The evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ has been provided by his church ever since the women rushed from the empty tomb to proclaim to the doubting apostles that their Lord is risen (Luke 24:1ff). In alluding to this part of the story, I have already given three pieces of evidence for the resurrection. First of all, women were not considered credible witnesses in New Testament times so that a contrived story would have exclusively used men especially for the first announcement that Jesus was risen. Second, the incredulity of these men would not have predisposed them to make up stories about the resurrection or be confused about what they saw or did not see. (Years later, Peter writes in his epistle about another amazing event, namely the transfiguration of Jesus, that he really saw the Lord all lit up and that this was no made up story - so witnesses like Peter could tell the difference between a “hallucination” and a real happening (see II Peter 1:16 on this) Furthermore, with the exception of Peter, who would deny Jesus three times even as he followed Jesus with John into the high priest’s courtyard, everyone else from the inner circle of followers deserted Jesus after our Lord’s arrest in the Garden of Gethsemene (Mark 14:50). So this pattern of fear, denial and desertion is not the stuff out of which a movement is born especially one with the high-mindedness of Christianity. Something happened to the eleven and to other followers two days after the crucifixion to make them change their minds. The empty tomb alluded to above was the first sign that something wonderful had happened. Later when the risen Jesus had visited his followers there was no longer any doubt in their minds (and that includes “doubting Thomas,” John 20:24-30) that their Lord was alive and well in the realm of the living. After Pentecost these followers of Jesus boldly proclaimed a risen Lord without hesitation or fear in the face of threats and beatings from the authorities.
The Sanhedrin never did succeed in discrediting the report of the empty tomb because they could not point to an “inhabited” tomb; and the lame stories they concocted about a stolen body did not make sense since the tomb of Jesus was guarded by Roman soldiers and bore the inviolable Roman insignia. Death was the penalty for soldiers who failed in this kind of mission (see Matt. 27:62-66:28:11-15; Acts 12:19). There is more evidence like this, but the best evidence in my estimation is the character, devotion and self giving of the writers of the New Testament who bore witness to the resurrection. Stated simply, they were credible witnesses. They risked their lives and with the exception of John were all martyred. Their integrity was unquestioned and any talk about their spreading a myth or a lie about Jesus doesn’t make sense. Paul is a good case in point.
He was a fanatic unbeliever and notorious persecutor of the church, but his sudden conversion after his dramatic encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1ff; 26:12-18) is a powerful witness to the resurrection. What also impresses me is Paul’s total sincerity, his complete devotion to the new churches he planted, his unimpeachable integrity, and finally his frequent suffering for the cause of the gospel. His fifteenth chapter of I Corinthians is the most eloquent exposition on the resurrection in all of scripture. He makes it clear that if Christ is not risen from the dead, then he and all Christians are false witnesses and at best just “spinning their wheels.” The church’s most convincing evidence, therefore, is the character of the Christian. Your credibility and mine, our trustworthiness as persons, become valuable assets in the hands of the Holy Spirit who alone can convert the unbeliever and win his confidence. Are you ready to be a credible witness today? I’ll pray for you as you do the same for me. A dying soul hangs in the balance.
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