Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead?
Did Jesus really rise from the dead?
“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” 1 Corinthians 15:17-19 (NIV)
They really wanted to believe. They had followed Jesus for close to three years and had witnessed the miracles and listened to his teaching. They had left houses and homes to follow him, but now it all seemed senseless. Their leader was dead and it is now three days after his death. Life will just go back to being the dull, lifeless, purposeless existence they had before they had met Jesus. And so we meet them on their long walk back to Emmaus, a small little village outside of Jerusalem. Let’s listen in as they talk about their despairing situation with a stranger on the road.
“. . . we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." Luke 24:21-24 (NIV)
Let’s put this account in modern language. “Even if there was a reason for hope on Friday, there is none now because this is the third day since He died. We were thinking that maybe he had just passed out on the cross and that he would recover, but there’s no way now. Already three days have passed. There is no reason to go on hoping.
“To make matters worse, some of our women went to the tomb early this morning and came back saying they had seen an angel who said he was alive. Yeah, I wish I could believe that. There were some in our group that had to go and check out the story. We waited with great anticipation. When they came back, their report was that the grave was empty but there was no evidence of Jesus being alive!
“Now, we not only have lost hope, but our own women have been given to hallucinations. No, there just is no longer any reason for hoping.”
How is it that Jesus gives evidence of his resurrection to these hopeless disciples? Read on!
“He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. Luke 24:25-35 (NIV)
Notice what evidence Jesus gave to demonstrate his resurrection. He took the Old Testament scriptures, beginning in Genesis, and worked all the way through, explaining carefully how each of the prophecies predicted what he would do when he came and how they would be fulfilled. Then as they approached the village, he acted as though he would have gone on further. They begged him to stay and eat with them, still not knowing who he was.
It was at dinner when he took the bread and blessed it gave to them that their eyes were opened. I wonder what it was that opened their eyes? Does the Biblical material give any hint? I believe it does.
Notice the scripture says after he gave the bread to them their eyes were opened. Why at this point and not before? Before, he was just a great teacher they had engaged in conversation alongside the road. Their hearts were prepared to see the risen Christ by the testimony of Scripture. Now, when he gives the bread to them with his own hands and they take the bread, they notice the open wounds on his wrists. They see the nail scars on his hands.
Such is the principle of Scripture in bringing people to Christ. The Scriptures are the means that prepare the way for the revelation of Christ. After they had heard the testimony of Scripture for at least one hour, perhaps longer, they were prepared by God’s Word to see the Resurrected Word.
We can use historical evidence to support our arguments if we choose, but we will find the world will find other historical arguments to support theirs. Then the arguments go no further because the Word of God has not been used to prepare the way for faith. Romans 10:17 says, “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”
Some may argue that they need more than the Scriptures to support the truth of faith. For those that argue that point, I direct your attention to the account of the rich man in conversation with Abraham. He was now in the place of torment, waiting for the judgment at the end of the world. He was now concerned that his brothers be warned about this place of eternal torment for all the ungodly. He pleads with Abraham to do something so his brothers will not be deceived like he was and end up here as well.
Listen carefully to the dialogue.
"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
29 "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
30 "'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
31 "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'" Luke 16:27-31 (NIV)
Notice what the Scriptures teach at this point. We think what we really need is more miracles or signs in the heavens so many will believe. Perhaps even someone coming back from the dead to warn our relatives and friends would do the trick. Look carefully at how the Scripture responds to such thinking. “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” If they will not believe the Scriptures, then they will not believe even if there are miracles in their midst.
When responding to the question, ‘What evidence do we have for the resurrected Lord?’, we point our friends to the Scriptures and their prophetic fulfillment and point to the lives of those who have been changed by Jesus.
Small Group Discussion Questions:
1. What evidence has been the most convincing for you about Jesus’ resurrection?
2. Over 30% of the Scripture deal with prophecy. How many prophecies do you know from the Old Testament that relate to Christ’s life?
3. Get a Thompson Chain Reference Bible and look up the prophecies concerning the life of Christ and see how they have been fulfilled.
4. If Scripture was the primary way Jesus demonstrated His truth to others, then what should our approach be?
5. Why not begin to challenge each other to memorize a verse each week and hold each other accountable when you meet together each week?