An Extraordinary Resurrection Part 1

Run with endurance the race looking to Jesus, founder and perfecter of our if there is one thing ancient Rome is good at executions.

No one they killed ever live again until Jesus made the comeback of all time when God raised him from the dead is resurrection guaranteed that those who believe in him one day rise as well church in Chicago this is with Dr. Sir was clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line after Luther critics say Jesus swooned on the cross and never really died. We know for certain that his death was genuine.

Will Dave absolutely.

We know that he was dead.

As you already mentioned the Romans knew how to kill people and nobody would've been taken down from the cross, unless it was known that he was dead also have to tell you David many years ago I read a book about the swooned theory that you referenced.

I remember how speculative it was and not only that it was really beyond speculation to the point of utter foolishness.

The idea that Jesus was actually not dead he swooned and then the coolness of the tomb woke him up now if that were true. Imagine what he would look like what he looked like the glorious son of God who triumphed over death that the disciples saw and touched. Of course not, were glad that Jesus Christ arose, and even more glad. Of course, that he rose from the dead.

If you want more evidence my friend for the resurrection of Jesus. It's in my book entitled Christ, among other gods and a defense of Christ in an age of tolerance. This is one of the last times we are making this resource available to our people. Here's what you do for a gift of any amount. Go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. Now let us listen carefully as we see more evidence that Christ is not one among many others, but uniquely resurrected son of God. Atheists by the name of Anthony flew, who tells this parable to illustrate the difficulty of defending Christian faith says that Once upon a time there were two explorers that were walking through the forest when they came to a clearing in the woods and they noticed that there were some flowers as well as some weeds in the woods in the clearing, and one of them said, I believe that there is a gardener that tends this plot skeptic said I don't agree there is no gardener, so they decided to do an experiment and they patrolled the area. In fact they put up an electric fence and then they used a bloodhound to try to find out whether or not I gardener ever show as time went by the electric fence was never tripped and the bloodhounds never cried out but the believer kept insisting I believe that there is a gardener. It's just that he is an elusive, invisible, intangible gardener, but said the skeptic, how do you distinguish an elusive intangible, invisible gardener from no gardener at all. Now since Anthony flew. That is the dilemma of the Christian faith.

We say that there is a gardener that attends this plot with its weeds and with its flowers with its mixed results with it's good and it's evil but nobody ever sees him. He is invisible, elusive and intangible well in this morning's message I want to tell you that I believe that God has entered the garden. There is evidence that there is garden and he is calm to the garden.

Those of you who attend here regularly know that this is number six in a series entitled Christ, among other God and in previous messages I talked about Jesus Christ.

In contrast to some other religions today.

We will not be talking about those other religions, we will not have time to do that I shall speak only about Christ.

But when the message is over I will give you an opportunity to reflect, to ask this question.

Is there another religion in all the world and believe in a God like Christ. Take your Bibles and turn to first Corinthians chapter 15 first Corinthians chapter 15 where the apostle Paul lays out some evidence for the resurrection and shows its incredible importance. First Corinthians chapter 15 he says in verse three, for I delivered to you as a first importance what I also received that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas adds to Peter and to the 12 and after he appeared to more than 500 brethren at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep and then he appeared to James and then to all the apostles and last of all is that where to one untimely born, he appeared to me also. Verse 16 for if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless. You are still in your sins than those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If only we have hope in Christ in this life we are of all men most to be pitied. Well let me ask you the question what evidence is there that God is calm to the garden when I like to do in the next few moments is to give you some evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Three reasons why we believe in the resurrection of Christ. Reason number one is because the documents of the New Testament the documents of the New Testament are reliable. They are reliable. Let's suppose that we were to look at the documents of the New Testament as any other ancient historical writings, giving them no preferential treatment and not considering them any different than secular writings. How would the New Testament stack up with an evaluation like that will obviously have compared to secular writings. The new Testaments evidence is overwhelming. There are three tests that scholars use to show the validity or the non-validity of ancient documents. The first you'll notice is bibliographical bibliographical. That's a pretty big word. I had to pronounce that in practice it a little bit but it's meaning simply do we have a good reliable text that is trustworthy to see the ancient documents do not exist. The original manuscripts upon which the apostle Paul in Matthew, Mark, and Luke wrote, we don't know where they are because manuscripts don't last forever. They disintegrate and there are no ancient original manuscript that come from that era in any kind of writing to give you an idea about the gap that exists between the originals and the ones that we do have.

If you were to study the writings of Plato.

There is 1500 years before the time of Plato, or I should say between the time of Plato and the actual documents that we have those of you study philosophy when you read about Plato and Aristotle and all of their teachings.

The manuscripts upon which those texts are based only date back to about the year 1000, a deed the gap is about 1500 years and yet everybody knows that we have a rather reliable text as to what Plato or Aristotle or Euripides wrote in the case of the New Testament.

