Did Jesus Christ really rise from the Dead?

Resurrection - everything hinges upon it - EVERYTHING - 1 Corinthians 15:14-19
Take out details of death and resurrection - and the Bible falls apart
Religions without just philosophies, but people - only four
Judaism (Abraham), Buddhism (Buddha), Islam (Mohammed) - all dead
Christianity - Jesus died AND ROSE
Why do non believers have a problem with the resurrection? it doesn't happen
based on what we know about physics and biology - how could he have risen?
once you understand God and what He can do - 'it doesn't happen' is no longer an issue
What do you think is the best proof that Jesus rose from the dead? effect on followers
to fake resurrection would be to bring beatings, imprisonments and such for no reason

Historical event - time, place, real people
We know more about the details of hours before and after His death than any other in the ancient world
A myth takes years to develop - not within lifetime of eyewitnesses (1 Cor and Mark written early)

He claimed He was going to do it - How absurd!
Matt 16:21, 17:9, 22-23, 20:18-19, 26:32, Mark 9:10, Luke 9:22-27,. John 2:18-22

The Resurrection Story -Are stories exactly the same?
Matthew 28:1-11, Mark 16:1-13, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-18
More believable if all facts the same? (eyewitnesses at a crash - no story aligns exactly)
inconsistencies in stories - but in secondary details - core of the story the same
'sanity' of reporters - Jesus has risen from the dead
contradictions add supplemental information to story
If made up for a legend - details of resurrection given, all would have recognized Jesus, women not first …

Was he ever in the tomb? specific name / title - Joseph of Arimathea
Death and location of tomb never questioned - empty tomb agreed - question was HOW?

What difference than a missing body, presumed dead?
No person saw the resurrection - the actual rising from the dead
1 Corinthians 15:6 -500 witnesses - many alive - Ask them! (Christianity - show me religion)
20 places in Scripture - 15 individuals or groups of people
John 20:14, Mark 16:9, Matthew 28:9-10, Luke 24:34, 1 Corinthians 15:5, Luke 24:13-33, Luke 24:36-43, John 20:19-24, John 20:26-29, John 21:1-23, 1 Corinthians 15:6,7, Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:14-20, Luke 24:33-52, Acts 1:3-12, 1 Corinthians 15:8, Acts 7:55, Acts 22:17-21, 23;11, Revelation 1:10-19

What could enemies have possibly said that would have stopped the propagation of this story?
enemies gave no argument - Romans and Jews - couldn't produce body or story
either silent on issue or mocked the believers
What changed the disciples - discouraged and depressed to total commitment?
many will die for something they believe to be true - but not for something known false
Why is there hope at a Christian funeral?
nearly 2000 years of changed lives
Who woulda thunk it? - church (ragtag believers thrown to the lions) would still exist
while the great Roman empire (as well as others since) have come and gone

Sociological  - Christian Church
Jewish social structure - deeply engrained into a Jew - (we can't really relate)
What would it take for you to abandon all you've believed?
animal sacrifices, Moses' laws, Sabbath, monotheism, Messiah views
How do we remember famous who have passed away?
Communion, Baptism - death related ceremonies
Not like remembering JFK, Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Elvis

Inadequate theories (Evidence that Demands a Verdict) - WHY NOT?
swoon theory still alive, believed to be dead - cool, moist air revived him
sweat blood - hematidrosis -high psychological stress - capillaries in sweat glands (fragile skin)
led to hypovolemic shock - loss of huge amounts of blood - (fainting, thirst)
soldiers - expert in killing - they knew dead
wiggled out of grave clothes which were rolled around Him? (getting out of bed)
revived enough to roll the stone?
How likely to take long walks (Emmaus)
No food, warmth, medical care? - pathetic looking - enough to rouse the disciples?
didn't die here - then when did He die? (they'd want to make note of that)

theft theory - the disciples (or someone else) stole the body
disciples had lost all hope - they were going to risk it all by facing soldiers at tomb?
John 20:19 - even after the resurrection, they were still cowering, afraid of the Jews
Jews, Romans stole body - Why would they? to their advantage?
Jews (present it as evidence) Romans (wanted peace)

hallucination theory - all appearances were hallucinations
How important that appearances were real, not a vision? credibility of all we believe
usually certain kinds of people have hallucinations (high strung, imaginative, nervous)
seen by many people - all would have had to hallucinate
requires spirit of expectancy - believed against their wills (didn't recognize when seen)
usually occur over long time - regularity - Christ's appearances ceased at one time

wrong tomb theory - women and the rest went to wrong tomb
wouldn't the Jews have directed them to right tomb to solve the issue?
Is this the best someone could come up with?

Reliability of Bible - Existence of God - Deity of Christ
Christ predicted it - only evidence against is that we can't understand it
People claim evolution to be true (wrongly) - but they can't explain that either - nobody saw it - but different criteria apply here - oh, really?
No theory holds water - swoon, stolen body, hallucination, wrong tomb -
He did die - He was put in a tomb - The tomb became empty - Many saw Him
Skeptics were converted
Jewish Christians toss aside traditions of years
The Disciples (all) were willing to risk everything - for a lie?

1 Corinthians 15:19 - (if Christ had not been raised…) - If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
Christ has been raised - you must bank your life upon it - otherwise you are to be pitied