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Matthew 27:27-37; John 19:16-30

A cross hung around the neck or pinned to your lapel is often, but not always there to tell the world of your faith and wearing it often brings a degree of respect from some people and definite hostility form others. But, WHY do we wear crosses at all – and what SIGNIFICANCE has the CROSS to our generation living in the mad 21^st Century?

Tonight is the night in the Christian calendar when we travel back in time 2000 years to find answers to those questions. If you wore a cross around your neck or pinned it to your toga all those years ago, people would have given you puzzled… even suspicious looks… and thought that you were some kind of weirdo!

You see, back then, the Cross was a symbol, not of faith but of failure, not of morality but of lawlessness, not of respect but of unspeakable shame.

The cross was not polished and esteemed. It loomed men­acingly on the frayed hem of every city’s outskirts, overlooking the garbage dumps. Made of rough-cut timbers and iron spikes, it stood ominously on the horizon…  like a sentry standing at attention, watching for any Enemies of the Empire… and presenting a stoic and very graphic reminder to every citizen that crimes against the state just don’t pay!…. and nobody in their right mind wanats to end their days on earth like that!

For Jesus, who had no room at the Inn when He was born… and nowhere to lay His head during His life (according to His own words in Matt. 8:20) the Cross became His final place of rest. While He hung there in agony and shame, He amazed all of His spectators as He raised His weary, bloodstained head and asked the Judge of the Universe not for vengeance, or even for justice, but for mercy on those who crucified and cursed Him! So, fallen Humanity received a second chance at that Cross…. as an eagerly waiting Father rejected His only begotten and precious Son who had become polluted by your sins and mine…. before eventually receiving Him back to the Throne room of the Ages in Heaven, where He now Reigns as undisputed LORD of all that is!

It’s a unique and fascinating spectacle…and that is why, for over 2000 years, the Cross has captured the attention of artists, poets, philosophers, and even jewellers. In the midst of earth’s most cruel brutality, such people sensed something incredibly beautiful…something almost golden against the grain of the rough-hewn wood!

It’s important to note that none of this happened by chance!

up to die, pre­dictions of His death had been carefully preserved in the Scriptures.

Several passages in the Old Testament clearly prophesy the Messiah’s crucifixion, one of the most prominent being Psalm 22. Here we see His pierced hands and feet (v. 16b), His bones pulled out of joint but not broken (vv. 14, 17), His clothing gambled for and divided (v. 18), the relentless, unmerciful mocking (vv. 7, 12-13), and His anguished cry to the Father (v. la).

Offering another poignant portrait of Christ’s suffering is Isaiah, who describes the misery and torture of God’s Servant (53:3, 5, 7, lla), His being crucified with sinners (v. 12), and the Father’s sovereign planning overarching it all (v. 10).

Historical Orientation

With these scenes from the ancient prophesies running through our minds, we now turn to the historical setting of the Crucifixion. The first thing to notice is the time it took place. After Pilate pronounced his verdict, he delivered Jesus over to be crucified (John 19:16; Mark 15:15), which probably occurred between 7:30 and 8:00 in the morning.

The actual sentencing took place at the judgment hall near Herod’s temple. John’s account helps pinpoint the location.

Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. (John 19:13)

Recent excavations have uncovered what may be the site—a large, elevated, paved area at the northwest corner of the temple site that was part of the Castle Antonia. Roman soldiers were barracked there during Passover to maintain law and order. They probably looked down from their windows as Pilate presented Jesus to the people, seeing nothing more than great sport.

A Careful Examination of the Procedure

Step by agonizing step, we’ll walk with Jesus through that mo­mentous last day of His earthly life.

The Scourging

After Jesus’ final trial before Pilate, the Roman governor had Jesus scourged (Matt. 27:26; Mark 15:15)—a cruel act that was completely unwarranted and unnecessary. Unlike Jewish scourging, in which the victim could not receive more than forty lashes (Deut. 25:1-3), Roman law was not so humane.

A lictor, trained in the ghoulish art of torture, 4 administered the scourging with an instrument called a flagellum. This had a round, wooden handle that had strips of leather attached to it. Into the ends of these strips were sewn pieces of bone or small iron chains. The lictor had no limit to the lashes he could deliver, and no part of the body was off-limits.

Jesus was stripped and then tied to a low stone column. In vivid detail, modern-day medical doctors recreate the gruesome event.

As the Roman soldiers repeatedly struck the vic­tim’s back with full force, the iron balls would cause deep contusions, and the leather thongs and sheep bones would cut into the skin and subcutaneous tissues. Then, as the flogging continued, the lacera­tions would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. Pain and blood loss generally set the stage for cir­culatory shock. The extent of blood loss may well have determined how long the victim would survive on the cross. .

The severe scourging, with its intense pain and appreciable blood loss, most probably left Jesus in a preshock state. Moreover, hematidrosis had rendered his skin particularly tender. The physical and mental abuse meted out by the Jews and the Romans, as well as the lack of food, water, and sleep, also contributed to his generally weakened state. Therefore, even before the actual crucifixion, Jesus’ physical condition was at least serious and possibly critical.

The Robe

But Jesus’ suffering was far from over. The cruel soldiers, who had circled around Christ’s bloody body like vultures, now moved in to pick at the remains.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. (Matt. 27:27-28)

This was not a long, flowing robe. The Greek term chlamus indicates a short cloak worn over the shoulders. Standing there, naked from the waist down, Jesus became the object of their vulgar remarks.

The Crown

Then came more violence.

And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. (vv. 29-31)

Mocking, jeering, abusing—it’s as if each soldier was trying to top the other’s joke. Each took his turn spitting on Jesus . . . cursing His name . . . slapping and jabbing Him with the reed . . . punching His chest with their fists. Jesus, upon whom God would soon bestow a name that was above every other. Jesus, at whose name every knee would someday bow. Jesus, before whom every tongue would someday confess He is Lord (PhiL 2:9-11). But for now, humanity offered this king only spit, expletives, and fists. And Jesus bore it all with silent, patient dignity (see 1 Pet. 2:23).

The Cross

After dressing Jesus, the soldiers followed their usual course with criminals: such a victim was surrounded by four Roman soldiers and led by a centurion, all the while struggling to carry the six-foot crossbeam that would later be attached to the larger, vertical post of the cross. And so it was with Jesus. After the scourging and beating, however, He was too weak to carry the beam Himself. Matthew tells us that Simon of Gyrene was pressed into service to help Him (Matt. 27:32).

