The Case For Christ

and the amazing emergence and growth of the church.
Given all five uncontested facts, I had to agree with Moreland
that the Resurrection, and only the Resurrection, makes sense of
them all. No other explanation comes close. And that's just the
indirect evidence. When I added the potent proof for the empty
tomb of Jesus, and the convincing testimony about his post-
Resurrection appearances, the case seemed conclusive.
That was also the assessment of Sir Lionel Luckhoo, the brilliant
and savvy attorney whose astounding 245 consecutive murder
acquittals earned him a place in The Guinness Book of World
Records as the world's most successful lawyer. Knighted twice by
Queen Elizabeth, this former justice and diplomat subjected the
historical facts about the Resurrection to his own rigorous
analysis for several years before declaring, "I say unequivocally
that the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ is so
overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves
absolutely no room for doubt."
But wait. There is more.
TAKING THE FINAL STEP
Our interview over, Moreland and I were bantering about football
as I unplugged my tape recorder and began packing away my notes.
Though I was in a bit of a hurry to catch my flight back to
Chicago, he said something that prompted me to pause.
"There's one other category of evidence you haven't asked about,"
he remarked.
My mind reviewed our interview. "I give up," I said. "What is
it?" "It's the ongoing encounter with the resurrected Christ that
happens all over the world, in every culture, to people from all
kinds of backgrounds and personalities -well educated and not,
rich and poor, thinkers and feelers, men and women," he said.
"They all will testify that more than any single thing in their
lives, Jesus Christ has Changed them."
Moreland leaned forward for emphasis. "To me, this provides the
final evidence-not the only evidence but the final confirming
proof-that the message of Jesus can open the door to a direct
encounter with the risen Christ."
assume you've had an encounter like that," I said. "Tell me about
it."
"In 1968 I was a cynical chemistry major at the University of
Missouri, when I was confronted with the fact that if I examined