Somebody is Lying

Acts 13 puts the question right out front: who is Jesus, and what happened at the cross and at that tomb? Counterfeit religion does not have to make people hate Jesus. It only has to keep them from seeing Him clearly. Elymas tried to blind people to the gospel, and the man creating spiritual blindness was struck blind himself.

Paul’s declaration, “God raised Him from the dead,” stands as the hinge of all history. The tomb was supposed to be the period at the end of Jesus’ story, but God made it the opening line of the gospel and His public verdict over His Son. Through this risen Christ, forgiveness is proclaimed, and everyone who believes is free. Religion gives sinners a ladder, but the gospel gives sinners a Savior. The law can name the stain, but only Jesus can declare the sinner clean.

The resurrection claim does not ask believers to turn their minds off. Historical faith examines early records, eyewitness testimony, named people, real cities, Roman rulers, burial accounts, and the changed lives that need explaining. Paul’s letters came while witnesses were still alive, and his confession in 1 Corinthians 15 reaches back even earlier: Christ died, was buried, and was raised on the third day. Frightened disciples became public witnesses, skeptical James became a leader, and Saul the persecutor became Paul the apostle.

The cross also draws a hard line between the New Testament gospel and every religion that redefines Jesus. Islam may honor Jesus as a prophet, but a Jesus who was not crucified cannot carry sin, and a Jesus who did not rise cannot conquer death. Later claims cannot reach backward six centuries and erase early, broad eyewitness testimony. Mormonism, Catholicism, secularism, modern Christianity, and even Cross Point Church must all face the same measuring line: Is the crucified and risen Christ truly enough?

Christ’s people must speak with conviction and compassion. Radical ideology must be named for what it is, but prejudice against Muslim families is not discernment. The gospel persuades, serves, loves, and tells the truth. Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples, not take hostages.

Acts shows three responses to the risen Christ: some mocked, some delayed, and some believed. Mockery cannot put Jesus back in the grave, and delay can become eternally dangerous. God remains patient and keeps knocking, but “not today” is not a safe answer forever. The risen Christ still calls sinners to believe, receive forgiveness, and stop putting off the only Savior who can make them new.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. The resurrection stands in public history [09:51] Paul names witnesses because Christianity did not begin as a private feeling or a distant legend. The early confession of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection was already known while eyewitnesses could still be questioned. Faith receives a foundation strong enough to bear honest examination. [09:51]
• 2. Religion offers ladders, Christ gives freedom [04:47] The gospel begins with what God has done, not with what sinners can earn. Obedience grows as the fruit of salvation, but it can never become the price of salvation. Christ’s finished work declares guilty people clean and free. [04:47]
• 3. The cross cannot be removed [25:45] A Jesus who was not crucified cannot bear sin, and a Jesus who never rose cannot defeat death. Religious language becomes dangerous when it keeps Jesus’ name but changes His identity and work. The New Testament leaves no room for a gospel without a bloody cross and an empty tomb. [25:45]
• 4. Truth requires conviction without prejudice [30:47] Coercive ideology must be judged by what it advocates, not by ethnicity, clothing, names, or accents. Christ’s people cannot call falsehood true in the name of love, but neither can they treat whole groups of people as enemies. The gospel reaches people through truth, service, persuasion, and love. [30:47]
• 5. Delay is not a harmless response [49:33] “Not today” can harden into a heart that no longer hears God’s call. Sin left untreated spreads like a disease, even though Christ has already provided the cure. God’s patience is real, but tomorrow is never guaranteed.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:23] - Who Is Jesus?
• [01:45] - Counterfeit Religion Creates Blindness
• [03:42] - God Raised Him From the Dead
• [04:21] - Religion Gives Ladders, Gospel Gives a Savior
• [05:18] - Putting Resurrection Claims to the Test
• [08:52] - Early Evidence and Eyewitnesses
• [12:47] - The Certainty of Christ’s Death and Burial
• [17:29] - The Evidence That Demands an Explanation
• [20:31] - Islam and the Crucified Christ
• [26:13] - Radical Ideology and Christian Discernment
• [32:21] - Measuring Every Claim by Jesus
• [36:22] - Faith Built on the Risen Christ
• [40:54] - Some Mocked, Some Delayed, Some Believed
• [47:15] - The Danger of Saying Not Today
• [52:35] - The Call to Believe

Bible Reading

Acts 13:30
“But God raised him from the dead.” [03:31]

1 Corinthians 15:3-4
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” [09:28]

Acts 17:32-34
“Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, 'We will hear you again about this.' So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.” [41:53]

Observation questions

1. In Acts 13:30, what is the central action Paul says God took after Jesus was killed and placed in a tomb? [03:31]
2. According to 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, what three events form the basic message Paul received and passed on?
3. What details were highlighted as reasons the resurrection was proclaimed as public history rather than as a private religious feeling? [10:04]
4. In Acts 17:32-34, what three responses do people have when they hear about the resurrection of the dead? [41:41]

Interpretation questions

1. Why does Paul’s statement that “God raised Him from the dead” make the resurrection the turning point of the gospel rather than simply one important event in Jesus’ life? [03:42]
2. What does it mean that forgiveness and freedom are proclaimed through Christ to everyone who believes? How is that different from trying to earn acceptance with God through religious effort? [04:24]
3. Why is it important that the earliest Christian message included Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection together? What is lost if any one of those claims is removed? [23:23]
4. Why should Christians distinguish between evaluating the truth of an idea and judging an entire group of people by ethnicity, clothing, names, or background? [30:19]

Application questions

1. When doubts or hard questions about Christianity arise, is the usual response to ignore them, become defensive, or examine them honestly? What is one question about the resurrection that could be explored with faith and honesty? [06:01]
2. Is there any area where the heart is treating obedience as a ladder to earn God’s acceptance instead of receiving forgiveness as a gift through Jesus? What would it look like to live this week from freedom rather than striving? [04:35]
3. Who is one person in the workplace, neighborhood, school, or family who needs to hear the truth about Jesus? What could speaking with both conviction and compassion look like in that relationship? [40:27]
4. How can a believer clearly say that the crucified and risen Jesus is the only Savior while also showing genuine kindness and respect toward Muslim neighbors and people of other faiths? [28:46]
5. Is there a place where “not today” has become the response to God—whether in trusting Christ, confessing sin, seeking help, reconciling with someone, or obeying a clear command? What would a faithful next step look like today? [49:20]
6. Acts 17 shows that some mocked, some delayed, and some believed. Which of those responses most honestly describes the current response to Jesus, and what needs to change? [52:29]