Apologia
Reasons to Believe for Skeptics, Seekers & Believers
The Film Study Guide – Episode 7
Jesus Is Alive
As the Episode begins with the Resurrection and the empty tomb and that is what shocked the world during that historical period and continues to have its powerful effect today. Christianity is not a dead philosophy or religion but is based on a living Savior, Jesus who is Alive!
The Resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of the faith, without the Resurrection there would be no Christianity, the disciples were all eyewitnesses to the event, Acts 2:32.
The evidence for the Resurrection comes from many sides, for example the witnesses:
Professor of history, Dr. Edwin Yamaguchi says “What gives a special authority to the list of witnesses as historical evidence is the reference to most of the 500 people being still alive. Paul says in effect, “If you do not believe me, you can ask them.” Such a statement in an admittedly genuine letter thirty years after the event is almost as strong evidence as one could hope to get for something that happened nearly two thousand years ago.”
It is important to remember the critics of the Christian movement could not refute these claims. No matter how hard the opposition tried they could not refute the evidence of, fulfilled scripture, multitude of eyewitnesses, the broken sealed and guarded tomb, the empty tomb, the appearance of the Risen Lord.
As Law Professor Simon Greenleaf wrote: “It was therefore impossible that they could have persisted in affirming the truths they have narrated, had not Jesus actually risen from the dead, and had not known the fact as certainly as they knew any other fact.”
Those who believe in the Resurrection of Jesus can face death and eternity with more than confidence, we have been promised in scripture, eyewitnesses and from Jesus who is alive that we shall have a magnificent future and sure hope now, 1 Corinthians 2:9, Philippians 3:20-21.
“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved” Romans 10:9
David Hume ruled out the Resurrection like many people because it does not fit their Worldview which is not based on the clear evidence but to the contrary. Hume says no one can experience a miracle because miracles do not happen, that is, in Hume’s world. Hume rules out the very possibility of a miracle at the beginning before any inquiry. Hume breaks basic principles of logic, the conclusion is taken for granted in the premises, the fallacy of begging the question.
The evidence for the Resurrection is overwhelming. The Jewish leaders took extreme precaution to keep Jesus’ corpse in the tomb. The Roman soldiers would lose their lives if they did not guard the tomb with extreme diligence. The scattered and frightened disciples would not and could not steal the body and then with great courage live and die for a lie. No, the fact is, Jesus is alive, and walked out of the tomb, and is preparing a Kingdom for His followers in Heaven and will return!
