June 9th, 2020
(John 20:1-9)…..Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
How do you and I know that the resurrection is actually true? How do we know that this is not some fabricated story to start a false religion?
(John 16:13)…..However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
What evidence do we have that a resurrection actually happened?
- Empty Tomb – Christianity is the only major religion in the world, where the faithful do not have a grave to make pilgrimages to. We have only an empty tomb where our Lord’s grave once was. Hallelujah, Lord Jesus Christ is Risen!!!
- Angelic testimony – The angel of the Lord was a witness to the Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection, and moved the stone from the tomb to open it. He announced to Mary that Christ had risen from the dead – (Matthew 28:5-7)
- The enemies of Jesus Christ – The chief priests assembled the elders together for a religious council, to plot a way of discrediting the Resurrection of Jesus Christ – (Matthew 28:11-15)
- Jesus spoke to Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them to the sepulcher – (Luke 24:1-10)
- The wounds of his crucifixion – The disciples, including doubting Thomas, saw the wounds in the hands, feet and side of Jesus Christ – (John 20:20,27)
- Jesus was seen by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who became His witnesses to the people – (Acts 13:29-31)
- Jesus appeared to two men from Emmaus – (Luke 24:13-18)
- Jesus was seen by Cephas, then of the twelve; after that he was seen by 500 brethren at once – (1 Corinthians 15:5-6)
- Jesus appeared to Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples at the sea of Tiberias – (John 21:1-14)
- Many infallible proofs – The Resurrected Jesus Christ, Son of God, showed himself alive by many specific and unerring ways. He was seen for forty days after his passion, and spoke of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God – (Acts 1:3)
- Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection – (Acts 4:33)