Evidence for the Resurrection

1. The Burial of Jesus By Joseph of Arimethea

2. The Empty Tomb

3. The Eyewitness Accounts

4. The Transformation of the Disciples following the Resurrection

Luke Johnson, a New Testament scholar from Emory University, muses, �some sort of powerful, transformative experience is required to generate the sort of movement earliest Christianity was . . . .�

N. T. Wright, an eminent British scholar, concludes, �that is why, as a historian, I cannot explain the rise of early Christianity unless Jesus rose again, leaving an empty tomb behind him.� [5]

Are these men, who helped to transform the moral structure of society, consummate liars or deluded madmen? These alternatives are harder to believe than the fact of the Resurrection, and there is no shred of evidence to support them.

Paul Little

The Disciples had nothing to gain by lying and starting a new religion. They faced hardship, ridicule , hostility and martyr�s deaths. In light of this, they could have never sustained such unwavering motivation if they knew what they were preaching was a lie. The disciples were not fools and Paul was a cool-headed intellectual of the first rank. There would have been several opportunities over three or four decades of ministry to reconsider and renounce the lie.

J. P. Moreland

�I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren't true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world-and they couldn't keep a lie for three weeks. You're telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.�

Chuck Colson

James the Brother of Jesus

�One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn�t even find time to eat. When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. �He�s out of his mind,� they said.� (Mark 3:20–21, NLT)

�Then Jesus�mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them. There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, �Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.� Jesus replied, �Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?�� (Mark 3:31–33, NLT)

�For even his brothers didn�t believe in him.�(John 7:5, NLT)

�Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.� (1 Corinthians 15:7, NLT)

�They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.� (Acts 1:14, NLT)

�This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the �twelve tribes�—Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings!�

(James 1:1, NLT)

• Jewish Historian Josephus wrote that James was stoned in 66 AD

Paul the Apostle

�even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief.� (1 Timothy 1:13, NLT)

�Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.�

(Acts 7:57–58, NLT)

�Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen... But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.� (Acts 8:1a…3, NLT)

Acts 26:9–11; Galatians 1:13

Paul�s Was Changed by His Encounter with the Risen Christ

�As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, �Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?� �Who are you, lord?�Saul asked. And the voice replied, �I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!� (Acts 9:3–5, NLT)

�And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, �He is indeed the Son of God!��

(Acts 9:20, NLT)

�Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn�t preach the Good News!� (1 Corinthians 9:16, NLT)

Paul�s Message Traveled

• Wrote 13 Books of the NT• 14 Churches Started

Peter

��No!� Peter insisted. �Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!� And all the other disciples vowed the same.�

(Matthew 26:35, NLT)

�But even as Jesus said this, a crowd approached, led by Judas, one of the twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus to greet him with a kiss. But Jesus said, �Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?�� (Luke 22:47–48, NLT)

�When the other disciples saw what was about to happen, they exclaimed, �Lord, should we fight? We brought the swords!�And one of them struck at the high priest�s slave, slashing off his right ear.�

(Luke 22:49–50, NLT)

�But Jesus said, �No more of this.� And he touched the man�s ear and healed him.�

(Luke 22:51, NLT)

Peter�s Denial

�The guards lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter joined them there. A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, �This man was one of Jesus�followers!�� (Luke 22:55–56, NLT)

�But Peter denied it. �Woman,� he said, �I don�t even know him!� After a while someone else looked at him and said, �You must be one of them!� �No, man, I�m not!� Peter retorted. About an hour later someone else insisted, �This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.�� (Luke 22:57–59, NLT)

�But Peter said, �Man, I don�t know what you are talking about.� And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.� (Luke 22:60, NLT)

�At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord�s words flashed through Peter�s mind: �Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.� And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.�

(Luke 22:61–62, NLT)

Peter Sees the Empty Tomb

�Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, �They have taken the Lord�s body out of the tomb, and we don�t know where they have put him!�� (John 20:1–2, NLT)

�Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn�t go in.�

(John 20:3–5, NLT)

�Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus� head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings.�

(John 20:6–7, NLT)

�Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed—for until then they still hadn�t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead.� (John 20:8–9, NLT)

Peter�s Restoration

�Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.�

(John 21:1–2, NLT)

�This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead. After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, �Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?� �Yes, Lord,� Peter replied, �you know I love you.� �Then feed my lambs,� Jesus told him.�

(John 21:14–15, NLT)

�Jesus repeated the question: �Simon son of John, do you love me?� �Yes, Lord,� Peter said, �you know I love you.� �Then take care of my sheep,� Jesus said. A third time he asked him, �Simon son of John, do you love me?� Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, �Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.� Jesus said, �Then feed my sheep.� (John 21:16–17, NLT)

Peter�s Message After He Had Seen the Risen Christ

�Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, �Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o�clock in the morning is much too early for that.� (Acts 2:14–15, NLT)

��God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God�s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.�

(Acts 2:32–33, NLT)

�Peter replied, �Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.�

(Acts 2:38, NLT)

�Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, �Save yourselves from this crooked generation!�Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.� (Acts 2:40–41, NLT)

�The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.�

(Acts 4:13, NLT)

Peter�s Death

• Peter was crucified Upside Down

• Documented by Historians Tertullian, Origen, and Eusebius

BELIEVE

�I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.� (Acts 20:21, NLT)

What Is You Life Message?