Dr. Jeremiah J. Johnston :: Stories of Reasons to Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and Becoming a Christian Thinker

Dr. Jeremiah Johnston is an author, pastor of apologetics, and what he refers to as a Christian thinker. He knew that he loved God and loved His word, but he had a burning desire to want to not only understand it better, and to be able to know and see for Himself that the Christian faith could stand up to questioning. Ultimately, what he found is “Jesus and the faith and the scriptures are the answers to the questions you have today, not just the questions of yesterday.” 

Now he is the pastor of apologetics at Prestonwood Baptist Church, and his ministry Christian Thinkers Society is designed to speak to seekers and skeptics and those who have big and very real questions about the historical Jesus, the church, and scripture, but also to encourage followers of Christ to own their faith. In his latest book Body of Proof: The 7 Best Reasons to Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus- and Why It Matters Today Dr. Johnston shares some of the fascinating details that prove the resurrection as a historical event, and why focusing on the resurrection and not just the cross deeply matters. In his work and in our conversation today, he unpacks a little bit of the context of the world Jesus revealed Himself to in His resurrected form, and we discuss details that perhaps have been overlooked due to the familiarity of the narrative of the resurrection to many of us in the church.

I don’t know where you are or where this conversation finds you, but I hope that you can walk away with a little more hope and encouragement in your soul. The bedrock of Christianity stands firm. It is based on facts, and it can take questions and research, archeology, and history. Our resurrected Savior can take our big feelings, our questions, and the cries of our weary souls. The God of the universe that took on flesh, died, and rose again, cares about you, and He gave it all to show you. I hope you can believe that today. You matter, and your story matters.

Connecting with Dr. Johnston

Book: Body of Proof: The 7 Best Reasons to Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus- and Why It Matters Today

Facebook

Instagram

Sponsor for this Episode: Hopefuel

Use the code 'SIMPLY15' for 15% off

Instagram

Website

References:

Oxford University

Craig Evans

Bodleian Library 

Papyrology

Codicology

Paleography

Christian Thinkers Society 

Prestonwood Baptist Church

Pastor of Apologetics 

Unanswered by Dr. Johnston 

The head of Christ painting

Road to Emmaus painting by Robert Zund, 1877 

James the brother of Jesus

The Messiah would be another David or Samson or would cleanse the priesthood and the Temple

Dead Sea Scrolls

The New Testament: Its Background, Growth and Content- Bruce Metzger

Jospehus

Saducee- Progressives bought out by the Romans

Pharisee- Tradition of keeping the Torah 

Zealots- Extremists who trained to take power from Rome back by force

Sanhedrin- The governing body of the Jewish community

The diaspora

Remember- celebrate with festival example

Mishnah

Verisamilitude 

Bone boxes on the Mount of Olives

Unimaginable book by Dr. Johnston

Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ

Scripture References:

Hebrews 4:12- The word of God is alive and active

Luke 24, John 20- The resurrection of Jesus 

Revelation 2:28-The morning star of our faith

1 Corinthians 15 - the death AND resurrection of Jesus
Luke 23, John 18:28-19:42- The judiciary procedure that led to the crucifixion 

John 20:1-18-Appears to women/Mary doesn’t recognize Jesus 

John 20:24-29-Thomas

Luke 24:13-35-The two with Jesus on the road to Emmaus 

Matthew 5-7- The sermon on the mount

Luke 4:14-30- the sermon in Nazareth

Exodus 11-19- The Passover 

Deuteronomy 6:6-9,Deuteronomy 11:18-20,Isaiah 57:8- Put this on your doorpost

Luke 22:17-38- Jesus called them to remember through the last supper

Luke 22- Judas betrayed Jesus

Matthew 10:4,Mark 3:18,Luke 6:15,Acts 1:13- Simon the Zealot

John 19:38-40-Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus bury Jesus 

Genesis 50:25- Joseph asked to have his bones carried back to the land of his father 

Matthew 27:55-56-The women stayed with Jesus, and are at the cross

Matthew 26:56, Mark 14:50- They didn’t run like the disciples

1 Corinthians 12:12-31-The body of Christ needs all its parts for it to work

Romans 8- the message of the Gospl and of Jesus’ love that there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus 

1 Corinthians 15:58-Be strong, steadfast and immovable, always abound in the work of the Lord 

1 Corinthians 16- people are suffering, let’s care for people 

Matthew 9:36- He had compassion on them because He saw them as sheep without a shepherd

Hebrews 12:2- keep your eyes on the author and perfector of our faith

1 Peter 2:4-8- Christ is the cornerstone 

Hebrews 13:8-Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever 

Hebrews 13:5–6; Deuteronomy 31:6–8- He never leaves us or forsakes us

JOIN OUR PATREON COMMUNITY!!!! I would be honored to have your support to keep the Simply Stories Podcast going. You can sign up for as little as $3 a month and each tier offers gifts that I hope will bless you in return. 

Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:
Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)
Facebook
Twitter
Blog