The Facts of the Case of . . . “The Case of the Risen Christ”

Resurrection Sunday, April 8, 2012 by Samuel E. Ward   Introduction   I heard about a grandfather who wanted to see how much his four-year-old granddaughter knew about the Easter story. He put her on his lap and asked, "Julie, why do we celebrate Easter?" Without hesitating, she said, "Jesus was crucified. After He died, His body was put into a grave. They rolled a big stone in front of the opening. A bunch of soldiers guarded the tomb. On the third day, there was a big earthquake and the stone rolled away." Grandpa was pleased with how much his granddaughter knew about the Easter story but then she continued, "When the earthquake happened, the entire town came out by the grave. And if Jesus came out and saw His shadow, they knew there would be six more weeks of winter!" At least she had part of the story right. Here are the facts of the case . . .   A. The Facts of Jesus' Resurrection Have Eternal Significance, 1 Cor 15:15b-17.   (1 Cor 15:15-17 NIV)  More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. {16} For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. {17} And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.   B. The Facts of Jesus' Life Are a Matter of Verifiable Historical Record, Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:3.   1. Concerning His Life in General, Luke 1:1-4   (Luke 1:1-4 NIV)  Many 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} Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me 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.   2. Concerning His Suffering, Death, and Resurrection in Particular, Acts 1:3   (Acts 1:3 NIV)  After his suffering, he showed himself to these men 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.   I. Convincing Proof # 1:  The Empty Tomb   A. His Crucified Body Was Placed in a Tomb Cut Out of Solid Rock, Mat 27:59-60   (Mat 27:59-60 NIV)  Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, {60} and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.   B. His Crucified Body Was Embalmed and Wrapped with Seventy-five Pounds of Myrrh and Aloe, John 19:38-39.   (John 19:38-39 NIV)  Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. {39} He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.   C. His Crucified Body Was Secured by a Two-ton Stone Over the Opening of the Tomb,   (Mat 27:60b NIV)  [Joseph of Arimathea] rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.   D. His Crucified Body Was Guarded by Roman Soldiers Who Placed the Government's Seal on the Tomb   (Mat 27:62-66 NIV)  The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. {63} "Sir," they said, "we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise again.'  {64} So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first." {65} "Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how." {66} So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.   Despite all of this, the crucified body of Christ could not be contained against the power of God Who raised Him from the dead.  Christ's enemies had been defeated and the proof is the empty tomb.    (Acts 3:13-15 NIV)  The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. {14} You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. {15} You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.   II. Convincing Proof # 2:  The Multiple Witnesses   (Acts 1:3 NIV)  After his suffering, he showed himself to these men 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.   A. Mary at the Tomb She Found Empty, John 20:13-16   (John 20:13-16 NIV)  They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." {14} At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. {15} "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." {16} Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).   B. Ten of the Disciples in a Locked Room, John 20:19   (John 20:19 NIV)  On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"   C. Two Followers of Christ on the Emmaus Road, Luke24:13-15   (Luke 24:13-15 NIV)  Now that same day [of Jesus' resurrection] two [followers of Christ] were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. {14} They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. {15} As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them.   D. The Doubter, Thomas in a Later Gathering of the Disciples, John 20:24-26   (John 20:24-26 NIV)  Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. {25} So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." {26} A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"   E. Over Five Hundred at a Gathering of Believers before His Return to Heaven,   (1 Cor 15:4, 6 NIV)  He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, {6} After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.   F. Paul, One of the Church's First Persecutors but Christ's Last Apostle, 1 Cor 15:8-10   (1 Cor 15:8-10 NIV)  And last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. {9} For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. {10} But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.   Paul serves to illustrate the massive grace of God to save anybody.  No matter how opposed, dismissive, and rebellious you have been to Christ, He is excited about the possibility of saving you from yourself, your sin, and Satan's determination to see you rot in hell.   (1 John 1:8-9 NIV)  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. {9} If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.