WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.980 Good morning, everyone. My name is James. Nice to see you this morning. 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:08.839 As you might be able to tell, I'm incredibly sunburned at the moment, 00:00:09.220 --> 00:00:14.179 but don't worry, these lights make it seem about as painful as it feels. 00:00:14.939 --> 00:00:18.539 Let me pray for us. Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for your word, 00:00:19.059 --> 00:00:27.660 and I thank you for this time at Christmas where we get to remember the birth of our Saviour, your Son, Jesus. 00:00:27.660 --> 00:00:31.059 Be with us today as we look at your word. Amen. 00:00:32.780 --> 00:00:38.060 Could Jesus have been real? Was Jesus even real? 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:42.740 So much has happened in the world because of the name Jesus. 00:00:43.179 --> 00:00:48.939 We're all sitting here today, all watching online, because of a person called Jesus. 00:00:50.019 --> 00:00:52.879 Our laws are based on a book about him. 00:00:52.880 --> 00:00:59.140 Some of the most popular names, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are from the Bible. 00:01:00.420 --> 00:01:07.180 A study done 10 years ago found that the most famous person in history was Jesus. 00:01:08.219 --> 00:01:10.280 Our calendars are built around him. 00:01:10.340 --> 00:01:15.939 We're coming up to Christmas, and then in Easter, we have the time we remember his death and resurrection. 00:01:15.939 --> 00:01:22.859 And he has impacted some people's lives so much that they would even die for him. 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:28.579 But is there any historical evidence for this Jesus? 00:01:29.379 --> 00:01:35.200 And if there is any evidence, is this Jesus worth all the hype? 00:01:36.140 --> 00:01:39.479 In the Bible, this Jesus makes exclusive claims. 00:01:40.479 --> 00:01:41.579 That he's God. 00:01:41.579 --> 00:01:45.159 That he is going to die and he's going to come back to life. 00:01:46.920 --> 00:01:50.359 Should our lives be influenced by him today? 00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:56.659 People have a wide range of views on whether he was real. 00:01:57.079 --> 00:02:03.299 On the one side, there's some people who think Jesus did not exist at all, full stop. 00:02:03.759 --> 00:02:08.139 And then there's people here who think, well, maybe he existed, but I don't care. 00:02:08.219 --> 00:02:09.500 I don't want him to have any influence. 00:02:09.500 --> 00:02:12.460 And then there's people over here in this camp who think, do you know what? 00:02:12.620 --> 00:02:13.780 I think he existed. 00:02:14.060 --> 00:02:15.000 I think he was real. 00:02:15.159 --> 00:02:16.819 And I lack some of the things he said. 00:02:17.560 --> 00:02:21.520 And then all the way over here, I'll try and say on camera, all the way over here, where's the edge of the camera? 00:02:21.699 --> 00:02:25.780 All the way over here is there is people who said, yes, he is real. 00:02:26.979 --> 00:02:31.939 I believe what he said, that he is the son of God, and I'm going to worship him as God. 00:02:31.939 --> 00:02:48.280 Today, we are going to dive into the historical evidence and see if there was a real Jesus, to see where we should fit on that scale, to see if he is worth any influence on our lives. 00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:51.699 So should we care about this historical figure? 00:02:52.180 --> 00:02:55.300 Should he influence our culture and our lives? 00:02:57.460 --> 00:02:59.539 I'm going to see if this click is going to work for me. 00:03:00.699 --> 00:03:05.099 So we're going to start by seeing what does history say about this Jesus? 00:03:05.099 --> 00:03:13.699 Well, the best and most detailed histories are in the books in the Bible called the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 00:03:14.340 --> 00:03:21.219 One historian described them as the best and oldest sources we have for knowing about the life of Jesus. 00:03:21.740 --> 00:03:23.359 And we're going to look at them in a bit. 00:03:24.139 --> 00:03:30.079 Because some people would say you can't trust the books of the Bible as a history book because they're written by religious fanatics. 