Jesus Arose From the Dead

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. 6 “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.” Matthew 28:5-6

“So, here’s how I look at the evidence for the Resurrection: First, did Jesus die on the cross? And second, did he appear later to people? If you can establish those two things, you made your case, because dead people don’t normally do that.” (Dr Gary Habermas, The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel, Zondervan 1998. Page 307)

1.     Jesus’ Resurrection is Unique and Fundamental to Christianity

a.      Resurrection faith (1 Corinthians 15:14).

b.      Peter (Acts 2:24, 32; 4:10; 1 Peter 1:21).

c.      Paul (Acts 13:30-32; 17:31; 1 Corinthians 15; Philippians 3:21).

d.      Jesus (Matthew 12:39-40; John 2:20-22).

2.     Jesus really died. He did not “swoon,” nor was the body stolen.

a.      Soldiers did not brake his legs (John 19:33).

b.      Blood and water from his body (John 19:33-37).

c.      Pilate and the Centurion (Mark 15:44-45).

d.      Joseph of Arimathaea took his body (Matthew 27:57-58).

e.      Women went to anoint his dead body (Mark 16:1)

f.       Jesus was triumphant after resurrection (John 20:26-30; Acts 1:1-11).

g.      Jesus said that he had died and now lives (Revelation 1:18).

3.     Jesus’ body was raised from the dead. No one was able to find a dead Jesus.

a.      The tomb was empty (Matthew 26:6; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:3, 12; John 20:1-2).

b.      The chief priests bribed the soldiers to say the body had been stolen (Matthew 28:11-15).

c.      The angels said he had risen (Matthew 28:6).

d.      People saw and recognized him (Luke 24:37-39; John 20:27).

e.      Paul believed in the bodily resurrection (1 Corinthians 15; Romans 1:4; 8:11).

f.       Jesus knew he had risen from the dead (Luke 24:39; Revelation 1:18).

g.      Peter said that he arose (Acts 2:24-32; 1 Peter 1:3, 21).

h.      Jesus’ post death appearances testify to a physical resurrection (John 20:14-18; John 21; Acts 1:1-11).

i.         Other Scripture is meaningless without a bodily resurrection (Romans 8:11; Ephesians 1:19-20; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

4.     Jesus’ resurrection body was a real body.

a.      His body was made of “flesh and bones.” People touched him (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:20, 24-29).

b.      His body was supernatural and so not limited to time and space (Luke 24:31, 51; John 20:19, 26; Acts 1:9-11).

c.      His body can never die again (Romans 6:9-10; Revelation 1:18).

5.     Historical Proof of the resurrection.

a.      No one ever found the dead body, even though they tried.

b.      The Christian Jews substituted the Lord’s day in place of their Sabbath day.

c.      The church exists based upon the resurrected savior.

d.      Missionary activity of the apostles and disciples happened because they followed a living savior.

6.     There are witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection.

a.      Along with the women and disciples who saw him right after his resurrection, over five hundred witnesses saw Jesus after his resurrection,  and none came forward to say it was not true (1 Corinthians 15:3-9).

b.      The apostles and disciples had nothing to gain, and everything to lose, by spreading something that they did not believe. Timothy was imprisoned (Hebrews 13:23); James was executed (Acts 12:1-2); Paul was imprisoned and executed (2 Timothy 4:6-8); John was imprisoned on Patmos (Revelation 1:9); believers were persecuted and scattered (Acts 8:1-3).

c.      Ignatius (died 107), Tertullian (160-225), and Polycarp (70-156) accepted the resurrection.

7.     Jesus’ resurrection has many results for himself, for believers, and for unbelievers.

a.      For himself:

i.         Proved he was God’s Son (Romans 1:4).

ii.        The Father accepted his substitutionary sacrifice for sins (John 16:10; Romans 4:25).

iii.       He will judge mankind (Acts 10:42).

iv.     His teaching was shown to be authoritative because he did what he said he would do (John 2:13-21; Matthew 28:6).

v.      He is the omnipotent head of the Church (Ephesians 1:19-22).

b.      For believers:

i.         Proves that the Father accepted his sacrifice, therefore God justifies believers (Romans 4:25).

ii.        God forgives our sins (1 Corinthians 15:17).

iii.       The gospel message that we spread is the true salvation message (1 Corinthians 15:20 with 15:13-15).

iv.     Jesus is now our high priest (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25).

v.      Believers have God’s power for living the Christian life (Philippians 3:10; Romans 6:1-14).

vi.     Believers will be resurrected and gain a glorified body (John 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 4:14; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Philippians 3:20-21).

vii.    Christ will reward believers for divine good service (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

c.      For unbelievers:

i.         All unbelievers will be resurrected and face God’s judgment for rejecting Christ as savior and depending upon their own works (Acts 17:31; Revelation 20:11-15).

8.     So What?

a.      Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is a fact of history; and if there is a resurrection, there is a heaven.

b.      He is God and man, the Son of God, and the only Savior of mankind; he is the only way to heaven.

c.      He died in your place in payment for your sins. He did all the work. You can do nothing to gain eternal salvation.

d.      Eternal salvation is a free gift from God. You simply believe Him (trust Him) to save you.

e.      You who are already believers need to live in fellowship with him and follow him with the eyes of your soul, based on Bible doctrine, and through the power of the Holy Spirit.