The Power of the Resurrection

Jesus’ resurrection is a central issue:

For the writers of the New Testament Jesus’ resurrection was the focal point of their teachings.

1 Corinthians 15:14–15 ESV

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.

So crucial is this issue, that if it is not true we are misrepresenting God.

1 Peter 1:3–4 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

1 Corinthians 15:32 ESV

What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

Paul’s literal Y.O.L.O moment. Life only has meaning in the “now” without the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

The resurrection is central to validating what Paul says is available for the Christian both here are in Heaven.

Resurrection is unique to Christianity:

Jesus claimed he would rise from the dead.

Matthew 16:4 ESV

An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.

John 11:25–26 ESV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Resurrection is the foundational to salvation:

Dictionary of Bible Themes 9312 resurrection, significance of Jesus Christ’s

Jesus Christ’s resurrection represents a demonstration of the power of God, the confirmation of the divinity of Jesus Christ and the grounds of hope for Christian believers.

The Work of the Father:

Acts 3:15 ESV

and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.

Galatians 1:1 ESV

Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

Colossians 2:12 ESV

having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

The Work of the Holy Spirit:

Romans 1:4 ESV

and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

1 Peter 3:18 ESV

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

The Work of Jesus:

John 10:17–18 ESV

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Confirmation of Jesus as the Son of God:

Romans 1:1–4 ESV

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

Acts 13:32–35 ESV

And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “ ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’ And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, “ ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ Therefore he says also in another psalm, “ ‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’

The basis of the believers’ justification:

Romans 4:25 ESV

who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Romans 8:33–35 ESV

Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

The basis of the believers’ hope.

Acts 24:15 ESV

having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.

1 Corinthians 15:19 ESV

If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

The basis of the believer’s resurrection.

John 14:19 ESV

Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.

Romans 8:11 ESV

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

The accepted facts of the resurrection:

The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus: Gary R. Habermas & Michael R. Licona

Minimal facts approach have two criteria:

They are well evidenced.

Nearly every scholar accepts them.

Jesus died by crucifixion:

Extra-biblical evidence for the crucifixion of Jesus.

Crucifixion was a common form of execution.

The first century Jewish historian Josephus reports that during the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the Roman soldiers felt such hatred toward the Jews that they crucified a multitude of them in various postures. (Josephus, Jewish Wars, 5.451; quoted from Paul L. Maier, Josephus: The Essentials Works.)

All four Gospels record the crucifixion.

Josephus - “When Pilate, upon hearing him accused by men of the highest standing among us, had condemned him to be crucified…(Josephus, Antiquities 18.64. Josephus in Ten Volumes, vol. 9)

Tacitus - “Nero fastened the guilt [of the burning of Rome] and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus.” (Annals 15.44 c. A.D 115)

Lucian of Samosata, The Christians, you know, worship a man to the day - the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account. (The Death of Peregrine, 11-13 c. mid-second century)

Jesus’ disciples believed that he rose and appeared to them

There is concensus among scholars that Jesus’ disciples believed that he appeared to them risen from the dead.

This is important and affirms this as central to the disciples teachings and not something that later entered into the faith through myth or legend.

There are nine (9) independent sources that affirm this was an early teaching of the disciples.

Their belief motivated them to accept martyrdom.

The Church persecutor Paul was suddenly changed:

Sources matter, if someone’s mother attest to their integrity it would be expected.

If someones enemy attested to their opponents integrity, such testimony would carry more weight. For, what does an enemy gain by complementing their foe?

Paul claimed to have a personal encounter with the risen Christ:

Acts 9:1–19 ESV

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.

The Skeptic, James, brother of Jesus, was suddenly changed:

Jesus siblings were unbelievers during his earthly ministry

Mark 3:21 ESV

And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

Mark 6:3 ESV

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

John 7:4–5 ESV

For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For not even his brothers believed in him.

1 Corinthians 15:7 ESV

Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

Acts 15:13–19 ESV

After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, “ ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’ Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God,

The Tomb was Empty:

Jesus’ public ministry was in Jerusalem, it would have been impossible for his disciples to start a ministry based on the resurrection in the same city with the body of Christ still entombed.

The Jewish leaders would have simply needed to produce the body.

Enemy attestation:

Jewish leaders accused the disciples of stealing the body.

Matthew 28:13–14 ESV

and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”

The Testimony of Women (The embarrassment factor).

Gospels list women as primary witnesses.

Luke 24:10–11 ESV

Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

Conclusion:

If Jesus did not rise from the dead then what we are doing here today is worthless, foolish, and of little to no value.

C.S. Lewis, in his publication “Mere Christianity”

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. . . . Now it seems to me obvious that He was neither a lunatic nor a fiend: and consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept the view that He was and is God. (Mere Christianity, 55-56)