Above Jesus’ head would hang a twelve-by-twenty-four-inch placard declaring His “crime”: This Is Jesus the King of the Jews (v. 37). Pilate had it written not only in Hebrew, so the Jews could read it, but also in Latin for the Romans and in Greek for the more educated and sophisticated in the crowd (John 19:20). No one was going to mi$s the meaning of what was about to happen. It was meant as a mockery … yet it said more than anyone could realize (see Matt. 27:37).

The Crucifixion Itself

Crucifixion was a barbaric form of capital punishment that originated in Persia. The Persians believed that the earth was sacred to Ormuzd, the earth god, so death should not contaminate the earth. Criminals, therefore, were fastened to vertical shafts of wood by iron spikes and hung above the earth to die—from exposure, exhaustion, or suffocation. Death was painfully slow and publicly humiliating. Jim Bishop again conveys the horror.

The executioner laid the crossbeam behind Jesus and brought him to the ground quickly by grasping his arm and pulling him backward. As soon as Jesus fell, the beam was fitted under the back of his neck and, on each side, soldiers quickly knelt on the in­side of the elbows. . . . The thorns pressed against his torn scalp.. . . With his right hand, the executioner probed the wrist of Jesus to find the little hollow spot. When he found it, he took one of the square-cut iron nails . . . raised the hammer over the nail head and brought it down with force. . . .

Two soldiers grabbed each side of the crossbeam and lifted. As they pulled up, they dragged Jesus by the wrists. With every breath, he groaned. When the soldiers reached the upright, the four of them began to lift the crossbeam higher until the feet of Jesus were off the ground. The body must have writhed with pain. . . .

When the crossbeam was set firmly, the execu­tioner . . . knelt before the cross. Two soldiers hur­ried to help, and each one took hold of a leg at the calf. The ritual was to nail the right foot over the left, and this was probably the most difficult part of the work. If the feet were pulled downward, and nailed close to the foot of the cross, the prisoner always died quickly. Over the years, the Romans learned to push the feet upward on the cross, so that the condemned man could lean on the nails and stretch himself upward [to breathe].³

The Agony and Death

Excruciating pain stabbed Christ’s body as He hung on unbend­ing nails.The pain in his wrists was beyond bearing, and . . . muscle cramps knotted his forearms and upper arms and the pads of his shoulders; … his pectoral muscles at the sides of his chest were momentarily paralyzed. This induced in him an involuntary panic; for he found that while he could draw air into his lungs, he was powerless to exhale.

At once, Jesus raised himself on his bleeding feet. As the weight of his body came down on the insteps, the single nail pressed hard against the top of the wound. Slowly, steadily, Jesus was forced to raise himself higher until, for the moment, his head hid the sign which told of his crime. When his shoulders were on a level with his hands, breathing was rapid and easier. . . . He fought-the pain in his feet in order to breathe rapidly for a few moments. Then, unable to bear the pain below, which cramped legs and thighs and wrung moans from the strongest, he let his torso sag lower and lower, and his knees projected a little at a time until, with a deep sigh, he felt himself to be hanging by the wrists. And this process must have been repeated again and again.⁴

In every crucifixion, fever would inevitably set in, inflaming the wounds and creating an insatiable thirst. Waves of hallucina­tions would drift the victim in and out of consciousness. In time, flies and other insects would find their way to the open wounds.

To speed up death, soldiers would break the victims’ legs so they could no longer raise themselves to breathe. But with Jesus, that wouldn’t be necessary. He was already dead.

So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immedi­ately blood and water came out. (John 19:32-34)

One sign of death is the quick separation of dark red corpuscles from the thin, whitish serum of the blood, here called water. Nor­mally, the dead do not bleed. But after death, the right auricle of the human heart fills with blood, and the membrane surrounding the heart, the pericardium, holds the watery serum. Jesus’ heart must have been punctured with the spear, causing both fluids to flow from His side.

The Cross and Our Hearts

Can our hearts help but be pierced too, as we see the lover of our souls hanging in agony … for us? How can we respond to such devotion, such sacrifice? Perhaps, first, through the reverence of prayer. Quietly, slowly, read these words of Bernard of Clairvaux, then lift up your heart to the Lord.

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered Was all for sinners’ gain;

Mine, mine was the transgression,But Thine the deadly pain.

Lo, here I fall, my Savior;Tis I deserve Thy place;  Look on me with Thy favor,Assist me with Thy grace.

What language shall I borrow To thank Thee, dearest Friend, For this, Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end? O make me Thine forever, And should I fainting be, Lord, let me never, never Outlive my love to Thee.⁵

As we meditate on Christ’s agonizing death and the meaning of it, each of us is faced with an inescapable question: What difference does His death make in my life, not just in some future, remote sense, but in the now and today I live in this moment? Author Frederick Buechner stands beside us in searching for the answer.

He died twenty centuries ago, . . . died be­cause, in some way that he did not try to explain, his death would make all the difference, for every­body, until the end of time. Does it? Does it?

It was so long ago. We do not even know what he looked like. (Or do we—would something in us recognize him if he were to appear before us?) Does that ancient death make any difference to people like us who live in a world that he could not possibly have imagined, a world of men, for many of whom God is dead? Is the death of Christ a death that really matters any more except in the dim way that any noble death might be said to matter?

All I can say is that I would not be writing these words unless I believed that the answer is Yes, that his death does make all the difference, even for us. I believe that by his dying he released into the world an entirely new kind of life, his kind of life, that has flowed down through the tragic centuries like water through a dry land, making alive and whole all who will only kneel to drink. And that is the only reason why it is not blasphemy to speak of the Friday of his unspeakable death as Good Friday.⁶

Take this time to examine your life and see what difference Christ’s death has made and is making. What “entirely new kind of life” do you find in Him? What darkness has He overcome? What light has He brought you to? What does it mean to you to be God’s reconciled child because of Christ?

1 Corinthians 15.17

”And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile” I Corinthians 15:17

When discussing the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is important to determine what your audience believes about the Bible.  There are three ways that people generally view the Scriptures:

1) It is the Holy, Inspired, and Infallible Word of God

2) It is a document that has some value and truth, but errors are found within its pages.  This leaves us with a document that can give us reliable information in some areas and unreliable information in other areas.  In other words, it is useful, but not perfect.

3) It is a complete myth with no value and no reliable information.

