Jesus is Risen Indeed!

Jesus is still risen!

Though many would seek to reinterpret the Gospel narratives, there are at least 7 proofs that Jesus did rise bodily from the dead. Shawn Otto has already walked us through the first four of these in his article here - but there are at least three more proofs to consider:

5. The Apostles Died Believing Jesus Rose

Eleven of Jesus’ 12 apostles died for their faith. The twelfth - John - was boiled in hot oil but did not die. He was later exiled to the island of Patmos and eventually ministered to the church of Ephesus. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then why would His closest followers die for something they knew was a lie?

6. Massive spread of the Christian faith

Thousands who were familiar with Jesus and in close proximity to the events of the Passion week (and the previous three years!) all came to believe that Jesus was the Messiah. This included Jews from various social strata, including some of the religious party (Pharisees/Sanhedrin) who condemned Jesus to die (Nicodemus). Even some Romans believed (the Centurion in Matthew 27:54 said, “Surely this was the son of God”). If Jesus died, wouldn’t these people tacitly reject His ministry and message, rather than receiving it? Christianity would not have spread so quickly in Jerusalem - unless He had risen again and the many who saw and knew Jesus firsthand would believe Him to be who He said He was.

7. The Empty Tomb

Finally, the single greatest proof of the resurrection is the empty tomb.

There are only three possibilities for what happened on Easter Sunday morning:

a) Someone stole Jesus' body

We know it was not the Romans! They were trying to quell an uprising.

We know it was not the Jews! They would want to showcase a dead Jesus.

Could it have been Jesus’ disciples? If that were the case, why would they suffer and die for what they knew was a lie/hoax? Fishermen and tax collectors would not be able to overcome the trained Roman soldiers who guarded the tomb with their very lives. Why would they a grave robber bother to unravel and neatly fold the graveclothes if they were seeking to steal a body quickly (John 20:7)?

b) The women and disciples went to the wrong tomb.

This is actually promoted by people with PhD's. It seems like even kindergarteners can refute this one, but can't we just correct their mistake by walking the disciples down to the correct tomb?

c) Jesus didn’t die on the cross

This is known as the “Swoon theory”, that purports Jesus didn’t physically die when crucified, but simply passed out on the cross. However, Roman soldiers were highly trained and experienced at executing criminals, and when the solider pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, the Scriptures detail that “blood and water flowed” (John 19:34). This is a medical confirmation that Jesus’ pericardium had burst and he would have expired from acute heart failure.

That means the only possible outcome was that on the third day - Sunday - Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death and sin and securing our redemption.

If there be an empty tomb we have the only Man who has ever lived on this earth, died and forever conquered death. What about Lazarus, you ask? Yes, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, but poor Lazarus still died again!

Jesus said these words in John 5:24:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

You can deny the Gospel by ignoring the evidence and staying dead in your sin - but you truly can't disregard the empty tomb! It demands an answer.

The angels testified to this, His followers corroborated this, His closest followers died declaring this, His unbelieving brothers were forever changed by this, and throughout time - the resurrection of Jesus Christ has transformed the hearts of millions upon millions of people from all over the world as they've placed their faith in Him and repented of their sins. He is risen indeed!

In 1815, all of England was awaiting the news of either victory or defeat at the battle at Waterloo. Napoleon vs. Wellington - who would prevail? At this time in the world, there were no cell phones or CNN, no texting or tweeting, no way to get the news out except a ship in the harbor which would send coded flag signals to someone posted on the roof of the Winchester Cathedral to pass the news on to the next signalman, away on a distant hill.

On June 18th, the first word was received: “W-E-L-L-I-N-G-T-O-N”. Moments later, the second word came through: “D-E-F-E-A-T-E-D”. At this exact moment, the fog rolled into the harbor, and with it the sad news blanketed all of England within a matter of minutes.

But that message was incomplete. After a few hours, the fog lifted again, and the rest of the words were recorded. The words “the enemy” were sent, completing the message “Wellington defeated the enemy.” Within another few minutes, all of Great Britain rejoiced in the victory, which sprung out of seeming defeat.

On Good Friday, when they laid the crucified body of our Lord Jesus in the rich man’s tomb, it seemed that the message was, "Christ is dead, Christ is defeated". But on the third day, the fog lifted!

Scripture declares in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57:

“Death is swallowed up in victory. “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

He is risen indeed!

“There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ!”