Band of Brothers Study Group The Case for Christ

The Investigation of a Lifetime

To what degree can you relate to the comments people made about Jesus in the video segment?

What best represents your current position regarding what you believe about Jesus Christ?

2. What level of confidence do you have that Jesus is the actual historical figure?

How confident are you that the existence of Jesus Christ is a matter of legend or wishful thinking?

b. Give reasons behind your response.

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3. To what extent have you investigated the claims of Christianity prior to this discussion?

Describe your experience.

4. While still an atheist, Lee initial conclusion was this: “If Christianity is true, it has huge implication for one’s life.

What do you think he meant by that statement?

b. Do you agree or disagree with his assessment?

c. Why?

5. What do you believe about Jesus?

Was He a great moral teacher?

b. Was He a prophet?

c. Did He posses special powers?

d. Was He God in human form or simply a good man that legend has elevated to the status of the divine?

6. Did Jesus really claim to be God?

What did His followers of the era believe about His identity?

b. What have you heard or read about the divinity of Jesus?

7. Jesus once asked His disciples, “Who do the crows say I am?” and He recieved a variety of responses.

Luke 9:18–19 KJV 1900

18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? 19 They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.

At this point in our spiritual investigation, who do you say Jesus is?

b. On a scale from 1 to 10

I’m very certain Jesus was an extraordinary man, but He was not God in human form_______

I’m in a fog concerning who Jesus was_____

I’m very certain Jesus was God in human from just as He claimed He was_____

Place an X with the rest of the group and give reason for placing your X where you did.

Jesus ___a great man but not God.

Unsure who Jesus was___

Jesus ___God in human form

John 10:22–33 KJV 1900

22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

John 10

Prior to this study session, when was the last time you gave more than a cursory thought to the person known as Jesus Christ?

What impact has Jesus had in your life? and how did this humble man from the Middle East manage to revolutionize the entire known world in such a dramatic way that His very birthday divides all of history right down the middle?

2. What are some other ways Jesus has had influence - either positive or negative?

a. How well have Christians followed the ways of Jesus?

3. Are the first four books of the New Testament - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John?

Are they accurate biographies of the life and teachings of Jesus?

b. How can you be sure?

4. According to , what did Jesus appear to believe about himself?

John 10:22–33 KJV 1900

22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

a. What do you believe His followers believed about Him?

b. What did the religious leaders of that time believe about him?

5. British philosopher C.S. Lewis famously proposed that Jesus was either a legend, liar, or the Lord God.

Are there any other options?

b. Would a sane, truthful, good person falsely claim to be God?

6. If you haven’t already, how open are you to discovering the identity of Jesus for yourself once and for all?

What is the driving force behind your search?

b. What difference might it make in your life?

c. How committed are you to carefully examining the evidence and the facts of this case?

7. Perhaps you can take some time right now to further reflect on the versus written by the disciple John.

Assuming this account has been preserved accurately.

b. Does it have anything new to teach you that you didn’t already know about Jesus?