Defending the Resurrection to someone who holds the Bible to be infallible:
This would appear to be an easy task at first.  A cursory examination of the New Testament reveals statements such as the following:

”But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead…” I Corinthians 15:20
”’Don’t be alarmed,’ he said. ‘You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.  He has risen! He is not here.” Mark 16:6

“…who through the Spirit of holiness was declared to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead.” Romans 1:4

The problem arises when someone claims that Jesus rose from the dead, but not in a bodily state.  This is the belief of Jehovah’s Witnesses.  They claim that Jesus was raised as a spirit being, a re-created spirit Archangel Michael.  We answer these claims by noting the following passages [which can also be examined in the Jehovah’s Witness Bible]:
1) In John 2:19-21, Jesus said that He Himself would raise His own body from the dead

2) In Luke 24:37-39 and John 20:24-28, Jesus goes to long lengths to show that He was raised bodily. “Look at my hands and feet.  It is I myself!  Touch me and see; a ghost [greek:spirit] does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” [Luke 24:39]
3) What is the significance of the empty tomb? Just that God destroyed Jesus’ body?

Defending the Resurrection to one who believes the Bible to have some value:

Many people believe that the Bible is correct in describing a man named Jesus who lived 2,000 years ago and had a number of followers.  They also will note that the early church claimed that Jesus rose from the dead.  But they will deny that Jesus of Nazareth miraculously rose bodily from the grave.  Several theories have been therefore raised to explain the apparent resurrection:

1. The Conspiracy Theory
This theory proposes that the disciples conspired to steal Jesus’ body and then claim that He rose from the dead.  This theory was first used by the Jews who bribed the guards of the tomb into saying that this happened.
Problems:
1)  The disciples were highly moral men who followed Jesus’ teachings.  Is it likely that they would all turn into base liars, thieves, and deceivers immediately upon His death?  In fact, these same disciples went on to teach and live the highest system of morals the earth has ever seen.  During their ministry, they performed many miracles, including healing the sick.  From where did they get these powers?  If these powers came from God, then why would God empower liars and deceivers?

2) The disciples carried their testimony to their death.  Not one of them ever retracted his story.   Despite torture and persecution, all remained true to the account.  Such a wide-spread conspiracy lasting torture and death has never happened in the history of the world.
3) Would so many men be willing to die for something they knew to be false?  Their sudden change from fearful, confused, and defeated to fearless and powerful preachers is unheard of in a conspirist.

4) This theory makes a mockery of the Roman military machine.  A band of fishermen and commoners is no match for a sealed tomb with a very large stone in front of it, guarded by highly trained Roman soldiers whose very life depended upon carrying out their commands.  A Roman soldier caught sleeping on his watch was put to death.  It is inconceivable that the disciples would even get one inch past the guards.

5) The events of the resurrection were witnessed by more than 500 other men, as Paul notes in I Corinthians 15.  If this fact is not true, then history should record some refutation of Paul’s account.

6) There is no immediate refuting or historical case made against the Resurrection during the life of the disciples.  In other words, no one laid down a case against the resurrection during their lives because there simply was no case to lay down.

Here are the facts during the lives of the disciples:

1) Empty Tomb

2) No one can find Jesus’ body

3) Jesus Himself appeared to over 500 people over a 40 day period

4) The power of the disciples was obvious in not only preaching, but miracles

5) There was no forensic evidence available against the resurrection

2. Religious Hallucination Theory

This theory states that the disciples did not lie per se because they all indeed believed Jesus to have been risen because they all experienced a hallucination or hysteria.

Problems:

1) Many people saw Jesus in groups and on several occasions.  These encounters involved touching, conversing, and eating together.  No other known mass hysteria over a 40 day period involving dozens and even hundreds of people in groups and in normal settings has ever been known to occur.  It is just simply impossible for multiple groups of numerous people to hallucinate the exact same thing at the same time.  If this could happen, then a modern-day murderer could claim that 10 eyewitnesses to the crime were all merely experiencing mass hallucinations!

2) The body of Jesus was never found.  This would have put an immediate end to any hysteria.
3. The Apparent Death Theory [a.k.a. “The Swoon Theory”]
Those who hold to this theory propose that Jesus only appeared to die. He went, therefore, into a coma and a few days later came out of it and emerged from the tomb.

Problems:

This theory is the most ludicrous of all, because it fails to understand the extent of Christ’s wounds, and the experience of the Roman executioners

1) A brief overview of Jesus’ suffering shows a man severely beaten, with massive blood loss and dehydration.  After having a spear inserted in his side, with blood and water coming out [which is indicative of a pericardial effusion seen in cardiac failure… water; and either a hemopericardium or cardiac laceration… blood], He is wrapped from head to toe and had 75 pounds of spices placed upon Him and then placed in a tomb alone, with no medical care for up to three days behind Roman guard.  Could such a man recover from these injuries?

2) Would a man who recovered from these injuries be able to convince anyone that He is the Lord of Life?  Would He not be in immediate need of medical care?  Would He appear to be a gardener to a lady visiting the tomb?  Would He not immediately frighten her with His many wounds, blood and tattered condition?

3) The Romans were experts in execution. Jesus of Nazareth was a special man.  Even the Roman guards noted he was special as they divided his garments and noted how He died.  The need to be sure of His death would be critical.  To assume that the Romans wouldn’t recognize when a man died is not conceivable.

4) How would such a man arising out of a coma be able to roll back a stone and subdue the Roman guards?

4. The Wrong Tomb Theory

This theory supposes that the finding of an empty tomb is merely the finding of the wrong tomb.  This theory states that Jesus’ body was actually in another tomb.

Problems:

1) The women noted exactly where the tomb was [Luke 23:55], so it is improbable that every one of the women would make the same mistake

2) Peter and John ran also to the tomb.  They would also have had to make the same mistake.

3) Again, if they went to the wrong tomb, the Romans and Jews would be more than happy to mock them and direct them to the correct tomb, with its seal, once the Resurrection was preached!

4) The Wrong Tomb theory ignores the latter bodily appearances of Christ to 500 people.  Even if they went to the wrong tomb [which they didn’t as history shows], Jesus still rose and appeared to many people over 40 days and convinced everyone He met that He was indeed alive!

5. The Legend Theory

This theory grants even less reliability to the Biblical text, supposing the Ressurection and appearances of Christ were legendary tales.  Thus the Bible cannot be trusted at any point it discusses the Resurrection.

Problems:

1) The idea that the accounts are legendary implies a verbal tradition over hundreds of years.  Legends arise only long after the time of the events.  Modern Biblical scholarship and textual analysis has definitively shown the texts of the Gospels to have been written shortly after the life of Jesus Christ on earth.  The time is simply not there for a legend to arise.

2) The accounts are those of eyewitnesses, which leads us to either accept them or reject them as lies, but we cannot claim them to be legends.

