ponder-this

The next time someone tells you there's not a shred of
evidence for the Christian faith, please recall that the
disciples of Jesus would not recant their testimony in the
face of great persecution, and often execution. They weren't
simply taking a stand for an ideology, but were claiming
first hand accounts of what they experienced.

There have been times in history when men have stood for a cause;
a soldier might die fighting for his country, for example. This is very
different. These witnesses were making a claim without a
compelling reason except and unless it was absolutely true. They
knew they would be killed for making it, whether it was discovered
to be true, or not. This was not an isolated event with one person
making a claim and several more carrying the claim forward. There
were hundreds of first hand accounts.

The multiple corroborating eyewitness accounts given under
extreme duress can not be denied. The magnitude of their
testimony is unique in history.

For example, Paul writes,

Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus
Christ our Lord?

Peter writes,

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we
made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he
received from God the Father honour and glory, when there
came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which
came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the
holy mount.

John writes,

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,
which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked
upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For
the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness,
and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the
Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have
seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have
fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father,
and with his Son Jesus Christ.

and continues,

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with
them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto
him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I
shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger
into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I
will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were
within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors
being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto
you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and
behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into
my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas
answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith
unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast
believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have
believed.

Can anyone name, in all recorded history, one person who willingly
gave his life to perpetuate his own testimony which he knew was
false? An eyewitness account is evidence. An eyewitness account
that holds in the face of torture and death is strong evidence.
Multiple, corroborating eyewitness accounts that hold in the face of
torture and death can not be discounted by an honest person.

But there is much more ... (click here for more)