Greetings to you friend and our warmest welcome to our program of Bible study, In Search of the Lord’s Way to be saved and to live the best life that’s ever been introduced to mankind. Do you ever wonder if the New Testament accounts of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection are really true? Phil Sanders says you can “Trust the Bible.” In our message today He tells us what a difference it makes! Stay tuned!
Thank you, Mack. Hello, I’m Phil Sanders and we’re here to search God’s Word for the Lord’s Way. The Bible comes from God and it gives us the words of eternal life; and that’s why we search its pages. Thanks for giving us your time today. We love to hear that you’re watching or listening; and we want you here with us each week.
To hear some people, the Bible is just another ancient book written by humans and filled with myths, errors, and contradictions. Others think the Bible is just one sacred book among many. People have doubted whether Jesus Christ ever lived, whether He died on a cross, and whether He arose from the dead. And they’ve suggested the Bible is merely the product of a later community that took some truths from Jesus and then embellished the story. But these objections don’t fit the facts.
The Bible is a unique book, unlike any other book in all history. It contains sublime truth and makes specific prophecies that dwarfs all other religious books. The Bible is the best-selling book of all time and has made a profound impact on Western society. The Bible claims to be the Word of God and says that it will judge us in the last day. Now, if this is true, then we need to listen to everything it has to say! But can we believe the Bible’s claims about Jesus the Savior… Is He Lord and will He judge us?
These are the most important questions that you will ever face. You can’t ignore the claims of Jesus Christ and His Word, because if they’re true they’re going to affect your entire life here and in the hereafter. You can be ignorant about many things, but you can’t afford to be ignorant about Jesus Christ or His teaching. So today we’re asking if we can trust our Bible to teach us the truth about Jesus Christ.
We offer the information on this program free. And if you would like a printed copy, a CD or tape of our study, mail your request to In Search of the Lord's Way, P.O. Box 371, Edmond, OK 73083; or e-mail us searchtv@searchtv.org. Or, if you like, you can call our toll-free number. That number is 1-800-321-8633. We also stream this program on our website at www.searchtv.org. Ken Helterbrand will lead the Edmond Church of Christ in song, and then we’ll read from Luke chapter 1, verses 1 through 4.
Our reading today comes from the first four verses from the Gospel according to Luke. “Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.” That’s from the Gospel of Luke, the first four verses. Let’s pray together. O Father, we are grateful that You have given us Your word that teaches us about Jesus Christ so that we may have confidence in Him and know for certain the things that He did. Father, bless our study together today. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Occasionally someone says that we don’t know whether Jesus Christ ever really lived or not. When I hear someone say that, however, I wonder if they’re merely repeating what they’ve heard or if they have examined the evidence for themselves. If Jesus were not historical, well, then the New Testament is certainly an untrustworthy book; but if other sources corroborate the facts that we know about Jesus, the Bible has credibility.
Dr. Gary Habermas, in his book, The Historical Jesus, examined a total of 45 ancient sources for the life of Jesus that are outside the New Testament. Now, some were Christian, some were non-Christian, and some were archaeological. He found 129 reported facts concerning the life, the person, the teaching, the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
For instance, The Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus who was born between 52 and 54 A.D. wrote about the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero. He described the great fire which destroyed Rome in 64 A.D. and told of the rumor that Nero burned the city himself in order to gain greater glory in its rebuilding. In his Annals chapter 15, verse 44, Tacitus writes:
“Therefore, to scotch the rumor, Nero substituted as culprits, and punished with the utmost refinements of cruelty, a class of men, loathed for their vices, whom the crowd styled Christians. Christus, from whom they got their name, had been executed by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilate when Tiberius was emperor.” Now, this is a remarkable statement from Cornelius Tacitus, showing Jesus really is historical.
Professor Habermas said on page 251 as he concluded his book, “While some people believe we know almost nothing about Jesus from ancient, non-New Testament sources, this is plainly not the case. Not only are there many such sources, but Jesus is one of the persons of the ancient history concerning whom we have a significant amount of quality data. His is one of the most mentioned and most substantiated lives in ancient times.”
Well then, what about the New Testament? Can we believe it? I believe the New Testament is inspired throughout. Paul said in 2 Timothy 3, verses 16 and 17 that, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” The apostle Peter also said in 2 Peter 1, verses 20 and 21, “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” Now, Peter is not speaking about how we interpret Scripture but how the apostles and the prophets gave it. They didn’t make it up; the Holy Spirit was behind every word they wrote.