00:03:30.560 --> 00:03:31.740 So you've got to put them to the side. 00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:32.620 You've got to ignore them. 00:03:33.719 --> 00:03:34.919 Historians don't say that. 00:03:35.560 --> 00:03:36.819 But we're not going to start there. 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:43.120 Where we're going to start today is looking at historical sources of Jesus from outside the Bible. 00:03:43.719 --> 00:03:48.139 What proof is there that Jesus existed from outside the Bible, if there is any? 00:03:48.139 --> 00:03:51.340 And does it line up with what the Bible says? 00:03:52.060 --> 00:03:53.219 So we're going to have a look at that. 00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:57.240 We're going to have a look at three historical recordings of Jesus this morning. 00:03:57.780 --> 00:04:01.620 One report comes from a Jewish historian called Josephus. 00:04:03.060 --> 00:04:04.560 Here's Josephus on the screen. 00:04:06.099 --> 00:04:09.460 He wrote in around AD 93. 00:04:10.280 --> 00:04:13.699 And he wrote some reports that had happened 30 years ago. 00:04:14.319 --> 00:04:15.319 You can see it on the screen. 00:04:15.419 --> 00:04:16.360 Sorry if it's a little bit small. 00:04:16.899 --> 00:04:18.480 Let me read briefly. 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:24.000 But the younger Ananus, who, as we said, received the high priesthood. 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:39.259 So there's this guy called Ananus, who was the high priest of the Jews, assembled a council of judges and brought before it the brother of Jesus, the so-called Christ, whose name was James, together with some others. 00:04:39.259 --> 00:04:41.259 And having accused them as lawbreakers. 00:04:41.259 --> 00:04:44.259 He delivered them over to be stoned. 00:04:44.259 --> 00:05:02.000 And so we have this very old historical report from a historian called Josephus, a Jewish historian, that there was a man called James who was stoned to death because he was a religious fanatic, had moved away from Judaism. 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:07.139 That sounds consistent with what we see, what we know of the Jewish people. 00:05:07.139 --> 00:05:10.819 They would stone people who were not following the laws. 00:05:10.819 --> 00:05:17.240 And what it says about James is that he had a brother called Jesus, the so-called Christ. 00:05:18.599 --> 00:05:20.579 Now that Christ title is really significant. 00:05:21.180 --> 00:05:27.120 It tells us of Jesus as being the promised king who would come and save his people. 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:32.719 So he's our first character, first piece of historical evidence. 00:05:34.500 --> 00:05:37.339 The second is Cornelius Tacitus. 00:05:37.339 --> 00:05:44.000 He was called the greatest historian of ancient Rome who lived from 55 to 120 AD. 00:05:45.239 --> 00:05:58.639 He wrote that Christus, another word for Christ, Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator or governor of Judea in the reign of Tiberius. 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:08.519 But the pernicious superstition repressed for a time broke out again, not only through Judea where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also. 00:06:08.819 --> 00:06:10.599 I actually really like his writing. 00:06:11.159 --> 00:06:12.159 It's quite interesting. 00:06:12.300 --> 00:06:12.819 It's quite exciting. 00:06:12.899 --> 00:06:14.839 I feel like I want to actually go and read some more of Tacitus. 00:06:15.599 --> 00:06:22.199 And so Tacitus helpfully speaks of someone called Jesus put to death by Pontius Pilate. 00:06:22.199 --> 00:06:27.219 And there were many superstitious beliefs about Jesus. 00:06:27.959 --> 00:06:29.379 Now, I'd love to know the details. 00:06:29.500 --> 00:06:31.659 We don't have any more details on what they are. 00:06:31.699 --> 00:06:34.180 But it could be that Jesus walked on water. 00:06:34.519 --> 00:06:36.300 It could be that he turned water into wine. 00:06:36.339 --> 00:06:39.139 It could be that he died and rose again. 00:06:39.139 --> 00:06:42.819 It could be that the believers believed that they would also rise again. 