JESUS RISES FROM THE DEAD!
Is this a joke? Is it real? Was it/Is it a total con game? What do you believe? Why?Is the Word of God enough of a document/writing for you to believe that someone could rise from the dead?
How would you answer a person that made these statements:
- The disciples stole Jesus' body and then lied about it. After they got by with it....they realized that if they told the truth they would be in real trouble.
- The resurrection didn't happen. Jesus died but he didn't rise from the dead.
- Jesus didn't die on the cross. He fainted and then work up hours later.
- The Roman soldiers stole Jesus' body.
- The disciples and others who claimed to see a risen Jesus were simply hallucinating.
- Jesus only acted dead. When he was put in the tomb, he waited until everyone was gone, then he sneaked out of the tomb.
- The disciples went to the wrong tomb when looking for Jesus, and that's why they thought he had risen from the dead.
Jesus knew that there would be people that would not believe....and there would be some that would. What would cause a person to make the choice of believing or not believing?
What happened at the moment of Jesus' death confirmed who Jesus really was (Matthew 27:50-56). The splitting of the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in the Temple had deep significance.
- Dramatic supernatural event
- Symbolized what Jesus had done in his death on the cross.
- The High Priest entered into the Most Holy Place once a year to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people (Hebrews 9:7). That was the only time he could enter into God's presence.
- Jesus, the innocent Son of God, in taking our sins upon himself and dying for those sins, opened the way for us to have a direct relationship with God (Hebrews 10:19-20)
Resurrection Morning...
What Jesus did in his death on the cross was an amazing and powerful demonstration of God's love because he offered forgiveness for our sins.
But...what Jesus and the Father did on the first Easter morning was even more astounding and perhaps more significant. Jesus' resurrection is at the core of our faith.
Resurrection appearances
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was the beginning of Christianity. If Christ had not been resurrected and seen by many people (more than 500), Christianity would not exist today. Jesus made twelve appearances after his resurrection:.
- His first appearance was to Mary Magdalene, on that early Sunday morning. (Mark 16:9; John 20:10-18)..
- Jesus appeared to the women returning from the tomb. (Matthew 28:9-10).
- Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. (Luke 24:13-32; Mark 16:12-13).
- He appeared to Peter in Jerusalem. (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5).
- He appeared to his disciples and other followers, and also a second time to the two men from Emmaus, in a locked room in Jerusalem. The apostle Thomas wasn't there at that time. (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-23).
- A week later, Jesus again appeared to his disciples behind locked doors, and this time Thomas was present. (John 20:24-29).
- Jesus appeared to seven of his disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. (John 21:1-24).
- Jesus was seen by 500 believers at one time. (1 Corinthians 15:6).
- He appeared to James. (1 Corinthians 15:7).
- He appeared to eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee. (Matt. 28:18-20).
- He walked with his disciples along the road to Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, and then ascended into Heaven. (Luke 24:50-53).
- He was seen by Paul on the road to Damascus. (Acts 9:3-6; 1 Corinthians 15:8).
- (see 1 Corinthians 15)
- In the New Testament of the Bible, there is a book called 1 Corinthians, which was written by a disciple named Paul. The 15th chapter of this book explains the significance of the resurrection of Jesus. It says that Jesus died for our sins. (see 1 Corinthians 15:3). It also says that our faith would be meaningless if there had been no resurrection (see 1 Corinthians 15:17). And it proclaims that Jesus was resurrected. (see 1 Corinthians 15:20). Paul is one of the people who saw Jesus after the resurrection.
