could be any woman there's no evidence there's no hard link that this is Mary Magdalene. Furthermore, Mary Omni, Mara, some people think that they'll last name Mara is short for Martha, there is no hard evidence that this is Mary Magdalene and this is very crucial to their whole argument because it's a name that is rarer and therefore up the ante in terms of probability and what you find is that even if this woman were Mary Magdalene, there's no evidence we went through this with the da Vinci code. There is no evidence that she and Jesus were married or that Jesus had a son by the name of Judah that would've been in the New Testament that would've been part of the history but it's not. So these Gnostic Gospels are used.
Even though best sources you could be listening today as an atheist you could be listening today as a skeptic and you have to admit this but the best sources of information regarding Jesus and his apostles are the documents of the New Testament.
These documents not only have threads that lead back to the New Testament, but they are our role that leads back to the New Testament apostles and Jesus. It is a rope with many different strands.
The best history of what happened in the early church.
It can be attested in so many different ways is found in the canonical writings, not the Gnostic Gospels, which is a whole subject, by itself, you understand how the reasonings going here folks. The same thing that we encountered when we were talking about the da Vinci code.
If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck if emblazoned duck eggs then obviously it's a camel. I mean, who can argue with that. Let's look at the Jesus ossuary. It's known as the graffiti ossuary because the name of Jesus is scrolled onto it and that's why some scholars don't think it is even the name of Jesus, but even if it is, is this the way you would treat someone who claimed to be the son of God, and did the miracles that Jesus did you put them in a bone box that was unadorned and you'd scroll his name on in such a way that scholars wonder whether or not it is the name and there are other markings that are unaccounted for. I don't think that that's the way the bones of Jesus would've been treated by his family, so on and on it goes like to do and how quickly time goes, I would like to give you five matters that are unaccounted for by this scenario that that is a grave of Jesus. Five matters very quickly. Number one. The nature of the tomb itself. The nature of the tomb. If this is the family tomb why Jerusalem he was Jesus of Nazareth and by the way, he was never called the son of Joseph by his followers because they carefully guarded the virgin birth.
You can see this throughout the Gospels, especially the Gospel of Luke, and so the question is and then why is it such a wealthy tomb it's admitted that this was this was for people with wealth well the family of Jesus was very poor and then why are there Greek inscriptions when the entrepreneurs got into the tomb. They noticed that there was a Greek inscription there.
What's that doing their if this is a tomb of people who spoke Aramaic which is a Semitic language. What's the Greek inscription doing their and then you remember that these tombs were sometimes held for decades, you could have a variety of people.
That's why you found about more than 20 skeletons. I wish I'd had the exact number I think it may be 30 or 40.
That's why you find them within these tombs. So the whole question. The whole question of the tomb is suspect. Secondly, what about Joseph. If Joseph is the patriarch. Why isn't he buried there. The bones of Joseph could've been brought from anywhere they could been brought into this family tomb by Joseph is conspicuous by his absence.
He is not there in the tomb third. It doesn't explain Christianity because what what this scenario is asking us to believe.
Is this that the disciples and the family members of Jesus knew that his bones were rotting. They knew he did not rise from the dead, and yet they went and they preached the resurrection and were willing to die for the resurrection, and it became the cornerstone of their faith. That is very difficult to believe. Let's take James who was a half-brother of Jesus and ended up being a leader in the church is seen in the book of acts you telling me that James would know that his famous half-brother did not rise from the dad's bones were in this bone box and yet James is a leader in the church was part of preaching the resurrection and giving impetus to the fledgling Christian movement of the time that seems to be unthinkable and by the way of Jesus was not raised from the dead.
Why didn't the Romans and the other authorities that wanted to squelch the Christian message. Why didn't they simply produce the tomb and that would've put an end to Christianity because apart from that there is no gospel what you have. Apart from that is two people walking on the way to Emmaus after Jesus is crucified. Not knowing about the resurrection and being in depression and moping because it's all over. This was the and of a very beautiful life and as far as they were concerned Christianity was dead and they had followed someone who was fraudulent. No, Christianity thrive because the followers of Jesus were absolutely convinced that not only the tomb was empty, but they had not stolen the body as this theory says but the tomb was empty because Jesus was raised from the dead by God the father. So that's 1/3 third matter that's not accounted for, but may give you 1/4 of the Bible is just so bold in its proclamations here. The apostle Paul is writing the book of first Corinthians Brabson 5152 A.D. 20 years after Jesus would've died and been raised and this is what he says in first Corinthians chapter 15 he says, for I delivered to you as a first importance what I also received that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas and then the 12 he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Though some have died.
What Paul is saying is look to appear to 500 people at one time and most of them are living what's the clear implication. If you are doubting the resurrection go talk to these people who were around when it happened and learn from them and find out their experience of the resurrected Christ. That's why it says in the book of acts when Peter is preaching the resurrection. He says these things were not done in a corner.
What he meant was decision to privatized faith that only a few people saw the resurrected Christ. This was open I were talking about history that others got in on and then Paul says, he appeared to more than 500. Then he appeared to James and then to all the apostles and last of all is to one untimely born, he also appeared to me brine the least of the apostles unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God, but by the grace of God I am what I am Paul says I also saw the risen Christ so I had my testimony to the testimony of all those who lived and who saw him raise from the dead. There's 1/5 fact that is unaccounted for and that is the triumph and the change that happened in the lives of the disciples. Here's the scenario that you find in all of those books that deny the resurrection that deny the historicity of the New Testament who disregard not only the Christian history but also secular history, thinking of James Cameron. You know who said up until now there's been no physical evidence and Jesus has been regarded as a myth.
