What if there was no Resurrection?

Title: What if there was no Resurrection?

Introduction:

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 3070 Resurrection—“That Nonsense”

3070 Resurrection—“That Nonsense”

An Arlington, Virginia, minister said, “We have closed our minds to such trivial considerations as the question of the resurrection of Christ. If you fundamentalists wish to believe that nonsense, we have no objections, but we have more important things to preach than the presence or absence of an empty tomb 20 centuries old.”

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Hope for Nobodys

Hope for Nobodys

A little boy heard the noted American preacher, Howard Thurman, preach in India. One night after he and Mrs. Thurman had gone to bed, there was a knock at the door. Opening it, there stood a lad whose clothing marked him as an untouchable. In broken, but polite, English he said: “I stood outside the building and listened to your lecture, Sahib Doctor. Tell me, please, can you give some hope to a nobody?” Whereupon the Indian boy dropped to his knees in admiration and reverence as the compassionate black Christian attempted to communicate the meaning of Christ’s invitation: “Please come, everything is now ready” (Luke 14:17, NEB).

- Summary that is driving this exhortation

Premise: If there is no resurrection, then Christ is dead (not risen) -

The implications:

(1) Pointless message - the gospel message preached is pointless - ;

(2) Pointless faith - your faith in the gospel message is pointless - ;

(3) Pointless messengers - trustworthiness of the messengers is questioned - ;

TEN REASONS WE KNOW THE NT WRITERS WERE TELLING THE TRUTH:

1. include numerous embarrassing details about themselves

2. include numerous embarrassing details and difficult sayings of Jesus

Geisler, Norman L.; Turek, Frank. I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Foreword by David Limbaugh) (Kindle Locations 5388-5398). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

3. include the demanding sayings of Jesus

4. carefully distinguish Jesus’ words from their own

5. include events about the Resurrection that they would not have invented

6. include at least thirty historically confirmed public figures in their writings

7. include divergent details

8. challenge their readers to check out verifiable facts, even facts about miracles

9. describe miracles like other historical events: with simple, unembellished accounts

10. abandoned their long-held sacred beliefs and practices, adopted new ones, and did not deny their testimony under persecution or threat of death

- Geisler, Norman L.; Turek, Frank. I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Foreword by David Limbaugh) (Kindle Locations 5388-5398). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

(4) Pointless faith (justification) - faith in justification is pointless - ;

(5) Pointless deliverance - you're still in sins - ;

(6) Pointless future - those who physically died while believing in Jesus are lost -

(7) Pointless present - we are to be pitied (pitiful) -

The teaching is the result of some confusion in Corinth due to cultural teachings/beliefs.

It is most likely that the Corinthians rejected a materialistic aspect to the resurrection.[ 3] Seneca (Ep. morales 24.18) outlines the two alternatives about what happens at death that were considered to be the most reasonable— immortality of the soul or annihilation: “Death either annihilates us or strips us bare. - Garland, David E

Garland, David E

Belief/Unbelief in the resurrection of the dead is the difference between being pitiful or hopeful.

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Hope for Nobodys

Hope for Nobodys

A little boy heard the noted American preacher, Howard Thurman, preach in India. One night after he and Mrs. Thurman had gone to bed, there was a knock at the door. Opening it, there stood a lad whose clothing marked him as an untouchable. In broken, but polite, English he said: “I stood outside the building and listened to your lecture, Sahib Doctor. Tell me, please, can you give some hope to a nobody?” Whereupon the Indian boy dropped to his knees in admiration and reverence as the compassionate black Christian attempted to communicate the meaning of Christ’s invitation: “Please come, everything is now ready” (Luke 14:17, NEB).

(1) Unbeliever: the fact for the unbeliever is that there is a future beyond this life.

(2) Believers: (i) you are able to walk in newness of life (; ) (ii) you can walk in hope of future life (contrasted in )

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Hope for Nobodys

Hope for Nobodys

A little boy heard the noted American preacher, Howard Thurman, preach in India. One night after he and Mrs. Thurman had gone to bed, there was a knock at the door. Opening it, there stood a lad whose clothing marked him as an untouchable. In broken, but polite, English he said: “I stood outside the building and listened to your lecture, Sahib Doctor. Tell me, please, can you give some hope to a nobody?” Whereupon the Indian boy dropped to his knees in admiration and reverence as the compassionate black Christian attempted to communicate the meaning of Christ’s invitation: “Please come, everything is now ready” (Luke 14:17, NEB).

What if there was no Resurrection?

Title: What if there was no Resurrection?

Text:

Series: Let's be a Christ-centered church

Why is he saying this?

What’s the principle?

How does it apply?

Conclusion: