This document discusses the centrality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the Christian worldview and faith. It provides biblical quotes emphasizing how the resurrection is the lynchpin or central element that holds Christianity together. The document also outlines some of the historical evidence for the resurrection, including the empty tomb, eyewitness testimony of Jesus' appearances, and the transformation and martyrdom of the disciples. It argues that Christianity is falsifiable based on historical testing of these resurrection facts.

2. It is the Linchpin of the Jesus-
Centered Worldview
Linchpin: pin inserted through the end of an axletree to
keep the wheel on. 2.something that holds the
various elements of a complicated structure together:

3.  “Now if Christ is preached, that he has been raised
from the dead, how do some of you say there is no
resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection
of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if
Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in
vain, your faith is also in vain. Moreover you are
found to be falsewitnesses of God, because we
testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He
did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised…….and
if Christ has not been raised your faith is worthless:
you are still in your sins. If we have hoped in Christ in
this life only, we are of all men, most to be pitied.”
Paul -- 1 Cor 15: 12-17, 19.

4. “In early Christianity there emerged a
confident, articulate faith where the
resurrection moved from
circumference to the center”
Dr. Evans

5. PETER’S TACTIC
 Discourse on Pentecost – Acts 2:22 ff
 Dialogue after healing lame man – Acts 3:15,
Acts 4:10, Acts 10:40 ff
“…God raised from the Dead, a fact to which
we are witnesses” 3:15
PAUL’S TACTIC
 Paul at Antioch in front of Synagogue Acts
13:30
 Paul in front of Governor Festus, and King
Agrippa
Read Acts 26 :23-32 “great learning” “uttering
words of sober truth”

6. Christianity is Falsifiable
Faith Hangs on A Thread
(Super Titanium, alloy thread)
We can set it up for Historical Testing
Memories, Writings, Relics. “History can
only be known by probability”

8. KEY : Not merely bodily “resuscitation”
“Resurrection means going through death and into
a new kind of bodily existence- happening in
two stages- first with Jesus- then with his
followers”
-N.T Wright
“Jesus rose bodily- but the new body possessed new
unexpected characteristics”

9. 1 Peter 3:16
“but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts,
always being ready to make a defense to
everyone who asks you to give an account for
the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness
and reverence”
Apologia--
Definition 1.a formal, often lengthy, explanation and
defense of one's actions, beliefs, or motives.

10.  (Robert Funk, John Dominique Crossan)
 150 individuals 74 “Scholars”– “Fellows” Voting in
colored beads on 1500 sayings of Jesus.
 Half unknowns, 18 – no pub.works,
 No European scholarship, do not have to be a
Biblical Scholar.
 Naturalistic presuppositions
“The Jesus Seminar represents an extremely small number
of radically-fringe scholars who are on the far, far left wing
of New Testament thinking. It does not represent mainstream
scholarship” ---- Dr William Lane Craig
“This is not responsible, or even critical, scholarship. It is a
self-indulgent charade.” –Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson (Emory)

11. A good Chunk of the Bible is full of Myths
Jesus only said 20% of what the Bible records
him saying
Outside Non-Christian sources give us a
better picture
blah….blah….blah…

12. Twelve
Known Historical Facts Concerning the
Resurrection Events- (Basically All scholars
agree on)
-Dr. Gary R. Habermas
Liberty University

13. FACT # 1
Jesus of Nazareth Died By Crucifixion

14. FACT # 2 He was buried
“Nearly all NT scholars agree that the
honorable burial by Joseph of Arimathea -a
member of the Sanhedrin (Jewish Supreme
Court) is one of the best established facts
about Jesus”
Dr. John A.T. Robinson
(Attested to in all 4 Gospels, including Mark –
the earliest)

15. Why would Jesus followers throw Joseph into
the story? (in a good way) Wouldn’t there
have been hostility towards the Sanhedrin
after what they had done! While they speak of
themselves as being the deserters of the
Messiah.
Violates criteria of Embarrassment
Unless they were recording the truth

16. 1 COR 15:3-8
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I
also received that Christ Died for our sins,
according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried,
and he was raised on the third day according to the
Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, then to
the twelve. After that he appeared to more than 500
bretheren at one time, most of whom remain until
now, but some have fallen asleep; then He
appeared to James then to all the apostles; and last
of all to one untimely born, He appeared to me
also.”
PAUL of TARSUS

17. VERY UNIQUE TEXT……
Consist (Non) Pauline Technical Words- (Delivered,
Received)
Greek here is different than Paul’s other works-
unique
He is obviously passing it on
- Organization of typical creed  oral, confessional
nature – ANTHEM 4 Parts (Crucifixion, Burial,
Resurrection, Appearances)

18. Christ Death (30 A.D), Paul’s Conversion (33-
35 A.D) Visited Jerusalem – James or Peter
(35-38 A.D) Received
event (came before) independent ideas (came
before) formulation of creed
Creed being recited 3-8 yrs after resurrection

