Church notes - Evening of 28th March 2021
John 20:1-20
Evidence of the Resurrection
The Church is the legacy of Jesus.
Roman documents...
Jesus rising from the dead - a game changer.
Without faith in the Resurrection there wouldn't have been a Christianity at all.
Sir Lionel Luckhoo, attorney
245 Consecutive murder convictions
Investigated the evidence for the Resurrection and believed.
Evidence of the Resurrection.
1. Evidence of the empty tomb.
Objection 1 - The Swoon theory
- That He didn't die, just went into a coma.
Objection - Whipped 39 times, crucified, and pearced by a spear, wrapped in 34 kilograms of bandages and spices.
Objection 2
The stolen theory
Matthew 28:11 - 13
Who?
The Roman Authorities?
The Jewish Authorities?
The Disciples?
Motive?
Many were executed for their faith.
The Hallucination Theory
Hallucinations are not group events!
They weren't expecting the Resurrection.
Jesus appeared to believers and non believers.
Acts 2:22
No one objected, but 3000 were saved.
Objection 4
The wrong tomb theory.
This was not a little execution.
If there ws a wrong tomb - then there was a right tomb.
Over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament were fulfilled.
Acts 1:13
The change in the disciples
One minute they're defeated... The next they're taking on the world.
One minute they're crushed... The next they're confident.
One minute they're paralysed with fear... The next they're filled with faith.
What changed them?
'The transformation of the disciples is perhaps the greatest evidence of all for the Resurrection' - John Stott
John 8:32
There is no other explanation.
Easter is an opportunity.