But what if, for just a moment, we looked at the credibility of the New Testament as a human document. Can we trust it? Well, there was a man named Harvey W. Everest and in his book, The Divine Demonstration, he listed seven criteria by which historical testimony may be tested. Now, testimony is judged to be the truth when it meets these criteria.
First, testimony is true when the witnesses are honest, competent and have an opportunity to know. Peter said in 2 Peter 1, verses 16 to 18, “For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory; He said, this is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased— and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.”
Second, testimony is true when the witnesses agree in the general statement, although they may differ on minor points. On the day of Pentecost all twelve apostles stood together as eyewitnesses of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Peter speaking for all said in Acts 2, verses 22 to 24, “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you (and he pointed right at the Israelites) you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.”
Now, as you read through the four gospel accounts, you’re going to find an amazing correlation of the basic facts about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. In Acts 26:26 Paul argued to Agrippa that the things that Jesus did were well known and "not done in a corner." They were common knowledge. If what the apostles said were not true, they could easily and immediately have been shown to be false. But these facts stood fast!
Third, testimony is true when there is no known motive for imposture or faking. The apostles and preachers of the first century didn’t become rich or honored by men because of their testimony. They didn’t preach for gold or glory. Peter, you remember, told the lame beggar, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” (Acts 3 and verse 6). It was a public miracle and no one could deny it. Peter and John gained nothing from this healing but were arrested. In fact, history records the apostles’ numerous persecutions by the Romans, their opposition from the Jews, and the difficult lives that they faced in order to preach Jesus as the Christ. They were true believers!
Fourth, testimony is true when the facts recorded are strongly against the faith or interest of the narrator, that is the one telling the story. The book of Acts records the persecution of the church and those who suffered for their faith, including Stephen and James who became martyrs. Church tradition teaches that all the apostles suffered death for their teachings (except the apostle John, who was imprisoned on the isle of Patmos according to Revelation 1, verses 9 and 10).
Fifth, testimony is true when such witnesses are numerous. Jesus made several appearances in the forty days after his resurrection and He demonstrated himself to be the Son of God by many convincing proofs (Acts 1, verses 1 to 3). Paul said that Jesus appeared to more than 500 brethren at one time (1 Corinthians 15, verse 6). The eyewitnesses to Jesus’ resurrection were abundant and unanimously convinced that He is the Son of God! And if this were not the case, people would have clearly challenged it.
But the Jewish leaders knew that Jesus was real! When the Lord Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead as told in John 11, some Pharisees ran to tell the chief priests and the rulers. The High Priest called a meeting and said in John 11:47 to 48, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs. And if we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him.” You see, they knew Jesus was everything He claimed to be. When Peter and John healed the lame beggar who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, all the people saw him walking (Acts 3, verse 9). The leaders of the Sanhedrin said, “What are we going to do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it” (Acts 4 and verse 16).
Number six, testimony is true when the recorded facts and the existing facts are related as cause and effect. Now, the places, people, culture and circumstances recorded by the authors of the New Testament represented the way things really were. Like many of you, Jackie and I have been to Israel to walk where Jesus walked. We’ve seen Bethlehem, the Sea of Galilee, and Jerusalem. I’ve spent much of my life studying the New Testament. Christianity is built upon the truth of real people and real events in a real place. Unlike the Book of Mormon, you can actually find the cities mentioned in the New Testament.
Nor does the New Testament speak of things that were not in existence at the time. The Book of Mormon speaks of several things found in the Old World before Columbus but not found in the Americas before 1492. There’s no evidence that America had wheat, barley, oats, millet, rice, cattle, pigs, chickens, horses, donkeys, or camels before 1492.
The New Testament is not filled with nameless, mythical people who could never have lived. Rather, archaeology and secular historical records support the credibility of the New Testament. The dates of the New Testament match historical realities in the world of that era. In fact, no events in the ancient world have been studied so closely as those described in the New Testament.
Seventh, testimony is true when the facts recorded are sustained by existing monuments, coins, games or other public institutions. The fact that the church itself exists is a marvelous testimony to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and to the truth of the apostles' teaching. The church began at a time and place where men could have disproved the resurrection if it were a lie. But the testimony of the apostles to the resurrection stood. According to Acts 6 and verse 7, even many of the priests were obedient to the faith and became Christians.
