Resurrection Sunday 2023

Matthew 28:6–7

Matthew 28:6–7 NLT

6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

The Resurrection in the Gospel

The Resurrection of the Messiah is a very important aspect of the gospel and is the third of the three points of the gospel. The gospel contains these three points: first…

The Messiah Died for our sins according to the Scriptures

… the Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures; secondly…

He was buried

… He was buried; and thirdly…

He rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures

… He rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures.

Let’s start by looking at the the events that happened at opening of the tomb, recorded in Matthew 28:2–4.

Matthew 28:2–4 NLT

2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.

This passage records the opening of the tomb, and it states three things.

First, an earthquake occurred. This was the second earthquake within a three-day span. At the time when Yeshua (Jesus) died, there was an earthquake; now, at the point of His Resurrection, there is another earthquake.

The second thing that happened was that an angel appeared and rolled away the stone. By so doing, he would have broken the Roman seal that had been placed on the stone.

The third thing that happened was that the Roman guards who were stationed at the tomb were so filled with fear that they could not even move; they became as dead men from their fear. They were literally “scared stiff” and could not so much as move. The reason that the Roman guard had been stationed there was to make sure that no one rolled away the stone. They were to arrest anyone who tried to do so; however, none of the Roman soldiers tried to arrest an angel!

The Fact of the Resurrection

Bible clearly teaches a physical resurrection from the dead and it can be seen in three ways. First, the Messiah predicted His Resurrection several times: Matthew 16:21; Mark 9:31; Luke 18:33 and John 10:17–18.

Secondly, the fact of the Resurrection is stress in the fact that that none of the Gospels ends with the death of the Messiah; all of them proceed with the Resurrection: Matthew 28:1–20; Mark 16:1–18; Luke 24:1–49 and John 20:1–21:3.

A third way of showing the fact of the Resurrection is that the Resurrection is a major emphasis in the historical Book of Acts and in the Epistles. For example, in the Book of Acts in 2:24, Acts 2:32, Acts 3:15, Acts 3:26; Acts 4:2, Acts 4:10; 5:30; 10:40; 13:30–37, Acts 17:3. Then, in the Epistles, the Resurrection is emphasized in Romans 4:24–25; 6:4 and 9; 7:4 and 8:11; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 2 Corinthians 4:14; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Timothy 2:8; and 1 Peter 1:12.

The Proof of the Resurrection

There are six evidences that the Resurrection of the Messiah really occurred.

1. The Empty Tomb

The first evidence is the empty tomb, which must be explained in some way. Unbelievers have developed seven different theories to try to explain away the empty tomb. Most of the theories take a lot more faith than it takes to believe in the simple truth: that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. So, the very emptiness of the tomb is evidence of the Resurrection.

2. The Varied Eyewitness Accounts

A second major evidence of the Resurrection is that there are eyewitness accounts, which are quite varied and distinct. In scripture, there are the eyewitness account from Mary Magdalene (Mk. 16:9–11; Jn. 20:11–18), the group of other women (Mat. 28:9–10), the two disciples on the Emmaus Road (Mk. 16:12–13; Lk. 24:13–32), the special eyewitness resurrection experience by Peter (Lk. 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5), the appearance to the ten apostles (Mk. 16:14; Lk. 24:36–43; Jn. 20:19–25), to the eleven apostles a week later while they were still in Jerusalem (Jn. 20:26–31; 1 Cor. 15:5), an eyewitness appearance to seven of the eleven disciples by the Sea of Galilee (Jn. 21:1–23), the eyewitness appearance to the eleven apostles while they were in Galilee (Mat. 28:16–20; Mk. 16:15–18), the appearance to five hundred believers at once, many of whom were still living at the time Paul mentioned it (1 Cor. 15:6), there was the appearance to James (1 Cor. 15:7) and lastly, there was the eyewitness appearance to the eleven on the Mount of Olives on the day of the Ascension (Lk. 24:44–49; Acts 1:3–8). These eyewitness accounts of His Resurrection starting at the Resurrection and went on forty days to the Ascension, These are all evidences of the Resurrection.

3. The Post-Resurrection Appearances

A third evidence of the Resurrection is that there were appearances of the resurrected Messiah after the Ascension. He appeared to Stephen on the day of his martyrdom (Acts 7:55–56).

He appeared to Paul, at least four times. The first time was the day that Paul became a believer on the Damascus Road, which is recorded three times in the Book of Acts (Acts 9:3–6, 22:6–11 and 26:13–18) and in 1 Corinthians (1 Cor. 15:8). Jesus also appeared to Paul while he was in Arabia; Galatians 1:12, 17, a third time when he was in the Temple Compound area (Acts 22:17–21), and at least one more time in Jerusalem (Acts 23:11).

The third person that Jesus appeared to after the Ascension was the Apostle John in Revelation 1:9–3:22.

4. The Transformation of People Who Knew Him

The fourth evidence of the Resurrection is the sudden transformation of the people who knew Him both before and after His Resurrection. One example is the disciples. Before His Resurrection, they were fearful, paranoid men who had to lock themselves in their homes because they feared the leadership of Israel. Suddenly, after the Resurrection, in the Book of Acts, they became bold proclaimers of the Resurrection and the Gospel message. They were no longer intimidated by the threats of the leadership of Israel, and their boldness even led to martyrdom.

A second example of the transformation of the people who knew Him is His own half-brothers. Even at the point of His death, His four half-brothers were unbelievers in His Messianic claims. Suddenly, after His Resurrection, at least one of His half-brothers, James, saw the resurrected Messiah. He became a believer and the first head of the Jerusalem church. We know that another half-brother, Jude, who wrote the book of Jude, became a believer. So the fourth evidence of the Resurrection is the transformation of the very people who actually knew and saw Him before and after His Resurrection.

5. The New Testament

A fifth evidence of the Resurrection is the New Testament itself. It was the Resurrection, which caused the disciples to write the Gospels. The New Testament has survived in spite of many, many attempts to suppress it. Even today, there are attempts to suppress it in various parts of the world, and yet the very existence of the New Testament is evidence that it is the Word of God and that the testimony of the Resurrection is true.

6. The Existence of the Church

The sixth evidence of the Resurrection is the existence of the Church. The fact that this entity came into existence because of the Resurrection of the Messiah, and has continued to exist in spite of countless attempts to annihilate it or pervert it, is also evidence of the Resurrection.

The Importance of the Resurrection

Why is the preaching of the Resurrection of the Messiah so important? It is important for two reasons. First, the Resurrection is very much a part of the gospel, 1 Cor. 15: 3-4 “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.” ; 2 Tim. 2:8 “8 Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News (Gospel) I preach.” The gospel contains three points: first, the Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures; secondly, He was buried; and thirdly, He rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures. These are the three points of the gospel, and there is no more to the gospel than this; this is the full gospel. Any additions beyond these three points make it a false gospel. Because the Resurrection is part of the gospel, it is something that needs to be believed, proclaimed and preached.

The second reason that the Resurrection of the Messiah is important is because it is the basis of the believer’s future resurrection, according to 1 Corinthians 15:20 (NKJV) But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have died.

Without a doubt, if the Resurrection had not really occurred, we would be living a false lifestyle by conforming our lives in accordance with the resurrected Messiah.

FRUCHTENBAUM, ARNOLD G.: The Messianic Bible Study Collection. vol. 75. Tustin, CA : Ariel Ministries, 1983