THE RESURRECTIONOF JESUS CHRIST

1 Corinthians 15:16-17For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!

SOME DOUBT THE RESURRECTION

• Thomas– "Unless I see in His hands the print of the

nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." (John 20:25).

– “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:27-29).

• It is a question of fact.– Not a question of science.

– Not a question of philosophy.

– Not a question of knowing as the disciples in the first century knew.

• A matter of faith produced by written testimony.

WAS JESUS RESURRECTED?

• And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." (John 20:30-31).

• "so then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17).

• Not a blind faith – our faith is based on written evidence.

REASON FOR THE GOSPEL

IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTSTO ESTABLISH THE TRUTH

OF AN EVENT1. General background of the case.

2. Number and dependability of witnesses.

3. Attitude of witnesses toward the event both before and after it’s occurrence.

4. Circumstances surrounding the witnesses.

1. Time

2. Place

3. Number of occurrences etc…

PROOF THAT JESUS DIED

• And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!“ (Matthew 27:50-55).

PROOF THAT JESUS DIED• And many women who followed Jesus from

Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons. Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb. (Matthew 27:55-61).

• Matthew 27:50-61.– Centurion and those with him.

• “truly this WAS the Son of God.”

– Pilate.

– Joseph of Arimathaea.

– The women.

PROOF THAT JESUS DIED

• THE ENEMIES OF CHRIST – Jews– Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how

that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.' 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." Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how." So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard. (Matthew 27:63-66).

PROOF THAT JESUS DIED

WAS JESUS RESURRECTED

FROM THE DEAD?

EYE-WITNESS TESTIMONYOF THE RESURRECTION

• Mary Magdalene.– “Now when He rose early on the first day of

the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.” (Mark 16:9-11).

• Mary Magdalene.– But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You

seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples; and Peter; that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you." (Mark 16:6-7).

EYE-WITNESS TESTIMONYOF THE RESURRECTION

• TWO MORE WITNESSES.– After that, He appeared in another form to two

of them as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. (Mark 16:12-13).

– Total of three eye-witnesses.– Enough evidence for any court that Jesus is

alive.

EYE-WITNESS TESTIMONYOF THE RESURRECTION

• HUNDREDS OF EYE-WITNESSES!– ". . . and that He was seen by Cephas, then by

the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time." (1 Corinthians 15:5-8)

EYE-WITNESS TESTIMONYOF THE RESURRECTION

CONDUCT OF THE APOSTLES

• RESURRECTION TO PENTECOST.– Then Peter took Him aside and began to

rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" (Matthew 16:22).

– Peter denied Jesus three times (Matthew 26:69-74).

– They were uncertain and fearful about the future.

– They did not preach the resurrection.

• ON PENTECOST AND AFTER.– Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of

Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know; Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. (Acts 2:22-24)

CONDUCT OF THE APOSTLES

• ON PENTECOST AND AFTER.– For David says concerning Him: 'I foresaw the

LORD always before my face, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.' (Acts 2:25-28).

CONDUCT OF THE APOSTLES

• ON PENTECOST AND AFTER.– Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you

of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses." (Acts 2:28-32).

CONDUCT OF THE APOSTLES

TESTIMONY OF JESUS

• JESUS KNEW HE WAS GOING TO DIE.– He knew WHY.– He knew HOW.– He knew WHEN.

• He knew He was going to die and be RESURRECTED from the dead.

• JESUS KNEW HE WAS GOING TO DIE.– Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the

twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again." (Matthew 20:17-19).

TESTIMONY OF JESUS

• JESUS KNEW HE WAS GOING TO DIE.– "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay

down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father." (John 10:17-18).

– "Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it." (Acts 2:23-24).

TESTIMONY OF JESUS

THE RESURRECTIONOF JESUS CHRIST

• DO YOU BELIEVE?– If so, you must believe He is who He said He is

– the Son of God.– If you TRULY BELIEVE, it will lead you to obey

Him.– When you believe you have the right to

become a child of God.– But as many as received Him, to them He gave

the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12).

• Belief is one step.– Repent of your sin - "I tell you, no; but unless

you repent you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13:3).

– Confess Jesus before men "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32).

THE RESURRECTIONOF JESUS CHRIST

• Belief is the one step.– Repent of your sin.– Confess Jesus before men.– Be baptized into Christ for the remission of

sins• "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in

the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins… (Acts 2:38)

• For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:26-27).

THE RESURRECTIONOF JESUS CHRIST

• Belief is the one step.– Repent of your sin.– Confess Jesus before men.– Be baptized into Christ for the remission of

sins.– Live a faithful Christian life.

• Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10).

• If you BELIEVE, obey Him today.

THE RESURRECTIONOF JESUS CHRIST