Dave’s Monday Blast – April 2, 2018

He is Risen…Indeed! That is the essence of our faith, isn’t it. If Jesus was still in the grave our faith is indeed in vain. At some point in time we must all embrace the truth of that claim or walk away from it. As we were reminded yesterday during services, Jesus is either Lord, a Liar, or a Lunatic.

What makes Christianity unique among world religions is simply that His tomb is empty. There is a strong apologetic for this claim. We live by “faith not by sight” but we can also be confident that there is plenty of historic, primary source affirmation concerning the risen Christ.

The Christian faith rests upon the claim that Jesus Christ physically rose from the grave on that first Easter Sunday morning. What is the evidence that this event really took place?

1. The rapid growth of the early Church in the first two centuries A.D., in a hostile Jewish culture, occupied by a hostile Roman empire, only makes sense in light of the early Christians’ commitment to their testimony that Jesus was the risen Messiah.

2. In 1 Corinthians 15 the apostle Paul testifies that there were over 500 eyewitnesses to the bodily resurrection of Jesus. The majority of scholars agree that 1 Corinthians was written about 55 A.D. This was roughly 20 years after the resurrection. In other words, many of the eyewitnesses were still around.

3. Many lives were dramatically transformed as a result of witnessing the risen Jesus. For example: Saul became Paul; James, the brother of Jesus, went from skeptic to leader of the Church in Jerusalem; the disciples were transformed from cowards to bold evangelists willing to die for the testimony they proclaimed. What else explains these remarkable transformations?

4. Twenty five years after the resurrection Scripture informs that the gospel had reached the entire then known world. Apart from a Risen Lord and an indwelling Holy Spirit the message would have died. Acts 5:29 informs that what is of God can not be stopped!

Countless millions have made the INTENTIONAL choice to consider Jesus to be LORD!  Each of us must be intentional to share this good news as God provides opportunity.

For more powerful evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ please check out Dr. Carlson’s lecture, The Resurrection: Fiction or Fact? from Christian Ministries International. They are one of the finest Apologetic Ministries in the world. Google Christian Ministries International.