00:06:42.819 --> 00:06:50.819 Our third character this morning, his name is Pliny the Younger. 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:55.259 He was governor in Bithynia in Asia Minor in AD 112. 00:06:56.139 --> 00:06:58.540 And he wrote to the emperor Trajan. 00:06:58.920 --> 00:07:02.439 And they were talking about how to deal with Christians and how to kill Christians. 00:07:02.779 --> 00:07:05.959 Because this is what the Roman Empire was dealing with at the time. 00:07:05.959 --> 00:07:13.419 Nero, when Rome burnt down in the early 60s AD, he blamed the cities burning down on Christians. 00:07:13.799 --> 00:07:14.839 They were the scapegoat. 00:07:16.479 --> 00:07:23.060 And Pliny was asking if you should kill all the people found to be Christians or just some of them. 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:28.539 And so he explained that he made the Christians bow down to the statue of the emperor. 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:34.419 He tried to make them curse Christ, which a genuine Christian cannot do. 00:07:34.420 --> 00:07:36.520 And writing further, he said this. 00:07:36.600 --> 00:07:42.080 He said that the Christians were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light. 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:47.840 When they sang in alternate verse a hymn to Christ as to a God. 00:07:48.460 --> 00:07:53.180 And bound themselves to a solemn oath not to do any wicked deeds. 00:07:53.580 --> 00:08:02.980 And so Pliny very early records that people were gathering as a church, singing to Jesus, worshipping him as God. 00:08:02.980 --> 00:08:05.319 This is not something that comes a thousand years later. 00:08:05.740 --> 00:08:09.379 Worshipping Jesus as God is very, very, very early. 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:14.360 And these Christians were seeking to live different lives. 00:08:16.360 --> 00:08:20.600 Binding themselves to solemn oaths not to do any wicked deeds. 00:08:21.060 --> 00:08:25.680 Worshipping Jesus as God and trying to live lives influenced by him. 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:30.400 And so these three early texts, this is just three of them that I've picked. 00:08:30.519 --> 00:08:31.139 There's many more. 00:08:31.220 --> 00:08:32.240 You can go and follow up yourselves. 00:08:32.820 --> 00:08:35.720 Pliny, Tacitus and Josephus. 00:08:36.259 --> 00:08:41.139 They give us a glimpse into how Jesus has been recorded historically. 00:08:42.340 --> 00:08:44.980 They record that Jesus was an influential Jewish leader. 00:08:45.820 --> 00:08:47.960 He claimed to be the Christ. 00:08:48.419 --> 00:08:50.759 The Christ who would save people from their sins. 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:54.600 He was executed around AD 30 by Pontius Pilate. 00:08:55.200 --> 00:08:58.220 And that Jesus was worshipped as God by his followers. 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:02.399 Before we even move on to analysing these claims. 00:09:03.319 --> 00:09:09.179 The historical documents of the time showed clear evidence that Jesus was a real person. 00:09:10.120 --> 00:09:11.740 Now I'd love a photo. 00:09:12.419 --> 00:09:17.000 I'd love a grainy photo or one of those shonky grainy videos of the... 00:09:17.000 --> 00:09:18.299 Who's the guy? 00:09:18.299 --> 00:09:18.679 The ape? 00:09:18.919 --> 00:09:19.319 The gorilla? 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:20.399 Bigfoot. 00:09:20.500 --> 00:09:21.000 Thank you, Steve. 00:09:21.099 --> 00:09:21.439 Bigfoot. 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:23.679 I'd love a grainy video of Jesus. 00:09:24.919 --> 00:09:26.120 But that's not... 00:09:26.120 --> 00:09:28.079 Obviously we don't have that evidence from 2,000 years ago. 00:09:28.139 --> 00:09:32.899 But all of the historical evidence that we do have shows that Jesus was real. 00:09:35.179 --> 00:09:38.120 Some claim that he came back to life. 00:09:38.839 --> 00:09:41.259 And all the evidence points that he lived and he died. 00:09:41.620 --> 00:09:43.240 And some say he came back to life. 00:09:43.240 --> 00:09:46.180 John Dixon is an ancient historian. 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:49.879 A lecturer at Macquarie University and University of Oxford. 