1-11-26
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We come before You humbly, asking for open hearts and clear understanding.
Lord, You are not afraid of honest questions, and You welcome sincere seekers.
As we look at truth today, may Your love be felt, Your Word be clear, and Jesus be lifted up.
We ask this in His precious name. Amen.
INTRODUCTION — WHY THIS QUESTION MATTERS
There are many religions in the world.
Many beliefs.
Many opinions.
So it is fair…very fair…to ask this question:
“Why Christianity?”
“Is it true—or just another belief system?”
God never asks anyone to believe blindly.
Christianity does not fear investigation.
In fact, Christianity invites it.
The Bible says:
Isaiah 1:18 NIV
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
This message is not about pressuring anyone.
It is about presenting truth with love.
POINT 1 — CHRISTIANITY IS ROOTED IN HISTORY, NOT MYTH
Christianity did not begin with “once upon a time.”
It began in real places,
with real people,
during recorded history.
Luke, who wrote the Gospel of Luke and Acts, was a historian. He said:
Luke 1:3-4 NIV
With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, [4] so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Jesus Christ is not a legend.
- Roman historian Tacitus wrote about Jesus’ execution
- Jewish historian Josephus wrote about Him
- Even hostile sources acknowledged His existence
You can remove Christianity from history—but you cannot remove Jesus.
POINT 2 — THE BIBLE IS HISTORICALLY RELIABLE
The Bible is not one book—it is 66 books, written by 40 authors, over 1,500 years, on three continents, in three languages.
Yet it tells one unified story.
Manuscript Evidence
The New Testament has over 24,000 ancient manuscripts, far more than any other ancient document.
For comparison:
- Plato: ~7 copies
- Caesar’s Gallic Wars: ~10 copies
- New Testament: 24,000+
Jesus Himself affirmed Scripture:
John 17:17 NIV
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
POINT 3 — FULFILLED PROPHECY POINTS TO JESUS
The Bible predicted events hundreds of years before they happened.
Example: Isaiah 53 (written 700 years before Jesus)
Isaiah 53:5 NIV
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Psalm 22 (written 1,000 years before crucifixion was invented):
Psalm 22:16-18 NIV
Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. [17] All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. [18] They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.
Jesus fulfilled over 300 messianic prophecies.
This is not coincidence—it is design.
POINT 4 — THE RESURRECTION: THE CENTER OF CHRISTIANITY
Christianity stands or falls on one event:
Did Jesus rise from the dead?
The Apostle Paul said:
1 Corinthians 15:14 NIV
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
Consider the Evidence:
- The tomb was empty
- The disciples saw Him alive
- Over 500 eyewitnesses saw the risen Christ
- The disciples died for this truth
- The church exploded despite persecution
People “may” die for a lie they believe is true—but not for one they know is false.
POINT 5 — JESUS CLAIMED TO BE GOD
Jesus did not claim to be “a good teacher only.”
He said:
John 14:6 NIV
John 14:6 NIV
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 8:58 NIV
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
This leaves us with three options:
- He was a liar
- He was delusional
- Or He was telling the truth
His life, love, miracles, resurrection, and impact point to truth.
POINT 6 — CHRISTIANITY EXPLAINS HUMANITY
Christianity explains:
- Why we long for meaning
- Why we recognize good and evil
- Why love matters
- Why guilt exists
- Why forgiveness is needed
The Bible says:
Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
We were made for more than survival—we were made for relationship with God.
POINT 7 — TRANSFORMED LIVES ARE STILL EVIDENCE
Christianity is not just history—it is experience.
- Addicts set free
- Marriages restored
- Hardened hearts softened
- Fear replaced with hope
Jesus said: Matthew 7:16 NIV
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Definition
Matthew 7:16 teaches that the true nature of a person—especially a teacher or spiritual leader—is revealed not by their words, appearance, or claims, but by the visible and consistent results of their life, character, and doctrine.
In Scripture, “fruit” refers to the outward evidence of what is inwardly rooted in the heart. Just as a plant can only produce fruit according to its nature, a person’s actions, attitudes, and teachings reveal whether they are genuinely aligned with God or not.
“Grapes from thornbushes… figs from thistles?”
Jesus uses a simple agricultural truth:
- Healthy plants produce good fruit
- Harmful plants produce harmful outcomes
A thornbush may look alive, but it cannot produce nourishing fruit. Likewise, a person may appear religious, powerful, or spiritual, but if their life produces pride, division, immorality, greed, or false doctrine, it reveals their true source.
No one is beyond His reach.
POINT 8 — GOD’S LOVE IS THE HEART OF THE MESSAGE
Christianity is not about earning God’s love.
It is about receiving it.
Romans 5:8 NIV
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
John 3:16 NIV
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Jesus didn’t come to condemn—but to save.
POINT 9 — SALVATION IS A GIFT, NOT A PERFORMANCE
Here is God’s Word:
Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- [9] not by works, so that no one can boast.
- You do not clean yourself up to come to God.
- You come to God—and He cleans you up.
INVITATION — A REASONABLE STEP OF FAITH
Faith is not blind.
Faith is trust based on evidence.
Jesus said: Revelation 3:20 NIV
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
He will never force His way in—but He invites you.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord Jesus,
Thank You for loving us enough to step into history,
to suffer, to die, and to rise again.
For those who are seeking, questioning, or hurting—draw them gently.
Reveal Yourself not only as true, but as loving.
We trust You with our hearts, our doubts, and our lives.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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