The gap is about 250 years, and even that gap has been narrowed because of the discovery of some recent manuscripts papyri manuscripts in Egypt.

We have the quotations of the early church fathers, and this has led a man by the name of Sir Frederick Kenyon, who for many years was the principal librarian in London, England at the museum there to say that the gap between the original writings and the manuscripts that we have today is for all practical purposes, negligible.

We have a good textual tradition upon which we can base our faith. Secondly, there is what is known as internal evidence that has to do with the reading of the text itself. Do the writers disqualify themselves because of contradiction, that it does it appear as if they are making up a story. If you read the New Testament documents. It's clear that the writers claim to be eyewitness accounts.

For example, John says regarding the crucifixion it says he who saw this bear witness all of it and he is the author of what he actually saw we won't take out time to read the text, but in Luke chapter 1 verse four. Luke says that he has decided to set forth the things that happen in the life of Christ, and he says I have laid it out in order that we might know exactly what is taken place you read the gospel writers and they have a sense of authenticity and integrity. You don't get the impression at all that they are unreliable. News reporters then there is also external evidence external evidence asked the question, is there anything in ancient history or archaeology that confirms the New Testament witness to Christ while you know in various writings. There are 13 references to Christ in the secular literature. In fact, Josephus even has a reference to Christ's resurrection. In addition to that you have archaeology, which always points in the direction of the authenticity of the Gospels man by the name of Sir William Ramsey spent all of his life studying the gospel of Luke and then the other book that Luke wrote, which is the book of acts, and he concluded that Lukey says is unsurpassed. He says in his trustworthiness as an historian. Everywhere we look, there seems to be the earmarks of reliability.

So one of the reasons that we can believe as Christians in the authenticity of the manuscripts. The reliability of the manuscripts is that even if they are tested by secular means and secular tests. They come out very well as being reliable documents then secondly you'll notice first of all the New Testament documents are reliable. Secondly, the witnesses are credible there credible witnesses now let me speak with you very frankly because if you do any witnessing at all, and you're talking to people about your faith you not to know that often they will site will aren't you sure you know that the gospel stories weren't made up by those who were devoted to Christ. I remember many years ago reading a Sunday school manual from a very liberal denomination. I will tell you what denomination it was but it was very liberal. Here's what it says it says when it came to the miracles of Jesus like taking five loaves and two fish and feeding a multitude what really happened was there was a little boy with his lunch and he took his lunch and he gave it to Jesus.

And when the multitudes saw the devotion of this little boy and saw his commitment. They all felt so guilty that all of them began to take out their lunches and they began to share with those who didn't have a lunch that's how everybody was fed, it was known as the paper bag theory. Everybody had a little paper bag and when the little boy gave his paper bag to Jesus thousands of little paper bags appeared. Now you know if you have a little paper bag God, you need a theory like that. But here's the question how do we know that these disciples didn't take a man and make him into God. How do we know that they did not put words in his mouth and took an ordinary person Jesus and make him into the Christ are several reasons why the disciples were incapable of doing it. First of all because Jesus would've been a very bad candidate choose to make into the Christ. If there is anything like his times. It was Christ there were all kinds of messiahs that would've fit in better with what the people were expecting in that day.

Those have done extensive work to look into what the general thought was regarding the Messiah in Christ time tell us that the nation was expecting a Messiah that would unify the 10 tribes. They were expecting a Messiah who was going to take on Roman fight the Roman Empire and throw off that heavy yoke of Roman occupation, they were certainly not expecting a Messiah who said, my kingdom is not of this world. They were not expecting a Messiah who is going to take everything that was going on in the temple. All of the forgiveness and the worship that was taking place. There and offering it out on the street corner and saying all that you need to do is come to me to be forgiven. You don't have to go into the town is not the kind of a Messiah that they were expecting Jesus would've been the last person that people would've made into the Messiah. There's another reason you realize that the disciples wouldn't have psychologically capable of taking a man calling him God, they would not of been able to do that, they were schooled and steeped in Judaism which says thou shalt have no other gods before me.

The Lord our God is one Lord, now you mean to tell me that these disciples would've taken an ordinary man and described to him deity. That would've been the highest blasphemy they could not have done it.

The reason that the disciples finally concluded that Jesus Christ was God is not because a messianic fever with some of the liberals want to say existed in those days, and they were anxious to make a man into a God, not because of that they were hardheaded fishermen who refuse to believe on him until the evidence was so overwhelming that the facts compel them to believe that's why they believe that Christ was the Messiah that Christ was God. And then of course is the resurrection of Jesus Christ that actually transformed them. I mean they were a very frightened group of men on the day of the crucifixion, but it was because Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, that it is that explanation that can explain the strength of those early disciples in the formation of what we know as the Christian church. The documents are reliable. The eyewitnesses are credible.

