Basic Christianity 2 -- The Truth About Jesus.

16th September, 2018

Basic Christianity 2 -- The Truth About Jesus.

A sermon preached on 16th September, 2018, as part of our Basic Christianity. series.

Luke 1:1-4

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Details

Reading is Luke 1:1-4 (which starts about 13 minutes in); the sermon featured a montage of images of famous people displayed on screen.

About the Speaker

Phil Marsden

Phil Marsden

Phil received his call to full-time ministry as a child and since the age of 19 has served with Youth For Christ, the Baptist Missionary Society and several large churches before taking up his present role as Ministry Team Leader at Central Baptist Church. Phil’s a visionary leader with a heart to share the good news of Jesus and to see the church grow.

View all sermons by Phil Marsden.

Basic Christianity.

Transcript

THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS

Intro: Ever met a famous person? Who? …Famous people pics: Why famous? how influential? how long famous for?

Lot’s of famous people but someone once said about Jesus… “All the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever sailed, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together have not affected the life of humans on earth as has that one solitary life”

Look at coin date…years since Jesus birth!...why still so famous 2000 years on…billions follow!

Fact: He existed; Jewish man; born in Bethlehem about 4bc; famous teacher/miracle worker …fully human…baby, childhood, worked (carpenter), laughed, cried, partied etc. like us
…crucified by Roman authorities, died, buried…empty tomb, numerous apparent sightings …many believed his claim to be the Son of God and that he’d now risen from dead!

The question is: Was he more than human? …also God? …Jesus made some outrageous claims …Light of world; Bread of life; Resurrection & life; Way truth & life; Son of God! …able to forgive sin; raise the dead; judge the world; he was the awaited Messiah!

C.S. Lewis: “Either this man was and is the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us”

Chuck Colson (former assistant to president Nixon): “For Christ to have talked as he talked, lived as he lived, died as he died, he was either God or a raving lunatic. The words, both exciting and disturbing pounded at me…Jesus Christ - lunatic or God?”

Read: Lk 1:1-4 / Gospel evidence: Dr Luke carefully investigates so we can be certain! …Jesus’ works, miracles, teaching, character, prophecy, death & resurrection

Did He really die? The Swoon theory: Jesus didn’t die on cross, only fainted (coma) …But: Romans expert killers…crucified…spear/check…tomb…shroud/stone/guards…naked!

Is He alive today? The mistaken grave theory: Went wrong tomb…emotional women in poor light …But: there 3 days earlier…men, Joseph & guards wrong too?!…Jews/Rom would find it The stolen body theory: Disciples stole body…pretend he’d risen like he said …But: disciples hid in fear…sealed & guarded tomb…die for lie!…no one gains from this! The hallucination theory: Disciples missed Jesus…imagined they’d seen him …But: visits to tomb…don’t believe at first…Jesus appeared often, to many, 6 weeks, eats!

Summary of resurrection evidence: …many prophecies foretold Jesus’ birth, life, death & resurrection…Jesus foretold it too …empty tomb, missing body, numerous physical encounters with living Jesus (not ghost) …when Jesus died disciples hid in fear…few weeks later preach…willing to die for him! …both Jewish authorities & Roman government would have found body to stop the story …eyewitness accounts, research recorded, news spread throughout world, many believe …millions still testify today to knowing risen Christ personally & have relationship with him

What does Jesus resurrection mean for us? …it means the claims Jesus made are true and the bible and all he said are to be trusted …it means we don’t need to fear death…Jesus promised to raise all who believe in him …it means all who put trust in him, say sorry for past, follow him in future...will be saved …it means Jesus is alive today…and we can be his friend and talk with him together now