Questions - Week 21: Why Do You Believe He Is Risen?
Awake Us Now
Happy Resurrection Sunday - Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Today’s question is “Why do you believe He is risen?” Pastor starts today’s class with a personal testimony in which the Bible changed the direction of his life at the age of 15. Christianity stands or falls on the resurrection of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:14 “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” Pastor shares the Evidence Trail of Jesus’ Resurrection on the bases of writings from believers, unbelievers, recorded data, and old and new studies. The Evidence Trail...
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Kings & Prophets: From Solomon to Jeremiah - Week 14
Awake Us Now
Last week we ended our study time looking at a great king of Judah, Hezekiah. Today we start with one of the worst kings of Judah, Manasseh, Hezekiah’s son. Manasseh reigned from 697-642 B.C. His story is found in 2 Kings 21:1-18 and 2 Chronicles 33:1-20. Manasseh reigned 55 years. He reigned longer than any other king and did more damage than any other king. He did evil in God’s eyes. It is a disgusting and tragic story. He destroys everything good his father had done. King Manasseh ⁃ Apostasy and Idolatry - 2 Chronicles 33:33 ⁃...
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Growing Gracefully: Obedience
Awake Us Now
Growing gracefully in obedience is a response to the salvation God has worked in our lives through Christ Jesus. We are called to walk in obedience as a response to our faith in Jesus. Obedience is not necessary for salvation, but obedience is necessary! Join us as we explore Growing Gracefully in our relationship with Jesus Christ through obedience to Him and His Word. Obedience does not save, but neither is it optional. God desires not simply outward actions, but inner obedience to His Word. Pastor focuses on two important Biblical truths: 1. Obedience does not save - Jesus saves --Grace of...
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Growing Gracefully: Training
Awake Us Now
Despite the most rigorous physical exercise and training regimen, our bodies will age and, eventually, die. But there is a training - training in godliness - that lasts into eternity. The spiritual diet we eat, the spiritual exercise we do and the spiritual training we choose affects our ability to grow graceful as Jesus’ disciples. Training ourselves for godliness has benefits for today, tomorrow and for eternity. Spiritual training is timeless. Train to be godly - Christianity is not a spectator sport. We can’t be a couch potato. We must be in training to be godly. This is training with...
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Growing Gracefully: Contentment
Awake Us Now
Even in the most difficult of times, believers such as the apostle Paul have known contentment, an inner peace, a certainty that God is in control. Because of what Jesus has done for us, we know that, through faith in Him, we will live forever. That certainty brings true contentment!
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Dig Deeper - Week 9: Were Lambs Crucified?
Awake Us Now
Luke 22:7-8 ‘Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”” What we know about the Passover during the time of Jesus, is that the Passover meal had to be celebrated in Jerusalem itself. The lambs were killed at the Temple and the priests worked hours and hours to slaughter all the lambs needed for the meals - as many as a quarter million lambs were killed. The people came to the temple to pick up their lambs. This is where Jesus was sending...
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Growing Gracefully: Humility
Awake Us Now
The humility modeled for us by Jesus is not only refreshing, it is life-changing and God-pleasing! Pride, on the other hand, makes us nauseating not only to others, but to God as well.
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Growing Gracefully: Freedom
Awake Us Now
True freedom is living the full life that God always intended us to possess. In Jesus, we are freed from bondage to sin and are now free to please God!
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Questions - Week 20: Is Palm Sunday Jewish?
Awake Us Now
Happy Palm Sunday! Hosanna! Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem: Palm Sunday - Passion Sunday - story is found in: Matthew 21 Mark 11 Luke 19 John 12 Many of us know the Palm Sunday story, but do we know the details? Today we will look at some of the most fascinating and intentional details of this story. 1. Did you know that donkeys around the world have a similar dark marking on their backs that runs along the spine and across their shoulders? It is a cross. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a beast with a cross emblazoned on its...
