The Resurrection of Christ
Introduction:
The bedrock foundation of our faith is the bodily
resurrection of Jesus from the dead. If this did not
happen, our religion is empty [worthless]. (I
Corinthians 15:14) “And if Christ is not risen, then our
preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.”
NKJV
Reading on in verses 15-19 tells our reason for living,
our hope, is snatched away from us if Christ was not
raised. Let us now turn to answering the question: “Why
should we believe in Christ’s resurrection?”
Body:
I.
Biblical Prophecy
The same Bible, which so accurately predicted many
worldwide events, [the rise and fall of several world
empires, the downfall of certain nations and specific
individuals . . .] also predicted the resurrection of
Christ.
A.
Psalm 16:8-11
10“For
You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow
Your Holy One to see corruption.”
NKJV
On Pentecost, Peter proclaimed, “This Jesus God has
raised up, of which we are all witnesses.” (Acts
2:29-32)
B.
John 2:18-22
19“Jesus
answered and said to them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in
three days I will raise it up.’21“But
He was speaking of the temple of His body.”
NKJV
Christ predicted His own death and resurrection. This
is solid evidence for believing!
II.
The Empty Tomb
What happened to His body? Theories:
A.
He didn’t actually die; He just fainted.
Jesus was revived after being laid on the cold slab in
the burial cave. He moved the stone and walked away.
This was not possible for the following reasons:
Soldiers were certain that He was dead. (John
19:33) “But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was
already dead, they did not break His legs.”
NKJV
Pilate found out for himself. (Mark 15:44-45)
“Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning
the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some
time. So when he found out from the centurion, he
granted the body to Joseph.”
NKJV
Jews were sure He was dead because they ensured that His
disciples would not steal the body. Also, Jesus
was in no shape physically to move the stone.
B.
Jesus is still buried in some grave in Palestine.
This is not possible either. If true, when the apostles
began to preach about the risen Savior, the authorities
would have produced the body and shown the apostles to
be liars! (Acts 5:28) “saying, ‘Did we not
strictly command you not to teach in this name? And
look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and
intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!”
NKJV
Also, the Roman leaders knew where the tomb was because
they had set a guard over it! (Matthew 27:64)
“Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until
the third day, lest His disciples come by night and
steal Him away, and say to the people, He has risen from
the dead,’ So the last deception will be worse than the
first.”
NKJV
C.
Enemies stole the body.
This theory isn’t viable. On the Day of Pentecost, when
Peter and other apostles preached the resurrection of
Jesus, the Jews would have dumped His corpse before the
multitude of thousands and Christianity would have died
before getting started.
D.
His disciples stole the body and made up the story of
His resurrection.
This was the rumor made up by the chief priests.
(Matthew 28:11-15) “Now while they were going, behold,
some of the guard came into the city and reported to the
chief priests all the things that had happened. When
they had assembled with the elders and consulted
together, they gave a large sum of money to the
soldiers, saying, ‘Tell them, His disciples came at
night and stole Him away while we slept.’ ‘And if this
comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and
make you secure.’ So they took the money and did as
they were instructed; and this saying is commonly
reported among the Jews until this day.”
NKJV
This theory isn’t possible either. Several reasons:
How did a group of civilians [Jesus’ disciples] get by
professional security guards, [even if they were
sleeping, of which there is no evidence] move a huge
stone, [megalith] and steal the body without waking up
the guards? Notice why the guards were told what to
say. (Matthew 28:1-4) “Now after the Sabbath, as
the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold,
there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord
descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the
stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was
like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And
the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead
men.”
NKJV
Also, what did the disciples gain by telling the
resurrection account? Torture and death! People do not
willingly die knowing their cause is a hoax.
Example: Acts 4:1-3, 33. “Now as they spoke to the
people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the
Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that
they taught the people and preached in Jesus the
resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on
them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it
was already evening.
33“And
with great power the apostles gave witness to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was
upon them all.”
NKJV
There
is great evidence attesting to the fact of
Christ’s resurrection.
E.
The only possible explanation for the empty tomb which
fits the facts is that Jesus Christ actually rose
from the dead!
III.
Many Infallible Proofs
Luke, the historian of both the life of Christ and the
early church, wrote these words: (Acts 1:1-3) “The
former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus
began both to do and teach, until the day in which He
was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given
commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom
He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by
many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty
days and speaking of the things pertaining to the
kingdom of God.”
NKJV
The
word “proofs” translates a Greek term that was used to
“denote the strongest proof of which a subject is
susceptible.”
Let’s look at some of the many witnesses of the
resurrection:
A.
Mary Magdalene
(Mark 16:9-11) also a group of women disciples
(Matthew 28:9-10)
B.
Apostle Peter (Luke 24:34)
C.
Two disciples
on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35)
D.
Apostles
(John 20:19-23)
E.
More than 500 brethren at one time (I Corinthians
15:6)
F.
Paul
(I Corinthians 15:7-8)
Question: Are these witnesses reliable?
One
of the foremost authorities on legal evidence ever to
live in this country was the renowned Simon Greenleaf
(1783 – 1853), who served as Royall Professor of Law at
Harvard and later as Dane Professor of Law at Harvard.
In 1852, he published his famous work, A Treatise on
the Law of Evidence, which “is still considered the
greatest single authority on evidence in the entire
literature of legal procedure” (Smith, 1974, p.423). In
1847, professor Greenleaf issued a significant work of
more than 500 pages under the title of An Examination
of the Testimony of the Four Evangelists by the Rules of
Evidence Administered in Courts of Justice (Baker,
1965 reprint). In this remarkable work, Greenleaf
concluded that it was “impossible that they [the
apostles – WJ] could have persisted in affirming the
truths they have narrated, had not Jesus actually risen
from the dead, and had they not known this fact as
certainly as they knew any other fact” (as quoted in
Smith, 1974, p. 424). Numerous other highly-competent
historical and legal authorities have testified in a
similar fashion (see: Smith, 1974, chapter 8;
McDowell, 1972, pp.196ff.).
Yes, these witnesses are reliable.
Conclusion:
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is an
historical fact, based on solid evidence. We can trust
in it completely. Its significance cannot be
overestimated.
1.
His deity was confirmed by it. (Romans 1:3-4)
“concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born
of the seed of David according to the flesh, and
declared to be the Son of God with power according to
the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the
dead.”
NKJV
2.
Forgiveness of sins is possible because of it. (I
Corinthians 15:17) “And if Christ is not risen, your
faith is futile; you are still in your sins!”
NKJV
3.
Our future resurrection is guaranteed by His
resurrection. (I Corinthians 15:20-22) “But now
Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the
firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since
by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of
the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all
shall be made alive.”
NKJV
Invitation:
Read – (Romans 6:3-5) “Or do you not know that as many
of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized
into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him
through baptism into death, that just as Christ was
raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so
we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have
been united together in the likeness of His death,
certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His
resurrection.”
NKJV
Bobby Stafford
April 5, 2015
The
church of Christ
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