The Truth of the Resurrection

April 4, 2021

Randy Hageman

For those who have committed our lives to Jesus Christ, Easter is the single most important

in history.

Is Easter significant only if I decide to make it significant, or is it significant,

, whether I recognize that or not?

Jesus answered, ‘My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.’ Pilate said, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus responded, ‘You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.’ ‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, ‘He is not guilty of any crime.’ —John 18:36-38 (NLT)

Pilate is doing what a lot of people do today – questioning if there is any real truth, any

truth.

If the resurrection isn’t the truth, if it was symbolic or a fabrication or just an outright lie, then not only does Easter lose its true importance, but so does the entire

faith.

And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. —1 Corinthians 15:17 (NLT)

Clearly, the weight of the historical and medical evidence indicates that Jesus was dead…. Accordingly, interpretations based on the assumption that Jesus did not die on the cross appear to be at odds with modern medical knowledge. —Journal of the American Medical Society

The real issue is, did Jesus, in fact,

from the dead; was he

Reveal Answer

?

WAS THE TOMB ACTUALLY

ON THAT EASTER SUNDAY MORNING?

The next day, on the Sabbath [Saturday], the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. They told him, ‘Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: “After three days I will rise from the dead.” So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.’ Pilate replied, ‘Take guards and secure it the best you can.’ So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it. —Matthew 27:62-66 (NLT)

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.’ —Matthew 28:1-6 (NLT)

The first witnesses to the empty tomb were

.

While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, ‘You are to say, “His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.” If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.’ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. —Matthew 28:11-15 (NLT)

Even Jesus’ enemies realized the tomb was empty, but they could never admit that, so they

the guards to say the disciples came and stole the body.

Could The Disciples Have Stolen Jesus’ Body?

1. They would have had to get past the

.

2. They gave every appearance of being

from Jesus’ death.

3. Even though they had heard Jesus say he would rise on the third day, they never gave any indication they

that.

4. If they had stolen the body, and it was all a big charade, would they have stood up to

for a lie?

WERE THERE CREDIBLE

TO JESUS’ RESURRECTION?

I [the Apostle Paul] passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. —1 Corinthians 15:3-8 (NLT)

Paul talks of over five hundred witnesses, and he tells the Corinthians that if they have any doubts, there are plenty of those witnesses still

who could verify the story.

Over five hundred people across forty days don’t have the

hallucination.

The disciples knew from personal experience that Jesus was risen from the dead, and they were clearly willing to

for their faith.

From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. —Matthew 16:21 (NLT)

Jesus fulfilled some

prophecies about his life, death and resurrection.

No one ever predicted that they would be crucified, die, and rise from the grave on the third day, except

.

Angel: He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.…’ —Matthew 28:6 (NLT)

The Guinness Book of World Records’ “most successful lawyer, who succeeded in getting his 245th consecutive murder acquittal by January 1, 1985” said:

I say unequivocally that the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt. —Sir Lionel Luckhoo

The best evidence for Jesus’ resurrection is individuals who committed their lives to him, and they were completely

.

Jesus promises this same

of death for each of us who put our faith in him and choose to follow him the rest of our days.

Jesus doesn’t promise us

in this life, but he does open us up to his grace and forgiveness, his peace and his eternal hope.

Jesus: … ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ —John 11:25-26 (NIV11)

Next Week: New Series – Untangled