00:09:50.299 --> 00:09:51.259 And he's also a Christian. 00:09:51.779 --> 00:09:59.460 And so strong is his belief in the real historical Jesus that in 2014 he made a bet on Twitter. 00:10:00.039 --> 00:10:02.100 It's probably not the best idea. 00:10:02.539 --> 00:10:03.879 But he made this bet on Twitter. 00:10:04.019 --> 00:10:05.080 Wendy, if you can go to the next slide for me. 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:05.360 Thank you. 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:10.659 He said, I will eat a page of my Bible if Jesus didn't exist. 00:10:11.800 --> 00:10:14.960 And he goes on further in this article that you can click on. 00:10:15.240 --> 00:10:20.659 He said, if there is any professor of ancient history, of the classics or in New Testament, 00:10:21.039 --> 00:10:27.460 in the world who would argue that Jesus did not exist, I will eat a page of my Bible. 00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:29.879 He's already planned it out. 00:10:29.879 --> 00:10:32.720 He was going to cut the page up into little pieces and put it on his cereal. 00:10:35.000 --> 00:10:36.500 And this was in 2014. 00:10:36.759 --> 00:10:38.460 He has never had to do this. 00:10:38.820 --> 00:10:46.860 Because there is incredible consensus within the academic world that Jesus was a real historical person. 00:10:49.039 --> 00:10:56.299 But even if Jesus was real, the Bible asks us to believe so much more than that he was a real person. 00:10:56.299 --> 00:11:02.099 The Bible asks us to believe that every decision we make should be influenced by this man. 00:11:02.719 --> 00:11:09.939 And that the way we view the world and our tomorrow should be influenced by a Jewish man who lived 2,000 years ago. 00:11:11.379 --> 00:11:13.799 Now, if you have a look at these three characters again. 00:11:14.740 --> 00:11:16.579 Pliny, Tacitus, Josephus. 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:20.859 These were men around 2,000 years ago. 00:11:21.259 --> 00:11:24.819 Why don't people suggest I wear a wonderful headdress like Josephus? 00:11:26.299 --> 00:11:35.599 What makes Jesus' claims so special that we should be influenced by him and be worshipping him as God? 00:11:36.019 --> 00:11:39.339 And so what we're going to do is we're going to assess the claims of the historical figures. 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:42.159 And we're going to have a look at what the Bible says about Jesus. 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:45.719 So, second point today. 00:11:46.579 --> 00:11:49.339 What does the Bible say about him? 00:11:49.740 --> 00:11:50.599 It says very much. 00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:52.079 We're not going to go into all the detail. 00:11:52.279 --> 00:11:53.179 We'll have a look at some of it. 00:11:53.179 --> 00:11:57.199 Believing that Jesus is real is a reasonable thing. 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:00.079 It makes sense based on the historical documents. 00:12:01.079 --> 00:12:05.919 Not only that, but the evidence points to his exclusive claims being true too. 00:12:07.019 --> 00:12:09.120 The first book of the New Testament is called Matthew. 00:12:09.639 --> 00:12:12.359 A biography that focuses on the life of Jesus. 00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:15.239 It introduces us to a young woman called Mary. 00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:19.460 She's a young Jewish woman living in the first century in Jerusalem. 00:12:19.860 --> 00:12:22.639 And she was engaged to marry Joseph. 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:28.120 But before they could be married, the author Matthew writes in chapter 1, verse 18, 00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:31.659 His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph. 00:12:32.220 --> 00:12:36.560 But before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 00:12:37.419 --> 00:12:46.039 Mary was told by an angel that her son Jesus was going to be the promised king who would reign on God's throne forever. 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:49.600 Mary was understandably surprised. 00:12:50.759 --> 00:12:53.379 Matthew also tells us about Joseph and his response. 