3) A non-Christian Jew named Josephus, who is highly acclaimed for his history of the Jewish people said about Jesus:
“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works—a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure.  He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles.  He was [the] Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned Him to the cross, those that loved Him at the first did not forsake Him, for He appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.” Josephus: Antiquities 18.3.1 [63-64]

This historical quotation by Josephus cannot be claimed to be spurious, because the early historian Eusebius referred to and repeated this very same quote from Josephus.

Defending the Resurrection to someone who sees the Bible as complete fiction:
Someone who believes that the Bible is complete fiction will not be dissuaded by arguments from the Bible.  For them, the Bible is of no value from a historical standpoint. Such a person then concludes that the Resurrection is a myth and dismisses the Scriptural accounts.

Problems:

1) The evidence in favour of the reliability of the Bible is colossal.  When determining the reliability of any text, we must use three tests; The Bibliographical test, The Internal test; and the External test.  If we are to be intellectually honest, we can’t reject the reliability of the New Testament if it meets or exceeds these tests compared to other pieces of literature that we do indeed consider reliable.
The Bibliographical test shows the New Testament to excel.  With there being over 6,000 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament in agreement, compared to 643 of Homer’s Iliad and 10 copies of the Gallic Wars, the New Testament soars above the competition.

The Internal test shows the New Testament to be consistent in its message despite it containing nine authors and 27 books.  No other collection of books from ancient times has such incredible internal harmony.

The External Test requires comparing the facts contained in a writing with outside sources.  The New Testament and the Bible as a whole has time and again been proven accurate archaeologically.  The Book of Acts in the NT has been hailed as the best source for accurate historical information of the first century that exists.  And outside authors such as Josephus, Pliny and Suetonius have verified the basic message of the New Testament, and the Resurrection account [see above].

2) If the reliability of the New Testament is still questioned, the Resurrection can still be verified from the Origin of the Christian Faith.  Whatever a person may think about the Resurrection, even the most sceptical must admit that the belief in the Resurrection lies at the heart of the origin of the Christian faith.  This belief in the Resurrection is traced to the early disciples in church history.  Records of the early church believing and preaching the resurrection date back to the times of the apostles.

So the question becomes: What caused the apostolic belief in the Resurrection?  Falling back to a conspiracy theory, empty tomb theory or other explanation will not suffice, as we have explained above.

According to Professor Moule of Cambridge University:
”If the coming into existence of the Nazarenes [Christians], a phenomenon undeniably attested by the New Testament, rips a great hole in history, a hole of the size and shape of the Resurrection, what does the secular historian propose to stop it up with?…the birth and rapid rise of the Christian Church…remain an unsolved enigma for any historian who refuses to take seriously the only explanation offered by the Church itself.” C.F.D. Moule, The Phenomenon of the New Testament, pp.3, 13

As we have seen, there is no other explanation for the origin of the Christian faith. There is no other explanation for the empty tomb.  There is no other explanation for the witness of the apostles.  There is no other explanation for the recorded appearances of Christ after His crucifixion.  No matter what you believe about the Bible, there is simply no other explanation for these events than the Resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth from the dead!

Two great books on this topic are Evidence that demands a verdict by Josh McDowell and Who moved the stone by Frank Morrison.

1 Corinthians 15:12-21 (NIV)

12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

The cover story of the April 8, 1996 issue of Newsweek magazine was written by Kenneth Woodward entitled “Rethinking The Resurrection: A New Debate About The Risen Christ.” Early in the article, Woodward expresses his understanding of the importance of the resurrection to Christianity–”By any measure, the resurrection of Jesus is the most radical of Christian doctrines.” To strengthen his point, he quotes the  German Marxist philosopher Ernst Bloch.

“It wasn’t the morality of the Sermon on the Mount which enabled Christianity to conquer Roman Paganism, but the belief that Jesus had been raised from the dead. In an age when Roman senators vied to see who could get the most blood of a steer on their togas–thinking that would prevent death Christianity was in competition for eternal life, not morality.”

Not even the critics of Christianity deny the existence of Jesus. What they do challenge is its claims that Jesus was raised from the dead.

Q. 1  WAS JESUS REALLY DEAD?  Here are some thoughts:

First, crucifixion is not something people just walked away from. Death by crucifixion was essentially death by asphyxiation. We must remember that prior to His crucifixion, Jesus had been severely beaten in Pilate’s Hall.

Second, the scriptural record tells us that when the soldiers came to break his ankles, He was already dead.

John 19:32 (NASB) The soldiers therefore came, and broke the legs of the first man, and of the other man who was crucified with Him; 33 but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs;

Third, When he was stabbled in the chest with a spear, blood and water came out. The chief explanation is that the blood came from the right side of the heart and the water came from the pericardium. In other words, if Jesus was still alive, the spear would would have killed him. An ancient Roman author indicates that it was typical curcifixion procedure to pierce the victim with a spear to make sure the person was dead. (Quintillian Declamationes maiores 6,9.)

Fourth, if Jesus was still alive after the experience of crucifixion and revived while in the tomb, there are some extrordinary events that need to be explained. After the trauma of crucifixion and being in the tomb without food and water for three days, a revived Jesus moved a huge grave stone (Matthew 27:60), fought off and disarmed at least one guard (Matthew 27:65-66), walked some distance to where the disciples were, evidenced no signs of his ordeal to those He met and walked with them on the road to Emmaus. This would be an extraordinary feat for someone who had undergone the ordeal of flogging, dehydration and crucifixion. When He made his first appearance to His disciples, He would have had great difficulty making them believe He had been resurrected. What shape would He have been in? He would be bleeding from his wounds, he’d be pale from the loss of blood, swollen from the beatings and very weak. In this condition he would say to His disciples, “Howdy Fellah’s, I’m the crucified and raised Lord of life.” Peter may have been an unlearned fisherman, but he wasn’t stupid. I can’t believe that the disciples looking at Jesus, bleeding, pale and crippled form would say, “Oh boy, I can’t wait until I get a Resurrection body just like His!”

Fifth, if the Shroud of Turin is Jesus’ burial cloth, then it proves more strong evidence for Jesus’ death. The man buried in the shroud exhibits postmortem blood flow and he’s in a state of rigor mortis. If the man is Jesus, then we have another proof that He was dead.

Q.2 THE RESURRECTION ITSELF

How do we know that Jesus was literally and bodily raised from the dead?

A German New Testament scholar Gerd Ludemann, suggests that the Resurrection is “an empty formula” that must be rejected by anyone holding a “scientific world view.” because Jesus’ body “rotted away” in the tomb.  Dominic Crossman believes that Jesus’ body “had already been devoured by wild dogs, typical of crucified Roman criminals.”  In the book “Did Jesus Rise From The Dead: The Resurrection Debate”,  Gary Habermas and Antony Flew deal with objections to the resurrection of Jesus. On page 22, Gary Habermas lists ten key evidences for Jesus’ Resurrection.

