Sermon for July 3, 2011 - This weeks Sermon is Christian Apologetics Three Parts

Matthew 6:9-13 - After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

This week’s Sermon is – Christian Apologetics – Three Parts

Part 1 – Archaeological Support For The New Testament

Part 2 – Manuscript Attestation For The New Testament

Part 3 – The New Testament: Truth Or Lie?

Part 1 - Archaeological Support For The New Testament

INTRODUCTION

1. In examining the question of the New Testament's reliability as a historical document:

a. We saw in the previous study that the New Testament passes the “acid test”

b. That is, it was written in the same generation in which the events took place

1) It was circulated among the very people about whom these documents spoke

2) While they were still alive to confirm or deny it

2. So it was written early...were the authors accurate in their depiction of events which took place?

3. This is where the science of Archaeology can be very helpful in determining the historical reliability of the New Testament:

a. If the archaeologists can prove that the New Testament is filled with errors concerning people, places, and events...

b. Then the New Testament could not be trusted as an accurate record of the life of Jesus and the early church!

4. Not too long ago, some discounted the Biblical record because it frequently referred to things not mentioned by any source outside the Bible

5. But discoveries by archaeologists in recent years have vindicated the New Testament and silenced the skeptics!

[In this study we shall consider just a few examples of how archaeology has confirmed the N.T. as a reliable document...]

I. A CENSUS, AND QUIRINIUS GOVERNOR AT THE TIME OF JESUS’ BIRTH? - Luke 2:1-3 - And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

A. IT WAS ONCE ARGUED THAT LUKE WAS IN ERROR:

1. In other words, that there was no such census

2. Also, that Quirinius was not governor of Syria at that time

3. And that people did not have to return to their ancestral home

B. BUT ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES HAVE PROVEN OTHERWISE:

1. We now know that the Romans:

a. Had a regular enrollment of taxpayers

b. Held censuses every 14 years (begun by Augustus Caesar)

2. An inscription found in Antioch tells of Quirinius being governor of Syria around 7 B.C. (evidently he was governor twice!)

3. A papyrus found in Egypt says concerning the conducting of a census: “Because of the approaching census it is necessary that all those residing for any cause away from their home should at once prepare to return to their own governments in order that they may complete the family registration of the enrollment...”

II. WHO IS THIS LYSANIAS? - Luke 3:1 - Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,

A. THE ONLY LYSANIAS KNOWN TO ANCIENT HISTORIANS:

1. Was one who was killed in 36 B.C.

2. This caused some to question Luke's reliability

B. HOWEVER, AN INSCRIPTION WAS FOUND NEAR DAMASCUS:

1. It speaks of “Freedman of Lysanias the tetrarch”

2. And is dated between 14 and 29 A.D.!

III. WHOEVER HEARD OF “THE PAVEMENT” (GABBATHA)? - John 19:13 - When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

A. FOR CENTURIES THERE WAS NO RECORD OF THE COURT CALLED “THE PAVEMENT” OR “GABBATHA”...

1. This caused many to say “It’s a myth”

2. And, “See, it (the Bible) is not historical”

B. BUT WILLIAM F. ALBRIGHT IN “THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF PALESTINE” SHOWS OTHERWISE:

1. This court was the court of the Tower of Antonia

2. The court was destroyed in 66-70 A.D. during the siege of Jerusalem

3. It was left buried when the city was rebuilt in the time of Hadrian

4. And was not discovered until recently!

IV. ICONIUM A CITY OF PHYRIGIA? - Acts 14:6 - They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:

A. ARCHAEOLOGISTS AT FIRST BELIEVED LUKE'S IMPLICATION TO BE WRONG:

1. That Lystra and Derbe were in Lycaonia and Iconium was not

2. They based their belief on the writings of Romans such as Cicero

3. Who indicated that Iconium was in Lycaonia

4. Thus, archaeologists said the book of Acts was unreliable!

B. BUT IN 1910, SIR WILLIAM RAMSAY FOUND A MONUMENT:

1. Which showed that Iconium was indeed a Phrygian city

2. Later discoveries continued to confirm this!

V. WHOEVER HEARD OF “POLITARCHS”? - Acts 17:6 - And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

A. CONCERNING THE “RULERS OF THE CITY” (Grk., POLITARCHS):

1. Since the term is not found in the classical literature of the Greeks...

2. ...it was assumed that Luke was wrong to refer to such an office

B. HOWEVER:

1. Some 19 inscriptions have now been found that make use of this title

2. Five of these are in reference to Thessalonica!

CONCLUSION:

1. This is just a sampling of the evidence; entire books have been written providing further examples

2. Just how accurate is the New Testament in its historical description...?

“It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverter a Biblical reference.” - Nelson Glueck (noted Jewish archaeologist)

3. Of special interest is the testimony of Sir William Ramsay:

a. Concerning his background:

1) He was trained in the German historical school of the mid-nineteenth century

2) He was taught that the book of Acts was a product of the mid-second century A.D.

