He Is Risen: Evidence for Jesus’ Resurrection.

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The things that we know from history we know by written accounts either by those that were there themselves or from their testimonies. We have the same from the Bible.

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While Matthew, Peter and John were with Jesus and personally saw him risen and gave us a written account, we see that Luke, who was not a Jew, who was a physician and a companion of Peter investigated like a reporter all that had happened concerning the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We see that he interviewed “those who from the first were eyewitnesses”. He interviewed the disciples, the women that were with Jesus and most likely Mary, Jesus’ Mother as well as other eye witnesses.

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Luke 1: 1Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

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We know from the Gospels when Jesus was arrested that all the disciples ran in fear and went into hiding, that all the disciples deserted him and fled. The Gospels also tells us that out of fear Peter denied even knowing Jesus 3 times. We see from the Gospel of John that Jesus’ Mother Mary and some of the other women and John were the only ones at the Cross when Jesus was crucified. All the others were still in hiding. We also see that they really didn’t believe and understand that Jesus would actually rise from the dead. Even after seeing the tomb empty. We also have testimonies of Jesus appearing to them after his resurrection.

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John 20: 19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

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Luke 24: 1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.

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9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

Jesus appears to the disciples.

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Luke 24: 36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

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40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.

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44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

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45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

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Jesus fulfilled more than a 100 (specific) O.T. prophecies concerning the Messiah coming as a suffering servant. We see everything Jesus did fulfilled the Old Testament scriptures concerning the Messiah coming as the suffering servant, as the lamb of God.

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Luke 24: 44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

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Jesus not only appeared to his disciples, but he appeared to more than them. Look at what the Apostle Paul tells us. He tells us that Jesus appeared to more than 500 people at the same time.

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1 Cor. 15: 1Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

 

5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep(died). 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

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Look at what Matthew tells us happened after Jesus’ resurrection.

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Mt. 27: 52 and the tombs broke open. ---- The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. … In Judaism this would be the wave offering the High Priest would make before the Lord at the Temple.

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We see from the Gospels and the Book of Acts that the disciples went from being afraid to even go out in public from fear of being arrested to fearlessly proclaiming publicly the good news about Jesus. That is strong evidence to the validity of Jesus’ resurrection. If they hadn’t really seen him alive after his death on the cross they wouldn’t have become so bold to go out preaching the Gospel. Look at what Peter tells us.

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2 Peter 1: 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

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Here Peter is referring back to when they were on the Mount when Jesus was transfigured before them. Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35. Peter is in jail for preaching the gospel and is about to be taken and crucified; yet he is still saying that he personally witnessed and saw all that Jesus did. This is like his death bed confession, the most important thing he wants to leave with them. If he and the other disciples didn’t see and know for sure that Jesus rose from the dead, if they weren’t sure in who he was, if they knew it all wasn’t true then I don’t think they would have been willing to die for him or the gospel. For nowhere in the Bible are we told we ‘earn’ salvation by dyeing for the Lord. We are to be willing to die for him, but we do not earn our salvation by doing so. We are to be willing to die for him because we are already saved.

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Luke in his gospel also tells us of Jesus’ ascension back to heaven.

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Luke 24: 50 When he (Jesus) had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

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Luke also wrote the Book of Acts. Remember, Luke investigated like a reporter all that had happened concerning the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We see that he interviewed “those who from the first were eyewitnesses”.

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Acts 1: 1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command:

 

9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

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As I said above, the things that we know from history we know by written accounts either by those that were there themselves or from their testimonies. We have the same from the Bible. We have the testimonies of those that saw all these. And for all that have believed on Jesus and have accepted him into their lives we have the assurance that comes from the Holy Spirit. 2 Cor. 1: 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. .. This we cannot begin to explain, how you know, that you know, that you know, that Jesus is indeed who he and the Bible says he is. It just can’t be explained how you know he is with/in you. That’s something you have to experience. You have to first believe and trust by faith and then as he promised, he will make himself known to you. The greatest evidence is the billions of lives that have been changed that could not have been changed by any other means other than the Holy Spirit of Jesus.

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Yes, the evidence confirms that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead and is now sitting on the thrown in all the power and authority of God the Father. We also have the accuracy of Bible prophecy.

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2 Peter 1: We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

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For them then it was all the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus fulfilled concerning the Messiah. For us now it’s not only all the O.T. prophecies but the New Testament also. When you read Bible prophecies and see just how precise and accurate they are and see how current world events are now lining up and falling into place just like the Bible says they would, then you should be able to see that the Bible is true, that it is the Word of God. You should be able to believe Jesus is who he and the Bible says he is.

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John 11: 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. … Do you believe this?”

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John 14: 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

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Acts 2: And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

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Acts 4: Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

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John 3: 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; --- Jesus’ statement didn’t stop there, --- but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

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Rev. 3: 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

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Is Jesus standing at the door of your heart knocking?

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Acts 16:31 -- “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—

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