04/15/2022
With Easter Approaching there are some that might ask 'Did Christ Really Rise from the Grave?'
Since the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most attacked doctrine; it is wise to fully understand the truth of this important doctrine. Many skeptics would like to disprove the death, burial and resurrection of Christ but it is a fact with many proofs of its validity. It is important to understand and even defend it because without the Resurrection, a believer's faith would be worthless and they should be pitied if Christ was not raised from the grave because without the resurrection the believer would still be in his sins (1 Cor 15: 17–19).
Starting with the triumphal entry, Jesus was boldly showing his divinity. This went on throughout the Passion Week until Jesus’ crucifixion on Friday. After being hours on the cross, to speed up the death of Jesus, a soldier proceeded to break Jesus’ legs but the soldier realized that Jesus was already dead and his legs didn't need to be broken but just to make sure he was dead; the soldier plunged his spear into Jesus' chest cavity. Since there was no flinching from Jesus’ body and that blood poured out; this trained Roman soldier who crucified men for a living concluded that Jesus was already dead.
Another proof of the death of Christ is that Jesus was buried (Since alive people are not buried). There are actually some that argue that Jesus was buried alive and somehow had the strength after the beatings and crucifixion to unbandage himself, roll the huge stone out of the way of the tomb, fight off two trained Roman soldiers and escaped unnoticed. To believe that a man that was nearly beaten to death and then crucified could do this takes more faith to believe than just believing in truth of the resurrection.
The proof of Jesus’ death is clear and it was seen that he was buried but now the empty tomb must be explained. If Jesus didn’t resurrect; where is the body of Christ? Why would the disciples steal the body? None of the disciples received wealth, power or political status for preaching the Resurrection of Christ. They all received torture, imprisonment, and/or death because of it. (2 Cor 11:22–25)
Why would all of the disciples die for a lie?
Historically it is shown that the soldiers were paid to say that the disciples stole the body. (Matt 28:11–15) These men are not even a valid witness because it would involve men testifying about what happened while they were sleeping. One cannot accept this as a valid testimony. Guards would have been put to death for losing a prisoner while sleeping. (Acts 12:19; 16:27) If the disciples stole the body while the guards slept, the guards would not have admitted it.
The disciples seen the risen Savior and there were many eyewitnesses that testified that they had also seen the risen savior, including five hundred people at one time (1 Cor 15:6). So, it would be safe to say that well over five hundred witnesses saw with their own eyes that Jesus rose from the grave and these eyewitnesses were never brought into a court to be proven wrong.
All of this evidence points to the actual resurrection of Christ. This cannot be denied because of the many eyewitnesses and the empty tomb. If Jesus did not resurrect, why did the guards get paid off instead of killed for "sleeping on the job?" Why weren't the eyewitnesses brought in to the courts to be proved unreliable? Where is the body?
These are strong enough arguments to defend the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but I believe that the strongest argument for proof of His resurrection is the changed lives of the disciples. At the death of Christ, the disciples fled scared and confused because they were expecting Jesus to be their new political ruler to overtake Rome. Not one of the disciples expected to see Jesus resurrected, so there was no way that they could have the same hallucination. There would be no reason for them to steal the body of Jesus. Why would they risk their lives to circulate a lie?
After Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples were empowered with the Holy Spirit to be bold witnesses of this resurrection. (Matt 28:19, Acts 2:4) Being eyewitnesses they went out and turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6). At their first outreach, Peter stood up with boldness and preached to thousands. (Acts 2: 14–41) Being eyewitnesses brought them assurance of the reality of the resurrection and it also brought them confidence to step out by faith into the opposition that the religious rulers had waiting for them
It is great to know Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, but He didn’t just die and remain buried in a cold dark grave. He rose from that grave on the third day proving that He was God and that He had the power to save each of us from our many sins. Undoubtedly, with this assurance of the resurrection will come a changed life in you, so maybe you can “turn the world upside down” like the disciples did.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures… 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
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By Brian Hill
Downpour Fellowship