3) He was firmly convinced of this and started out his career in archaeology to prove it

b. However, he was compelled to a complete reversal of his beliefs due to the overwhelming evidence uncovered in his research

c. His conclusion: “Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy, he is possessed of the true historic sense...in short, this author should be placed along with the greatest of historians.”

4. What have we established thus far in this series of lessons...?

a. That Jesus was a historical figure

b. That the New Testament was written during the generation in which the events occurred

c. That its reliability as a historical document continues to be confirmed by the field of archaeology

5. But another question remains... “How can we be sure that the New Testament we have today is the same as that penned by the original authors?”

Our next study will address that question...

Part 2 - Manuscript Attestation For The New Testament

INTRODUCTION:

1. In an effort to demonstrate the reliability of the N.T. as a historical document:

a. We considered evidence which confirms that the New Testament was written and being circulated soon after the events took place; e.g.:

1) The internal evidence

2) Papyri fragments

3) Patristic writings

b. We noted that archaeology confirms the New Testament record (as we have it today) in those areas which can be checked; e.g., references to:

1) People

2) Places

3) Events

2. But one more question remains in order to establish beyond a reasonable doubt the historical reliability of the New Testament:

“What assurance is there, that what we have today in the form of the New Testament, is that which was penned by its original authors?”

3. In other words, since we don't have the original autographs (the manuscripts penned by the authors), how do we know:

a. There hasn’t been significant changes or errors made in the process of copying over the years?

b. There hasn’t been collusion (secret cooperation for deceitful purposes) among those who possessed the early copies of the originals?

4. This is where the bibliographical test in attesting ancient manuscripts can be applied to help answer such questions!

[The answer this “test” gives to the historical reliability of the New Testament is an amazing one! But first, it may help to briefly explain...]

I. THE BIBLIOGRAPHICAL TEST:

A. THIS TEST IS APPLIED TO ALL ANCIENT HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS:

1. Such as:

a. Julius Caesar’s “Gallic War”

b. “Histories” of Tacitus

c. “Annual”" of Tacitus

d. The New Testament

2. In an effort to establish the likelihood that what copies we have:

a. Are faithful representatives of the originals

b. And have come to us free of changes, errors, or collusion

B. QUESTIONS RAISED IN THIS TEST:

1. How many copies of the document in question are available?

a. In order to compare them with one another

b. The more, the better

2. Where were the copies found?

a. If they all came from one place, collusion is possible

b. But if they are from places far removed by time and location, collusion is unlikely

3. What length of time passed between the original and the earliest copies?

a. If the earliest copies we have were written hundreds of years after the original, a lot of changes could have been made and we would not know it

b. But a short interval of time would increase our assurance in the reliability of the copies

4. What variances exist between the copies?

a. If the copies of a document are filled with significant differences, then it would not be possible to know what the original author wrote!

b. But if the variances are few and minor, then the process of copying over the years has been faithful to the original!

[What answers do we find when these questions are applied to the New Testament? And how does the New Testament compare with other historical documents of antiquity?]

II. THE BIBLIOGRAPHICAL TEST FOR THE NEW TESTAMENT:

A. HOW MANY COPIES OF N.T. MANUSCRIPTS ARE AVAILABLE...?

1. Over 4,000 Greek manuscripts; 13,000 copies of portions of the N.T. in Greek!

2. Compare this with other ancient historical writings:

a. Caesar’s “Gallic Wars” - only 10 Greek manuscripts

b. “Annals” of Tacitus - 2

c. Livy - 20; Plato - 7; Sophocles - 100

B. WHERE WERE THESE COPIES FOUND...?

1. Various places: Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Italy

2. Such varied locations would make collusion very difficult

C. WHAT LENGTH OF TIME PASSED BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL AND THE EARLIEST COPIES...?

1. Several papyri fragments have been dated to within 50-100 years

2. We have several nearly complete N.T. Greek manuscripts which were copied within 300-400 years , for example:

a. Codex Sinaiticus, found near Mt. Sinai

b. Codex Alexandrinus, found near Alexandria in Egypt

c. Codex Vaticanus, located at the Vatican in Rome

3. But compare this with manuscripts of various classical histories:

a. “Histories of Thucydides” - earliest copy is 1300 years removed from the original

b. “Histories of Herodotus” - earliest copy is 1350 years removed from the original

c. Caesar’s “Gallic Wars” - 950 years

d. Roman History of Livy - 350 years (and the earliest copy is only a fragment)

e. “Histories” of Tacitus - 750 years

f. “Annals” of Tacitus - 950 years (and there are only two manuscripts)

