JESUS IS ALIVE! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

John 20:19-31

JOHN WANTS YOU TO BELIEVE

30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in

the presence of his disciples, which are not

recorded in this book.31 But these are written that you may believe

that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and

that by believing you may have life in his

name.

REASONS FOR NOT BELIEVING

„Dead people do not come back to life‟.so either

Jesus hadn‟t died

The tomb wasn‟t empty

The disciples didn‟t see him alive they were hallucinating

they stole the body and made up the story of the his resurrection

This presupposes

The non-existence of a supernatural God

REASONS FOR NOT BELIEVING

I only believe what I can see for myself

"Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and

put my finger where the nails were, and put

my hand into his side, I will not believe it.“

The witness of the writers is unreliable

It‟s too long ago

The only evidence comes from Christians

They were writing mythical accounts

REASONS FOR NOT BELIEVING

I don‟t need to believe

It can be true for you but not for me

It isn‟t possible to know the truth so stop looking

I need to not believe

The implications of believing are unacceptable

THE EVIDENCE THAT JOHN PRESENTS

Jesus had died

John was there at the cross and saw everything

The tomb was empty

he‟d seen it

Jesus was alive

he‟d seen him

many others saw him too

WHO DID JOHN BELIEVE JESUS IS?

John 11 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word

was with God, and the Word was God.14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling

among us.

=> John believed that Jesus is God himself

WHY DOES JOHN WANT YOU TO BELIEVE?

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

THOMAS’ EXPERIENCE

Thomas wanted to see and touch26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you!27 Then he said to Thomas, Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.28 Thomas said to him, My Lord and my God!29 Then Jesus told him, Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

PAUL’S PERSPECTIVE

“If Christ has not been

raised, our preaching is

useless and so is your

faith.”

The Apostle Paul

1 Corinthians 15:14

EVIDENCE OUTSIDE THE BIBLE

Millions of transformed lives

Christianity spread rapidly throughout the Roman

empire within a few years of Jesus resurrection

John Newton

CS Lewis

Nicky Cruz

Charles Colson

Lee Strobel

ONE DAY WE WILL ALL SEE JESUS

Rev 1:7 "Look, he is coming with the

clouds, and every eye will see him, even

those who pierced him; and all the peoples of

the earth will mourn because of him. So shall

it be! Amen."