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Kings & Prophets: From Solomon to Jeremiah - Week 13
Awake Us Now
Today we come to one of the most fascinating times in the history of the kingdom of Judah, an amazing king who does amazing things by the power of an amazing God. But first we take a look at King Ahaz who ruled from 731-715 BC. In 2 Kings 16:2-3 we read that Ahaz did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He followed the ways of other kings, even sacrificing his son in the fire. King Ahaz ⁃ Finds himself under attack by Pekah and Rezin ⁃ Discovers there is a price to pay when you turn your back on the Living God ...
info_outlineHappy Resurrection Sunday - Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!
Today’s question is “Why do you believe He is risen?”
Pastor starts today’s class with a personal testimony in which the Bible changed the direction of his life at the age of 15.
Christianity stands or falls on the resurrection of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:14 “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”
Pastor shares the Evidence Trail of Jesus’ Resurrection on the bases of writings from believers, unbelievers, recorded data, and old and new studies.
The Evidence Trail will encourage believers and will challenge those who are skeptics.
1. Resurrection was a scandalous message in the ancient world.
a. The CROSS was foolishness (1 Cor 1:18,23) Sources beyond the Bible record Christ’s crucifixion - this was a scandalous way to die. If it was made up they would have chosen a more honorable way to die for Jesus.
b. The CROSS as stumbling block (1 Cor 1:23) yet many gave their lives for faith in Christ
c. The RESURRECTION story was nonsense (Lk 23:11) yet they proclaimed the truth of His resurrection
- Painful Honesty
a. All 4 gospels declare that women were the first eyewitnesses to Jesus’ resurrection. We nowadays have no problem with this. But in the ancient Middle East and the ancient mediterranean world, people of that time were skeptical about anything told by woman. Example - Women could not testify in court trials. In that day women were considered untrustworthy. Yet the writers of the Bible honestly reported the truth saying that women were first irregardless of perceived credibility. (Mt 28:1ff; Mk 16:18, Lk 24:1ff; Jn 20:1ff)
b. Gospel “heroes” were flawed (Mt 26:60ff; Lk 22:54ff; Jn 7:5; Jn20:25ff) The writers of the New Testament told of their flaws and failures and did not hide the truth of their actions. They didn’t “clean up” the stories, instead they boldly told the truth in painful honesty.
- Strategic Locale
a, Jerusalem as the center of Judaism
b. Unsilent witnesses of the empty tomb - even the enemies of Jesus admitted the tomb of Jesus was empty.
- Multiple Witnesses
a. Jesus’ chosen Apostles - boldly shared the story of Jesus’ resurrection
b. Significant doubters - Jesus’ brother James, for example, did not believe Jesus was who He said He was, but after the resurrection James did believe and was later martyred for His faith in Jesus. (1 Cor 15:7-10)
c. 500 eyewitnesses (1 Cor 15:6)
d. Vocal opponents against Jesus freely conceded that Jesus did amazing things, was crucified by Pontius Pilote, that many believed He rose from the grave, and that the message was spread throughout the ancient world.
- Sacrificial lives
a. Being a believer in that day was not the popular thing, as many of those ancient early believers suffered heinous deaths and yet, were unwilling to change their minds and recant and willingly died for their faith in Jesus. They died for what they knew as truth (as one would not die for a lie.)
- Early documentation
a. Unparalleled Gospel accounts - many copies discovered - from across the ancient world
b. Early New Testament sources - the evidence shows believers and unbelievers agreeing that copies were written during the lifetimes of eye witnesses.
c. Non-Christian writings (Tacitus, Suetonius, et al) Roman officials concede the fundamentals of the Christian faith. People did believe Jesus was raised from the grave.
d. Jewish rabbinic sources (Sanhedrin 43a)
- Shocking Conclusion
a. Those living in the year of Jesus’ death and into the 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60’s of the first century, boldly proclaimed Jesus’ death, deity and resurrection.
b. The New Testament authors and the early believers, both testified to the Old Testament pointing to Jesus and that He fulfilled what was foretold about a Savior.
c. Clear declaration in the New Testament that Jesus is none other than the Living God come to earth.
The Evidence Trail gives us strong, rational, historical, biblical, and literal evidence for the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Let us give thanks for the evidence and be prepared to share it!
If you are not a believer, check out this evidence and we encourage you to pick up a Bible.
Christ is risen, He is risen, indeed!
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