"Indisputable evidence that Jesus Christ lived, was crucified, and arose!"

In this message, I will show you that we have indisputable evidence that Jesus Christ lived, that He was crucified, that He arose, and that He's coming again.

Hello and welcome to the weekly broadcast of Jeshurun Ministry, GB's program, Preach the Gospel, Trouble is Coming to the Earth. This is the program designed to help you live victoriously in the face of trouble.

Yes, we have a ton of indisputable evidence proving that Jesus Christ lives indeed. And we begin with historical writings of well-known, credible non-believers. And so what does a house called? The Nazareth house, a limestone block inscribed with the words Pontius Pilate, prefect of Judea, and a burial box that says Joseph, son of Caiaphas, have in common. Well, they all intersect the history of Jesus Christ in the Bible, and historians have for years denied that these ever existed. In addition, we have graffiti on a wall and the writings of two Romans, one Jew and one Greek, who were non-believers. They speak from the grave and their writings speak from the annals of historical literature about the existence of Jesus Christ. And while we do not expect non-believers to speak in glowing terms about Jesus Christ and His teachings, we can sometimes rely on what they say to determine whether or not He truly existed. Words written therefore by at least four historian non-believers prove that Christ truly existed that He was crucified and that He was indeed worshiped as God.

First there was one called Cornelius Tacitus who lived between 60 and 120 AD known as a great Roman historian. He documented the great fire of Rome which lasted nine days and destroyed two thirds of that great city. And he wrote a report about Emperor Nero's attempt to blame Christians for the fire. He wrote that a man called Christus, which is the Greek word for Christ, had suffered extreme penalty at the hand of a Roman official known as Pontius Pilate.

Let us pray. Father, we give You thanks and praise for this message, for Your love and mercy and all of Your wonderful goodness to us and especially to the listeners to this message. Bless them with unshakable faith in Your Son Jesus Christ. Cause them to be unmovable. Father, we pray in Jesus' name. Open the eyes of the truth of Your Word to them and cast aside every sliver of doubt that is in their heart. And we pray this in the holy and the wonderful name of Your faithful Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

My friend, please press the subscribe, like, and share buttons on this video. Help us send it forth. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

There was also a man called Pliny the Younger from 61 to 113 AD. He served as a governor in Asia Minor. He wrote to Emperor Trajan asking for advice on how to handle Christians. Yes, friend. His notes say that the Christians gathered regularly to sing hymns to Christ as if they were singing to a God is what this man wrote.

And then there's Lucian of Samosata. He was a Greek who mocked Christians. He wrote that the Christians worship a man to this day, the distinguished past personage who introduced their novel rights and was crucified on that account. And this meant that this man observed Christians continuing to worship the crucified one who gave them a voice and a cause to stand up for just as He has given it to us today. And this was a reference to none other than Jesus Christ.

Testimony also comes from Flavius Josephus from 37 to 100 AD. He was a greater Jewish Roman historian. He wrote saying, "Now there was about this time Jesus a wise man. He drew over to Him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. And when Pilate at the suggestion of the principal man among us had condemned Him to the cross, those that loved Him at the first did not forsake Him. He also wrote about the execution of James, the brother of Jesus Christ. And these are powerful testimonies that confirm Jesus Christ's existence.

There's also the 200 AD Roman graffiti now in a Palatine museum called the Alexa Minos graffiti or the blasphemous graffiti which mocked Christians for worshiping a donkey. I am ashamed even to say this. In the graffiti, Christ was featured as a crucified man with a donkey's head and Christians were being portrayed as foolish for worshiping a shameful man who was executed in the manner of slaves and criminals. And this is one of the earliest representations of the crucifixion. And even though this was negative and insulting to the Savior and to all who believe in Him, it proves that the death of Jesus Christ was common knowledge in Rome during those days.

Now we turn to Matthew 24, the Olivet discourse, aka the little apocalypse. And I read Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be thrown down. And He was speaking about the Jewish temple which was destroyed a few years later in 70 AD just as He had prophesied. Matthew 24 is so rich in end-time prophecies that many have called it the little apocalypse comparing it to the book of revelation. And Jesus spoke about the deception and false messianic claims that would come upon the earth. And just as He prophesied in modern history, there have been many charismatic leaders claiming divine status. And this age of the rapid spread of information and misinformation makes the world ripe for false Christs and false prophets and the rise of cultlike movements. Bless the Lord. these that match these descriptions.

