26-0415wc Neighborly Apologetics

Facilitator: Scott Reynolds

(0:04) Well, thank you, Mark. Let me see if I can share my screen here and (0:09) We’ve got an awful lot to go through here tonight, and I will apologize for that even before we begin (0:17) To tell you there’s just there’s just a lot here, and it’s possible that we will end up breaking in two just depends on (0:25) On how far we get today, but I want to thank you all for (0:30) As Mark has said, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to be a part of this to join us (0:37) So that we might go through this together (0:41) again (0:42) Just very very briefly all of this is under the title of neighborly apologetics, and we say that (0:48) Because we’re seeking to understand how we as we begin to build (0:54) Related with our neighbors based upon the royal law (0:57) That we are to love our neighbor to build a deep relationship with them and pray for them (1:05) consistently (1:07) that God will begin to open up their hearts and minds and we might be able to (1:12) Speak things that are are deeper in terms of the truth of God (1:17) to understand all of this in (1:20) What we call the posthumous for the engagement project and that’s why we’re doing the neighborly apologetics because it flows out of (1:27) That engagement project that God has entrusted the primary work of the game to the common Christian family (1:32) And so our role our job in our families is to help our children understand (1:40) Why we’re here why we live where we live why mrs. Smith lives across the street (1:45) She lives there because we live here and God has entrusted that work to us (1:49) And that we’re going to begin as a family to build those relationships with them (1:54) We’re going to look for opportunities to be kind and to gracious to be gracious with them to show them mercy and (2:02) to be joyful and to build a relationship and just some point we may begin to (2:08) respond to the questions (2:10) that they will begin to ask as the result of their worldview not being able to answer the questions of life and (2:18) So that’s why we’re doing this. That’s why we’re doing the (2:22) Neighborly apologetics so that we can be prepared we started (2:28) With these great questions that exist and everybody’s mind and heart even for those who have (2:36) Begun to shut themselves off from God, but the does God exist is the Bible (2:41) Reliable and then who is Jesus and is this question? (2:45) Who is Jesus that we’re pursuing in this aspect of our neighbor? (2:49) Never be apologetic (2:51) Remember there were 12 areas and this is one of those areas, you know, the claims of Christ and his resurrection (2:58) And so we really set up this whole picnic last time and I talked about several questions that we were going to pursue (3:06) I I hinted to you the last time that we were probably not going to go in the store that we’re going to deal with (3:10) the resurrection (3:12) and that was (3:13) to maybe (3:15) Help us get prepared for (3:17) The time of the year we just passed through the the resurrection of Christ that we celebrate (3:24) and (3:25) We had begun a series of articles and for those of you who signed up.

I appreciate that and (3:33) there are 40 things that I wanted us to ponder in those 50 days between (3:39) the resurrection of Christ and his (3:42) Ascension and then finally Pentecost and so for those of you who are going through that I kind of thought well, maybe (3:50) Let’s not go through the resurrection because we’re going through that many of us are going through that (3:55) On almost a daily basis. So we’re going to begin (3:58) at the top of this list and talking about the promises and the prophecies that (4:06) exist in (4:07) Pointing towards the coming of this Messiah, so we’ll take it into (4:12) Stages, we’ll see how far we get. The first is to just talk about the promise and the promises (4:20) plural that were given and (4:24) lead us to an understanding of (4:27) Why people were expecting the Messiah, so let’s begin with this (4:33) Think about the last words that are recorded (4:36) For us, it’s not the last words of Jesus (4:39) But the last words are recorded for us in the scripture come from the book of Revelation (4:43) The very last words of Jesus are I am the root and the descendant of David (4:49) the bright morning (4:51) Star if you look at the very first words recorded in the New Testament as far as they’re listed for us in Matthew (4:59) This is the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David the son of (5:06) Abraham and so the question is why does Jesus make it a big deal? (5:12) And why does Matthew and Luke and Paul make this a big deal that Jesus was a descendant of? (5:20) David David as we read it in Romans chapter 1 and (5:24) Then in 2nd Timothy that Paul writes remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead descendant of David (5:32) There are many who cried out to Jesus remember for healing when they were asking for healing the blind man have mercy on us son of (5:39) David the Canaanite woman have mercy on me Lord son of David the blind beggar (5:46) part of a s Jesus son of David have mercy on me or the people who saw Jesus when they (5:52) Heal the blind man and a mute man whoops what happened (5:56) Let me go back and pick up (6:01) So all of these are are are showing us that they’re what was on people’s mind (6:08) sir, it’s again that the son of David and (6:13) this whole idea of Jesus being the son of David was not because (6:17) There was something good in the genes associated with that that wasn’t on their mind every do the promises of (6:25) God that were associated with both Abraham and (6:28) to David (6:31) Then you all the families the earth we bless we read in in Genesis 12 as God is speaking to Abraham (6:37) Behold God is saying to Abraham my covenant is with you and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations (6:43) David the Lord has sworn to David the truth from which he will not turn back (6:49) The fruit of your body I will set upon your throne.