Thirdly, the alternatives are unbelievable there. Unbelievable. Now, of course, because unbelief rains in the human heart. There been people have looked at the Bible and said, will the two must've an empty menu grant that they say the explanation for the empty tomb must be found somewhere else other than in a miracle. So some people of said will the disciples stole the body member. That's what Pilate was worried about when he said you know, so that the the disciples don't come and steal his body set a watch. They guarded the tomb, but I need to ask you something. If the disciples stole the body they would not have laid down their lives for something they knew to be a whole people of lay down their lives for foolish causes, but not for things that they believe were foolish causes others have said will be enemies must've stolen the body, but if the enemies did it. They would produce the body when on the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up and preached with such can action about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. You see, it just doesn't work. To say that the enemies stole it and then of course the book came out many years ago which I remember reading if you're into fiction, that's a good book to read and it illuminates the Sloan theory. The ideas that Jesus really didn't die on the cross he just swooned and that he was put into that dark, cool tomb, and he was revived and then he came staggering out on the third day with bloodstains all over his body and in a weakened condition.

He inspired the disciples to begin the Christian church and he convinced them of his resurrection lead is also unlikely. All theories regarding the empty tomb collapse under the weight of other evidence found throughout history. Not everybody has been happy with the resurrection and the deity of Jesus Christ.

I can assure you of that not everybody has been glad because of it right from the early centuries. Pilate said let's put an end to this and the Pharisees wanted to put an end to it and when you think of Western civilization. Some of our greatest thinkers who have impacted us the most are people who ineffective said to themselves. We want to keep Christ in that tomb, and in most instances, they tried to keep them there by simply ignoring him. Pretending that he had no relevance to their particular disciplines or their expertise. For example, David Hume took the stone cold philosophy and said to himself. We can use philosophy to keep that tomb close so Hume taught that miracles were impossible. He said the reason that miracles are impossible is because there is uniform evidence against know if you've taken an introductory course in logic. You know that that is circular reasoning is beginning with the supposition that he wishes to probe how can you know that there is uniform evidence against miracles. All that we can do is check them out and see whether they have happened and what is a philosopher word philosophy means a lover of wisdom. How could David Hume who supposedly loved wisdom have bypassed Jesus Christ about whom the Bible says that in him are all treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

How could you have done that but he tried to keep the tomb close. My sister has to return.

You absolutely have to listen to running to win next time because it's not just David Hume. I list others who have tried to keep Christ in the tomb, so to speak, and I detail why it is that they failed know in my book, entitled Christ, among other gods. The defense of Christ in an age of tolerance. I quote the words of savanna Rollo, who was put to death in Florence, a very interesting story. By the way because of what he believed and taught, but before he died he said these words. He who believes that Christ rules above need not fear what happens below. I think that this book will be such a great encouragement as it goes through the reasons why Christ is unique for a gift of any amount we want you to have this resource. We want you to read it, pass it along to your friends. Here's what you do go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com and by the way, this is one of the last times we are making this resource available RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 it's time now for another chance for you to ask branch elixir question you may have about the Bible or about the Christian life.

Many Christians are alarmed at the way the public school system has.

Off-track from just teaching the fundamentals and increasingly is promoting an agenda. No believer can endorse Bob is one of our listeners.

He wants to know this past elixir do you recommend homeschooling over public education. Well, I messed that frequently and I need to say that his parents have the choice of course homeschooling would be best because it is true that the curriculum in many schools is one that to Christian parents cannot possibly accept. We have the teaching of homosexuality, we have the sex education that oftentimes inflames the desires of young people.

How can our children withstand this they're not in a position to be able to stand by themselves they are, after all, just children.

You know when you plan to new grass and it's very young. You don't walk on it that you take good care of it now once it stronger then you can walk across the lawn and the very same way. Hopefully children grow up and they are convinced that they can then defend the faith in college and university but in the earlier grades is quite different at the same time, however, I am not saying that all parents should pull their children out of the public school system.

I believe that there is still some public school systems in America that are accommodating to Christian values. They may not be distinctively Christian but there are many teachers out there who are not going to work against you as parents.

So bottom line Bob what you need to do is to make up your own mind.

What is the possibility of having your children homeschooled is that even feasible over against the kind of school that they would attend if they were in public education.

I do not think it is a one-size-fits-all, but let every Christian prayer through on their own, seeking all the possibilities and making as wise a decision as possible for their children. Some wise counsel on a matter of deep concern for more and more parents these days.

Thank you Dr. lutes.

If you'd like to hear your question answered. You can go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click error on ask Pastor lutes or you can call us at 1-888-218-9337 you can write to is running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 there's massive evidence that says Jesus was raised though naysayers come and go. Christ's resurrection is as certain as any event in history.

Next time I'm running to win. Dr. lutes, her thoughts further about Christ's extraordinary resurrection and how far some will go to explain away his miracles running to win is sponsored by the teacher