00:12:54.340 --> 00:12:57.000 Surprised is probably not the right word to use. 00:12:57.000 --> 00:13:01.320 When he found out that Mary was pregnant, he assumed the worst. 00:13:01.960 --> 00:13:03.759 And he planned to end their engagement. 00:13:04.820 --> 00:13:09.740 But Joseph met an angel in a dream who told him that the father was God himself. 00:13:10.200 --> 00:13:14.720 And Joseph is told to call the baby Jesus, which means God is salvation. 00:13:14.860 --> 00:13:15.659 Matthew 1, 21. 00:13:15.879 --> 00:13:17.019 Wendy, if you can go to the next slide for me. 00:13:17.080 --> 00:13:17.399 Thank you. 00:13:18.500 --> 00:13:18.899 It says, 00:13:18.899 --> 00:13:20.980 She will give birth to a son. 00:13:21.539 --> 00:13:26.220 And you ought to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins. 00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:29.399 This is a wonderful twist. 00:13:29.580 --> 00:13:34.320 Jesus, the prophesied baby who would come to save people from their sins. 00:13:35.139 --> 00:13:42.700 Sin is building our identity, our self-worth, our happiness on anything other than God. 00:13:42.700 --> 00:13:51.000 In Jesus' time, just like ours, people had issues of identity, self-worth. 00:13:51.940 --> 00:13:57.120 And we might build a view of ourselves on our morals, how we are good as people. 00:13:57.280 --> 00:13:58.240 I'm pretty good. 00:13:58.320 --> 00:13:59.540 I'm a good and upstanding person. 00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:02.200 I think highly of myself compared to other people. 00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:08.200 Or we might see the value that we get from a career or a romantic relationship. 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:12.240 Or the things we've bought ready for Christmas. 00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:24.200 But as we, as a culture, are beginning to understand, just pursuing a career or romantic relationships or personal, individualistic truth or consuming things, 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:30.360 it leads to drivenness and addictions and severe anxiety and obsessiveness and envy of others and then resentment. 00:14:30.360 --> 00:14:35.240 All of this drives us away from the God who made us. 00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:37.000 And he knew this. 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:39.680 And he planned our salvation. 00:14:40.159 --> 00:14:44.039 And that salvation doesn't involve what we would usually do to avoid anxiety. 00:14:44.919 --> 00:14:47.039 I need to do a detox from social media. 00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:48.740 That's how I'll feel better about myself. 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:53.840 I'm going to change careers to avoid anxiety from the people at work. 00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:58.940 Or, you know, it's January now, so there's the seven top tips for a happy 2023. 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:04.560 We need something much bigger than that. 00:15:05.500 --> 00:15:11.120 According to the angel that spoke to Jesus, to Joseph, sorry, Jesus was Emmanuel. 00:15:11.940 --> 00:15:12.940 God with us. 00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:15.160 God in person. 00:15:17.100 --> 00:15:21.060 Jesus' mission to bring sinful people back to God. 00:15:23.840 --> 00:15:34.280 Unlike the Star Wars character, Anakin Skywalker, who existed a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, 00:15:36.040 --> 00:15:44.879 Jesus is a real person who, sure, existed 2,000 years ago, but existed in a very real place. 00:15:45.580 --> 00:15:49.540 Emmanuel, God himself dwelling with us. 00:15:49.539 --> 00:15:50.539 Jesus' birth. 00:15:50.539 --> 00:15:53.399 The birth of Jesus is pinned to a time and a place. 00:15:53.719 --> 00:15:58.819 The Gospel of Matthew and Luke both pin it to Jesus being born during the reign of Herod. 00:15:59.980 --> 00:16:06.099 And the reason for Jesus' birth in the city of Bethlehem was because of a government consensus being taken at the time. 00:16:06.299 --> 00:16:09.439 Another historical piece of evidence that we can pin that event to. 00:16:10.740 --> 00:16:14.399 Jesus ends up being born in a rather rough place amongst animals. 