Podcast Summary: Red Rocks Church Weekend Messages

Episode: Week 4 of TikTok Theology
Date: March 7, 2026
Host: Red Rocks Church
Topic: "Am I Crazy for Believing in Jesus?"

Brief Overview

This episode of Red Rocks Church's "TikTok Theology" series confronts one of Christianity's most fundamental questions: "Am I crazy for believing in Jesus?" The message addresses common doubts and skeptical arguments related to the Christian faith, especially focusing on Jesus’ claims, the resurrection, and both historical and personal reasons for belief. The speaker blends personal anecdotes, historical evidence, scriptural references, and candid admissions of doubt to encourage listeners to both examine and reaffirm their faith.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Importance of Knowing ‘Why’ We Believe (04:30)

• Christians are instructed to know the reasons for their faith, referencing 1 Peter 3: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
• Sometimes, it's not just about explaining faith to others, but reminding oneself in difficult seasons.

"One of the people that needs to... that I need to tell why I believe what I believe often is myself." (05:30)

2. Personal Crisis of Faith & The Nature of Doubt (08:30)

• The host shares a vivid story about a personal crisis of faith, illustrating that questioning is normal, especially in hard times.

"Maybe he was right, because look at my life. You ever get to one of those points where you just go, man, am I crazy for believing this or are there some reasons for my faith?" (10:20)

3. Respecting Different Beliefs & Invitation to Investigate (13:10)

• The church affirms acceptance of all regardless of their beliefs and emphasizes the value of open inquiry and investigation.

"We don’t think we’re smarter than everybody else... We just think we’ve experienced the real savior of the universe." (13:40)

• Encourages listeners to study for themselves and references resources for further investigation:
  • The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
  • The Reason for God by Tim Keller
  • I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist
  • Systematic Theology (18:08)

4. Facing Faith Killing Arguments: Truth Isn’t Afraid of Questions (17:50)

• The necessity for robust faith—rooted not in tradition or hearsay but in evidence and reason—is emphasized.

"Truth is never afraid of questions... Truth doesn’t have to hide from questions." (19:10)

5. Why Believe in Jesus? (22:30)

The host provides several key arguments:

• Jesus Unequivocally Claimed to Be God (23:00)

  • Unlike other founders of major religions (who said they were not God), Jesus directly claimed divinity and exclusivity.
  • Reference: Mark 14:60–64 and the "I AM" statement.

  "Christianity is based on a man who said, I am God and I’ll prove it." (25:50)

• Jesus Predicted His Death, Burial, and Resurrection (29:35)

  • Highlights Jesus “calling his shot” by foretelling the details of his death and resurrection—an act unprecedented in religious history.
  • Reference: Mark 8:31–32.

  "He said, I’m going to die, who’s going to kill me, how long I’ll be in the tomb, and that on the third day I will come back to life. And then he actually goes and does it." (31:10)

• The Resurrection Is the Pivot Point of Christianity (33:20)

  • The entire faith rests on the resurrection. If it could be disproven, Christianity would collapse—but for two millennia, it has withstood scrutiny.

6. Multiple Historical Sources and Eyewitness Accounts (36:10)

• Historical credibility is shored up—beyond the Bible, several ancient sources speak to Jesus’ existence, crucifixion, and the empty tomb.
  • Examples include Josephus, Tacitus, Thallus, and the Jewish Talmud.

  "This is 10 historical sources that talk about the life of Jesus. Again, research this for yourself." (43:10)

• A reading from Josephus’ Antiquities is shared, affirming non-Christian attestation to Jesus’ life and reported resurrection. (38:20)

7. Addressing Skeptical Arguments Against the Resurrection (45:55)

Analysis of five main skeptical theories:

• 1. Jesus Did Not Die: Refuted by evidence that Roman crucifixion was always fatal and affirmed by multiple ancient sources (48:10).

  “There’s not one record in any historical document... that says anyone ever survived a flogging and Roman crucifixion. Not one.” (48:35)

• 2. Roman Guards Stole the Body: Deemed implausible as guards would’ve faced execution; archaeological evidence (Nazareth Inscription) provided (51:45).
• 3. Disciples Stole the Body: Seen as illogical considering the disciples’ willingness to die for their belief and the rigorous Roman guarding (53:30).
  • Anecdote: “What would it take to convince you that your brother is the son of God?” (59:30), referring to James’ transformation.
• 4. Hallucination Theory: Discounted due to the numbers and diversity of witnesses.