(1) the disciples’ eyewitness experiences, which they believed to be literal appearances of the risen Jesus…(2) the early proclamation of the Resurrection by these eyewitnesses, (3) their transformation into bold witnesses who were willing to die for their convictions, (4) the empty tomb, and (5) the fact that the Resurrection of Jesus was the centre of the apostolic message, all of which require adequate explanations. It is also found that the disciples proclaimed this message in Jerusalem itself where, in repeated confrontations with the authorities, (6) the Jewish leaders could not disprove their message even though they had both the power and the motivation to do so.
Additionally, (7) the very existence of the church, founded by monotheistic, law-abiding former Jews who (8) worshipped on Sundays  demand historical causes as well.
Two additionally strong facts arguing for the historicity of the Resurrection are the two skeptics, (9) James and (10) Paul, who became Christians after having experiences that they believed were appearances of the risen Jesus.

ANSWERING OBJECTIONS

The Disciples Stole The Body

Some have suggested that the disciples stole the body of Jesus and fabricated the resurrection story. The first problem with this theory is, there is not a shred of evidence to support it. Later, when threatened with death, the disciples could have saved themselves by coming forward with the truth. All they would have needed to do was state that Jesus’ body was stolen, show the authorities where they had put it and their life would have been spared. Under the threat of death, not one disciple changed his story concerning the resurrection of Jesus. Why would they be willing to die for a lie? The disciples died declaring what they knew to be true–Jesus Christ is alive.

Roman Authorities Removed The Body

Others have suggested that the Roman authorities removed the body of Jesus from the tomb. If this is so, then why didn’t they produce it to silence the apostle’s claim that Jesus was alive. There is only one reason why the Roman and Jewish authorities failed to do so; they had no body to produce!

Note that the tomb was not empty. That’s right, it wasn’t totally empty.  In John 20:6  we read: Simon Peter also came and found strips of linen lying there. John Blanchard offers the following thoughts concerning this phrase.

The word ‘lying’ seems straightforward, but there is more to the original Greek word than meets the eye, because it is commonly used of something done in an orderly way. This means that the linen winding-cloth was not carelessly discarded. But there was something else. The head-cloth was ‘folded up by itself, separate from the linen’. One scholar says that ‘folded up by itself’ means something like ‘twirled about itself’, and another that it ‘aptly describes the rounded shape which the empty napkin still preserved’.  ”The linen windingsheets would have collapsed under the weight of the spices, while the head-cloth might well have more of less kept its shape, like ‘a crumpled turban with no head inside it’.  This suggests that the body of the entombed one had passed through the burial cloth without disturbing it. Scripture tells us that when John realized the significance of those collapsed graveclothes, he “believed.” What convinced him was not merely the absence of the body, but the way in which the grave-clothes were lying.

The So-called Eye Wittnesses Were Hallucinating

The most powerful piece of evidence for the resurrection of Jesus is the Bible’s record of His appearances. There are six independent, written testimonies to this – by Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul and Peter, three of whom are eye-witnesses – and they record eleven separate appearances over a period of forty days.

1. His Appearence To Mary Magdalene
Mark 16:9  Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.

2. His Appearence To A Group Of Women Between The Tomb And The City
Matt 28:9  And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.

3. His Appearence To Two Disciples On Their Way To Emmaus
Luke 24:15  And it came about that while they were conversing and discussing, Jesus Himself approached, and [began] traveling with them.

4. His Appearance To Simon
Luke 24:34  saying, “The Lord has really risen, and has appeared to Simon.”

5. His Appearance To A Group Of Disciples
Luke 24:36  And while they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst.

6. His Appearance A Week Later To Disciples Behind Closed Doors
John 20:26  And after eight days again His disciples were inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst, and said, “Peace [be] with you.”

7. His Appearance By The Sea Of Tiberias
John 21:1  After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested [Himself] in this way.

8. His Appearance To More Than Five Hundred At The Same Time
1Cor 15:6  After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;

9. His Appearance To James
1Cor 15:7  then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;

10. His Appearance To The Eleven On A Mountain in Galilee
Matt 28:18  And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

11. His Appearance In The Vicinity Of Bethany
Luke 24:50-51  And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 And it came about that while He was blessing them, He parted from them.

12. His Appearance To Paul
1Cor 15:8  and last of all, as it were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

The final objection surrounds these post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. According to Woodward, Ludemann offers a physcological explanation for these sightings. The Risen Christ that appeared to the Apostle Peter, according to Ludemann…was a subjective “vision” produced by Peter’s overwhelming grief and “guilt” for having denied Jesus when he was arrested. For the Apostle Paul, who had previously persecuted Christians, his vision of the Risen Jesus was the resolution of an unconscious “Christ complex.” And what the New Testament describes as Jesus’ appearance to “more than 500″ followers was a “mass ecstasy.” In short, modern psychology reduces the Risen Christ to a series of interpsychic experiences that produced in the disciples a renewed sense of missionary zeal and spiritual self-confidence.

We could understand how a guilt ridden Peter, overwhelmed by grief might have experienced a subjective “vision.” It is, however, virtually impossible  to believe that “more than 500″ followers were simultaneously caught up in “mass ecstasy.” It is unthinkable that 500 people would have the same hallucination at once.There is no evidence for such theories. The only satisfiable explanation is that they were not hullucinating but actually saw the resurrected Christ.

The nineteenth century German writer Kark Theodore Keim suggested that what the disciples saw was some kind of spirit or ghost. This cannot be collaborated by Scripture. Jesus’ post-resurrection actions and comments dismiss this idea.

The Women clasped His Physical Body
Matt 28:9  And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.

His Physical Abilities
Luke 24:30  And it came about that when He had reclined [at the table] with them, He took the bread and blessed [it,] and breaking [it,] He [began] giving [it] to them.

He clearly stated that He was not a Spirit
Luke 24:36 (NASB) And while they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst. 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 “See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 [And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.] 41 And while they still could not believe [it] for joy and were marveling, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; 43 and He took it and ate [it] before them.

While belief in theResurrection is a matter of faith, it is faith based upon powerfully persuasive evidence. In view of the facts, the only sensible conclusion to this matter is that Jesus was raised from the dead and that He is alive at this very moment.

THE EFFECT OF THIS TRUTH ON THE EARLY CHURCH

The truth of the resurrection effected the early church in at least two ways. First, it became the centre of their message. Motivated and impassioned by the reality of the resurrection, they went everywhere proclaiming the crucified, resurrected, ascended Christ. Second, they lived with hope.