I mean, what about Tacitus. What about all the references to Jesus and secular literature, but what you find is this.
Here's the scenario that's laid out Jesus was a remarkable man and he has said some interesting things and so forth.
But obviously he didn't perform the miracles because we disbelieve in those and he wasn't raised from the dead. Those are stories that the disciples made so you have the Jesus of history over here and then you have a huge gap called the Christ of faith. These disciples were wild. I radicals looking for a Messiah, and they took an ordinary man deified him made him into a God and made him their hero and then tagged on oldies miracles that Jesus is purported to have done. That's about the scenario. Now there's several reasons why that collapses like a house of cards held together by ropes of missed first of all, you find that the disciples would've never chosen Jesus to deify the first commandment says thou shall have no other gods before me. Data never taken a man and made him into a God unless they were absolutely convinced over a period of time that that's who. Secondly they would never chosen Jesus because he was so contrary to the kind of Messiah that was being expected in that day as Edgar Schein says everything about Jesus was contrary to the kind of person that disciples would have chosen to deify and make into a Messiah. I mean they were expecting a Messiah who would throw off the Roman yoke. And here is Jesus saying that my kingdom is not of this world and he was so unlike anything that anyone would've ever expected. Furthermore, the disciples were hardheaded fishermen. They were not gullible. They were not the kind who hallucinated take for example Thomas. He was absent for a Sunday evening service.
That's what sometimes happens when people miss a Sunday evening service. So he was not with them when Jesus came in here.
You have 11 apostles, or at least 10.
I should say Jude is not among them. I this is a lawyers dream. You've got 10 people all saying the same thing of telling the same story so he hears does he say okay I'll take your testimony now uses, except I shall see in his hand. The print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side.
I will not believe how you talk about skepticism and today I speak to those of you who are listening who are skeptics. Can I tell you, I invite you to bring your doubts to Jesus and to the New Testament. Some people have not yet doubted enough hand therefore perhaps they have not completely believe doubts can lead us to truth. If we are open to the truth. Doubts turn us away from the truth.
Down deep inside we don't want to know it.
So Jesus accommodates himself to Thomas.
He's up in the upper room with the other apostles and that Jesus comes to him.
And Jesus knows exactly what Thomas said and today Jesus knows your heart and he knows what you are saying in response to the word of God, and in response to this message is of Jesus appears and he says Thomas reach hither and behold my side reach hither thy hands and touch the nail prints and Thomas don't be faithless, but believing in Thomas said in those very immortal words, my Lord and my God, my Lord and my God he is alive.
He has been raise. I see the nail prints I see where the sword went.
This is true, my Lord and my God. Then Jesus said something about you and about me. He said Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed all Blessed are those who have not seen and yet they have believed. Blessed are you married. Blessed are you, Karen. Blessed are you, Ruth.
Blessed are you, Nancy. Blessed are you, Tom.
Blessed are you, verve, Blessed are you, Earl. Blessed are you, Michelle, because we have not seen and yet we have believed the evidence is compelling and it is over whelming.
The tomb was empty. No bones about it, but for the skeptics out there.
Have you believe that you believed in the one who says that because I live, you shall live also who invites us to participate in his his triumph over death but your whole body soul and spirit would be preserved blameless, onto his coming.
A triumphant sovereign Savior able to say this from our sins. Would you join me as we pray our father in the name of Jesus, we come to you and thank you that you raised Jesus from the dead. We thank you today father that graciously you've shown us the power of the resurrection, and we thank you that the day will come when we also will be raised. Our body is sown in corruption raised in in corruption sown in weakness but raised in strength and we asked today father that in this day of great confusion. You will help all of us to testify to the risen triumphant Christ reigns now before I close this prayer were are you in your spiritual journey.
Are you willing to take it a step further. A step closer to Jesus you willing to say yes I accept Jesus as my Savior is the one who died and rose again, or at least you're willing to investigate it further. Whatever God has said to you. You talk to God father for those who struggle with doubt.
Help them to be able to say with Thomas. Yes, I have some demands and then may you meet those they will not be your physical appearance, but show them the truth. And may we walk in that triumph. Today we pray in Jesus name Amen. Well, this is Pastor Luther and you know frequently I tell people that you can come to Jesus Christ. Even with your doubts come as you are have these messages been a blessing to you.
I hope that they have helped you to understand the Christ in whom we believe the only Christ who can actually save us from our sins. If you'd like to have this series so that you can listen to it again and again we make it available for you as a resource for a gift of any amount you can go to RTW offer.com or you can call us at 1-888-218-9337 ask for the series slandering Jesus. Thanks in advance for helping us as we share the gospel of Jesus Christ in more than 20 countries slandering Jesus is the sermon series that I think will be of benefit to you RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 and thanks in advance for your generosity. You can write to us running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 sexual abuse those terrible damage relationships all through life suffer due to early experiences. Children should never have had.
Next time I'm running to win hope for all who struggle with sexual abuse and also hope for those doing the abusing will begin a series called let God redeem your story how to handle being the victim of sexual abuse. Don't miss this crucial series. Thanks for listening.
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