D. WHAT VARIANCES EXIST BETWEEN THE COPIES OF THE N.T...?

1. It is true that there are some variations between the many thousands of manuscripts:

a. But the vast majority are very minor (spelling, differences in phraseology, etc.; modern translations often note the differences in footnotes)

b. Only 1/2 of one percent is in question (compared to 5 percent for the Iliad)

2. Even then, it can be stated:

“No fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith rests on a disputed reading...It cannot be too strongly asserted that in substance the text of the Bible is certain: especially is this the case with the New Testament.” - Sir Frederick Kenyon (authority in the field of New Testament textual criticism)

CONCLUSION:

1. In regards to the bibliographical test in attesting the manuscript evidence for the N.T.:

a. The New Testament not only passes with flying colors ...

b. It does better than ANY other historical document come down to us from antiquity!

2. “The evidence for our New Testament writings is ever so much greater than the evidence for many writings of classical authors, the authenticity of which no one dreams of questioning. And if the New Testament were a collection of secular writings, their authenticity would generally be as beyond all doubt.” - F. F. Bruce

3. Josh McDowell makes some interesting comments:

“After trying to shatter the historicity and validity of the Scripture, I came to the conclusion that they are historically trustworthy. If one discards the Bible as being unreliable, then he must discard almost all literature of antiquity.”

“One problem I constantly face is the desire on the part of many to apply one standard or test to secular literature and other to the Bible. One needs to apply the same test, whether the literature under investigation is secular or religious.” “Having done this, I believe one can hold the Scriptures in his hand and say, ‘The Bible is trustworthy, and historically reliable.’”

4. Why then would anyone question the New Testament record concerning Jesus...?

a. It is because reference is made to miracles, such as the resurrection of Jesus from the dead

b. In our next study, we shall consider whether it is reasonable to believe that the N.T. is a lie when it speaks of such things

Part 3 - The New Testament: Truth Or Lie?

INTRODUCTION

1. Up to this point I have tried to demonstrate the following facts:

a. Jesus actually lived

b. The New Testament has good reasons to be considered as a reliable historical document...

1) It was circulated soon after the events took place

2) Archaeology confirms the New Testament record in every area that can be checked

3) The bibliographical test gives us every reason to believe that what we have today is what was written by the original authors

2. But what are we to do with the testimony of the New Testament concerning the miracles of Jesus, and the report of His resurrection from the dead?

a. Archaeology cannot confirm or deny the truthfulness of such things

b. Each of us must decide whether the New Testament at this point is telling the truth, or that a lie was carefully orchestrated by the eight writers of the New Testament!

3. But are these the only alternatives? That the N.T. is either the truth or is a carefully orchestrated lie?

[Yes! To understand why, consider...]

I. WHY THERE ARE ONLY TWO ALTERNATIVES:

A. THE WRITERS OF THE N.T. LEAVE US NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE:

1. As Paul explained in his letter to the Corinthians, either Jesus rose from the dead, or he and other “eyewitnesses” are in fact “false witnesses” - 1 Corinthians 15:14-15 - And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

2. Peter, also, states that either the events (like the transfiguration) occurred as described by the “eyewitnesses”, or they are “cunningly devised fables”! - 2 Peter 1:16-18 - For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

B. WE CANNOT SAY THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN SINCERELY DECEIVED:

1. Especially in reference to the resurrection of Jesus:

a. They claim they ate and drank with Him afterwards - Acts 10:39-41 - And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

b. They claim they saw and touched Him - 1 John 1:1-4 - That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

2. They leave us no room for saying they were but mistaken or deceived!

a. Some skeptics have tried to offer this as an alternative

b. That perhaps in their grief and loss over the crucifixion of Jesus they “hallucinated” or saw grief-inspired “visions” of Jesus

c. But hallucinations and visions are highly individualistic experiences

1) One person might see the hallucination or vision

2) But several or many people don't see the same vision at the same time!

d. As outlined in the gospels and also (1 Corinthians 15:4-8 - And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.), the resurrection appearances of Jesus were often witnessed by many at the same time (over 500 on one occasion!)

[So they leave us no choice; either the New Testament is a Book Of Truth, or it is a Book of Lies. Which is more logical, more rational, to believe? To help us decide, consider...]

II. THE IMPLICATIONS IF THE NEW TESTAMENT IS NOT TRUE:

A. THE N.T. IS A CAREFULLY ORCHESTRATED LIE:

1. We have seen the great accuracy they used in describing events, places, and people (as confirmed by archaeology) - Luke 2:1-5 - And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

2. If the record of miracles and the resurrection is false, then they very carefully and purposefully intertwined fact and fiction with the intention to deceive!