I can make a covenant with my chosen (6:54) I’ve sworn to David my servant establish your seed forever and build up your throne to all (7:00) Generations and so these are the promises that were well understood (7:06) When Jesus came into the world the Pharisees knew it remember when Jesus was asking who you what do you think about the Christ? (7:13) Whose son is he and they responded that you know, the Christ the Messiah is the son of David (7:20) The people knew it (7:23) We’ve been talking about the Christ would be the descendant of David and then you from (7:28) From Bethlehem the village where David was (7:31) Hosanna, they cried out (7:34) To the son of David remember the elder in the book of Revelation (7:38) Stopped weeping behold lion is from the tribe of Judah (7:43) I must overcome so I was to open the book and it’s seven seals the line that is from the tribe of (7:51) Judah this is the long (7:53) promised and long-awaited Messiah and (7:56) He wasn’t going to pop up from just any of old family tree (8:02) So he couldn’t be Chinese. He couldn’t be English. She couldn’t be African.

He couldn’t be an Eskimo (8:08) Messiah had to come from a very (8:11) specific (8:12) Genealogical thread the son of (8:15) David a thread that began way before David and (8:19) actually way before (8:20) Abraham we’ve spoken of this many many times because it’s such an amazing thing that God did this mysterious story (8:28) That goes all the way back to the to the very beginning remember in the garden (8:34) God had created everything he called the good he crafted man male and female in (8:40) his image (8:42) that (8:44) creature could choose a villain of appeared with his truth claim and (8:49) the creep creature children poorly it was poorly and (8:53) The this world this amazing world morphed into a world of evil it took from the river of life to the river of (9:01) death and evil and tragedy (9:04) Suffering and loneliness as a result of that and so borrowing a little bit from CS Lewis (9:11) you know, it became a world of is always winter and (9:16) It is in the middle of this whore that occurred (9:22) In that the crime scene as I like to refer to it (9:26) that that God spoke (9:29) If you didn’t take in a deep breath and let out a roar that annihilated everybody which in some case we would say that (9:35) You know, that was probably (9:38) You know something that we would thought God could have done and should have done, you know (9:42) Everything was ruined in every story, but instead he took it in a deep breath and let out (9:49) promise and (9:50) provided a hope (9:52) for Adam and Eve and for (9:55) Humanity and in that promise the promise was that someone the seed would come and make it all (10:02) Right again, and then he spoke to Satan and he said I will put any between you and a woman between you and your seed (10:08) perceived (10:10) And you will strike his heel, but you will crush your head and (10:14) This is what we call the proto evangel. This is you know, the the gospel that was spoken right there in the garden and so (10:22) This mysterious promise became the beginning of a series of promises and prophecies that we’ll look at next (10:30) that were pointing (10:32) Continually towards this hero the Messiah that would come and would set things (10:39) Right, it would come from the seed of the woman which was mysterious to us (10:43) And that there would be a war between the seed of the woman and the seed of Satan (10:48) But the seed of the woman would win in the end and yes, it was cryptic (10:54) It was clearly a promise of hope and no doubt Adam and Eve (11:00) They didn’t understand all of this, but they understood that there was a promise there. It’s possible (11:05) They even thought that that promise is going to come through Cain (11:08) but Cain (11:09) ended up killing Abel and (11:12) The game was on so and the war had begun and so as we’ve mentioned many many times (11:18) This is really the picture that we see in the Old Testament (11:22) it is a war between the seedling of Satan and the seed line of the Messiah and (11:28) There were oftentimes where it appeared as if the the seed line of Satan had won (11:33) When when Israel the journal of Israel the seed line of the Messiah (11:38) had been (11:40) Conquered and deported (11:42) the temple destroyed (11:45) It looked as if it had (11:47) lost (11:49) But it had not and so the seed line (11:55) Began the process of leading us towards (11:58) the coming of the Messiah all bound up in the (12:03) covenant promises of (12:06) All of the promises pointed to the sire bound up in these covenants that God made (12:13) I have made a covenant as you read in Psalm 89 and it made a covenant with my chosen (12:17) And swore to David my servant (12:20) I will establish your seed forever and build up on your throne to all generations as it’s why people were looking (12:26) the Messiah who would be the son of (12:30) David and (12:32) Then all these promises were made and then everything goes dark.

We’ll talk about that later when we look at the prophecies everything went dark (12:40) In terms of the 400 years or there’s really nothing spoken. We know nothing heard from a heaven. There was a lot going on (12:47) Acknowledge that but from the standpoint of the revelation of through scripture.

