Can You Believe in the Resurrection Part 2 | Gospel of the Kingdom
Scripture:
Mark 16:9, John 20:29, Acts, 1 Corinthians 15:1 and 15:3-8, 2 Timothy 2:11-13, John 7:5, 1 Corinthians 15:17-2
Memory verse Matthew 6:7-13
Myth Theory Notes
> Mark is earliest written gospel (around 70 AD), and in Mark there is no post resurrection appearances of Jesus
> There is a “moral tale” of believing without evidence due to doubting Thomas who is told by Jesus, “ you believe because you have seen, blessed are those who believe without seeing.”
> Many believe that that is a suspicious statement that fuels Christ’s resurrection as mythical.
> The myth theory could only be developed due to the shortness of time between the written scripts and the time of the crucifixion/resurrection with the help of conman theory.
> Many think because there is a little written about the destruction of the temple (in 70AD) that they had to be written after, which they believe alludes to the gospels making Jesus’ declaration of the temple being destroyed as a statement made after the destruction but presented as having been said before and creating propaganda.
> There is a note that the oldest manuscripts don’t include verses 9-20 in Mark 16, which is the story of the disciples seeing Jesus after His resurrection. Many Christian scholars believe that these verses were not original to the text, but were added later.
> Paul in 1 Corinthians which is dated to be written somewhere between 54-56 AD, that Christ was seen by many after His resurrection, and this was written well before the gospel of Mark, written in 70 AD.
> Writing was not common during the time of Christ, and even long after, so instead of sharing the written word, Christian leaders of that time would share sayings like creeds that people would repeat as a declaration of their beliefs. In 2 Timothy 2 Paul acknowledges a creed that was being circulated as being trustworthy.
What to Believe:
Jesus was raised from the dead.
Everyone born of Adam will die. Everyone born of the Spirit will live.
The Resurrection was a real event, and it means we are no longer slaves to sin.
The Spirit testifies to our spirit that Jesus raised from the dead.
It is very healthy to ask the question, “is what they’re saying true?” Ask questions, check sources. That is healthy.
There will always be debates. People will always have questions, and will wonder about the truth. People are also susceptible to changing their minds. Ask questions, and take them to the word. Invite the Holy Spirit into your questions and research. He is our counselor and will assist you as you seek truth.
God will honor your desire to find and discover the truth.
Everyman is born into the sins of Adam, but those who have been born again with Christ are born into the life of Jesus.
We are waiting for the resurrection. Resurrection of bodies, and the physical appearance of a kingdom that is completely brought to life by Christ.
The resurrection is more than a debate point, it is a real and true event. Because of it, we are sustained by the Holy Spirit for the hope of our own resurrection and the resurrection of those we love.
How to Obey:
Study the word. Ask your questions. Always bring them back to reliable sources, and the Holy Spirit. He wants to help you as you learn more about the truth.
Hold on to the truth as objections to the faith are brought up
How to Walk Intimately with God:
God is available to you and your curiosity. He likes when there are things that don’t make sense to us, things that make us want to do research. God wants to be there for you as you study. He gave us a sense of curiosity.
When presented with clever objections to Christianity that you can't debunk on your own, ask the Lord to reveal the truth to you. Seek counsel from others if necessary.