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Was Jesus a liar, insane, or who He said He was?
By Dave

Christ can not be accepted as just a great teacher and historic figure like other religious leaders. In determining who Christ was this leaves only two choices: either he was a lying, deranged mentally ill person......or He was the son of God. There is no other choice. Many prophets have claimed to have talked to God and received great revelation, which, combined with their charisma, have founded many religions with mass followings. Then they died and their thoughts are passed on. However Christ came back to life again. That's a good trick. If the resurrection is true, that should be unmistakable evidence Christ was not mad, but God's son.

At first the resurrection idea of the Bible seems like a fairy tale. Were the people of Jesus's time gullible, superstitious, and naive - were they the victims of fraudulent claims? No other religion claims that its founder has been raised from the dead. Any argument for the validity of Christianity stands or falls on the proof of the resurrection. Therefore His resurrection has been ridiculed and contested through the centuries by all kinds of skeptics. Consider the strong evidence that Jesus was raised from the dead, thereby proving for all the world that He was the Son of God as he claimed.

The resurrection was foretold by Jesus in Math 16:21 where he told the disciples that He would go to Jerusalem, and suffer, be killed and be raised again on the third day. No other explanation for the empty tomb. History records that a massive stone was laid in front of the tomb and it was heavily guarded by Roman soldiers who feared someone might disturb the tomb.

History shows that Jesus appeared to his disciples on at least 10 occasions after the resurrection. He ate with them and allowed them to touch Him, when they could not believe their eyes. The resurrection is the only reasonable explanation for the beginning of the Church. After His death his disciples were bewildered that their leader had died. Without such a miraculous event the disciples would have had no reason to believe their dead leader.

The resurrection is the only reasonable explanation for the transformed lives of the disciples. After the crucifixion, they were discouraged and fearful., They did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead, even though He had said He would. It was these men who after the resurrection went out to turn the world upside down. Many lost their lives for their faith, and others were terribly persecuted. Their behavior does not make sense unless they knew the resurrection to be a fact.

The transformation of Paul's life can only be reasonable explained by the resurrection. Saul, devoted his energies and time to the self appointed task of seizing and killing those who proclaimed Jesus as the promised Jewish Messiah. But his life was irrevocably changed when he met the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. From that time on, he was a new person, outspokenly preaching the resurrected Christ and willing to die for his faith in the one whom he had earlier sought to destroy.

Dr. William Lyon Phelps, the former distinguished professor of English literature at Yale, wrote, "It may be said that the historical evidence for the resurrection is stronger than for any other miracle anywhere narrated." John Singleton Copley, recognized as one of the greatest legal minds in British history, commented:"I know pretty well what evidence is; and I tell you, such evidence as that of the resurrection has never broken down yet."

We now have two choices, ignore the historical evidence and the above facts, going our own way. Or experience the joy and abundant spiritual life God has promised to us, through Christ, the resurrected Jesus, who in the form of the Holy Spirit, lives in the soul of anyone who invites him in.


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