It just all shut down and (12:54) It shut down until all of a sudden we have this amazing (12:59) Explosion (13:00) of (13:01) heaven breaking forth on earth (13:04) Were angels and lights and and and all of these things and visions and dreams and and everything began to happen (13:13) And and the child is born to a virgin (13:16) named Mary (13:19) She was instructed to name her son Jesus because he would save his people from their sins and Matthew then begins his (13:26) biography of Jesus with that (13:29) Genealogy (13:30) the book of genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David the son of (13:35) Abraham and it is here in both Matthew and Luke as they begin their (13:42) their gospels (13:45) That they give to us this genealogy (13:48) Matthew traces this line the seed line from Abraham down to Jesus (13:54) through David (13:56) Luke traces the seed line (13:58) From Jesus back through David and Abraham all the way back (14:02) To Adam that they are the same lines (14:06) That we see from Adam down to David (14:09) But Matthew traces the line through David’s son Solomon and Luke traces the line through David’s son (14:16) Nathan (14:18) But all of this was to show that that Jesus (14:22) was (14:23) born (14:25) Thus as a son of David. He was descended from (14:30) David (14:30) And so we have the royal line as many people think for Matthew and we have the seed of the woman line (14:39) through Luke (14:40) and so (14:43) The seed that we follow throughout the whole Old Testament (14:48) That then explodes open for us in the New Testament with (14:54) With Jesus being born the son of David being born (14:58) Was a seed line that was not, you know, the the family tree that that everybody boasts about quite frankly (15:05) I mean, there’s good there, but there’s also (15:08) There’s the bad and there’s the ugly (15:10) And in fact that the seed line of the Messiah is filled with prostitutes and adulterers liars (15:16) Deceivers there are gripers and complainers murderers idolaters polygamists (15:22) And those are you can say are probably the good guys (15:27) But in all of this the mysteries of the garden promise are now fully revealed (15:32) as as we look at the beginning of the New Covenant of the New Testament and (15:40) We understand now what the seed of the woman means we understand the seed of Satan (15:45) We understand the seed war between (15:48) The seed of the woman the Messiah’s seed and the seed and seed (15:52) we understand the bruising the heel and then we understand the crushing the head of Satan and (15:59) so (15:59) What’s amazing is that gospel was preached the proto evangelist was preached and the promise was given all the way back (16:08) to the very very (16:10) beginning (16:12) And so God preached that gospel beforehand as we read all as here (16:17) It’s sort of God is moving Paul to write these words in the book of Galatians that God preached the gospel (16:24) beforehand to Abraham (16:26) Like all the nation shall be blessed in you (16:30) All the nations will be blessed in you (16:32) In also in Galatians and the promise was spoken to Abraham and to his seed and it does not say to your seeds poor (16:39) Which is amazing to me because Paul is arguing here whether or not a word (16:45) is is being used as a singular or plural and you know, that is why the (16:52) you know, Jesus said not one stroke and a little will pass from the Word of God because every every (16:58) Piece of it was important. Paul is making a (17:02) key theological argument here based upon whether (17:06) The word was referring to singular or plural (17:11) But it was referring to many it was not referring to many was referring (17:16) To one seed and that is that is Christ.

Okay, so that that is just a really brief (17:25) Painfully brief view of the promises that we have (17:30) That leads to this man Jesus of Nazareth (17:35) Now we’re going to look at the promises that were fulfilled by him that confirmed to us that yes (17:42) Indeed Jesus was thou promised (17:46) Messiah (17:47) Let’s start with this this amazing (17:51) event when Jesus was speaking to this woman at (17:56) the well this Samaritan woman and (18:00) She says to him Messiah is coming (18:02) Why did she say that and he will tell us all things. Why did this woman say Messiah is coming because of her being we said (18:10) Already about the promise, but there are also all of these prophecies. See she she had some kind of (18:19) an expectation (18:21) here and why (18:24) In the days preceding the birth of Jesus there was the belief among the Jews that a Messiah would come it wasn’t (18:30) it wasn’t just a (18:34) Little bit here and a little bit there (18:36) the Jews were looking for the Messiah and they were looking for him why because (18:44) God had given the promise of the Messiah and all of the promises associated and prophecies that were (18:50) Associated with the coming of the Messiah remember when Andrew found (18:56) Simon Peter he said we have found the Messiah.

Why why would he say that because they were looking for the Messiah? (19:04) It was a deep-seated (19:06) Hope it was a deep-seated belief (19:09) In in the people at time. It wasn’t some kind of a longing that that sprang up (19:17) Simply because people are wishing for a better day that (19:21) Sometime in the Roman occupation and all of a sudden people began to say, you know (19:26) I think God is going to help us and so the notion of Messiah started to spring up out of out of those (19:33) those longings for a better day (19:38) it’s it’s not because and each person had their own version of (19:43) What where and when and so forth it was all a very specific (19:48) set of promises a very specific (19:52) set of things that were laid out in the promise and (19:56) That is what? (19:58) Existed within the Jewish people the hope that existed within the Jewish people was a very specific (20:05) hope it wasn’t something that (20:08) every person could just dream up on their own and hope for and (20:11) Long for why because he promised to do it (20:14) He promised the seed would come he promised the Messiah would come and the prophets pointed to him (20:21) It’s it’s important for us to have all the things we’re talking about and remember back again (20:27) We’re doing this because we want to be able to respond to people that they begin to ask questions (20:32) About Jesus. We’ll look at some maybe specific things and so forth today and maybe (20:39) And for sure as we go along some specific questions that people will ask what’s important for us and our family our children and (20:47) us to understand (20:49) To know that the prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah are in many cases very specific (20:56) They’re very detailed some cases.

They’re more general, but from a conservative (21:02) Perspective (21:04) There are about 50 prophecies there are some who say that there are 400 prophecies (21:10) That point to the Messiah. Here are some of those (21:14) Specific was that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. His hands and feet would be pierced (21:20) That none of his bones would be broken (21:23) That they would gamble over his clothes.

He would be assigned a grave with the rich his body would not decay (21:29) and of course a lot of these last ones referred to (21:32) The events around the death and resurrection of Christ. I want to introduce you to (21:40) to Lewis Lapidus and (21:43) He’s a very interesting gentleman. He’s a Jew by birth and (21:49) He was hostile (21:51) To Christ, hostile to Jesus, hostile to Christianity.