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:18.919 And not long after Jesus' birth, people came to visit. 00:16:19.259 --> 00:16:21.220 There were shepherds that were sent by angels. 00:16:22.079 --> 00:16:25.240 Wise men came from the east, led by a star. 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:28.679 The wise men go and ask the current king, King Herod, 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:30.799 where is this Jesus? 00:16:30.939 --> 00:16:32.639 Matthew chapter 2, verse 2. 00:16:32.740 --> 00:16:33.279 Thank you, Wendy. 00:16:34.039 --> 00:16:36.419 Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? 00:16:36.899 --> 00:16:37.879 Poor old King Herod. 00:16:37.899 --> 00:16:38.379 What do you mean? 00:16:38.419 --> 00:16:39.259 I'm the king of the Jews. 00:16:39.259 --> 00:16:43.019 We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. 00:16:44.279 --> 00:16:45.080 Herod is troubled. 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:49.100 Understandably, that there's a competitor to his throne. 00:16:49.960 --> 00:16:52.600 And he finds out that the Christ was born in Bethlehem. 00:16:53.460 --> 00:16:57.059 And so when these wise men come to Jesus, they bring him gifts. 00:16:57.799 --> 00:17:01.159 But they fall down and worship him as God. 00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:05.759 Now there's something just beautiful and touching about this story. 00:17:05.879 --> 00:17:07.799 It's fit for a Hallmark Christmas movie. 00:17:07.799 --> 00:17:11.180 I'm not sure if you're a Hallmark Christmas movie type person. 00:17:11.940 --> 00:17:13.379 But this is a lovely story. 00:17:13.460 --> 00:17:14.759 There's a divine child. 00:17:15.259 --> 00:17:16.319 There's a divine child. 00:17:17.220 --> 00:17:20.119 There's a child lying in an animal food trough, 00:17:20.579 --> 00:17:21.799 heralded by angels. 00:17:22.539 --> 00:17:24.980 It starts with a real rags to riches story. 00:17:25.559 --> 00:17:27.359 It does end up in riches. 00:17:28.259 --> 00:17:29.440 Hated by rulers. 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:31.220 Worshipped by rich and poor. 00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:33.579 By fellow Jews and by foreigners. 00:17:34.059 --> 00:17:35.779 Worshipped by scholars and shepherds. 00:17:35.779 --> 00:17:38.940 It's a lovely story for a family at this time of year. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:41.660 But these are not just fanciful tales. 00:17:42.579 --> 00:17:47.079 They are specific events that happened in real places. 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:50.720 With tests for historical documents. 00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:54.420 No other religion does that. 00:17:55.240 --> 00:18:00.440 Christianity is not a religion that revolves around us following a particular path. 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:03.000 Or avoiding and getting rid of suffering. 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:09.039 Christianity is not a religion revolved around mystical practices or feelings. 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:15.039 It is a historical religion based on three events. 00:18:15.420 --> 00:18:15.700 Really. 00:18:16.519 --> 00:18:19.440 Jesus' birth, his death and his resurrection. 00:18:21.139 --> 00:18:24.720 It's a historical event based religion. 00:18:25.379 --> 00:18:27.639 Every year we talk about the same things. 00:18:28.019 --> 00:18:28.899 It's Christmas time. 00:18:29.059 --> 00:18:30.779 So we're going to talk about baby Jesus again. 00:18:31.139 --> 00:18:32.480 Just because it's cute? 00:18:32.579 --> 00:18:33.899 No, because it is significant. 00:18:33.900 --> 00:18:38.060 Jesus was the Christ. 00:18:38.680 --> 00:18:41.140 The promised son of God who would deal with our sin. 00:18:42.280 --> 00:18:43.920 Worshipped as the king. 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:49.019 The exclusive claims in the Bible about Jesus are acknowledged. 00:18:49.480 --> 00:18:51.420 And recorded by the historians of the time. 00:18:52.740 --> 00:18:53.580 He was the Christ. 