The life and message of Christ
- The bible is in two parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament
- The Old Testament has 39 books and the New Testament has 27 books for a total of 66 books in the bible
- The Bible is a collection of books rather than one book
- The Bible was originally written primarily in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek
- The longest book in the Bible is Psalms with 150 chapters
- The longest chapter is Psalm 119
- The shortest chapter is Psalms 117
- The shortest verse in many english translations is John 11:35: "Jesus wept."
- The Bible is the best selling book of all time
- It has been translated into thousands of languages
- The Dead Sea Scrolls contain protions of nearly every Old Testament book
The Gospel (or the “Good News”) is based upon a major claim. The claim that Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried. On the third day he was raised from the dead, was seen by over 500 people across a 40 day period before ascending into heaven.
Muhammad died and was buried in Medina.
Gautama Buddha died and was cremated.
Confucius died and was buried.
Joseph Smith died and was buried.
Krishna is not p resented through the same type of historical documentation used for first-century figures.
Jesus’ death is one of the best-attested facts of ancient history and corroborated by Roman and other records outside the bible.
Most scholars date the creed in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 to within just a few years of Jesus’ crucifixion.
That creed states that Jesus:
- Died
- Was buried
- Rose on the third day
- Appeared to over 500 individuals and/or groups
The New Testament records appearances to:
- Mary Magdalene
- The Twelve Apostles
- More than 500 people at one time
- James
- Paul the Apostle
The significance of this claim is not that it proves the resurrection happened, but that Christianity began with people claiming to have personally seen the risen Jesus.
Most other religions are founded primarily on the testimony of a single individual.
Christianity’s claim is based on many witnesses.
Skeptics Became Believers
James
The Gospels portray Jesus’ brothers as skeptical during His ministry.
Later, James became a leader of the Jerusalem church and was willing to die for his faith.
Christians argue that the best explanation is that he believed he had seen the risen Jesus.
Paul
Paul (formerly Saul) actively persecuted Christians.
He was not predisposed to believe Jesus was the Messiah.
Yet he became Christianity’s greatest missionary after claiming to encounter the risen Christ.
Even skeptical historians generally agree that Paul sincerely believed he had such an experience.
“Fear Not” and/or “Don’t Be Afraid” appear over 140 different times in the bible (here are a few examples):
2 Timothy 1:7
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love an of a sound mind.”
Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strngthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
Psalm 56:3-4 (NKJV)
“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?
Joshua 1:9 (NKJV)
“Have I not Commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
1 John 4:18 (NKJV)
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts our fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”
Why we recommend this book? Often times people approach God from their mind’s perspective and try to rationalize and use logic to determine their beliefs (or lack thereof). Often our beliefs are shaped by perception and untruths. Learn how one atheist set out to prove his wive wrong and ended up one of Gods most dedicated believers. Lee Strobel (lawyer, former legal reporter for a National publication, former atheist, and now born-again Christian), does a beautiful job in making the case for why both the bible and its content is real. He set out to disprove Christ and instead became born-again. We invite you to learn why.
— The Journey from Atheist to Born Again and Why —
” Is there credible proof that Jesus of Nazareth really is the Son of God?”
“My wife became a Christian and I wanted to prove her wrong.”
Lee Strobel: Former Lawyer, Atheist, Legal Editor, and Skeptic — and now Christian Pastor at Woodlands Church
The Case for Christ
In The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel, former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and New York Times bestselling author, retraces his own spiritual journey from atheism to faith and builds a captivating case for Christ's divinity.
The Four Gospels: The first four books of the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are formally referred to as “the Gospels”. They provide historical and theological accounts of Jesus’s earthly ministry.
The Case for Christ
Is there credible proof that Jesus of Nazareth really is the Son of God? In The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel, former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and New York Times bestselling author, retraces his own spiritual journey from atheism to faith and builds a captivating case for Christ's divinity.
ESV Church Bible (Hardcover, Black)
Encouraging biblical wisdom The ESV Church Bible is an affordable, practical choice for churches to use as part of their weekly worship services or for outreach.
KJV Holy Bible: Gift and Award, Black Leather-Look
Affordable price, Red letter highlights. A worldwide bestseller in the full text of the KJV.
