12 Historical Indisputables for the Resurection

No serious contemporary historian will argue the historical existence of Jesus; evidence supporting His 33 years of life is indisputable. His resurrection is another matter entirely, one that has been disputed since the death of Jesus. Below is a list of 12 Indisputables as so titled by Dr. Gary Habermas in his book The Risen Jesus and Future Hope and The Case for the Resurrection of Christ; this list is a set of historical indisputables that support the existence of Jesus. These also work to support His resurrection from a historical and non-biblical point of view.

1. Jesus Died by Roman crucifixion.
2. He was buried, most likely in a private tomb.
3. Soon afterward, the disciples were discouraged, bereaved, and despondent, having lost hope.
4. Jesus' tomb was found empty very soon after His interment.
5. The disciples had experience that they believed were actual appearances of the risen Jesus.
6. Due to these experience, the disciples' lives were thoroughly transformed, even being willing to die for this belief.
7. The proclamation of the resurrection took place very early, at the beginning of church history.
8. The disciples' public testimony and preaching of the resurrection took place in the city of Jerusalem, where Jesus had been crucified and buried shortly before.
9. The Gospel message centered on the death and resurrection of Jesus.
10. Sunday was the primary day for gathering and worshipping.
11. James, the brother of Jesus and a former skeptic, was converted when, he believed Jesus was raised.
12. Just a few years later, Saul of Tarsus (Paul) became a Christian believer due to an experience that he believed was an appearance of the risen Jesus.

Much of the significance of these points is very understandable and can be derived directly from the statement, but there are a few I believe will be beneficial to focus on for the purpose of illumination.

#11: When Christians read the Bible we see the book of “James” and think of the dynamic persona of the author. A Christian dynamo, filled with enthusiasm and passion for the gospel, but at one time James the half brother of Jesus was more a skeptic of the message of Christ then an advocate. I believe this to be one of the most significant statements in the list authenticating the resurrection. At one point and time the brother of Jesus, a skeptic and non-believer, and now after the resurrection a passionate and willing disciple of the savior, what better testimony of the resurrection then a skeptic changed to proponent and follower? And even more so a relative of Jesus, someone who grew up with Him and experienced every worldly emotion and jealously we would at having God for a half brother. Changed from a brother to a servant laying down any negative mental history at the feet of his finale epiphany at, the feet of his savior.

#10: With just a basic understanding of the historicity of the Jewish people we can understand the nature of the legalism that dictates Judaism. Traditions that are still very evident today in the life of Jews ruled and rule their day-to-day activities. These traditions would never be changed for anything short of the booming voice of God commanding them so and sometimes not even then as we see in the life of many Pharisees. The change of the traditional worship service from the day of the Sabbath to Sunday is a change of religiosity that would have required an event that would shake the world of the Jewish people, and noting that the change occurred after the claimed resurrection of Christ leads us to a conclusion supporting the validity of the disciples’ testimony.

What is the significance in acknowledging that Jesus is risen? When we acknowledge that Jesus has risen we acknowledge His divinity, that He was God in flesh and nothing less, and as God He was sinless and holy. We also recognize that Jesus contained two natures, one divine and one human. Jesus was God and man, two natures united as one. He experienced every temptation and struggle that humanity experiences (Hebrews 4:15). He can and does sympathize with the pain of His children, and provides escape routes during our temptations (I Corinthians 10:13). Though He is God and can be Father like no other, and His death was the only possible way to atone for our sin. When we believe that Jesus is risen, we find validity in the totality of the gospel, proof of the resurrection gives sufficient evidence that Jesus can be trusted and we can put our faith in him. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, and the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name… (John 20:31)

4 facts to cognitively know

Are you soteriologicly believing in Christ? I'm taking an Introduction to Evangelism class from Liberty University, and below is a list of four descriptive statements/questions to ask ourselves, to see if we "know" whether or not we are "saved." Take a minute to read them and tell me if these salvific statements properly communicate, or lay to rest our soulical questions concering the metaphysics of personal eternity.

Now remember these are statements that we are supposing must be cognitively known in order to be "saved."

1) Do we agree with God regarding our sinful state?
We must be in agreement that our sinful state merits judgment a spiritual and physical death.

2) Do we believe that Jesus is God?
We must believe that Jesus is 100% God because if Jesus is anything other then God, His sacrafice would do nothing to atone for our sins.

3) Do we believe that Jesus' sacrifice was the only sufficent payment that could atone for our sins?
We must believe that Jesus' death was sufficent in totality to pay the penalty of our sin, but we must also believe that his death and sacrafice is the only thing that could atone for our sins.

4) Do we believe that Jesus physically rose from the dead, therby proving that He can conquer both physical death and spiritual death?
To fully accept the gift of God that is salvation we must believe completle that Jesus rose from the dead, and that in doing so defeated the death that we would have other wise inevitable suffered.

Please, tell me what you think of these questions, or of your personal experience with questions like these. Or just tell me of any thoughts you had concerning this... stuff (for lack of a better word). You can comment this blog or email me at jonnydm.18@gmail.com Thank you!

New Job

I would like to tell everyone about my new vocation! I am an official barista at our local Beans and Brews coffee shop. I work at the Beans on 6400 s and St. its a little smaller store hidden behind a gas station. Beans is prob the biggest local chain of coffee shops bringing a corporate feel to coffee (just kidding), but it is one of best places to go to be reminded Utah is growing up. So make sure if your anywhere in the area to come by and visit.
p.s Thanks babe.

Test time, hundred or so of us all ready to finish the year. Its just gleaming with wonderful anticipation at the 145 mins euphoria to come.

-Sent from cell

Day of Reckoning

Tomorrow is the big day, I begin my government test at about 8:00 am. Right now I should be studying, but I had to take a small break before my brain started bleeding, and that small break has turned to a relatively large break, with a little blog post to top it off. Sounds like some procrastination dessert, mmm mmm good!

P.S I injured myself, playing some volleyball now my wrist is in a brace and I'm typing two words per minute.

P.P.S I injured myself like a man

Review

First things first, with a heavy heart I give this movie 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. Its tough to put to words how I actually feel about this movie, because of the way it played upon strange levels in my heart. I have to admit that if you are a nerdy kid and know the true origins of Wolverine then your going to be disappointed by the deviation of the movie, and will leave the movie feeling the true story would have had a better flow for the movie. But not all negative, even knowing the story backwards and forwards I could still connect to the epic jaw dropping nature of this movie.
From the entrance credits evidence of a genius story board and screen play is seen. And for the most part visually this movie was incredible, even with the few cliche explosion action sequences, and a couple graphic images that slid by the production room in raw format... None of this mattered however when it came time for Wolverine and Sabertooth to battle, I'm not sure I can fully put to words how well these moments came off.
Now its hard to argue with a cast like that of Wolverines origins, and I think the most stand up performance was by Liev Schreiber, again I am totally without words. Also as always Huge Jackman was awesome, and his emotional struggle added a depth to this movie that hit very unexpected (I'm not sure I've ever seen my girlfriend tear up so much). Also of note was Dominic Monaghan, and Ryan Reynolds was a perfect Deadpool as to be expected.
SO yes, it was a good movie, but am I dissapointed? Yes. But I'm not so dissapionted I wouldnt recommend it or see it mutliple times.