He began to study (21:58) The prophecies and (22:01) And what struck him and what eventually caused him to come to Christ (22:06) To receive Christ as his Lord as he were to accept that Jesus was the Messiah was based upon this (22:14) overwhelming weight of (22:16) evidence (22:18) not only of the prophecies, but the fact that Jesus fulfilled them and he fulfilled all of them and (22:25) Lewis wrote this amazing book the the fingerprint of the Messiah (22:31) And I love that. It’s just an amazing (22:34) phrase to think of because (22:37) What he said is that the fingerprint of the Messiah (22:41) That was laid down in (22:44) The Old Testament in the promises and in the prophecies (22:49) Jesus matched that (22:51) fingerprint (22:53) Precisely and exactly. I have a little clip from him (22:59) That I’d like to play.

I will forewarn you that you will probably see the video being very jerky (23:06) I can’t do anything about that with my internet, but I think the audio will come through clearly and so (23:14) Don’t let the video distract you (23:17) You want to close your eyes (23:19) And just listen to what what this man is saying remembering that this man (23:25) Came to Christ being hostile to Christ he came to Christ why because (23:29) He saw that Jesus fulfilled all of the promises and all of the prophecies (23:36) That pointed towards the Messiah (23:39) there’s some prophecies that speak to Christians only and there’s some that I believe speak to everybody and they’re very (23:47) convincing and (23:49) A passage like Isaiah 53 (23:52) It’s one that you can’t get over that (23:56) passage about the one who was wounded for our transgressions (23:59) Scripture says that this person a suffering serpent and Isaiah 53 (24:04) He took the iniquity (24:07) Iniquity of us all has fallen upon him and through his death (24:12) we find spiritual healing in all this and that is not the nation of Israel and (24:19) Anything if you study some of the biblical commentaries (24:23) We find out that Isaiah 53 has always been looked upon traditionally as pointing to the Messiah (24:31) So the evidence is compelling (24:34) Messages like that. I can go through many other messages might apply to it says the Messiah (24:40) Will come Judah. He’ll be born in Bethlehem (24:45) Zechariah 12 verse 10 says that the people of Israel shall look upon the Messiah the one that they have pierced (24:53) It’s actually the word that’s used to be thrust through with a spear (24:58) with a spear or sword and (25:01) They shall mourn for him and come in repentance and there’s just one passage after another (25:08) Concerning the Messianic prophecies.

They keep pointing to Jesus as the fulfillment (25:15) It’s just amazing I think to hear him and to know what God has done in his life (25:21) Strictly from the result of seeing those prophecies and seeing how Jesus fulfilled them (25:29) So we have that our modern-day problem with profit with prophecy and I want to go through this as quickly as I can (25:36) I probably overdid this next part, but I think it’s important for us to realize (25:40) That one of the problems we have in the world around us is they see Christianity (25:46) from (25:48) sometimes the standpoint that (25:51) There have been a lot of false prophets (25:54) Many of them Christians and many many of them not Christians (25:58) but the false prophets that speak today, I think are part of (26:05) Satan’s (26:06) You know as a reading revelation (26:08) Pouring out water out of his mouth and what comes out of the mouth of Satan’s lies (26:13) And so he leads people to make these false prophets prophecies (26:18) What that does in one in one part of what the consequences are that it causes us to begin to? (26:27) Not believe in prophecies and in prophets (26:30) So when when the calendar is about to turn over to 500 (26:36) Julius Africanus predicted that there was going to be a return of Christ (26:41) The Yoda (26:43) Was a prophetess. She prophesied the Jews would return that this was the original (26:48) Y1k we had a y2k. This is a y1k and then when the calendar rolled over 1,000 (26:55) that there would be the Armageddon battle the Pope thought he was going to be part of that and (27:02) The body of Charlemagne would rise again and they would fight this battle and everything would end on January 1st (27:10) 1,000 well, that didn’t happen (27:15) The Pope Innocent III predicted the end of the world in 1284 then (27:21) Paul Heide (27:22) Predicted the end of the world 1306 the old leaders in Russia.

So the Enterprise would come up in the end of world of 1669 (27:29) the mystic mother Shipton (27:32) Prophesied the world would come to an end in 1881 on 1884. You see William Miller (27:39) predicted that the (27:41) Jews would return birth of burnout by fire on March the 21st (27:46) 1844 (27:47) That didn’t happen. And so it was then the end of the world was rescheduled for April 18th (27:54) 1844 it didn’t happen then (27:57) And so it was rescheduled for October 22nd (28:02) Before the the one reason for pointing this one out is that there were about a thousand people who followed (28:08) Miller and they sold their belongings (28:10) They headed up to the mountains to wait for the end, which of course did not come (28:18) The Charles Russell (28:21) Jehovah’s Witnesses predicted in (28:23) 1914 (28:25) that the world the Jews would return and (28:29) Then there were a whole lot of other dates that were predicted by the Jehovah’s Witnesses (28:35) That the world would be in (28:37) 1915 (28:38) 1918 1920 (28:41) 1925 and (28:43) 1940 (28:45) 41 (28:46) Porta (28:48) Meteorologists University, Michigan predicted that the alignment of the planets (28:54) Would create a humongous sunspot on the Sun and the world would end as a result of that that did not happen (29:01) Henry Adams (29:03) Kind of a sociologist (29:06) said, you know, here are the stages of human human civilization and (29:11) And we’re in the final stage and the world was getting in in (29:16) 1921 that didn’t happen (29:19) we had the prediction following the (29:23) 1941 by the Jehovah’s Witnesses in (29:26) 1975 and then this is (29:30) This is an interesting one because (29:32) Dorothy Martin claimed that she was getting messages from aliens from the planet Clarion (29:39) Warned that the earth was going to be destroyed on December 21st 1954 (29:45) Dr. Lockett a follower (29:48) warned the public (29:50) Pleading for them to escape the night before (29:54) All of these seekers gathered on the eve of the disaster.

