APOLOGETICS 3
NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES - appear to confirm our soul lives after our earthly body dies. Many NDE’s say they had an out of body experience where they saw themselves on the operating table and describe details of the room and people in the room. I have heard different speakers share good and horrific stories. Not everyone goes to what appears to be Heaven and meets Jesus. Some go to a dark place of torment. Dr. Jeffery Long, describes his first near death experience https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od6X2VMAf-U&t=220s
Dr. Long has a website, Near Death Experience Research Foundation, and offers these NDE stories on it: https://www.nderf.org/Archives/exceptional.html
He claims to have investigated 4 to 5 thousand NDE’s. He is on Dr. Sean McDowell’s podcast in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1QVWr8OKlA 1:08:38 “Stunned by Near-Death Experiences: A Doctor’s investigation”. One can also read the viewers comments of people sharing NDE’s.
Pastor John Burke has many NDE stories to share. He was a former engineer and became a pastor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxqweRfreck
Here is a link to 20 different NDE’s https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGd4-vCTQFP1bj6TEeASn9IoOHQCwGx6m
Here are some more stories on this website. https://www.destinyimage.com/blog/category/Near+Death+Experience
BIBLE– There is no other religion that has correctly predicted the future. This is called prophecy. This seems like it a “drop the mic / case closed” to me, but is not enough for others. I have heard that the Bible is over 25% prophecy. Here are 16 examples of Bible prophecy I heard from Pastor Skip Heitzig https://calvarynm.church/connectwithskip/ , that decades and centuries later comes true in the new testament:
1. Predicted born of a virgin. Isaiah 7:14
2. Born in Bethlehem, Micah 5:2
3. Born into the tribe of Judah, Genesis 49:10
4. His ministry would begin in Galilea, Isaiah 9:1
5. He would work miracles, Isaiah 35:5-6
6. One day enter into Jerusalem on a donkey, Zechariah 9:9
7. Betrayed by a friend, Psalms 41:9
8. He would be sold for 30 pieces of silver, Zechariah 11:12
9. Wounded and bruised, Isaiah 53:5
10. His hands and his feet would be pierced, Psalm 22:16
11. Crucified with thieves, Isaiah 53:12
12. His garments would be torn, and lots would be cast, Psalms 22:18
13. His bones would not be broken, Psalms 34:20
14. His side would be pierced, Zechariah 12:10
15. Buried in a rich man’s tomb, Isaiah 53:9
16. He would rise from the dead, Psalm 16:10
These are just 16 of the 300 +/- prophecies Jesus fulfilled. John 14:29 writes, “I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.” Revelation 22:18 writes, “I warn everyone who hears he words of the prophecy of this book:”
The Bible consists of 66 different books (73 in Catholic Bible), 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. It was written by 40+ different authors, over a period of 1,500+/- years, The 39 books of the Old Testament were composed between 1400 and 400 B.C., the 27 books of the New Testament between AD 50 and AD 100. Written across 3 different continents, in 3 different languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. It a cohesive collection of stories that begins with God creating the Heavens and the earth, sin entering the world / fall of man, God showing His love by sending His one and only perfect son Jesus to die and take away the sins of the world, Jesus was crucified, died, was buried and rose from the dead, for those who believe in Jesus they will have eternal life in Heaven. Jesus returns during end times. In between there are a lot of stories / examples of how to and not live your life.
JESUS CRUCIFIXION / RESURRECTION - Many have written about all the proof supporting the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Gary Habermas https://www.garyhabermas.com/ , Josh McDowell https://www.josh.org/ , Shawn McDowell https://seanmcdowell.org/ and Lee Strobel https://leestrobelministries.org/ Mr. Strobel wrote his book, “The Case for Christ” and uses four E’s to prove the resurrection of Jesus:
· Execution – there are five ancient sources outside of the Bible that confirms Jesus’ execution. The Bible also has books Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (four gospels).
· Early Accounts – the news of the Jesus’ resurrection is in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 and the four gospels. All come within one generation of Jesus’ death and is considered early documentation compared to other ancient text.
· Empty Tomb – even the opponents of Jesus conceded the tomb was empty.
· Eye-witness Accounts – there are nine ancient sources – inside and outside the New Testament confirming the testimony of the disciples that they encountered the resurrected Jesus. Earliest report of the resurrection says 500 people saw Jesus at the same time.
For me, I use prophecy as number #1, which ties directly into the virgin birth of Jesus, his resurrection, all of which is documented in other ancient manuscripts written by non-Christians. There is also changed lives of the 12 disciples. How they went from denying Jesus, to be willing to die for spreading the gospel. Most suffered horrific deaths. This tells me they saw and interacted with the risen Jesus. No one is going die this way if, it was not true. https://overviewbible.com/?s=how+did+the+12+disciples+die .
ARCHAEOLOGICAL & HISTORICAL EVIDENCE – I have heard archaeologist has never found anything that proves the Bible wrong. The Bible also gives a chronology of events in history (when they happened). Of course there are skeptics but it is has been proven that the skeptics are looking in the wrong time period or location as described in the Bible.
https://expeditionbible.com/about/ Joel Kramer was a lay pastor and became an archaeologist. He has lived in Jerusalem. Here is one of his videos on the Temple Mount, which we learn is Mount Moriah where Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac to the Lord. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrqRoLxa178
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34XBkm4QiLo this is a link to the Bible Evidence Unearthed at Nineveh! By Joel
Yahweh Inscription – some claim this really destroys the claim of the Bible is not historically accurate. Others claim the Bible was written much later but this Inscription refutes this claim. In northern Sudan which was southern Egypt. Late 15th century BC. End of Moses life and beginning of Joshua’s conquest. He lists the foreign enemies (their city name). Describes the Israelites as the Nomads of Yahweh (Moses is wandering in the desert). Secular scholarship published this in the 1950’s. It is not from Christian. It is from a neutral 3rd party. He was never taught about this inscription in his 10 years of schooling. They just don’t talk about this type of evidence. He actually verified the report and went to the temple to read it. According to Joel, this is hard evidence of the Exodus. https://sourceflix.com/oldest-yahweh-inscription/ by Joel Kramer
Moabite Stone – found in 1868 Jordan. Oldest inscription, 9th century BC mentions both Israel and their God Yahweh. It predates by many centuries when Israel came into existence and Bible was written. Mentions the house of David. Begins with Messiah as the king of Moab and of which is written in the bible. It is a homerun hit early in archaeology. https://www.worldhistory.org/Moabite_Stone_[Mesha_Stele]/
CONCLUSION - it takes more faith to be an atheist than it does to be a Christian. May God Richly Bless You.