1 Thess 4:10 reads: ‘for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you; 12 so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need. 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope.’

According to Paul, the early church was…

13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. Titus 2:13

The Believers at Thessalonica had…

turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, [that is] Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. 1Thess 1:9

THE BASIS OF OUR HOPE

Paul writes in 1 Cor 15:

‘ If there is no resurrection, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!”³³ Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” ³⁴ Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all.³⁵ But someone may ask, “How will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have?” ³⁶What a foolish question! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. ³⁷ And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting. ³⁸ Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have. A different plant grows from each kind of seed. ³⁹ Similarly there are different kinds of flesh—one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.

⁴⁰ There are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies. ⁴¹The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory. ⁴² It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. ⁴³ Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. ⁴⁴They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies. ⁴⁵ The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. ⁴⁶ What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. ⁴⁷ Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. ⁴⁸ Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the Heavenly Man. ⁴⁹ Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the Heavenly Man.

⁵⁰ What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. ⁵¹ But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! ⁵² It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. ⁵³ For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. ⁵⁴ Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. ^{55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.}

So… what is the hope of Easter? It’s that Death has been defeated because Jesus is a live! And because of that fact, I can come alive too!

My life was changed forever when I accepted the truth of the Resurrection and bowed the knee to the Resurrected Lord.

What about yours??

Prayer:

Jesus, in the light of the great truths about the Resurrection, I declare that You are the ever living Son of God. Because You live, I live in the hope of Your soon return. By Your life I have victory over death, hell and the grave. You are my Lord and my soon coming King! Hallelujah, Jesus! AMEN

Romans 6  - New Living Translation

Sin’s Power Is Broken

¹ Should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of His wonderful Grace? ² Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? ³ Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined Him in His death? ⁴ For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious Power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

⁵ Since we have been united with Him in His death, we will also be raised to life as He was. ⁶ We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. ⁷ For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. ⁸ And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with Him. ⁹ We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and He will never die again. Death no longer has any power over Him. ¹⁰ When He died, He died once to break the power of sin. But now that He lives, He lives for the glory of God. ¹¹ So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

¹² Do not let sin control the way you live! Do not give in to sinful desires! ¹³ Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. ¹⁴ SIN IS NO LONGER YOUR MASTER, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

In a Sunday School class one day, the teacher asked all eight children to hide within an empty container a small object that represented LIFE in springtime.

Eight-year-old Stephen had a rare brain disease which left him with learning difficulties……..and so, not wanting to embarrass him among his classmates, the teacher suggested that the children all place their containers unlabelled on her desk . One by one, she opened them.

The first had a tiny FLOWER. “What a lovely sign of new life!” “I brought that one!” a little girl called ANN shouted.

Next came a ROCK. “O!……That must be Stephen’s,” the teacher thought, since rocks don’t symbolize new life. But a boy called Billy shouted that his rock had moss on it, and moss was new life. The teacher agreed.

A BUTTERFLY flew from the third container, and REBECCA bragged that HER choice was best of all.

The FOURTH container was empty. “That has to be Stephen’s,” thought the teacher, quickly reaching for the fifth.

“Please, don’t skip mine!” Stephen interjected.  ”But it’s EMPTY!” said the teacher.                                                                                 ”That’s right,” said Stephen. “THE TOMB WAS EMPTY, and so Jesus ROSE AGAIN to offer NEW LIFE to everyone.”

Later that summer, Stephen’s condition grew worse, and he eventually DIED. On his coffin, at the funeral, mourners found EIGHT EMPTY CARDBOARD BOXES!

They were ALL EMPTY because his friends remembered that Death gives way to resurrection for people whose trust is in the Living Jesus.

That wee boy had learned the most IMPORTANT lesson in the whole world….. and he EXPERIENCED the greatest PRIVELEGE known to human kind!!

WHY?

1.  Because, following His RESURRECTION, Jesus made it POSSIBLE for ALL of us to experience NEW life as adopted members of GOD’S FAMILY, as His children……… and heirs to the kingdom of heaven.

Being a Christian involves having a CHANGE OF STATUS before God! ENEMIES become FRIENDS!

2. Paul teaches us that we also have A CHANGE OF IDENTITY IN CHRIST! The OLD sinful you DIED with Christ on the Cross….. and when Jesus ROSE from the Dead, a NEW YOU rose WITH Him!!  Paul says in verse 6: So you should CONSIDER yourselves to be DEAD to the power of sin and ALIVE TO GOD through Christ Jesus.

BEFORE coming to Jesus, every one of is like a sinful ORPHAN in the sight of God……. With NO FATHER in Heaven and NO spiritual FAMILY to love and support us!

BUT……when we become Christians, ORPHANS become adopted CHILDREN in God’s Family!  Jn 1.12 JESUS GIVES us the RIGHT to BECOME Children of God!

What BRILLIANT NEWS!  The old SINFUL, SELFISH, SAD YOU has been totally TRANSFORMED!  GOD has made all things NEW!

So, you have a new STATUS as a FRIEND of God!

You have a new IDENTITY as a CHILD of God….

AND….. you ALSO have a NEW POWER at work in your life, that is TRANSFORMING your life!!  In verse 11, Paul says  So you also should CONSIDER yourselves to be DEAD TO THE POWER OF SIN and ALIVE TO GOD through Christ Jesus!

WOW!  Let me ask you?  What SIN are you struggling with right now?

·        Uncontrollable ANGER…..which has seen you use your TONGUE or your FIST to HURT people?

·        A SEX DRIVE that is driving you CRAZY, so that you have been SINNING on the INTERNET or with OTHER PEOPLE?

·        DECEPTION, which has involved you in CHEATING at work or REFUSING to pay your proper TAXES?

·        A LOW SELF IMAGE, which has caused you to ABUSE your own body, through starvation…. or over-eating…. or CUTTING yourself in secret…… or ADDICTION to alcohol or drugs?

·        PRIDE …… which steadfastly REFUSES to ADMIT that any of these WEAKNESSES could apply to YOU?

·        Something else??

Please LISTEN to the GOOD NEWS of RESURRECTION!!

Jesus DIED so that your SIN might DIE…… and when SIN is dead in you, SIN IS NO LONGER YOUR MASTER, and you LIVE under the FREEDOM of God’s GRACE!

Q. Have you GOT THAT?  When you become a Christian, SIN IS NO LONGER YOUR MASTER!  ……… and so, we gather here this morning to celebrate our FREEDOM!

There is NO power in heaven or earth that can IMPRISON any one of us who has bowed the Knee to CHRIST as LORD!!  HALLELLUJAH!