19. “Wolfhart Penemberg has rocked modern skeptical
German theology by building his theology…. On
the historical evidence from this creed”
“The importance of this creed can not be
overestimated” ---Habermas, Moreland, Craig,
Dodd
“The Creed meets all the demands of historical
reliability that could possibly be made of such a
text” German Historian Hans Von Copenhausen

20. Fact #3) Jesus death caused the disciples to
despair and lose hope, believing that his life
was ended

21. Fact # 4) The tomb was discovered to be empty just a few
days later
 WOMEN at the Tomb points to Validity
 1st to visit tomb, to receive resurrection news,
proclaim to males
Matthew –women at crucifixion site. Lk –at site after
crucifix.
 Jewish Society- Women’s testimony worthless.
Primary witness? Market places, council –halls, law
courts suitable only for men. (Put in well respected
man- not women)
 Testimony on par with that of a slave/ uneducated
 Violates “criteria of Embarrassment” – should not
mention if just inventing –Hurt agenda

22. FACT # 5) The Disciples had experiences which they
believed were literal appearances of Jesus
 Jewish concept of rising from dead = physical
bodily resurrection
 Paul = Pharisee = physical resurrection, soma (grk)
=physical body
Hallucination theory-
 Hallucinations are individual occurrences. Not
seen by group.
 Usually caused by drugs or sleep depravation.
 Need fertile, expectant, excited or anxious mind-
not apostles demeanor

23. Fact #6 The Disciples were transformed
from doubters who were afraid to
identify themselves with Jesus to bold
proclaimers of his death and
resurrection

24. Foxes’ Christian Martyrs of the World, Josephus, Clement
Eusebius, Acts—Luke
-Stephen (stoned) Matthias (Stoned, Be-headed)
-Philip (crucified) Andrew (Crucified)
-Mark (Dragged) Jude (crucified) Paul (sword)
-Peter (Crucified upside down) etc…..
(they also primarily died alone!!!)
So what – people die for things all the time –
example Muslims

25. People will not die for something that they
logically know to be untrue
Disciples were all in a position to know!!!

26. “ Now He that raised Him from the dead will raise us also; if
we do His will and walk in His commandments”
“…..and may He grant unto you a lot and portion among His
saints, and to us with you, and to all that are under
heaven, who shall believe on our Lord and God Jesus
Christ and on His Father that raised him from the dead.
“For every one who shall not confess that Jesus Christ is come
in the flesh, is antichrist: and whosoever shall not confess
the testimony of the Cross, is of the devil; and whosoever shall
pervert the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts and say that
there is neither resurrection nor judgment, that man is the
firstborn of Satan.
Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians circa 120 A.D.

27. Disciple of John the Apostle - Irenaeus , Tertullian
Then, when he had been brought in, the proconsul asked
him if he was Polycarp. And when he confessed, they
would have persuaded him to deny, saying, Have respect
unto thine age, and other things like these, as is their
custom to say: Swear by the fortunes of Caesar; Repent;
Say, Away with the Atheists. But Polycarp, when he had
looked with a grave face at all the multitude of lawless
heathen in the arena, having beckoned unto them with his
hand, sighed, and looking up unto heaven, said, Away
with the Atheists! And when the proconsul pressed him,
and said, Swear, and I will release thee, revile Christ;
Polycarp said, Eighty and six years have I served him, and
in nothing hath he wronged me; and how, then, can I
blaspheme my King, who saved me? Martyrdom of
Polycarp-

28. FACT # 7) Message was center of preaching in
the early church
Remember theCREED
“How do we explain the fact that the disciples
went out into the Gentile world with the
news that something had happened at the
heart of Judaism, in the belief that this was
not only relevant -but urgent for the whole
world” Why cross traditional barriers!!!

29. Fact #8) This message was initially proclaimed
in Jerusalem, where Jesus died and was
buried shortly before

30. Fact #9) As a result of this preaching the church
was born and grew --- encapsulated Roman
Empire
*HUGE!!! Began in Jewish Society (permeated)
Hear o Israel – the Lord your God is ONE
Becomes Carpenter- Worship
Ain’t in Oprah environment!!

