Getting Started

1. In this session we will first consider what death is and why it’s so awful.

2. Next, we will examine if Jesus defeated death.

3. Lastly, we will discuss what Jesus’ resurrection accomplished

Evil brought death into the world. Death separates us from God and from each other. Because Jesus defeated evil and death, we know that Jesus is who he claimed to be. We have hope that there is eternal life—relationship with God after death.

Psalm 16
Isaiah 53
Mark 8:27-38
John 21
Acts 2:14-36; 17:29-31
1 Corinthians 15:1-19

Note: All links listed after the definition are optional readings.

Terms

Death: The end of life of a person or organism. In the Judeo-Christian worldview, human death is seen as a tragic anomaly introduced to God’s creation by sin and is relational in nature. There are two forms of relational death in the Bible. Spiritual death – relational separation from God. Physical death – relational separation from people.

Disciple: A student.

Gospel: In Christian theology, the good news of God’s reconciliation with humanity, and humanity’s restoration unto God, through the sacrifice of Jesus of Nazareth.

Grace: Receiving something good that one does not deserve. “Unmerited favour.”

Jew: A name denoting a Hebrew person. Originally used to refer to one from the tribe of Judah in distinction to other tribes, this term came to be used to refer to a Hebrew in general after the Babylonian Exile.

Justice: Receiving what one deserves.

Manuscript: From Latin manu “by hand” + scriptus “written.” A handwritten copy of the original document.

Mercy: Not receiving something bad that one deserves.

Messiah: A Hebrew word denoting a person set apart for a high office by the pouring on of oil. Greek equivalent of christos.

Resurrection: The act or fact of coming back to life after death. In Christian theology, a resurrected person never experiences death again, in distinction to a revivified person who returns to life after death but subsequently dies again.

People

Gary Habermas: Christian historian and philosopher (1950- ) known for formulating the Minimal Facts Approach to the question of the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.
(garyhabermas.com)

Josephus: Jewish historian (37-100 AD) whose works, Jewish Antiquities and The Jewish War, are key primary sources on the life and culture of the Jews around the times of Jesus. His work, Jewish Antiquities, contains the so-called Testimonium Flavianumwhich mentions Jesus by name. Josephus fought alongside the Jews in the First Jewish-Roman War but later defected and served as an interpreter to the Roman general, Titus, who later became Roman Emperor.
(Wikipedia)

N.T Wright: Renowned British historian and New Testament scholar (1948- ) who also serves as Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Author of the Christian Origins and the Question of God series.
(Wikipedia)

Paul: An early Christian leader and missionary. Born Saul of Tarsus; later known as Paul after his conversion to Christianity. Once a devout Pharisee who studied under the noted Rabbi, Gamaliel, he persecuted the early Christians in his fervent zeal for Judaism. Subsequently became a Christian after an encounter with the risen Jesus and played a key role in spreading the gospel among the Gentiles.

Peter: A disciple of Jesus of Nazareth and leader in the early church. One of the three disciples closest to Jesus, along with James and John. Denied Jesus three times at his arrest but was later reinstated by Jesus.

Easy Read

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

Cold-Case Christianity by J. Warner Wallace

Challenging Read

The Resurrection of the Son of God by N.T. Wright

Long Journey Home by Os Guinness

Deep Read

Reasonable Faith by William Lane Craig