00:18:54.280 --> 00:18:55.680 A leader of his people, yes. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:59.100 But he died for them too. 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:00.980 And rose to life. 00:19:01.180 --> 00:19:01.900 Worshipped as God. 00:19:02.560 --> 00:19:06.080 And so what Pliny records is also in the Bible. 00:19:07.140 --> 00:19:10.700 What Tacitus said of Jesus, called the Christ, is true. 00:19:11.460 --> 00:19:13.340 The one who would save us from our sin. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:17.279 The historical event we remember at Easter. 00:19:17.660 --> 00:19:20.539 Dying but coming back to life three days later. 00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:23.980 My last big question this morning. 00:19:24.299 --> 00:19:24.740 Third point. 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:26.200 So what? 00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:32.720 So what if these historical claims about Jesus were recorded in different places that agree with the Bible? 00:19:33.820 --> 00:19:37.480 So what if the Bible is true when it talks about Jesus? 00:19:38.320 --> 00:19:40.840 What does it mean for us today, if anything? 00:19:42.180 --> 00:19:47.700 Well, the Gospels and these other historic documents point to the exclusive claims of Jesus. 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:50.259 He is the leader of humanity. 00:19:50.460 --> 00:19:51.320 He is the Christ. 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:53.759 He saved us from our sins. 00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:56.920 He was executed and raised from the dead. 00:19:57.680 --> 00:19:58.839 Worshipped as God. 00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:04.599 Jesus came and died for us. 00:20:04.599 --> 00:20:11.000 Now we can attempt to ignore this historical reality, this evidence that it was real. 00:20:11.240 --> 00:20:15.619 We can admit it was real, but attempt to ignore his significance on our lives. 00:20:15.619 --> 00:20:22.259 And even if we want to ignore him, we desperately need him. 00:20:23.259 --> 00:20:26.219 This Jesus who would save us from our sins. 00:20:26.220 --> 00:20:36.200 Even if we don't think that we are that bad as a people and need saving from our sins, we can't help but look around the world and see that there are so many problems. 00:20:36.200 --> 00:20:41.279 It seems we are only one government crisis away from a nuclear war. 00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:46.200 There are so many issues, so much pain and conflict. 00:20:46.200 --> 00:20:54.700 We are desperate for the Christ to save us from our sins, to save us from pain and conflict and war of the world around us. 00:20:54.700 --> 00:21:02.400 Not only does it make rational sense to believe that Jesus was real, we also need it to be true. 00:21:03.220 --> 00:21:10.059 We are not so desperate that we are going to try and rewrite history to give us some kind of false sense of hope so we can deal with our problems. 00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:15.140 But history stands still and acknowledges all that Jesus has done. 00:21:16.100 --> 00:21:20.620 He is the Savior who came and died on the cross and came back to life. 00:21:20.619 --> 00:21:32.099 Even us self-absorbed, selfish people, falling into distractions in our phones, ignoring those people around us. 00:21:32.419 --> 00:21:37.139 We see the pain of the people around us and hope that somebody else would come and fix the problems. 00:21:37.979 --> 00:21:40.139 It's not going to be Joe Biden. It's not going to be Anthony Albanese. 00:21:40.679 --> 00:21:46.679 It is the historical Jesus who is still alive today, who reigns on the throne. 00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:50.580 So was Jesus even real? 00:21:51.560 --> 00:21:57.660 Well, if the answer is no, there is no proof that God loves us. 00:21:58.400 --> 00:22:01.840 If Jesus is not real, then we are stuck. 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:05.039 We're stuck in a world that is falling apart. 00:22:05.259 --> 00:22:07.120 We're stuck in damaged relationships. 00:22:07.600 --> 00:22:09.560 We're stuck with no promises of tomorrow. 