The resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead is the central fact of Christian history. On it, the Church is built; without it, there would be no Christian church today. Jesus' resurrection is unique, in that only Christianity has a God who became human, literally died for His people's sin and was raised again in power and glory to rule His church forever. (Bible notes)
In Matthew 28:11-15, Jesus' resurrection was already causing a great stir in Jerusalem. A group of women was moving quickly through the streets, looking for the disciples to tell them the amazing news that Jesus was alive. At the same time, the soldiers sheepishly went to the chief priests to break the news, and together were plotting how to cover up the resurrection. In desperation, they bribed the soldiers to tell the fantastic lie that while the soldiers slept, the disciples stole the body of Jesus. This explanation raises more questions than it answers:
- Why were the soldiers sleeping when they should have been on guard?
-How could the disciples have rolled the stone away without waking the so called sleeping guards?
-How could all the soldiers have fallen asleep at the same time?
-If they were asleep, how did they know that the disciples stole the body?
-If the story was true, why did the soldiers have to be bribed to tell it?
-If the disciples had stolen the body, why had they taken time to remove the grave clothes and fold the napkin? (Luke 24:12; John 20:6-7)
-If the disciples had stolen the body, where did they put it? Why was it never found?
(Believer's Bible Commentary)
Truth is self-verifying; a lie has to be supported by countless other lies!
Without the belief in the resurrection the Christian faith could not have come into being. The disciples would have remained crushed and defeated men. Even had they continued to remember Jesus as their beloved teacher, His crucifixion would have forever silenced any hopes of His being the Messiah. The cross would have remained the sad and shameful end of His 'career'. The origin of Christianity therefore hinges on the belief of the early disciples that God had raised Jesus from the dead. (William Lane Craig)
Today there is still a great stir over the resurrection, and there are still only two choices: to believe that Jesus rose from the dead, or to be closed to the truth - denying it, ignoring it, or trying to explain it away. There will always be people who say that Jesus didn't rise from the dead. Paul assures us that many people saw Jesus after His resurrection: Peter, the disciples; more than 500 believers (most of whom were still alive when Paul wrote this); James the half brother of Jesus, all the Apostles; and finally Paul himself. The resurrection is a historical fact, and the Apostles gave their lives for the truth! Would you give your life for a lie? Of course not!
Don't be discouraged by doubters who deny the resurrection. Be filled with hope because of the knowledge that one day all they who believe in Him will see the living proof when Christ returns.
Precious Pearls:
-"I am He that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen.." Revelation 1:18
-"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward it with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be." Revelation 22:1
-"And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins....But now is Christ risen from the dead..." 1Cor. 15:17, 20
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures ; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures : and that He was seen of Cephas (Peter), then the twelve: after that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once ..." 1 Corinthians 15 : 3 -6
(If you are looking for a good book to help you look into all the evidences of Christianity, 'The New EVIDENCE that demands a verdict' by Josh McDowell, I found to be avery good book)
Will you be ready when Jesus comes?
Claudine
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