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                                       1505 E. Broadway;  Bradley, IL 60915   (815) 932-9014   

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Text Box: Bible Study Opportunities
"How To Study the Bible" Study Guide
Inspiration and Preservation of the Bible  (Bible Study Material with Questions)
Bulletin of the Month
Some Recent Daily Bible  Messages
Topical Study Material
Free Bible Study Offers (Kankakee, Illinois Area)
Bible Correspondence Course (U.S.A. Only)
 The DaVinci Code - Why It is Broken
Links
Expository Files
Links and Area Churches (Kankakee, IL area)
Nationwide Church Locator Assistance
Return to Homepage 
                                         

 

The Resurrection of Jesus – Fact or Hoax?

By Jon W. Quinn

 

  
     "And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but
when they entered they did not find the body of the Lord
Jesus...Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not
here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while still
in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the
hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise
again." (LUKE 24:2-7)
 
     Jesus promised to die and then to arise from the grave. It
certainly seems that if this prediction of His came to pass, then
everything He claimed, promised and taught must be true. Faith in
the resurrection is the very foundation of our whole relationship
to God. If it is not true, then there is no hope and we are left
desolate. But our faith in Jesus does not rest on some vague
feeling or blind speculation. It is not wishful thinking that
dreamed up the resurrection of Jesus. Our faith rests upon a
secure and solid foundation.
                                                                
THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS WAS FORESEEN
     "From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples
that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the
elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be
raised up on the third day". (MATT 16:21).
 
     Jesus predicted His resurrection over and over again. If it
did not happen, then His followers all would certainly have lost
their faith in Him! As they beheld His tortured corpse decay in
its tomb, how long would it take for the first one to say,
"Enough! Come on, let's go home and try to put our lives back
together." Christianity would never have taken root had this
prediction of its Founder failed!
 
JESUS WAS REALLY DEAD
     "But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and
immediately there came out blood and water." (JOHN 19:34)
 
     We have more information regarding the death of Jesus than
any other person from ancient history! The information has been
examined by medical experts throughout history and the answer is
always the same. Jesus had not merely fainted. He was not
pretending. He was dead. His executioners knew it. They watched
him die as they had many, many others. The thrust of the spear
into His side removes all doubt as both water and blood emerge
from the wound showing a massive clotting already taking place in
the arteries. The centurion in charge reported the various
details of how Jesus died to Pilate (MARK 15:44,45). Sometime
later, His body is finally removed from the cross.
 
THE BURIAL OF JESUS
     "And Joseph bought a linen sheet, took Him down, wrapped Him
in the linen sheet, and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn
out in the rock; and rolled a stone against the entrance of the
tomb." (MARK 15:46)
 
     The body of Jesus given a hurried, minimal preparation for
burial as it was wrapped in grave clothes and anointed with
spices. A large rock was rolled in front of the entrance. The
tomb was then sealed in the presence of the Roman guards
stationed at the tomb. This was usually done by stretching a cord
across the stone and sealing both ends of it. Only by breaking
the seal could someone get in, and nobody was expecting anyone to
come out! The penalty for quitting post was death for the Roman
guards. At this time, the disciples are in hiding. They are
scared, confused and emotionally crushed. So the tomb is
absolutely secure, and later even the enemies of Jesus have to
admit Jesus' body is no longer there. Through the centuries
skeptics have fabricated stories about how the tomb became empty,
but not a one can really explain away all the facts.
 
THE COVER UP
     "And when they had assembled with the elders and counseled
together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and
said, You are to say His disciples came by night and stole Him
away while we were asleep." (MATT 28:12,13)      
 
     Of course, when one is forced to come up with a quick lie,
he often does not carefully consider how it will bear up under
investigation. The question to be asked the soldiers would be,
"If you were asleep, as you claim, then how do you know the
disciples stole the body?" Maybe they better go back and think up
another one. Problem was they did not have time.
 
JESUS LIVES!
     "...I am the First and the Last, and the Living One; and I
was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore..." (REV 1:17,18)
 
     Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, the women at the tomb,
Peter, the two on the road to Emmaus, 10 apostles, 11 apostles, 7
disciples at the Lake of Tiberius, 500 at once, James, the
eleven, Steven, Paul, John, as well as other appearances which
are not recorded. The message of Jesus' resurrection was first
preached and accepted at the very city of His death and burial!
The tomb was right there! Many of those guilty of His death
became the first to accept the overwhelming evidence of His
resurrection! Who in the world ever more wanted to disprove the
resurrection than Jesus' enemies on the day of Pentecost as they
were accused of murdering God's Son? And yet the enemies did
either one of two things: kept quiet having nothing to say, or
converted to Jesus! (ACTS 2:22-42)
 
TRANSFORMED LIVES
     "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to
death by hanging Him on a cross." (ACTS 5:30)
 
     What turned the apostles from trembling men fearing for
their very lives to the bold proclaimers of the gospel we see
throughout the rest of the New Testament? What caused them to be
so dedicated that they would sacrifice everything, including
their very lives, for their Lord?  The verdict is in. Jesus is
the Christ, the Son of the Living God! He lives, and He is coming
back for us. Let us all be ready.

 

Reprinted From the Bradley Banner    
Bradley Church of Christ
Bradley, Illinois
October 8, 1999