We are seeing nations rise against nations and kingdoms against kingdom. History itself has been full of conflicts with the 20th and the 21st centuries being the most outstanding times. Regional conflicts continue to rage in spite of high-powered international efforts to bring peace to the earth and to these areas. And in this modern and advanced society, there's a proliferation of war. And no one has been able to stop this from happening. These are all in line in accordance with Matthew 24.

And then we look at natural disasters, famines, and earthquakes in various places. There's an increase in the frequency and intensity of these disasters in accordance with scripture. And the world calls it climate change. The way these are impacting the huge population that now is on the earth is frightening. As a result, there's uncertainty in food availability. More recently, there's the threat of fertilizer and fuel shortages along with skyrocketing gas prices throughout the world because of the US and Israel versus Iran conflict. And while Christ did not use the term climate change, He prophesied about out of control climate events. And He spoke about the distress of nations. And we're also hearing threats about the start of World War III.

And furthermore, He said, "When we see these things, they are only the beginning of birth pains, the beginning of sorrows." And this means what we see now is only the tip of the iceberg. These events and others like them will increase in frequency and intensity as the end of the age approaches. And the scholars who investigate these events are saying that these disasters are now happening simultaneously and with greater severity than in previous generations.

Christ said that this gospel shall be preached in all the earth and then shall the end come. And the good news is the gospel is reaching remote and unreached people groups at a pace that was impossible even 50 years ago. And many say that the gospel is being propelled faster through advanced electronic and digital technology.

Then we have the reliability of the Holy Bible itself. Much of the evidence of the coming to the earth of Jesus Christ of course is found in the Old Testament and existed hundreds and even thousands of years before His arrival. And one of the ways that the integrity of the scriptural text has been established is by the number of original manuscripts that were copied.

There may be more than 5800 Greek manuscripts and more than 20,000 manuscripts in other languages. And when this is compared with other great literary works like the works of Plato or Caesar, there's no comparison apparently because fewer than 20 copies of these can be found.

Added to that is the amazing accuracy between the Old Testament texts from around 100 BC and the Dead Sea Scrolls which were discovered only recently in 1947. And these prove that the copies of the Bible had been copied with impeccable precision for almost 2,000 years. There's nothing like this that has ever happened. Archaeologists say this is a fascinating time for biblical archaeology also. And several recent finds help provide physical context to people, places, and events described in the Bible.

They have uncovered the royal tomb of Pharaoh mentioned in Jeremiah 44, the pool at Siloam, the Samaritan village, and there's more precise dating of the Dead Sea Scrolls, proving the incredible accuracy of the Holy Bible.

And therefore, the Bible is the most well documented book of ancient times. And the scholars say that the geographical and political information in the Holy Bible are precise, impeccably precise. Now we turn to the martyrdom of Christ's 12 apostles. Yes, it is also evidence that He existed.

The courage of Christ's apostles in the face of death is evidence of the powerful nature of His testimony. You see this displayed by the way His apostles were strengthened and made courageous by His Word and His life. And they were willing to face the same kind of death that He faced just as He had prophesied. He told them that they would drink of the same cup of suffering as He did and be baptized with the same baptism.

The transference of the anointing of leadership from Christ to His apostles is demonstrated by the transformation of them. They went from being frightened men who ran away after He was arrested into bold warriors and that is what they became.

There's evidence that 11 of them were martyred but scripture only accounts for two of them. The others are found in historical records which have been uncovered about the martyrdom of nine other apostles with John being the notable exception. When we refer to Acts 12 verse 2, it tells us that James the brother of John was executed by King Herod Agrippa with the sword. And historical writings say Peter was famously crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to die like Jesus Christ. Thomas was pierced by spears, one report says. Phillip was scourged and crucified. Matthew was killed by a sword. Bartholomew was crucified or beheaded. Simon the Zealot was cut in half or crucified. Jude was killed by an axe or arrows. Matthias, the replacement of Judas, was stoned and then beheaded. Andrew was crucified and so on.

The presence of the Holy Spirit is another powerful piece of evidence or I should say another powerful and alive source of evidence.

