Every person exposed with the fact of the resurrection has to make a decision about who Jesus Christ is. There are many who try to deny and dismiss the resurrection so that they don’t have to ben their knee to Christ and this is how some choose to explain it away:
STOLEN BODY: Some think that the disciples of Jesus came and stole the body from the tomb. This is hardly probable since the disciples were hiding in fear for their lives. Peter ran from a girl and they think that the disciples would have mustered up enough courage to fight the Roman Guards placed in front of the tomb? Also the disciples were blind to the fact of the resurrection. They did not understand the promise of the resurrection. Peter was so discouraged he said he was going back to fishing...Thomas when he was told Jesus was alive he said in so many words, "I have to see it to believe it."
SWOON THEORY: Some think that Jesus didn’t really die but fainted from exhaustion. Then when he came to he was able to deliver himself from the tomb.
How could a pitiful man who was beaten, crucified, thrust in the side with a spear, wrapped tightly in linnen remove a 1,000 lbs boulder from the inside, and then manage to whip the guards who were waiting for him on the outside. Actually, this is a truly double-edged position because then you have to admit that Jesus was able to do the miraculous!
THE EMPTY TOMB: Some say that Mary, Martha and the others went to the wrong grave. This is truly absurd. If that were true the authorities would have no problem producing the body squelching any talk of a resurrection. Plus Jesus was seen alive after the resurrection so Jesus was obviously out of his tomb.
The resurrection of Christ is not a myth or a legend, but a cold hard fact. It has been said that the resurrection of Christ was the single most historically reliable event that was recorded in ancient history. To deny the fact of the resurrection would equate to denying the existence of George Washington or something like that.
The point of my blog is not to use all of the historical data available to us, but rather look of the fact of I. The testimony of Scripture speaks to the fact of the resurrection.
A. It was prophesied hundreds of years before it took place that Jesus the Messiah would suffer, die and rise again from the dead. Ps 16:10 & Ps 40:1-3.
B. Jesus Himself time and again forewarned His disciples that the
Son of Man should suffer, be handed over to sinful men and be crucified but rise again on the 3rd day.
C. Jesus warned His enemies that He would rise again from the dead and they knew it...That is why the posted the Roman soldiers to guard the tomb. Mt 27:62-65.
II. THE TESTIMONY OF THE APOSTLES.
What changed the disciples? They were running scared, depressed, despondent, and hiding for fear of their lives. Take Peter for example...the night Jesus was arrested he denied Jesus three times. Yet a few weeks later He stands up in front of all of Jerusalem proclaiming Jesus is the Christ, and you crucified Hm. The Apostles gave everything they had even their very lives for the truth of the resurrection. All of the disciples were martyred for their faith. Peter was crucified upside down. Bartholomew was skinned alive, John died in exile on the isle of Patmos.
People die for their faith all of the time. Take the 911 highjackers...but they believed it was the truth. Do you think the disciples would suffer and die for something that was not true? Would you die for a lie? Don’t you think one of them would admit the truth and recant if they knew it was a lie and one big cover up?
III. The Testimony of Paul. (Saul of Tarsus)
A. He was a Persecutor of Christians. He hated them and was zealous for the pure law and Judiasm.
B. He was sold on the fact the law was the only means of salvation. Yet after his conversion to Christ he was known as the Apostle of Grace. (Preached grace over law)
C. He said he was a "Hebrew of Hebrews" Meaning that he felt spiritually and morally superior to others. Becasue he was zealous to keep the law.
D. The passion of his mission: Paul was beaten, robbed, stoned. Left for dead, shipped wrecked, run out of town, imprissioned, and eventually beheaded. What would cause a man to do this? His whole life and ministry was based on the vision he had of the resurrected Christ.
IV. The testimony of You and Me.
1. I have never seen Jesus with my eyes but I have seen Him with my heart. I have seen His influence on and through others.
2. Jesus is alive our lives.
3. We talk to Him and He talks to us.
4. Jesus is so real to me...It has totally and radically changed my life and because he has changed my life I have seen Him change other’s lives too.
5. Today I testify that I am not the same as I used to be. I am not perfect by any means, but I have hope, peace, joy, purpose, and love in my heart for others that has come to me through Jesus.
The resurrected Christ will change you life! And to all my fellow laborers in the Lord the very Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you! We have resurrection power! Power to live for Christ and die to sin! Power to love our enemies. Power to be an effective witness for Christ. Power to overcome this world, the flesh, and the Devil! I could go on but you get the point!
Happy Resurrection Day! Celebrate Jesus! He is alive!
Love in Christ,
Brother Todd
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