They removed all metal (30:00) Items from the clothing and bodies as instructed by the aliens who were going to drop in and take them to a flying saucer at midnight (30:09) When it didn’t happen at midnight at (30:12) 445 a.m. The aliens transmitted a message to Dorothy that got it called the disaster off (30:19) in 1982 (30:21) Griffin and Plagueman said the planets would align we’d have wide-scale destruction (30:31) Brannan said he was visited by angels (30:36) That (30:37) These seven angels revealed the meaning of the seven seals of the revelation that Jesus returned in 1977 that didn’t happen (30:45) This is an interesting one (30:48) Why it’s not was a NASA engineer (30:51) He wrote a book 80s and 88 reasons why the rapture will be in 1988 (30:57) He sold four and a half (30:59) million copies of (31:01) that book and (31:04) That was it was redone (31:08) In predicting (31:11) 1989 it was then republished predicting 93 and then (31:15) 94 (31:16) All of those of course did not happen (31:20) And this one personal for me because I’ve fallen how Lindsay’s for for a while (31:27) sold millions of books predicting the world at the end and (31:31) four years (31:32) one generation after founding Israel (31:36) That didn’t happen (31:38) Then he changed it to the end of the 1990s that didn’t happen and then the 2000s (31:45) And then was the 40 years after were 67 none of those none of those took place (31:52) You know camping said the world was gonna end and people followed him on that (31:57) Richard noon (31:59) Said the world was gonna end (32:02) because the alignment of the planets (32:05) And some of you may recall this episode in 97 (32:11) Heaven’s Gate Marshall Applewhite (32:14) Tragic (32:16) into this kind of (32:18) prophetic (32:19) There was a mass suicide (32:22) in 1997 (32:24) 39 followers followed that prediction to to the dirt to their death (32:30) One of the more recent ones and I remember back (32:33) When I was doing who is Jesus film and working all of this this event had not happened (32:40) It was it had been prophesied that a number of December 21st 2012 (32:45) would as a result of (32:48) studying the the Mayan calendar (32:51) And we look at the money in calendar is predicting that the world is going to end of this pre-cosmic (32:59) Disaster December 21st (33:02) 2012 and (33:04) We’re still here. Well, the point of all that is that (33:09) That God had a (33:10) pretty high standard for his prophets as we read this in Deuteronomy 18 and (33:17) if you can you think of all these prophecies and and that’s just a smattering of some and I (33:25) Question people be very careful (33:29) When you make a (33:31) prophecy (33:33) This is the standard that God has for his prophets (33:36) If if what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true (33:42) That is a message from the message. The Lord has not spoken (33:47) That prophet has spoken (33:49) presumptuously do not be afraid of (33:53) Him and then we won’t talk about what it was supposed to do in the false prophet (33:58) so there are a lot of (34:00) Differences and opinions in terms of how many messianic prophecies exist in the Old Testament and (34:08) How you look at passages? (34:10) Whether some of those actually pointed to an event that occurred before the coming of Christ (34:16) speaking may be in terms of a (34:19) Ruler that was coming that did fill that (34:22) but the reality is there is there is a whole host of (34:28) Of (34:29) prophecies (34:30) But conservatively there are there are some very very precise prophecies of Messiah that cannot be (34:38) Mistaken as anything else (34:41) Greater than 50 some go as high as 400 Josh McDowell identifies 61 (34:47) The the he calls no doubt (34:50) messianic (34:51) prophecies (34:53) Okay, so and this was a theme of those of those prophecies the coming of Messiah (34:58) So here are some arguments that people might ask that you can keep in mind (35:03) concerning the fulfillment of prophecies and (35:07) particular the filament of the (35:09) Messianic promise promises and prophecies by Jesus and someone might say well, it’s just a strange coincidence (35:17) that Jesus happened to fill all of (35:20) The prophecies and (35:23) You know to this we see, you know, we’re gonna look at the odds here in a minute (35:28) I think it’s important for you understand and do you like a person winning, you know the lottery (35:33) hundreds of times in a row (35:37) Some might say the message prophecies were created after the fact well the Dead Sea Scrolls (35:45) Put that argument away (35:47) Okay (35:48) Jesus self-fulfilled the prophecies because he had a (35:54) messianic complex (35:57) And you can say well, it’s possible that he could have done that for some (36:02) but the vast number of these prophecies and he couldn’t we can look at some of them (36:08) Where we could say that he had no control over those he had no control over whether or not his bones were going to be (36:15) Broken or not broken on the cross.

