The Lord Jesus “died for our sins…was buried, and…raised”. Deeply significant as was the Savior’s death, had He not risen from the tomb His death would have meant very little to us. Peter affirms:
2 Peter 3:16b: There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.”
Before He died, Jesus said that on the third day after His death He would rise again (Matthew 12:39-40; Matthew 16:21; John 2:18-22); and after His resurrection He declared that He had risen from the dead (John 20:19-29; Revelation 1:18). If, in fact, He did not rise, then He was a deceiver and a liar. To disbelieve the bodily resurrection of Christ is to reject His own testimony. On the other hand, if He is the Son of God (and we believe and know that He is!), we know that He rose again because we have His own word for it (1 John 5:9-10).
In spite of the fact that every attempt has been made to discredit the accuracy of these records, no one has ever succeeded! In the Gospels we have four independent accounts of the resurrection, written without collaboration on the part of the writers, and these four eye-witness accounts manifest a wonderful harmony. It is easy to agree that the resurrection of the Lord Jesus is ‘the best attested fact of history’ when one reads the historical account of the resurrection in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
In the Gospels there is no indication that anyone questioned the fact that the tomb really was empty. How did it become empty?
(A) The disciples removed the body? Why should they? How did they get past the soldiers? Were they all deceivers?
(B) Joseph removed the body? Why – and where? Was he also a deceiver (Mark 15:43)?
(C) The Jews removed the body? Wouldn’t they have been the first to say so?
(D) The Roman soldiers removed the body? Why should they risk their lives doing so?
(E) He did not really die? He only lapsed into unconsciousness. This is another of the unreasonable and stupid explanations given by infidels; the truth is – He rose again!
There were at least fourteen groups or persons who saw Him alive after His death. Look up and compare the following references:
(A) John 20:14-18
(B) Matthew 28:8-10
(C) Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5
(D) Luke 24:13-31
(E) Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-24
(F) John 20:24-29
(H) John 21:1-23
(I) 1 Corinthians 15:6
(J) 1 Corinthians 15:7
(K) Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:14-20; Luke 24:33-53; Acts 1:3-12
(L) Acts 9:3-6; 1 Corinthians 15:8
(M) Acts 22:17-21; Acts 23:11
(N) Acts 7:55
(O) Revelation 1:18
Some have tried to make out that the disciples did not really see the Lord Jesus and speak with Him – they only imagined they saw Him! What a foolish suggestion this is!
Before His death these men had not grasped the fact that He would rise again, and when He was arrested and later crucified they were timid, cowardly and full of fear (Matthew 26:56; John 20:19); but after His resurrection they became bold and courageous (Acts 4:13); and the only message that they had to proclaim was that “this Jesus has God raised up…” (Acts 1:21-22; Acts 2:36; Acts 3:15; Acts 4:2; 33; Acts 17:18; Acts 23:6; Romans 10:9; Philippians 3:8-10). Rather than deny their risen Lord they were willing to be persecuted, imprisoned and even martyred (Acts 5:41; Acts 7:54-60; Acts 12:2).
These two permanent ‘institutions’ both testify to the reality of the resurrection. Look up Acts 2:47…it is still going on! See also Acts 20:7.
The mighty work that Jesus accomplished when He died for us could only be accomplished in us if He rose again; only thus could the salvation He made possible become actual and experienced.
Conclusion: Have you experienced salvation from the Risen Savior?