If Jesus rose from the dead, then I will too.
4 As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. 5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”
8 Then they remembered that he had said this. 9 So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. 11 But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. 12 However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.
Oops! The plan failed. The plan that the religious leaders cooked up to get rid of Jesus, they figured that Jesus is just a man and if you kill him then he can't make any more problems for you, that would work for any other man but not Jesus.
There is an empty to to be dealt with, everyone knew it was empty, you couldn't contain news like that.
The guards knew it, the ones that were charged with sealing and protecting the tomb, the religious leaders asked for their presence to guarantee that the tomb wouldn't be emptied by the disciples.
The women that arrived at the tomb that morning knew it, the disciples knew it and they also knew that they were not responsible for taking the body, they were too busy hiding in deep depression.
The religious leaders knew it was empty, even though they took precautions against thieves, so instead of finally admitting the truth they made a deal with the guards to make up an explanation of what happened.
There is overwhelming historical evidence that Jesus rose from the dead. A group or 500 hundred saw him at one time, Cleopas and another disciple walked with him on the road to Emmaus, all eleven of the disciples saw him, some touched him and some even ate a meal with him.
The fact that he did rise energized the eleven disciples that were depressed and despondent and all eleven died as martyrs . The apostle Paul told the church in Corinth that they could go interview the list of witnesses for themselves. (1 Corinthians 15:3-6)
1 Corinthians 15:51-55 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.The promise that we can believe is that because Jesus rose from the dead we will also rise from the dead.
54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:
“Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
Before the resurrection life was hopeless, the disciples and the women that were a part of Jesus ministry feel like the door has been slammed shut on everything that they were involved with for the last three years of their lives.
Because of Easter, I know that:Thank you Lord for your provision for me, your love is truly amazing!
✔ I am accepted by God
✔ Jesus is in heaven interceding for me
✔ I have all the power to live the Christian life
✔ I will live forever in heaven
✔ I will receive a new body
✔ I will have resurrected relationships with my loved ones that have gone before me.
