Good News Press March 2018 Good News Press March 2018 | Page 4

Billy Graham cont’d from Page 2
Every year about this time, the skeptics
and the naysayers seem to come out of the
woodwork to debunk Jesus Christ, His
claims, and what He came to accomplish
on this earth. How do we, as Christians,
answer those who argue against the resur-
rection and the person of Jesus Christ?
History is our greatest resource when
speaking with a skeptic. There are hun-
dreds of historical biblical prophecies that
Jesus Christ fulfilled during His lifetime that
can help us defend the Gospel when we are
sharing the Good News with someone who
does not believe. We would have to do
away with hundreds of proven facts in rec-
orded history to not believe that the resur-
rection exists. Let’s discuss a few.
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Evidence of the Resurrection Can Help You
Share the Gospel By Rev. John B. Sorensen
Graham authored 34 books, includ-
ing his memoir, Just As I
Am (Harper Collins, 1997), which
remained on The New York
Times best-seller list for 18 weeks.
In 1996, Graham and his wife, Ruth,
received the Congressional Gold
Medal, the highest award Congress
can bestow on a private citizen. He
was also listed by Gallup as one of
the “Ten Most Admired Men” 61
times—including 55 consecutive
years (except 1976, when the ques-
tion was not asked). Graham was
cited by the George Washington
Carver Memorial Institute for his
contributions to race relations and
by the Anti-Defamation League of
the B’nai B’rith.
Throughout his life, Graham was
faithful to his calling, which will be
captured in the inscription to be
placed on his grave mark-
er: Preacher of the Gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
“There were a few times when I
thought I was dying, and I saw my
whole life come before me…” said
Graham at his Cincinnati Crusade
on June 24, 2002. “I didn’t say to
the Lord, ‘I’m a preacher, and I’ve
preached to many people.’ I said,
‘Oh Lord, I’m a sinner, and I still
need Your forgiveness. I still need
the cross.’ And I asked the Lord to
give me peace in my heart, and He
did—a wonderful peace that hasn’t
left me.”
Billy Graham is survived by his sis-
ter Jean Ford; daughters Gigi, Anne
and Ruth; sons Franklin and Ned; 19
grandchildren; and numerous great-
grandchildren. His wife, Ruth, died
June 14, 2007, at age 87, and is bur-
ied at the Billy Graham Library. A
private funeral service is planned at
the Billy Graham Library, on a date
to be announced. In lieu of flowers,
memorial gifts may be made to the
ongoing ministry of evangelism at
the Billy Graham Evangelistic Asso-
ciation, online
at BillyGraham.org or via mail, sent
to the Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association, 1 Billy Graham Park-
way, Charlotte, NC 28201. Notes of
remembrance can be posted
at BillyGraham.org
About the Billy Graham Evange-
listic Association
The Billy Graham Evangelistic As-
sociation is a nonprofit organization
that directs a range of domestic and
international ministries, including:
Franklin Graham Festivals, Will
Graham Celebrations, The Billy
Graham Library, The Billy Graham
Training Center at The Cove,
SearchforJesus.net, the Billy Gra-
ham Rapid Response Team of crisis-
trained chaplains, My Hope with
Billy Graham TV ministry and oth-
ers. Founded in 1950 by Billy Gra-
ham, the organization has been led
by Franklin Graham since 2000. The
ministry employs some 500 people
worldwide and is headquartered in
Charlotte, North Carolina, with ad-
ditional offices in Australia, Canada,
Germany and Great Britain.
“HE WHO HEARS MY WORD
AND BELIEVES IN HIM WHO
SENT ME … HAS PASSED
FROM DEATH INTO LIFE”
(JOHN 5:24 NKJV).
Let’s also consider all the prophecies in the
Bible. Our founder, Dr. D. James Kennedy
claimed that there were 333 specific proph-
ecies that included 456 known historical
facts. The Bible includes 66 books that
My friend and author, Jerry Newcombe
were written between about 1400 BC and
made a great point in an interview I had
the end of the first century, and we have
with him last year: Jesus’ disciples were the proof that the prophecies included in the
original skeptics of the resurrection. He
Old Testament were written at least 400
said, “They first heard about it through
years before Jesus was ever born on earth.
women and didn’t believe it. But they were The book of Isaiah alone was written 750
so changed and transformed that they went years before Christ. No one could have
out into all the world and spread His mes-
known such details except for God!
sage, and most of them died as martyrs for
their faith . . . if the disciples made this up, Easter is one of the most attended church
they would have died for something that
services in the year. Many people are simp-
they themselves didn’t really believe.”
ly waiting for an invitation from a friend.
Don’t let the skeptics and the naysayers
What changed them? Jesus appeared to
scare you away from sharing the Gospel of
them. They saw first-hand the scars in His
Jesus Christ and inviting a friend, neighbor,
hands, His feet, and in His side. Psalm
or co-worker to attend church with you
22:16, Zechariah 12:10, and Isaiah 53:5 all
this Easter Sunday. That invitation just
prophecy that the Messiah would be
might be the door they have been waiting
“pierced.” Psalm 22:18 goes even further
for to learn more about Jesus Christ. And if
to foretell that the Messiah’s accusers
you are reading this article and don’t yet
would gamble over His clothing, a prophe- know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord,
cy fulfilled as recorded in both Matthew
I encourage you to not let another Easter
27:35 and John 19:23.
go by. To learn more, visit
www.eesteps.org for a clear presentation of
The four Gospels in the New Testament
the Gospel.
are first-hand eyewitness accounts of what _____
the disciples personally experienced. Addi-
tionally, dozens more testify to experienc- Rev. John B. Sorensen, D.D. is the Presi-
dent/CEO of Evangelism Explosion Interna-
ing a personal encounter with Jesus after
tional, headquartered in Arden, N.C. EE
His death. Such first-hand accounts from
has been a leader in equipping Christians to
eyewitnesses are sufficient, along with phys-
share their faith for more than 50 years.
ical evidence, to prove the accuracy of a
For more free tips and resources, visit
historical event.
evangelismexplosion.org.
The Passover Story
The Passover story About 3000 years
ago, the Israelites were enslaved by
Egyptians under the rule of Pharaoh
Ramses II.
the first born of man and beast.
To protect themselves, the Israelites
were told to mark their homes with lamb's
blood so that God could identify and
According to the "Book of Exodus," Mo-
"pass over" them. The pharaoh finally
ses, was told by God to go to the phar-
agreed to let the people go and they hur-
aoh and demand the freedom of his peo- riedly left. The Israelites were free, but
ple. Moses warned the pharaoh that God the pharaoh's army pursued them
would send great plagues to the people
through the desert toward the Red Sea.
of Egypt if the Israelites were not freed.
Then a miracle occurred. The waves of
The pharaoh ignored the warning and the the Red Sea parted, and the Israelites
demand for freedom. In response, God
were able to cross to the other shore.
sent a series of plagues to the Egyptians. When they had crossed, the sea closed,
Still, the pharaoh ignored them until the
trapping pharaoh's army. The Israelites
tenth plague was upon him: the slaying of were free at last.