The whole world is different because of Jesus Christ. There would never have been a church had the apostles not believed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The fact that churches after twenty centuries still meet on the first day of the week, the Lord's resurrection day, is a testimony to the fact that the events of the New Testament are real.
Jesus said in Matthew 24 and verse 35 that, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” And they haven’t. In fact, we have more ancient manuscripts of the New Testament than we do of any ancient writing, some 5,480 manuscripts. The Bible says in 1 Peter 1:24 and 25, “For, All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word which was preached to you.” The gospel is for all people in all places for all time.
And the primary reason I believe the Bible is because it indeed is inspired of God Himself. The Bible makes this claim of inspiration more than 3,000 times. The apostle Paul wrote this about God’s Word in 2 Timothy 3 as we mentioned, verses 16 and 17: “All Scripture is inspired (that is God breathed) and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” One may say about any passage of the Bible that God is the source of it.
The remarkable evidence of fulfilled prophecy is just one case in point. Hundreds of Bible prophecies have been fulfilled, specifically and meticulously, often long after the prophetic writer had passed away. For instance, Micah the prophet in the eighth century B.C. foretells that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem of Judah (Micah 5 and verse 2). And when the wise men from the East, asked Herod about it, Herod turned to the chief priests and scribes. And they knew exactly where Jesus was to be born, Bethlehem!
To each of you, I say: read the Bible, meditate on it, memorize it, love it, obey it, and teach it to your children! It can make so much difference in your life. This is not some small suggestion. The Lord Jesus made a promise in John 7, verse 17. He said, “If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.” If you will take the time to read the Word, it will build your faith and change your life. This book is no ordinary book; it’s God’s Holy Word. Don’t shut God out of your life. He truly is the answer to all your needs. Let’s pray. O Father, we’re thankful that You have given us Your word to edify us, to assure us, and to keep us from falling into error. Father, help us to love it and to love You. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
When the influence of the Bible is strong, people's moral lives are better; but when it’s weak, people’s lives become filled with every evil thing. According to John Richard Green in A Short History of the English People:
“No greater moral change ever passed over a nation than passed over England during the years which parted the middle of the reign of Elizabeth from the Long Parliament. England became a people of the book, and that book was the Bible. It was read at church and read at home, and everywhere its words, as they fell on ears which custom had not deadened, kindled a startling enthusiasm.
As a mere literary monument, the English version of the Bible remains the noblest example of the English tongue. But far greater was the effect of the Bible on the character of the people. Elizabeth might silence or tune the pulpits, but it was impossible for her to silence or tune the great preachers of justice and mercy and truth who spoke from the Book. The whole temper of the nation felt the change. A new moral and religious impulse spread through every class."
Most of our problems today come from hushing God up and ignoring the Bible. We’ve listened instead to our dreams and our desires, so we got what we wanted but not what we needed. We ruined ourselves. If we’ll listen again to God’s Word, and obey it, our lives will change for the better! Let’s go to God for answers.
If you’re not a Christian, I pray you’ll become one. Nobody can act for you; you have to make up your mind to obey the Lord. Believe with all your heart, repent of your sins, confess the name of Jesus, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins as the Bible teaches in Acts 2:38 and in 22:16. Your sins will be forgiven when you’re baptized and you’ll become a child of God. Now, if you’re a wayward child of God, come back to God today. Don’t put it off!
We hope you’ve been blessed by today’s study about God’s Word. If you want a free printed copy, a CD, or tape of this message, mail your request to In Search of the Lord's Way, P.O. Box 371, Edmond, OK 73083 or e-mail us: searchtv@searchtv.org.
Or, you can call the Search office toll-free at 1-800-321-8633. Our programs appear on our website at www.searchtv.org. And we also offer free study sheets to go along with our programs. If you want a deeper study of God’s Word, we offer a free Bible Correspondence Course! Just write or call for it.
Please go and worship at a church of Christ in your area. Those folks love guests, and you’ll be glad you visited. Well, Mack and I will be back next week, Lord willing; so keep on searching God’s Word with us and tell a friend about this program. We want every one of you to know that God will bless you as you study. God bless you and we love you from all of us at In Search of the Lord’s Way.
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