He had no control over whether or not he was going to be pierced (36:21) With it with a sword. He had no control over whether or not they were gonna (36:27) Gamble for his his clothes and so forth (36:32) Well, someone might say odds are that if you have enough prophecies you can get a couple of them, right (36:38) So, you know and I’ve heard this one before, you know, well, you know (36:42) It can have all of these prophecies then, you know, the odds are that somebody’s gonna fulfill a couple of those (36:52) And that’s what we’re gonna look at next that the number of prophecies were filled (36:57) by Jesus of Nazareth (37:01) Messianic prophecies are just a cup not a couple of them. He fulfilled them all (37:08) Of the so-called prophecies are merely cherry-picked and they’re taken out of (37:14) Context this will be raised by someone who hasn’t really looked at the prophecies (37:18) and so it’s important for you to say well, can we look at a few of them and (37:23) And and and see if you think they’re cherry-picked (37:28) Dr. Peter Stoner did a (37:31) study with his his students a (37:34) Ten-year study that (37:36) calculated the odds (37:38) That one man could fulfill just eight of those messianic (37:43) prophecies (37:45) That they’re listed here.

The the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (37:49) That he would be preceded by a messenger (37:53) He will come to Jerusalem riding on a colt. He will be betrayed by a friend (37:57) It would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (37:59) The betrayer will throw the silver on the floor of the temple the Messiah will not speak in his own defense (38:06) Messiah’s hands and feet will be pierced. So these are the eight (38:10) That dr.

Stoner had his students of this 10-year period (38:16) Attempt to calculate. What are the odds? (38:20) That one person could have fulfilled all of these. Well, let’s look first of all, what does this mean? (38:29) So for example, if if the prophecies if the prophecies for the Messiah were simply a prophecy that said the Messiah would be in a male (38:38) That’s always it (38:39) Bronson would be the bail (38:41) Then the odds of the man could fulfill that would be one and two (38:45) roughly speaking male and female (38:48) 50 50 percent but what if (38:51) the odds if if a person could fulfill eight prophecies (38:57) Specific prophecies that were listed before how do you calculate those odds? (39:05) Well, you look at the number of people (39:09) That were born how many of them would have been born in Bethlehem and not only born in Bethlehem (39:14) But they then came riding to Jerusalem on a donkey on a colt (39:20) And not of those two things, but their hands would have been (39:26) Pierced (39:28) Obviously in in crucifixion, well when you begin to add all of those up and look at the odds and so dr.

Stoner (39:37) Calculated then it was the one in a hundred quadrillion. It’s beyond our ability to even (39:42) Think about how low those odds are and that is why Lewis came to cross because you can you know (39:49) Jesus fulfilled all eight of these (39:52) Every one of these (39:54) And the odds of someone doing that especially for those that he had no control over (40:03) If you look at 48 of the prophecies and dr. Stoner said look we just looked at eight and the reason was because (40:10) If you look at 48 that Jesus did fulfill (40:14) the you have a number so large and we can’t even (40:18) imagine it and (40:20) This is what dr.

Stoner used in his analogy. If you took the number of electrons (40:26) That this represents the odds (40:28) that the Jesus could fulfill that many prophecies and compress them into a solid ball of the ball would have a (40:36) diameter of all the (40:38) Billions of light-years, but that’s just one you need six to the tenth (40:43) number of these balls to contain all the electrons would represent one out of all the (40:50) Well, think about the odds then of what was 61 prophecies or a hundred or four hundred as some conspirators (40:58) Have said and all of these prophecies were pointing to one man Jesus of Nazareth (41:03) Jesus of Nazareth (41:06) Is not a coincidence (41:08) This is not a fabrication (41:12) Remember after Jesus had risen from the dead he encountered two disciples on the road to Emmaus (41:20) They didn’t recognize him and (41:23) Jesus asked them came up to them. What are you discussing? Of course, they said it you clueless.

You haven’t you heard of what’s going on and (41:32) About what and they about Jesus and what had happened to him and so forth (41:40) Called him a mighty prophet and they hope would redeem Israel and he was crucified and (41:46) Now the rumors that he was alive and risen from the dead and Jesus then said to them (41:51) Oh foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all (41:56) that the prophets have (41:59) spoken (42:00) And beginning with Moses and all the prophets he interpreted to them and all this all the scriptures the things (42:08) concerning (42:10) him (42:11) And you think about that phraseage and Jesus (42:15) interpreted to them all (42:16) the scriptures the things (42:19) concerning himself (42:22) There was a lot that pointed to him and that is what Jesus was pointing out (42:28) to these two disciples on the road to Emmaus (42:32) So through this massive humanity, you can see that scarlet thread (42:38) That runs all the way from Adam and Eve (42:42) all the way through Noah through Abraham through Isaac through Jacob and (42:48) through David and through the lineage that we see listed for us and Matthew and and Luke and (42:57) all of those come down to (43:01) Jesus of (43:03) Nazareth the Messiah the promised Messiah (43:07) The perfect match (43:09) And so this is why the last words of Jesus that I am the root and offspring of David (43:15) The Bride of Morning Star. I am the promised (43:19) Messiah the Christ and that genealogical thumbprint matches him (43:26) Perfectly, so so we’re back again to something we’d asked before. What’s the problem? (43:32) Well, the problem is it’s not an evidential problem (43:36) The evidence is too strong.

It is too powerful (43:40) That is that’s never been the problem. It never will be the problem (43:43) The problem is a moral problem. The problem is a heart problem.

