His Resurrection

1
His Resurrection

• We are not looking for some figurative or
  symbolic explanation.

2
Review - Evidences

• Cause/Effect
• Design
• Moral
• Jesus Christ is Son of God
• Claims, Virgin Birth, Prophecies
• Unnatural Sayings and Deeds, Miracles
• Resurrection

3
The Question

• Did Jesus rise from the dead?
• What do leading skeptics admit?
• Death, Burial, and Disappeared!
• Disciples came to believe that He arose.
• Did the body disappear by resurrection or by some
  other way? And did the belief of the disciples
  originate from the fact of the resurrection or
  from some other cause?

4
The Witnesses

• A group of woman not less than five.
• The twelve older apostles.
• Apostle Paul
• Testimony is found in four gospels, Acts, and
  letters of Peter, John and Rev.
• Pauls found in Acts and his letters.
• The actual witnesses and who wrote of it are
  Matthew, John, Peter, Paul.

5
The Apostles as Witnesses

• Honesty
• Competency
• Number

6
Honesty

• Tone - Dispassionate
• Candor - Own Discredit
• Sufferings

7
Honesty

• Allusions to Local Customs
• Incidentals
• Topography, Customs, Manners of the Country,
  Peculiarities of Time and Place
• Words, Phrases, Accidental Details
• Unintentional Evidence
• Character of the Interviews Jesus had with
  Disciples after Resurrection

8
Honesty

• Manifestations of Jesus
• Ceased After Limited Time
• No Appearances to Enemies
• Motives
• Fear, Avarice, Ambition

9
Competency

• Opportunity
• Mentally Competent

10
The Number

• The Testimony of Competent Witnesses
• But a Limit is Reached

11
Changed Disciples

• Repeatedly Told about Death, Burial, Resurrection
• Did Not Understand, Nor Believe
• Returned to Old Occupation
• Behold Difference After Coming of HS
• How To Be Accounted

12
The Empty Tomb

• Buried in a New Tomb
• Cut in Solid Rock
• Sealed with a Great Stone
• Careful Survey

13
Buried in a New Tomb

• Luke 2353 Then he took it down, wrapped it in
  linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of
  the rock, where no one had ever lain before.
• John 194141 Now in the place where He was
  crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a
  new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.

14
Cut in Solid Rock

• Matthew 2760 and laid it in his new tomb which
  he had hewn out of the rock and he rolled a
  large stone against the door of the tomb, and
  departed.
• Mark 154646 Then he bought fine linen, took Him
  down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid
  Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the
  rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the
  tomb.

15
Sealed with a Great Stone

• Mark 1644 But when they looked up, they saw that
  the stone had been rolled awayfor it was very
  large.
• Matthew 2766 So they went and made the tomb
  secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

16
Careful Survey

• John 206-7 Then Simon Peter came, following him,
  and went into the tomb and he saw the linen
  cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that
  had been around His head, not lying with the
  linen cloths, but folded together in a place by
  itself.
• Luke 241212 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb
  and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying
  by themselves and he departed, marveling to
  himself at what had happened.

17
The Problem of the Body of Jesus

• The Disciples Could Not Steal and Dispose
  Successfully
• The Jews Would Not Steal the Body
• The Romans Dared Not Steal the Body
• The Empty Tomb did not Convince the Disciples

18
The Disciples Could Not Steal and Dispose
Successfully

• Matthew 2762-66 On the next day, which followed
  the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and
  Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63 saying,
  Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how
  that deceiver said, After three days I will
  rise. 64 Therefore command that the tomb be made
  secure until the third day, lest His disciples
  come by night and steal Him away, and say to the
  people, He has risen from the dead. So the last
  deception will be worse than the first. 65
  Pilate said to them, You have a guard go your
  way, make it as secure as you know how. 66 So
  they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the
  stone and setting the guard.

19
The Jews Would Not Steal the Body

• Matthew 2762-64 On the next day, which followed
  the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and
  Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63 saying,
  Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how
  that deceiver said, After three days I will
  rise. 64 Therefore command that the tomb be made
  secure until the third day, lest His disciples
  come by night and steal Him away, and say to the
  people, He has risen from the dead. So the last
  deception will be worse than the first.

20
The Romans Dared Not Steal the Body

• Acts 1627 And the keeper of the prison, awaking
  from sleep and seeing the prison doors open,
  supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword
  and was about to kill himself.

21

• Matthew 2811-15 Now while they were going,
  behold, some of the guard came into the city and
  reported to the chief priests all the things that
  had happened. 12 When they had assembled with the
  elders and consulted together, they gave a large
  sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying, Tell
  them, His disciples came at night and stole Him
  away while we slept. 14 And if this comes to the
  governors ears, we will appease him and make you
  secure. 15 So they took the money and did as
  they were instructed and this saying is commonly
  reported among the Jews until this day.

22
The Empty Tomb did not Convince the Disciples

• See Testimony

23
The Testimony of the Witnesses

• The Body of Christ had been Branded and Marked-
  No Mistake about Identity
• Luke 2439 Behold My hands and My feet, that it
  is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does
  not have flesh and bones as you see I have.

24
Post -Resurrection Appearances of Jesus

• Mt.24 Mark 16 Luke 24 John 20-21 Acts 1 1
  Cor.15

25
Post -Resurrection Appearances of Jesus

• Mary Magdalene (John 2014-18 Mark 169 first)
• To other of the women as they returned from the
  sepulchre. After angel told of resurrection
  (Mt.289)
• Two on way to Emmaus (Lk.2413Mk.1612)

26
Post -Resurrection Appearances of Jesus

• To the eleven and them that were with them (Lk.
  2413 Mk.1614 Jn.2019-23).
• This was the evening of the first day. Thomas was
  absent. Seems to be twelve of 1 Cor.155 (cf. Jn.
  2024)
• To above 500 at once (1Cor.156)
• To James (1Cor.157)

27
Post -Resurrection Appearances of Jesus

• To all the apostles after eight days,with
  Thomas present (Jn.2026-29).
• To Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, sons of Zebedee, and
  two others at the sea of Tiberias (Jn. 211-14).
  This was the third appearance to the disciples
  (v.14). Two previous would be 5 and 8.

28
Post -Resurrection Appearances of Jesus

• To the eleven giving of Great Commission in
  Galilee (Mt.2816-20Mk.1615-18).
• To the eleven at Jerusalem (Lk.2444-49Acts
  13-8).
• Eleven on the Mount of Olives near Bethany
  (Lk.2450-53Acts 19-11). The ascension.

29
Post -Resurrection Appearances of Jesus

• Last of all to Paul (1 Cor.158Acts 19-11).
• He is not here, but is risen

30
The Witness of the Monuments

• The Church
• The Bible
• The Lords Day
• The Lords Supper
• New Significance of Baptism

31
The Conversion of Saul

• Paul was either one of the following
• Imposter with intent to deceive
• Enthusiast - Overheated Imagination
• Deceived by the Fraud of Others
• or...
• What he declared really did happen!

32
He was Not an Imposter

• Wealth was not a motive.
• Reputation was not the motive.
• Power did not motivate him.
• Gratification of other passions.
• Was he a simple pious fraud?

33
He was not an Enthusiast

• Defined Religious madman, a fanatic. One whose
  mind is wholly possessed and heated by what
  engages it.
• Great heat of temper.
• Melancholy
• Ignorance
• Vanity/Self-Conceit
• Always see what they are looking for.

34
He was Not Deceived by Others

• Moral Impossibility
• Physically Impossible