So……..if you KNOW Jesus, today, CELEBRATE your Freedom…. and STAY CLOSE TO JESUS, because if the Son will set you free, you shall be FREE INDEED!…….

BUT…. If you DON’ T know Jesus as your Saviour and Lord, you need to KNOW that you are in GRAVE DANGER of facing Eternity WIHOUT Christ…… and you are MISSING OUT on all of the FREEDOM that He died and rose again to GIVE to you!!

Please HEAR and APPLY the Word of God to your life this Easter! ¹² Do not let sin control the way you live! Do not give in to sinful desires! ¹³ Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. ¹⁴ SIN IS NO LONGER YOUR MASTER, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

Live up to your inheritance!  Be FOLLOWERS of the RISEN Christ!  Be FREE!

1 Corinthians 15:12-21 (NIV) 12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

The cover story of the April 8, 1996 issue of Newsweek magazine was written by Kenneth L. Woodward and is titled “Rethinking The Resurrection: A New Debate About The Risen Christ.” Early in the article, Mr. Woodward expresses his understanding of the importance of the resurrection to Christianity–”By any measure, the resurrection of Jesus is the most radical of Christian doctrines.” To strengthen his point, he quotes the late German Marxist philosopher Ernst Bloch.

“It wasn’t the morality of the Sermon on the Mount which enabled Christianity to conquer Roman Paganism, but the belief that Jesus had been raised from the dead. In an age when Roman senators vied to see who cold get the most blood of a steer on their togas–thinking that would prevent death–Christianity was in competition for eternal life, not morality.” (Woodward, Newsweek, pps. 62-63.)

Not even the critics of Christianity deny the existence of Jesus. What they do challenge is its claims that Jesus was the virgin born son of Mary and that He was raised from the dead. Some begin by questioning if He was dead when He was taken from the cross. How do we know that Jesus was dead? Perhaps he only “swooned” and regained consciousness while in the borrowed tomb.

WAS JESUS REALLY DEAD?

First, crucifixion is not something people just walked away from. Death by crucifixion was essentially death by asphyxiation. We must remember that prior to His crucifixion, Jesus had been severely beaten in Pilate’s Hall.

Second, the scriptural record tells us that when the soldiers came to break his ankles, He was already dead.

John 19:32 (NASB) The soldiers therefore came, and broke the legs of the first man, and of the other man who was crucified with Him; 33 but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs;

Third, When he was stabbled in the chest with a spear, blood and water came out. The chief explanation is that the blood came from the right side of the heart and the water came from the pericardium. In other words, if Jesus was still alive, the spear would would have killed him. An ancient Roman author indicates that it was typical curcifixion procedure to pierce the victim with a spear to make sure the person was dead. (Quintillian Declamationes maiores 6,9.)

Fourth, if Jesus was still alive after the experience of crucifixion and revived while in the tomb, there are some extrordinary events that need to be explained. After the trauma of crucifixion and being in the tomb without food and water for three days, a revived Jesus moved a huge grave stone (Matthew 27:60), fought off and disarmed at least one guard (Matthew 27:65-66), walked some distance to where the disciples were, evidenced no signs of his ordeal to those He met and walked with them on the road to Emmaus. This would be an extraordinary feat for someone who had undergone the ordeal of flogging, dehydration and crucifixion. When He made his first appearance to His disciples, He would have had great difficulty making them believe He had been resurrected. What shape would He have been in? He would be bleeding from his wounds, he’d be pale from the loss of blood, swollen from the beatings and very weak. In this condition he would say to His disciples, “Howdy Fellah’s, I’m the crucified and raised Lord of life.” Peter may have been an unlearned fisherman, but he wasn’t stupid. I can’t believe that the disciples looking at Jesus, bleeding, pale and crippled form would say, “Oh boy, I can’t wait until I get a Resurrection body just like His!”

Fifth, if the Shroud of Turin is Jesus’ burial cloth, then it proves more strong evidence for Jesus’ death. The man buried in the shroud exhibits postmortem blood flow and he’s in a state of rigor mortis. If the man is Jesus, then we have another proof that He was dead.

THE RESURRECTION ITSELF

The next issue is that of the resurrection itself. How do we know that Jesus was literally and bodily raised from the dead? In his Newsweek article, Mr. Woodward quotes several “scholars” and their views concerning whether or not Jesus came back to physical life after He was crucified. Here are a few exceprts.

To him [German New Testament scholar Gerd Ludemann, a visiting professor at Vanderbilt Divinity School], the Resurrection is “an empty formula” that must be rejected by anyone holding a “scientific world view.” In his latest book, “What Really Happened to Jesus” A Historical Approach to the Resurrection” (147 pages, Westminster John Knox Press), Ludemann argues that Jesus’ body “rotted away” in the tomb. (Woodward, Newsweek, p. 62.)

hn Dominic Crossman of DePaul University in Chicago and a former Roman Catholic priest believes that the tomb of Jesus was empty. He reasons that Jesus’ body “had already been devoured by wild dogs–a fate, claims Crossan, typical of crucified Roman criminals.” (Woodward, Newsweek, p. 63.)

In the book “Did Jesus Rise From The Dead: The Resurrection Debate“, authors Gary Habermas and Antony Flew deal with objections to the resurrection of Jesus. On page 22, Gary Habermas lists ten key evidences for Jesus’ Resurrection.

(1) the disciples eyewitness experiences, which they believed to be literal appearances of the risen Jesus…(2) the early proclamation of the Resurrection by these eyewitnesses, (3) their transformation into bold witnesses who were willing to die for their convictions, (4) the empty tomb, and (5) the fact that the Resurrection of Jesus was the center of the apostolic message, all of which require adequate explanations. It is also found that the disciples proclaimed this message in Jerusalem itself, where it is related that in repeated confrontations with the authorities, (6) the Jewish leaders could not disprove their message even though they had both the power and the motivation to do so.
Addtionally, (7) the very existence of the church, founded by monotheistic, law-abiding jews who nonetheless (8) worshiped on Sunday demand historical causes as well.
Two additionally strong facts arguing for the historicity of the Resurrection are the two skeptics, (9) James and (10) Paul, became Christians after having experiences that they also believed were appearances of the risen Jesus. (Habermas and Flew, 1987, p. 22.)

ANSWERING OBJECTIONS

The Disciples Stole The Body

Some have suggested that the disciples stole the body of Jesus and fabricated the resurrection story. The first problem with this theory is, there is not a shred of evidence to support it. Later, when threatened with death, the disciples could have saved themselves by coming forward with the truth. All they would have needed to do was state that Jesus’ body was stolen, show the authorities where they had put it and their life would have been spared. Under the threat of death, not one disciple changed his story concerning the resurrection of Jesus. Why would they be willing to die for a lie? The disciples died declaring what they knew to be true–Jesus Christ is alive.

