CHRISTIAN vs. THE REST The differentiator of our beliefs
What makes a holiday great for you? Differences in making a vacation a good one!
What is one thing that completely changes our belief structure – sets Christianity apart from any other belief?_____________________________________
Some of the things Jesus did, anyone could do!
Some of the things Jesus did, may be able to be explained away. Some of the things Jesus did, may have been distorted by history.
Some of the things Jesus did, could have been old wives tales. Some of the words Jesus spoke could have been spoken by other men.
Being put to death on a cross – that was something many did.
Stage show magicians pull rabbits out of hats, he pulled bread out of a basket.
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When all has been said and done, what was the thing that Jesus did that no one else has ever done that broke the veil?
That ripped the understandable, comprehensible and understood world into the supernatural, unseen and eternal world?
Die and be resurrected!
When it comes to faith (religion) its a major difference to other religions.
When it comes to our faith (belief) its one of the big items in scripture that we have to get our heads around.
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Christianity’s core belief is that the Son of God took on human form (baby in a manger), died for our sins (the story of the cross) and then rose from the dead to give us eternal life. (WHAT????
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But if Jesus Christ didn’t come back to life, it undoes His claim to be the all-powerful, eternal Son of God, Savior and Messiah. It undoes every promise and prophesy, it nullifies God’s word and causes Christianity to completely implode.
So, Christianity hangs on the Resurrection. _____________________________________
Your hope and faith hangs on the resurrection. It’s one of the core elements of our belief that takes complete and blind faith!
The good words spoken by Jesus appeals to our logic, but the resurrection of the Christ, whether we are in a good or bad situation, through faith unlocks that which defies logic
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1 Corinthians 15:12-19 TPT
The Importance of the Resurrection
12 The message we preach is Christ, who has been raised from the dead. So how could any of you possibly say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 For if there is no such thing as a resurrection from the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.14 And if Christ has not been raised, all of our preaching has been for nothing and your faith is useless. 15 Moreover, if the dead are not raised, that would mean that we are false witnesses who are misrepresenting God. And that would mean that we have preached a lie, stating that God raised him from the dead, if in reality he didn’t.
16 If the dead aren’t raised up, that would mean that Christ has not been raised up either. 17 And if Christ is not alive, you are still lost in your sins and your faith is a fantasy. 18 It would also mean that those believers in Christ who have passed away have simply perished. 19 If the only benefit of our hope in Christ is limited to this life on earth, we deserve to be pitied more than all others!
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Jesus lived, was crucified, raised on the third day, and was seen by many.
The Jewish authorities tried to cover it up with money. The Roman government tried to silence it with violence. Modern skeptics try to argue it away.
Was Jesus resurrected?
No social media/selfies/video footage.
All we have is eye witnesses. And the behavior of those who claimed to have seen him alive and resurrected…
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“Eye-witnesses believed He was.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 The Passion Translation (TPT)
3 For I have shared with you what I have received and what is of utmost importance: The Messiah died for our sins, fulfilling the prophecies of the Scriptures. 4 He was buried in a tomb and was raised from the dead after three days, as foretold in the Scriptures.[a]5 Then he appeared to Peter the Rock[b] and to the twelve apostles.[c] 6 He also appeared to more than five hundred of his followers at the same time, most of whom are still alive as I write this, though a few have passed away.[d] 7 Then he appeared to Jacob[e] and to all the apostles. 8 Last of all he appeared in front of me, like one born prematurely, ripped from the womb.[f]
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BEFORE
When Jesus was taken away by the soldiers, the disciples scattered (Matthew 26:56).
When they thought Him dead, they hid (John 20:19).
AFTER
AFTER He appeared to them, however, they changed.
Peter
Peter, who had denied knowing Him (Matthew 26:69-75), spoke boldly to entire crowds (Acts 2), stood up to the Jewish Sanhedrin (Acts 4:1-22), endured flogging (Acts 5:40), and went to prison (Acts 12:1-19), but wouldn’t stop preaching.
Stephen insisted on Jesus’ resurrection, right up to the moment the Sanhedrin stoned him (Acts 7).
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NO BENEFIT TO MAKING THIS CLAIM
While many may die for a belief, these are martyrs who died for what they claimed they saw. They had no reason to lie.
Saying Jesus had not risen would have given them a chance for a relatively peaceful, prosperous life. Insisting He was raised brought them multiple scourgings, imprisonments, and horrific deaths. _____________________________________
PECULIAR CLAIM
Paul, a persecutor of the church (Acts 9:1-2) and James, Jesus’ brother and a confirmed skeptic (John 7:2-5), both claimed to have seen Jesus after His resurrection. And both died, refusing to recant that belief.
Claiming Jesus had risen granted them no earthly rewards. (Peculiar claim) _____________________________________
Paul went from a respected, powerful member of the Jewish leadership to a near-vagrant, constantly working, traveling, and preaching with occasional breaks for prison.
James was known for doing the right thing. He didn’t believe in Jesus until he had seen proof that Jesus was the Messiah. In response, he became a leader of the church of Jerusalem—a church that was continuously persecuted. _____________________________________
SUICIDAL
But there is no theory that can explain the eye-witness accounts and the extreme change in behavior and near suicidal teachings they stuck to…except that Jesus really was resurrected. Because of that, we can have hope that we, too, will rise one day and meet Him.
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THE IMPACT OF THE RESURRECTION:
The resurrection is what changes our belief from fact to faith…
I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die. John 11:25
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WHAT DID JESUS TEACH ABOUT RESURECTION?
Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha… 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” John 11:1,3
Bad news…—the one you love is sick.
4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death.
No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” John 11:4•
Summarize 5-14: Waited 2 days
Let’s go back to Judea. “Jews tried to kill you—why go back?
Lazarus has fallen asleep; I’m going there to wake him up.
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Sin – cross – no reason not to be in relationship with God – His love and forgiveness for you.
DEAD ENDS – YOUR RESURRECTION IS NOW
Without the supernatural, doubt, discouragement, delay rob you of hope.
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1) DEAD IN YOUR DOUBTS. (Thomas)
16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” John 11:16
Ever had spiritual doubts? Perfect people polish halo. Prayed & nothing happened? Resurrection is what changes everything…
The resurrection is what changes doubts to truth…
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2) DEAD IN YOUR DISCOURAGEMENT. (Mary)
20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. John 11:20
Always be depressed. Never good marriage, Always fail as parent.
Never really loves me. Always dead end job. Dream is dead.
Resurrection is what restores hope.
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3) DEAD IN THE DELAY. (Martha) (3 days, dead, stinketh)
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days…21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” John 11:17, 21
Delay: Never marry, Baby, Praying for loved one, Healing
God’s delays are not God’s denials!
But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask. John 11:22
Loneliness—comfort, Confusion—Peace, Financially—Provider. Broken family—put pieces together, Mistakes u made—life matters.
Cold and calloused toward God—heart soft. Dead—bring to life.
Jesus said to (Martha), “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:23-26
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THE RESURRECTION IS NOT AN EVENT—IT’S A PERSON.
Didn’t say—I’m able to resurrect—but I am resurrection.
Jesus told them, Take away the stone!
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” John 11:43-44
If my God can defeat death—my God can do anything!
I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die. John 11:25