While we may not be able to present empirical evidence that the Holy Spirit is here, we have more than a billion witnesses who can testify by faith that He lives in their hearts. He is alive in their hearts. We believe God's Word in Ephesians 1:14 that says He is a deposit on our inheritance until Christ returns to receive the redeemed. The fruit of the Spirit is also fleshing out in the lives of believers in Christ as evidenced by the dramatic changes in the lives of all who are born again.

We can also talk about the physical and observable manifestations of the Holy Spirit in church services all around the world.

He is with believers in Christ today. And there continues to be reports and personal testimonies of divine healings, prophecies, and words of knowledge, deliverances, casting out of demonic influences, etc. There are rich experiences of God's presence during worship services in Christian churches all over the world every week.

And now we conclude with the Eucharist, a precious evidence of Jesus Christ and all that He taught us. Some refer to the Eucharist as a social fossil of this first century event in which Christ was crucified. And we know that a fossil is an artifact that is often dug out of the ground and then studied in order to learn about the people who lived in the time period that it was made and used. And so this becomes an interesting concept because it is a different way of looking at history, not by searching what was buried in the dirt, but by observing under a microscope the impact that it had on the lives of people for 2,000 years. And we continue to follow this ritual.

The sacrament of communion is the most powerful piece of evidence that Jesus Christ truly lived on the earth. That His claim that He sacrificed His life for the sins of mankind were believable and the Eucharist stands alone as an enduring reminder of His death and resurrection.

And this sacrament, also called the Lord's Supper, is the most longstanding tradition of any kind in the entire history of the world. And Jesus Christ had said to His apostles, "As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes." 1 Corinthians 11:26. In other words, do this in remembrance of me until I return and do it frequently as a testimony of what I have done for you.

In fact, scholars say that the Eucharist is more powerful than a physical artifact, like a coin or building named in someone's honor. It is indisputable evidence that the followers of Jesus Christ were 100% convinced that Jesus Christ was indeed the real deal. And His crucifixion was an event so powerful that for 2,000 years, billions and billions of followers have continued the tradition with the same kind of zeal, the same kind of excitement. And not only that, it is a sacrament that is so powerful that many have been delivered, many have been healed by partaking in that holy meal.

And it is said that all modern historians, whether they be secular or religious, agree that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was a real historical figure. And the Eucharist, my friend, is evidence that support His life because of the way it was immediately memorialized and continue up to today.

And scholars say that if you were inventing a hero, it is not likely that you would invent a ritual that centered on the shameful execution of that hero. It would not make any sense. In other words, you would paint a picture, a more gallant picture of that hero. But the Eucharist commemorates a broken body, a slain Lamb of God. And this makes the claim even more real and so much less a fabrication.

These, my friend, and more are the reasons why we worship the crucified One. The reasons we believe His Word and the reasons we look forward to His return. And our belief in Him is unshakable. God bless and keep you in Jesus mighty name. Amen.

Perhaps you do not know Jesus Christ, the crucified One, the one who is going to return soon. We want to give you an opportunity to make that commitment today. Please engage your heart and say this prayer after me.

• Father, I am a sinner.

• I am sorry for all my sins.

• I crave Your forgiveness.

• Please forgive me, Father, for all my sins.

• I have decided to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and personal Savior.

• Dear Lord Jesus, make my heart Your home.

• I give You the key to my heart because I now belong to You forever.

• Please keep the key.

• Please give me the Holy Spirit to lead me into all truth, to give me wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.

• To guide me as I walk faithfully in the calling that You have called me to.

• Bless me, Father. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Welcome friend to the body of believers in Christ. There's so many of us here awaiting the return of the Good Master. We are excited about His return and we live each day expectantly.

We want to encourage you to let your pastor know that you have committed your life to the Lord and you want to be baptized in the same manner that Jesus Christ was baptized. Begin reading the Word of God every day. It is the daily food that you will need in order to stay strong. Without it, you will grow weak and Satan may pick you off.

But in the meantime, begin reading the Word of God in the book of John. Then go to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, reading audibly as often as possible because faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Pray daily. Attend at your local church. And one glad morning, the Savior will come and receive us all unto Himself. And we shall indeed forever be with the Lord. God bless and keep you in Jesus mighty name. Amen.