And that is why we are going to diligently (43:50) Engage ourself in praying for our neighbor (43:55) Because we can have the evidential problem, but God is going to have to begin to work and open their eyes (44:02) Open their heart soften their heart (44:05) Unstop their ears and (44:08) At some point begin to ask and that is what we need to have our ability (44:15) to respond to them (44:18) well prepared (44:19) So that we can do it in the loving and kind way in a gracious matter (44:25) And attractively winsome way responding to them, but we need to have an answer (44:32) when they ask for it (44:34) Okay (44:36) So let’s let’s go to one of my favorite passages in all of this scripture is from Galatians 4 (44:43) But when the fullness of time had come but in the fullness of time (44:48) God sent for the son born of a woman this just (44:52) Matches and connects all of the promises all of the promises all the prophecies all the way back (45:01) To the very beginning in in the in the garden (45:05) and so let’s talk with this just for a minute because this (45:10) We look at this it conveys more than just the notion that God is waiting for the right moment (45:16) This is not God just saying well. No no no no no let’s no let’s wait a little bit longer. It conveys that there is a plan (45:25) There is a purpose there is a script there’s a composition that was reaching its (45:32) Crescendo in the fullness of time does not say you know (45:36) When all of a sudden things to look like you’re an opportune moment of now (45:41) This is in the fullness of time.

This is this Kairos moment. It didn’t just happen (45:46) It Jesus didn’t just happen to be there just happened in his day things started to (45:53) You know (45:56) Conform into a certain pattern of so that it was it wasn’t some fortunate opportunity I (46:04) Think of Isaiah 46 remember the former things God says those have long ago. I am God and there is no other (46:10) I’m God and there is none (46:12) Like me I make known the end from the beginning from ancient times (46:18) What is still to come I say my purpose will stand (46:23) I will do all that I please from the east I summon a bird of prey from a far-off land of man to fulfill (46:31) My purpose what I have said (46:33) That will I bring about and what I have planned (46:38) that will I do and we see that carried out over all of those years of (46:46) the sea line of the Messiah and everything that went through God nurturing and caring for (46:52) And in the fullness of time in this Kairos moment (46:57) that all of history was waiting and preparing for (47:01) And there are some and I’m one of those who believe that even the stars that God created in the very beginning (47:08) when he spoke and (47:10) And all the stars came into being and God said that they were going to be for signs and seasons (47:16) That all of their movement and everything was set into place from the very beginning at the perfect moment in time (47:23) for the arrival of (47:26) Jesus the Messiah (47:30) All of those prophecies were set all the promises were on deposit all waiting for that Kairos (47:37) moment and God had nurtured that (47:41) Theological seed line of Messiah he protected it and it was now ripe and (47:47) ready (47:49) to bring forth the promised and (47:52) prophesied (47:54) Messiah (47:55) everything pointed and converged upon this very moment and (48:01) Malachi ends the Old Testament scriptures with this (48:06) Catalyzing word behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of (48:15) The Lord and everything was set for the coming of the Messiah and then everything (48:21) went dark (48:22) for 400 years (48:26) And because we said that doesn’t mean that there were a lot of things there were a lot of things going on but in terms (48:32) The written revelation of God there was nothing for 400 years the revelations ceased (48:40) And and it was it’s just like my mind goes back to that pause and you know and handles Messiah (48:48) I had I had the music for you, but we tested beforehand (48:52) It just is not going to work so you can think of handle Messiah if you want and the glorious music of the handle (48:59) And in a composition, but it comes to the you know, the celebrated them (49:06) You know the pause (49:09) that is probably the most well-known pause and all of (49:13) music history comes from handle Messiah when this glorious music just stops and (49:22) Every instrument is silent (49:25) and (49:27) You know, it’s only silent for a second but (49:31) This would be like that music pausing for four (49:36) hundred years (49:38) So everything went dark until all of a sudden in the fullness of time (49:45) God brought forth his son born of a woman the seed of the woman and (49:51) it happened with all kinds of (49:54) Light and angels and dreams and revelations and and miracles (50:00) All of that happened.

Here’s the list of them. I’m not going to go through all of them, but (50:07) We have all kinds of miracles and visitations of angels and John leaping in Elizabeth’s womb (50:16) Zachariah struck dumb (50:19) Angels stars aligning the Magi (50:24) Simon who’d been (50:26) Promised he wouldn’t die before the he saw the Messiah (50:29) prophesized now (50:31) As he holds the baby Jesus (50:34) In his arm, what what an amazing event that culminated (50:40) this (50:41) massive amount of (50:44) prophecies and the (50:46) Promises that were all laid out all of them pointing towards the single (50:53) Event in the time of human history and all of those the promises were (50:59) fulfilled (51:01) And so that is why Matthew begins his account (51:04) this the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David is son of (51:09) Abraham the Messiah see couldn’t he could not have come from just anywhere on earth (51:16) He couldn’t have come from Tibet. He couldn’t have come from Beijing or Rome or Chicago (51:21) It couldn’t be Chinese.

It couldn’t be Hispanic. He couldn’t be Caucasian. It couldn’t be African (51:27) He couldn’t be an alien from outer space (51:30) He had to come from a very tiny specific seed line (51:36) He had to be born in a little town called Bethlehem.

He had to be born exactly at the moment (51:42) That God had ordained for all of this to happen. He had to be born born of a virgin (51:50) So God had preserved the seed line up to this moment (51:56) There were times where it looked like it had been destroyed by idolatry (52:01) God preserved it (52:03) He preserved a remnant that had not bowed the knee to Baal when it was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar (52:10) God preserved the remnant whenever Satan attempted to destroy the seed line of Messiah God (52:18) Preserved it and so hope was not lost when the nation was divided and it looked pretty sad (52:26) Hope was still there. Why because it was going to be fulfilled by God not by man (52:33) When Israel was conquered and taken into a Syrian captivity where they were taken into Babylonian cavity (52:39) Activity and it seemed like all is lost.