31. “granted that Jesus of Nazareth was certainly crucified as a rebel
king, it is extremely strange that the early Christians not only
insisted that he was actually the Messiah, but they reordered
their worldview, their praxis, their stories, symbols, and
theology around this belief.”
[After Jesus’ Death] “The disciples had two normal options open
to them. They could simply have gone back to their fishing, glad
to have escaped Jerusalem with their lives or switched to a
different tactic, given up on messianism , and gone in for some
form of private religion instead, whether of intensified Torah-
observance, private gnosis, or something else. They clearly did
not do that . They started a private religion going around the
pagan world saying that Jesus was the Messiah of Israel as well
as of the Pagans.”
N.T Wright

32. The Early Christians changed the meaning
of the phrase so radically so that it now
referred to a state of political affairs but
to an internal or spiritual one. They
talked about a new heart, indwelling of
the Spirit and so forth
Jew: Pagan Empire overthrown, Israel
Liberated, Public event, YHWH in charge

33. Fact # 10) Sunday became primary day of
worship!
“Worship on Saturday was so rooted in Judaism as a major
social, cultural, religious and political landmark that to make an
adjustment to it was not like a modern western person deciding
to play tennis on Tuesdays instead of Wednesdays…it was one
of the elements that set Judaism apart…..the easiest explanation
for all this is that the early Christians believed something had
happened on the first Sunday morning”
Dr. N.T. Wright

34. Fact # 11) James, who had been a skeptic, was
converted to the faith when he also believed
he saw the resurrected Jesus

35. Not James the Son of Zebedee or James the Younger
Biological Son of Mary and Joseph
Skeptic? Mt 13:55, Mk 6:3, John 7:5
 J.P.Moreland “ Highly embarrassing for rabbi’s
family to not accept him. No motive for Gospel
writers to lie”
 Became leader of Church in Jerusalem- Wrote Book
of James
“Even the skeptical New Testament critic Hans Gras
admits the conversion of James is one of the surest
proofs of the Resurrection” William Lane Craig
If Jesus was bunk- would have handed torch to James!!
(no one would dare!!)

36. Fact #12) A few years later, Paul was also
converted by an experience which he,
likewise, believed to be an appearance of the
risen Jesus
Christian hater  Christian Martyr
-too much evidence to discuss!!!

37. THE TOMB OF JESUS
was either…
Let’s put the right shoe on
Cinderella…..

38. Dr Simon Greenleaf (1783-1853) Harvard professor of
Law states:
“According to the laws of legal evidence used in courts
of law, there is more evidence for the historical fact of
the resurrection of Jesus Christ than for just about
any other event in history”
“it was IMPOSSIBLE that the apostles could have persisted in
affirming the truths they had narrated, had not JESUS CHRIST
ACTUALLY RISEN FROM THE DEAD, . . ."
(Simon Greenleaf, An Examination of the Testimony of the Four
Evangelists by the Rules of Evidence Administered in the Courts
of Justice, p.29).
Greenleaf’s Treatise on the Law of Evidence for many
years was the standard American work on the subject

39. “Before we answer that question I think we need to ask
another question..
Did Jesus of Nazareth Actually Rise from the dead?”
“Follow me here…..Jesus made unique claims that he is God”
“I believe that the historical reliability of the Resurrection is
solid”
If this Dude actually rose from the dead…I am following that
Guy….because He claimed to be God and backed it up
So it doesn’t matter what Scott Thinks!!!
It matters what Jesus says on the Subject matter. He says
that……..(Insert GOSPEL PRESENTATION HERE)
(Put it on His BIG Shoulders) Our Faith is
OBJECTIVE

40. “They[Non-believers] think you are
recommending Christianity not because it is
true but because it is good….they will at
every moment try to escape from the issue
‘True of False’…….One must keep on
pointing out that Christianity is a
statement which, if false, is of no
importance, and if true, of infinite
importance. The one thing it cannot be is
moderately important.” C.S. Lewis, 1945

41.  “That they said in boast, ‘We killed Christ Jesus The Son of
Mary, the Apostle of God’: But they killed him not, Nor
crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, And those
who differ Therein are full of doubts, With no (certain)
knowledge, But only conjecture to follow. For of a surety they
killed him not:- Nay, God raised him up Unto Himself; and God
is exalted in Power, Wise; - And there is none of the People of
the Book But must believe in Him Before his death; And on the
Day of Judgment He will be a witness against them”
Sura 4:157-159
“Christ the Son of Mary Was no More than an Apostle, many were
the Apostles that passed away before Him…”
Sura 5:78

42.  Who Was it that died on Cross?
 Pilate
 Simon of Cyrene
 Close Apostle
 Judas (Gospel of Barnabas)
(Baidawi – 13th Century , Sunni)
 Jesus did not rise the dead!!!
 Theology Behind Jesus not being Killed
 God must intervene on behalf of Prophets
 Prophets must be vindicated
 If he didn’t intervene - he failed to protect his prophet!!

43. Greg Koukl (STR)
 Intellectual
 Emotional
 Anti-Supernatural Presuppositions
 Apathetic (Stubborn Bull- Headedness )

44.  Jesus Christ = Jesus of Nazareth
 Christian = Jesus Follower
 Evangelism = Talking about Jesus’ good news
 Faith = Trust
 Saved = Get right with God
 Sin = Greek archery term – Missing the mark of
God’s perfection
 God ain’t a Republican or a Democrat
 Ask questions to flesh- out Worldview
 Don’t debate – not goal- reason logically
 Incorporate – Jesus, Jesus, Jesus