Unwrapping the Truth About Christmas Part 2 – The Gospels Can Be Trusted

True Story: Unwrapping the Truth About Christmas

Part 2 – The Gospels Can Be Trusted

Are the Gospels like a decades long game of Gossip?

The Gospels Aren’t Like the Game Gossip.

1) The Gospel stories weren’t whispered along a single line and interpreted by each hearer; they were from synagogues and market places and from house to house.

46 …“This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. Luke 24:46-48

2) There was more than a single hearer to start the message; Jesus’ teaching and miracles.

3) The Gospel of John was written by .

24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. John 21:24a

Is it really possible to accurately remember what was seen and heard nearly a half century before?

1) Experiencing Jesus was (and is) literally .

2) Jesus had throughly and His disciples

3) Jesus’ disciples spent their lives what they knew about Jesus.

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Is it possible that the stories about Jesus were exaggerated over time?

1) Jesus’ most amazing miracle, His , came early and was undisputed.

2) Without the , Christianity would have with Jesus.

3) Claiming Jesus rose from the dead was and for early Christ-followers!

4) The idea that Jesus was the promised King of the Jews was to Jews in that time.

If the Gospels were fabricated and embellished, wouldn’t the major players have cleaned up their stories?

29 Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”

30 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”

31 But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” Mark 14:29-31

10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Luke 24:10-11

Don’t the differences between the Gospels create some reliability problems?

None of the Gospels claim to be ; but they work in beautiful .

25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. John 21:25