It had not been lost (52:43) And when everything had gone silent for 400 years (52:47) The prophecies were just waiting to be (52:51) fulfilled (52:52) All of them ready for this Kairos moment and the silence was broken and the steed (53:00) in the stump (53:02) now arose (53:04) There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse and a branch from his root shall bear fruit and one of my favorite (53:11) Passages the holy seed is in its stump (53:15) This is this is the modus operandi of God amongst you that he will bring forth the fruit of (53:23) his people (53:25) Now and as we have spoken over and over again (53:28) We need to consider ourselves as a remnant in the land in which we live and to recognize that God is not done with us (53:36) He is not finished (53:39) He brought forth the Messiah and then everything from that point on is all part of God’s purposes and plan in his people (53:46) And then you will carry it out and he will fulfill that (53:51) Then so hope is never lost with those who are in Christ (53:56) Hope is one of the most (53:59) Incredible things that God has given to us (54:01) But even when things look (54:04) Dim even when it looks like it is constantly winter even when it looks like (54:09) Some people think right now that the temperature is going to be 50 below and it’s going to be a horrendous horrendous (54:17) Storm that is that is going to face us. This is not the time to lose. Hope (54:22) It’s not the time for our hearts to melt is not the time for our knees to knock together (54:28) Why because we serve a God who preserved the seed line (54:34) through (54:35) Over and over again of people who rebelled a stiff-necked people of people who grumbled of people who served idols (54:43) They did everything it appears they could to have destroyed that sea lining it God (54:50) was preserving it and so you won’t hear the sound here, but the conductor is waiting for just the right moment and (54:58) This is you would hear the the hand of Messiah now break forth after that after that dramatic (55:08) pause (55:10) Or to us a child is born to us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be (55:17) called wonderful counselor (55:19) mighty God everlasting father (55:21) Prince of (55:23) Peace this is the promise (55:25) Realized the prophecies fulfilled in (55:29) Christ so (55:31) we have gone through the the first of these six as we (55:38) Pursued this piece of neighborly apologetics of Christ and the claims of Christ and resurrection the next (55:45) We’re going to look at is his life and death and and there was so much there (55:50) I don’t know how we’ll get through that (55:52) In our time as well, but we’re going to look at the life (55:56) and death of Christ and (55:59) Understand through all those things that happened there.

We brought ourselves up to at this point the birth of Christ (56:06) And now then we’re going to move on to the life and death of Christ (56:09) And and look at all of those claims and all of the things that happened there that were part of fulfilling (56:16) The messianic promises as well (56:19) Okay, Mark, I’m gonna stop sharing here (56:24) Okay (56:24) Turn things back over to you. Let me again (56:29) Thank you for all of you who have attended (56:34) Tonight pray that there was something there. I know we went very quickly.

I pray there’s something there would be helpful to you (56:39) if nothing more to maybe (56:44) Kind of open up your thirst and hunger (56:48) To be able to understand these things not in the academic way so much (56:53) but in a way that a neighbor a good neighbor would be able to explain to (57:00) Their neighbor who begins to ask questions about Jesus. Is he really the Messiah? Is he really the Christ? (57:08) that we will be able to (57:10) Begin the process of walking them through that (57:13) May the Lord bless you. Mark.

Thank you. Dr. Tackett. What a powerful word and (57:19) Just a reminder as we close be sending out the link to the recording for tonight’s recording (57:25) Some folks who weren’t able to be here, but and for those of you who were here (57:30) Feel free to share that widely and with whoever with whomever you you’d like to (57:35) Second thing is we’ll be also sending dr.

Tackett slides (57:38) So that’ll come also come with the the live stream link and then within a couple days (57:42) You’ll see everything loaded on the site called webinars on the main navigation (57:48) You’ll see webinars and then if you click on that you’ll see the series (57:51) Dr. Tackett is currently doing so again. We’re really thankful that you were here with us tonight, and we look forward to these (57:59) Monthly teachings and so we hope you do as well (58:03) Dr. Tackett you could you close our time in prayer? (58:07) Father thank you again for the privilege we have as the result of you (58:12) Revealing yourself in not only in your word (58:15) But revealing yourself in the warp and loop of time and the reality of human life and history (58:22) That we have seen your mighty works and senior hand (58:27) We’ve seen your purposes and your plans as you have brought them to fulfillment and we thank you father (58:34) For the coming of the Messiah Jesus Christ and for all he did (58:40) Not only just in his death and resurrection, but all that he did in his life (58:45) That confirmed over and over again that he was the promised Messiah (58:51) God in the flesh the son of David (58:53) the long-awaited (58:55) Christ and we thank you for all of that father. We pray that you would instill in us a desire (59:03) And a hunger to be able to speak of him to be the witness of Christ (59:08) To those who live around us give us an opening father.

They give us an opportunity (59:14) Help us to pray for them. Help us to be diligent in our prayers for others (59:20) help us to be diligent in seeking a friendship and engaging with them a (59:26) Relationship a deep relationship with them that you will begin to work in them that father (59:30) We might not be able to speak the truth of who you are (59:34) Into a life that is lost without you all for your glory in Jesus name. Amen.

God bless you all (59:40) Thank you for being here tonight. All right. Thank you everybody.

Have a good evening