00:22:09.559 --> 00:22:19.000 There is no hope of a better future unless we're going to put our hope into divided countries and divided mankind. 00:22:19.819 --> 00:22:25.200 We are stuck with no promise of justice for the hurt and pain inflicted. 00:22:25.819 --> 00:22:32.159 If Jesus is not real, then we are stuck with no forgiveness for the pain we inflict on others. 00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:39.779 If Jesus is not real, then we may as well just pursue the best life. 00:22:40.779 --> 00:22:45.920 The one of physical pleasures and empty delights until it all comes crumbling down. 00:22:46.900 --> 00:22:48.519 And I know I'm chasing those things. 00:22:49.380 --> 00:22:52.120 Far too often, I'm living like Jesus is not real. 00:22:52.119 --> 00:22:55.739 Generally, I'm an optimistic person. 00:22:56.739 --> 00:22:58.539 And I think tomorrow is going to be a good day. 00:22:58.619 --> 00:22:59.459 Today is going to be a good day. 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:00.959 Don't worry, COVID is going to be over soon. 00:23:01.299 --> 00:23:02.500 I keep thinking to myself. 00:23:03.379 --> 00:23:10.000 I'm generally an optimistic person, but my optimism can often just be a vague hope that things will be better. 00:23:11.659 --> 00:23:16.039 Because if Jesus isn't real, then there's no guarantee that tomorrow will be any better. 00:23:16.039 --> 00:23:24.180 And if we think that an economic crisis or a pandemic was bad, a future without Jesus is so much worse. 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:32.379 I know, I am sure that there are some of us this morning who are feeling this way. 00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:35.019 Is there even a Jesus? 00:23:35.940 --> 00:23:38.359 Or we act far too often as if there is not. 00:23:38.359 --> 00:23:46.899 But if he is real, and he is, and oh how good it is that our Jesus is real. 00:23:47.319 --> 00:23:48.559 The Bible shows he is. 00:23:48.619 --> 00:23:50.399 The historical evidence shows that he is. 00:23:50.679 --> 00:23:54.459 Because Jesus is real, I know that tomorrow it might be good. 00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:56.240 Tomorrow might be bad. 00:23:56.559 --> 00:24:00.479 I might be grieving a lost loved one or rejoicing at the birth of a baby. 00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:05.359 I know that because Jesus is real, God is in control. 00:24:06.299 --> 00:24:07.439 I know he has a plan. 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:12.019 I know he is working good in me and through me and in you too. 00:24:13.059 --> 00:24:16.660 And because Jesus is real, I have hope for tomorrow. 00:24:17.500 --> 00:24:19.900 I have hope because he forgives me though I sin. 00:24:20.600 --> 00:24:23.120 I have hope because he is making me whole again. 00:24:23.420 --> 00:24:26.320 I have hope because Jesus has brought me close to him. 00:24:27.080 --> 00:24:31.480 I have hope because the pain and burdens have been taken away. 00:24:31.480 --> 00:24:37.019 Because Jesus is real, I know that even when this world fades away, 00:24:37.220 --> 00:24:40.140 God has something so much better planned for us. 00:24:40.140 --> 00:24:47.060 Because this Jesus is real, born at Christmas, died and raised. 00:24:48.080 --> 00:24:49.240 I know that God loves me. 00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:50.440 Let me pray. 00:24:50.440 --> 00:24:59.340 Heavenly Father, God, we thank you that you came into our world. 00:25:00.660 --> 00:25:02.680 That you came as a real person. 00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:08.640 Real, historical, flesh and blood person. 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:13.259 And that we can know you because Jesus is real. 00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:18.820 And we thank you that we have documents. 00:25:19.180 --> 00:25:20.520 That we have the Bible. 00:25:20.780 --> 00:25:23.520 That we have your words so we can know you. 00:25:23.580 --> 00:25:26.320 And not just distantly, but intimately. 00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:33.480 Father, help us to live a life believing in you each day. 00:25:34.419 --> 00:25:35.639 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:36.379 Amen.