Introduction

Let’s begin by reviewing some of the facts preceding the Resurrection of Christ.

Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver and identified Him with a kiss (Matthew 26:15; Luke 22:47-49).

All of Christ’s disciples forsook Him (Mark 14:50-52).

Peter denied Him (Matthew 26:69-75)

He had three illegal Jewish trials. The first was before Annas (John 18:13). It’s about 2 a.m. But why Annas? Though he had been the High Priest for 17 years, he was not now. He had been in charge of the Temple "business" when Jesus had come through and overturned their tables (Matthew 21:12). Then Annas sent him to Caiaphas, with a body of men making up the Sanhedrin (John 18:24; Mark 14:53). Caiaphas got together a group of men about 3:30 in the morning. But, when you study the Jewish Law of the time you see it's illegal because it's dark, it's illegal because it's a preliminary hearing, it's illegal because they're in the wrong place, Caisphas' house, they're not in the council chamber. It's a clandestine meeting, it's a kangaroo court! By the time the first two trials were over, Jesus was bleeding and bruised (Matthew 26:67-68). That brings us to the third, before the official group called the Sanhedrin. This trial was at about 6 a.m. we read about this in Luke 22:66-71. The Sanhedrin sends them to Pilate (Luke 23:1).

Three more trials. The next one is to Pilate at about 7 a.m. (John 18:28-38). Pilate finds no fault in Christ (Luke 23:4-5). Hearing that Jesus was from Galilee, he sends him on to Herod to be judged (Luke 23:6-11). Herod then sends him back to Pilate for the sixth and final trial (Matthew 27:15-31)

Jesus is crucified between two thieves (Matthew 27: 33-48).

Jesus dies some time after 3 p.m. with Psalm 31:5 on his lips "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." Luke 23:46

Christ in buried in a borrowed tomb owned by Joseph of Arimithea (Matthew 27:56-60).

Focus

That brings us to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ! We know the Resurrection is fact because…

• It Was Foretold In Prophecy

Psalms 16:10-11 "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

Next, turn to Psalms 2:7 "I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." The Hebrew word translated begotten is dly yalad (yaw-lad’) which means "to bring forth." We know that this is a prophecy for the Resurrection because of what we read in Acts 13:31-37 "And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. 32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, 33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. 34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. 35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: 37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption."

Secondly, we know the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is fact because…

• Jesus Christ Declared He Would Raise From The Dead

Matthew 16:21 "From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day."

Mark 8:31 "And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again."

John 2:19 "Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

• The Empty Tomb Witnesses That Christ Was Risen From The Dead

Three times the record states "He is not here. He is risen"

Matthew 28:1-8; Mark 16:1-6; Luke 24:1-9

• The Ploy of The Sanhedrin Was To Pay Off The Soldiers To Keep Them Quiet About The Resurrection

Matthew 28:13-15 "Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. 14 And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. 15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day."

• The Grave Clothes Were Undisturbed

John 20:3-8 "Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. 4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed."

Had his body been stolen, the grave clothes would have been gone too. Or if they hurried in and just took the body, the grave windings would not have been orderly. However, the mummy like wrapping lay like an empty cocoon, collapsed because there was no body in it. The napkin that had been on the face was rolled up in an orderly fashion and in a different place.

• There Were Many Eye Witness Reports of Seeing The Risen Christ

John 20:14-18 – Mary Magdalene

John 20:19-22 – Many of the disciples

John 20:24-29 – Thomas and the disciples

John 21:1-14 – The disciples again

1 Corinthians 15:4-9 – Five hundred people saw him at once

• The Existence of The Christian Church

After the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross, Peter and the disciples decided to call it quits and go back to their old jobs. We see this in John 21:3 "Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing." If Jesus had been merely a martyr, no Christian church would have been established. However, all that changed with the resurrection of Christ! Peter and the other Apostles began to preach the message of the Risen Savior and the Christian Church was established (see Acts 2:22-24, 41-42, etc.) and has spread to all corners of the Earth.

• The Existence of Worship on Sunday, "The Lord’s Day" Is Proof of The Resurrection

The Jews has worshipped on the Sabbath, which is Saturday. In honor of the Lord’s Resurrection the disciples began gathering for preaching and teaching on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2). It is also well documented in early Church history that Sunday worship was a fact.

In summary, we know that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a fact because…

It Was Foretold In Prophecy

Jesus Christ Declared He Would Raise From The Dead

The Empty Tomb Witnesses That Christ Was Risen From The Dead

The Grave Clothes Were Undisturbed

There Were Many Eye Witness Reports of Seeing The Risen Christ

The Existence of The Christian Church

The Existence of Worship on Sunday, "The Lord’s Day" Is Proof of The Resurrection

As the songwriter wrote – Christ The Lord Is Risen Today – Hallelujah!