02 Apr 21 Reasons to Believe in Jesus’ Resurrection
21 Reasons to Believe in Jesus’ Resurrection
HE IS – King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Way/Truth/Life, Light of World, Resurrection & Life!
Jesus Christ – 2000 yrs ago, small town, poor family, never travelled or held office. Most influential Person (books, paintings, songs, BC/AD, Xmas/Easter)
= Only major religious leader to say they are God & died for saying it
Jesus Resurrection Defeats Sin & Death
- Physically alive
- Physically dead for a period
- Then physically alive in a perfected body never to die again (not revived)
1. Jesus’ resurrection was predicted in the Old Testament
1000 B.C. Psalm 16:10 “…you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.”
2. Jesus’ predicted His resurrection in advance
Mark 8:31 [Jesus] began to teach them that [He] must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.
3. Jesus’ died
- cross, spear, burial clothes, rock tomb
4. Jesus’ tomb location was well known
- Joseph Arimathea, visitors
5. Jesus’ tomb was guarded by the Roman government
6. Jesus’ empty tomb was found by women
7. Jesus’ disciples were transformed from cowards to courageous
- Doubter – Thomas became worshipper
- Denier – Peter later asked to be crucified upside down
8. Jesus’ appeared to crowds upwards of 500 people over forty days
9. Jesus’ followers remained loyal to Him
10. Jesus’ tomb was not enshrined
- Edwin Yamauchi – 22 languages, 8 fellowships, ancient cultures/languages
- 50 tombs enshrined in the area at the time
- 0 for Jesus
Of major religions founded by a person, burial place a “holy site”
-
- The founder Judaism is Abraham who is buried in Jerusalem.
- The founder of Buddhism is the Buddha who is buried in India.
- The founder of Islam is Mohammed who is buried in Medina.
11. Jesus’ followers worshipped Him as God
12. Jesus’ family worshipped Him as God
13. Jesus’ followers changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday
14. Jesus’ followers practiced communion and baptism
15. Jesus’ enemy Paul was converted
16. Jesus’ resurrection was recorded shortly after it occurred
- Mark 37 AD; 1 Cor 15 creed 30-36 A.D. when eyewitnesses still alive
17. Jesus’ resurrection is unique in history
- Jews – only national resurrection Daniel 12:2
- Greeks – only spiritual life after death not physical life
N.T. Wright Studied at Oxford, taught at St Andrews, and wrote “The Resurrection of the Son of God”. Greek philosophers rejected resurrection. Pagans stole idea from XN’s
18. Jesus resurrection is verified by history
Josephus (A.D. 37-100) Jewish historian born a few years after Jesus died. “…there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who wrought surprising feats…He was the Christ. When Pilate, upon hearing him accused by men…had condemned him to be crucified, those who had in the first place come to love him did not give up their affection for him. On the third day he appeared to them restored to life, for the prophets of God had prophesied these and countless other marvelous things about him. And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.”
19. Jesus’ resurrection defies any alternate explanation
- Devout Jews of character suffered death for no earthly benefit
After surveying all the evidence, Thomas Arnold (former professor of Modern History at Oxford) says: “No one fact in the history of mankind . . . is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort” than the fact that “Christ died and rose from the dead.”
20. Jesus Church has stood the test of time!
- The best life comes after death (me, family, church, ministry)
- Fear of death
21. Jesus is alive and changing lives to this day!
- Do you want Jesus to take your sin, change your life, & secure your eternity?