Roman Authorities Removed The Body

Others have suggested that the Roman authorities removed the body of Jesus from the tomb. If this is so, then why didn’t they produce it to silence the apostle’s claim that Jesus was alive. There is only one reason why the Roman and Jewish authorities failed to do so; they had no body to produce!

I must admit that the tomb was not empty. That’s right, I am convinced that the tomb of Jesus was not totally empty. I can prove this from scripture.

John 20:6 (NASB) Simon Peter therefore also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he beheld the linen wrappings lying [there,] 7 and the face-cloth, which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself.

The termonolgy is very clear here–”The strips of linen lying there.” John Blanchard offers the following thoughts concerning this phrase.

The word ‘lying’ seems straightforward, but there is more to the original Greek word than meets the eye, because it is commonly used of something done in an orderly way. This means that the linen winding-cloth was not carelessly discarded. But there was something else. The head-cloth was ‘folded up by itself, separate from the linen’. One scholar says that ‘folded up by itself’ means something like ‘twirled about itself’, and another that it ‘aptly describes the rounded shape which the empty napkin still preserved’. (Blanchard, 1989, p. 115.)

In the next paragraph, Mr. Blanchard explains, “The linen windingsheets would have collapsed under the weight of the spices, while the head-cloth might well have more of less kept its shape, like ‘a crumpled turban with no head inside it’. (Blanchard, 1989, p. 116.) This suggests that the body of the entombed one had passed through the burial cloth without disturbing it. Scripture tells us that when John realized the significance of those collapsed graveclothes, he “believed.” What convinced him was not merely the absence of the body, but the way in which the grave-clothes were lying.

The So-called Eye Wittnesses Were Hallucinating

The most powerful piece of evidence for the resurrection of Jesus is the Bible’s record of His appearances. There are six independent, written testimonis to this – by Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul and Peter, three of whom are eye-witnesses – and they record eleven separate appearances over a period of forty days.

1. His Appearence To Mary Magdalene
Mark 16:9 (NASB) [Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.

2. His Appearence To A Group Of Women Between The Tomb And The City
Matt 28:9 (NASB) And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.

3. His Appearence To Two Disciples On Their Way To Emmaus
Luke 24:15 (NASB) And it came about that while they were conversing and discussing, Jesus Himself approached, and [began] traveling with them.

4. His Appearance To Simon
Luke 24:34 (NASB) saying, “The Lord has really risen, and has appeared to Simon.”

5. His Appearance To A Group Of Disciples
Luke 24:36 (NASB) And while they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst.

6. His Appearance A Week Later To Disciples Behind Closed Doors
John 20:26 (NASB) And after eight days again His disciples were inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst, and said, “Peace [be] with you.”

7. His Appearance By The Sea Of Tiberias
John 21:1 (NASB) After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested [Himself] in this way.

8. His Appearance To More Than Five Hundred At The Same Time
1Cor 15:6 (NASB) After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;

9. His Appearance To James
1Cor 15:7 (NASB) then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;

10. His Appearance To The Eleven On A Mountain in Galilee
Matt 28:18 (NASB) And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

11. His Appearance In The Vicinity Of Bethany
Luke 24:50-51 (NASB) And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 And it came about that while He was blessing them, He parted from them.

12. His Appearance To Paul
1Cor 15:8 (NASB) and last of all, as it were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

The final objection surrounds these post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. According to Mr. Woodward, Ludemann offers a physcological explanation for these sightings.

The Risen Christ that appeared to the Apostle Peter, according to Ludemann…was a subjective “vision” produced by Peter’s overwhelming grief and “guilt” for having denied Jesus when he was arrested. For the Apostle Paul, who had previously persecuted Christians, his vision of the Risen Jesus was the resolution of an unconscious “Christ complex.” And what the New Testament descrives as Jesus’ appearance to “more than 500″ followers was a “mass ecstasy.” In short, modern psychology reduces the Risen Christ to a series of interpsychic experiences that produced in the disciples a renewed sense of missionary zeal and spiritual self-confidence. (Woodward, Newsweek, pps. 62-63.)

I might understand how a guilt ridden Peter, overwhelmed by grief may have experienced a subjective “vision.” It is, however, very difficult to believe that “more than 500″ followers were simultaneously caught up in “mass ecstasy.” It is unthinkable that 500 people would have the same hallucination at once. There is no evidence for such theories. The only satisfiable explanation is that they were not hullucinating but actually saw the resurrected Christ.

The nineteenth century German writer Kark Theodore Keim, suggested that what the disciples saw was some kind of spirit or ghost. This cannot be collaborated by Scripture. Jesus post-resurrection actions and comments dismiss this idea.

The Women Clasped A Physical Body
Matt 28:9 (NASB) And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.

He Manifest Physical Abilities
Luke 24:30 (NASB) And it came about that when He had reclined [at the table] with them, He took the bread and blessed [it,] and breaking [it,] He [began] giving [it] to them.

He Stated That He Was Not A Spirit
Luke 24:36 (NASB) And while they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst. 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 “See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 [And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.] 41 And while they still could not believe [it] for joy and were marveling, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; 43 and He took it and ate [it] before them.

While belief in the resurrection is a matter of faith, it is faith based upon powerfully persuasive evidence. In view of the facts, the only sensible conclusion to this matter is that Jesus was raised from the dead and that He is alive at this very moment.

THE EFFECT OF THIS TRUTH ON THE EARLY CHURCH

The truth of the resurrection effected the early church in at least two ways. First, it became the center of their message. Motivated and impassioned by the reality of the resurrection, they went everywhere proclaiming the crucified, resurrected, ascended Christ. Second, they lived with hope.

1The 4:10 (NASB) for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you; 12 so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need. 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope.

According to Paul, the early church was…

13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. Titus 2:13 (NASB)

The Believers at Thessalonica had…

9 …turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, [that is] Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. 1The 1:9 (NASB)

A PROMISE FROM GOD

1Cor 15:31 (NASB) I protest, brethren, by the boasting in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak [this] to your shame. 35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” 36 You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; 37 and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one [flesh] of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the [glory] of the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable [body], it is raised an imperishable [body]; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual [body.] 45 So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam [became] a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Prayer:

Jesus, I declare that You are the ever living Son of God. Because You live, I live in the hope of your soon return. By your life I have victory over death, hell and the grave. You are my Lord and my soon coming King! Allelujah!