  “If 500 people had the same hallucination at the same time, that would be a greater miracle than the Resurrection.” — Gary Habermas (01:01:23)

• 5. The Tomb Was Actually Empty: Even the counter-narratives at the time acknowledge the empty tomb and only debate how it became empty.

8. Personal Experience—The Ultimate Testimony (01:07:12)

• The speaker recounts a dramatic transformation upon accepting Christ, breaking free from addiction and depression:

  “What I experienced changed everything. Freed me from an alcohol addiction, freed me from a drug addiction, put peace in my heart where only anxiety had been.”

• The speaker emphasizes that while beliefs and evidence can be debated, a changed life cannot.

“You can argue my thoughts on the resurrection... but you can’t argue away my experience. I know Jesus changed my life.” (01:08:35)

9. The Story of Doubting Thomas—Faith Amidst Doubt (01:10:10)

• The account of Thomas (John 20:24–29) is retold, focusing on the comfort that God can work with those who are hurting, doubting, yet still trying.

  “He’s doubting, but he’s trying. He’s hurting, but he’s trying. He’s got questions, but he’s trying. He’s mad, but he’s trying. He’s sad, but he’s trying. That’s all God wants.” (01:12:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Christian humility:

  “We don't think we're smarter than everybody else... we don't think we've got all the answers. We definitely don't think we're perfect, not even close. We just think we've experienced the real savior of the universe.” (13:42)

• On open inquiry:

  "Truth is not afraid of questions." (19:10)

• On Jesus’ self-claims:

  “The only reason they executed Jesus was because he claimed to be God.” (25:20)

• On evidence for the resurrection:

  “That’s the kind of evidence... that would stand up in any honest courtroom in this world.” (01:06:25)

• On personal experience with Christ:

  “But you can't argue away my experience. I know Jesus changed my life, and I know he can change yours.” (01:08:35)

• On doubt and persistence:

  “He’s doubting, but he’s trying. He’s hurting, but he’s trying. He's got questions, but he's trying.” (01:12:40)

Important Timestamps

• 04:30 – The necessity of having reasons for faith
• 10:20 – Personal crisis of faith story
• 13:10 – Invitation to those with different beliefs
• 18:08 – Recommended books for further investigation
• 25:50 – Jesus’ divine claims vs. other religions’ founders
• 29:35 – Jesus predicts his own resurrection
• 33:20 – Centrality of the resurrection to Christian faith
• 38:20 – Josephus (non-Christian historian) on Jesus
• 45:55 – Introduction to skeptical arguments against the resurrection
• 48:35 – Historical consensus on Jesus’ crucifixion and death
• 53:30 – Impossibility of disciples stealing the body
• 59:30 – Change in James, Jesus’ half-brother, as evidence
• 01:01:23 – On the hallucination theory (Gary Habermas quote)
• 01:07:12 – Speaker’s dramatic personal testimony
• 01:10:10 – The story and significance of Doubting Thomas
• 01:12:40 – Encouragement for those struggling with doubt

Tone and Language

The tone throughout is authentic, passionate, conversational, and candid. The speaker balances scholarly references, humor, and moments of deep personal vulnerability. There is repeated encouragement to question, investigate, and be honest about doubts—paired with reassurance that God honors the sincere pursuit of truth, even when it’s messy or uncertain.

Conclusion

By addressing historical, logical, and experiential reasons to believe in Jesus, the episode empowers both skeptics and believers to thoughtfully engage with the Christian faith. Listeners are challenged to seek answers themselves, reassured that doubt is part of the journey, and reminded that Christianity stands on both reason and lived experience.

Memorable takeaway: Your doubts aren’t disqualifying—keep seeking, keep trying, and remember: “The Lord is with me.” (01:14:15)

Suggested Homework (01:15:10):

• Listen to the Red Rocks Church worship team’s new song, “The Lord Is With Me,” as a reminder of God’s presence and faithfulness during doubts and struggles.
• Continue your own investigation—read, research, and, most importantly, remain open.