-- Is it reasonable to believe that?

B. THE AUTHORS SUFFERED EXTREME HARDSHIP FOR WHAT THEY KNEW

WAS A LIE:

1. Many people will lie if they can get something out of it (such as money, power)

2. But what did the apostles get out of it? - cf. 1 Corinthians 4:9-13 - For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

3. What did Paul get for holding to his testimony? - cf. 2 Corinthians 11:24-29 - Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

4. How do we know they really suffered this hardship?

a. The fact that the letters of the New Testament were even saved!

b. For example, consider the letters 1 & 2 Corinthians...

1) These letters are filled with rebuke of the Corinthians

2) The Corinthians would have every reason not to save these letters which exposed their faults

3) The Corinthians had firsthand knowledge as to whether the apostles and Paul really suffered the hardship spoken of in their letters

4) If they knew the accounts of such hardship to be false, they would have quickly destroyed these letters written by a liar who embarrassingly wrote about their problems!

5. So especially the author of half the books of the New Testament (Paul) suffered extreme hardship for a lie, if the New Testament is not true

-- Is it logical to believe that?

C. THE AUTHORS WHO WERE MARTYRED KNEW THEY WERE DYING FOR A LIE:

1. History and tradition record that:

a. James was stoned to death

b. Paul was beheaded

c. Peter was crucified

d. All the apostles (save John) were martyred

2. If the N.T. is a lie, they went to their deaths knowing they were dying for a lie!

-- Is it rational to believe that?

D. IN SUFFERING AND DYING FOR A LIE, THEY WENT AGAINST EVERYTHING JESUS AND THEY THEMSELVES TAUGHT...!

1. “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay:” - Jesus (Matthew 5:37 - But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.)

2. Ephesians 4:25 - Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

3. 1 Peter 2:1 - Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

-- Does it make sense to believe that?

E. IN FACT, THE BOOK WITH THE WORLD’S HIGHEST STANDARD AND LOFTIEST GOALS WAS COMPOSED BY LIARS, FRAUDS, AND DECEIVERS:

1. What book presents a higher standard of love and morality than the New Testament?

2. For example, Jesus’ “Sermon On The Mount”

Matthew 5:1-48 - And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 6:1-34 - Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Matthew 7:1-29 - Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

and

Paul’s “Discourse On Love”

1 Corinthians 13 - Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

-- Can you believe it?

CONCLUSION:

1. This is what you must believe if you do not believe the New Testament when it speaks of the miracles and resurrection of Jesus Christ:

a. It is a carefully orchestrated lie!

b. The authors suffered extreme hardship for what they knew was a lie!

c. Those authors who were martyred knew they were dying for a lie!

d. In suffering and dying for a lie, they went against everything Jesus and they themselves taught!

e. And somehow, these liars, frauds, and deceivers came up with a book containing the world's highest standard morality and loftiest goals!

2. I am convinced that those who do not believe the New Testament are those who:

a. Have never read the New Testament carefully

b. Are not aware of the evidence which supports it as a historical document

c. Have not considered the logical implications of simply regarding it as a mixture of fact and fiction!

3. But to those who will read it, I believe that they will find:

a. That it has the ring of truth to it

b. That it will produce the faith necessary to believe in Jesus (cf. Romans 10:17 - So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.), and through such faith find eternal life (cf. John 20:30-31 - And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.)!

4. There is a saying: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.”:

a. What I have tried to do is remove any obstacles that might hinder anyone from drinking of “the water of life” (i.e., the New Testament)

b. But no one can present enough evidence to force someone to read the New Testament if they are determined not to!

Have you read the New Testament? Even more important, have you obeyed the New Testament?

For Your Further Study:

The evidences supporting the Christian faith are numerous and this study has only skimmed the surface.

For a more in-depth study on this subject, I recommend beginning with the following books:

1) EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT, Vol. I (Josh McDowell, Here's Life Publishers, San Bernadino, California, 1986, 388 pages)

2) THE NEW TESTAMENT DOCUMENTS: Are They Reliable? (F. F. Bruce, Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1975, 120 pages)

Prayer: Mark 16:16 - He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned - Lord I truly thank You for giving the opportunity to present these words to my brethrens. I pray that You will keep them in Your blessings and accept them into Your heart - this I pray in the name of Thy Son, Jesus, the Messiah, Your only begotten son which Ye sent to save mankind from themselves. Amen

This sermon is in the Public Domain - Free for all to use with the only requirement: That it never be used for profit.

Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.