Latest revision as of 13:07, 31 October 2018

Who is Jesus?

An elevator pitch is a short presentation that aims to provide some basic fact in a short amount of time. The idea is that you just got on an elevator and the governor of the state happens to be on the same elevator (yes, this actually happened to me once). You have a short ride to pitch your latest idea. What will you say?

• If you had to give an elevator speech on Jesus, what would you want to make sure to include?

• Peter actually provided an elevator speech in Acts 11:37-43. What were the main components of his speech?

Virtually nobody questions the crucifixion of Jesus. Even secular historians will grant that there was a Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. The real issue comes when we proclaim that this same Jesus was resurrected.

• How historically accurate is the resurrection?

The Resurrection

• According to Matthew 28:1-8, who discovered the empty tomb?

• Why would it have been significant for women to be the ones who discovered the empty tomb?

Witnesses

• Who are some people who saw the risen Christ?

• What bold claim does Paul make in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8?

• What is significant about Paul's claim that "the greater part remain to the present?"

The Minimal Facts

• Gary Habermas has developed a set of six minimal facts that are accepted by both Christian and non-Christian scholars. These facts are widely attested to in history.

1. Jesus was crucified
2. Shortly after the crucifixion, the followers of Jesus had experiences that they believed were appearances by Jesus.
3. The followers of Jesus lived transformed lives after these events.
4. These facts about Jesus were taught very shortly after their occurrence.
5. James, the unbelieving brother of Jesus, became a Christian because of his experience with the resurrected Christ.
6. Saul of Tarsus, a Christian persecutor, became a Christian after having a similar experience with the resurrected Christ.

• In addition to the above facts we can also note some other evidence.

1. Early Christians stopped their involvement in the Jewish sacrificial system and the focus moved away from the OT Law (Galatians 5:1-6).
2. Early Christians were bold, to the point of death, because of the resurrected Christ (Acts 6:8-15, 7:54-60).
3. The Christian day of Worship shifted from the Jewish Sabbath to Sunday (1 Corinthians 16:2).
4. No one ever produced an actual body (Luke 24:3)!

Challenging the Resurrection

• According to Matthew 28:11-15, what was the first challenge to the reality of the resurrection?

Secular Challenges

• Secular skeptic have proposed the following explanations in an attempt to explain away the resurrection.
  • Jesus was unconscious but not dead.
  • The disciples saw someone that looked like Jesus.
  • Someone purposefully impersonated Jesus.
  • The disciples all experienced hallucinations.
  • The disciples went to the wrong tomb and found it empty.
  • The claims of the resurrection are allegory and refer to the idea of Jesus's thoughts and teachings live on past His death.

• Do any of these theories actually account for the facts stated above?

Who Cares?

• What claim does Paul make in 1 Corinthians 15:14?

• The resurrection changed the disciples in a way that is beyond explanation. Has the resurrection changed you?