dougjohnson@revivalfireministries.org
Easter is my favorite holiday. Not because of the colored eggs, chocolate bunnies and candy--but because of the real meaning behind it. Easter is the sacred holiday in which Christians celebrate Christ’s resurrection from the dead.
There are many people who want to dismiss Christ’s resurrection as a hoax. In fact, this one belief has been debated more than any other. However, the evidence in the Bible of Christ’s resurrection from the dead proves that it actually happened. If you have ever wondered if the resurrection is true, here are some facts to consider:
First, Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2 occurred within 50 days of the Resurrection. In his sermon, Peter boldly declared that Jesus had risen from the dead. He told the Jews, "You have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain (Jesus): whom God hath raised up." (Verses 23,24) If Jesus did not rise from the dead, it would have been very easy for anyone to disprove it because it had only been a short time since His crucifixion.
Second, Peter’s sermon was to the Jews gathered in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost. Notice they were in Jerusalem—the very city where Jesus had been crucified. If the disciples had stolen His body (as some atheist scholars claim) then they should have went to Athens or Rome and preached their resurrection message there. But they didn’t. Instead, the Christian faith came into being in the very city where Jesus’ enemies were. Anyone who doubted the disciples’ claims could have easily taken a short 15-minute walk from the center of Jerusalem and found them to be true or false!
Thirdly, if the Resurrection were a hoax, the disciples would not have named their eyewitnesses. Jesus stayed around for forty days after His resurrection. (Acts 1:3) In 1 Corinthians 15:5-8, Paul records 526 individuals who saw Christ after He was resurrected. The majority of the witnesses was still alive at the time and could be questioned if anyone disbelieved the disciples’ report. Think about it: there has never been a court case with so many eyewitnesses who were willing to testify to the truth—and yet Christ’s resurrection is still debated today!
There are at least 16 individuals mentioned by name as witnesses of Christ’s resurrection, and the mention of Joseph of Arimathaea as the man who buried Jesus (Mark 15:43) would have been terribly dangerous if the Gospel accounts had been faked or embellished. As a member of the Sanhedrin, Joseph would have been well known. His involvement in the burial of Jesus could have been easily confirmed or refuted.
The fourth proof of evidence is the fact that women were the first ones to witness Christ’s resurrection. In the culture of that time women were considered invalid witnesses in a court of law. If the disciples were lying, the women would not have been included in the story!
Finally, if the Resurrection never happened, the disciples definitely would not have died for their lies. In his book, "The Case for Christ," Lee Strobel wrote, "People will die for their religious beliefs if they sincerely believe they’re true, but people won’t die for their religious beliefs if they know their beliefs are false.
"While most people can only have faith that their beliefs are true, the disciples were in a position to know without a doubt whether or not Jesus had risen from the dead. They claimed that they saw Him, talked with Him, and ate with Him. If they weren’t absolutely certain, they wouldn’t have allowed themselves to be tortured to death for proclaiming that the Resurrection had happened."
As you can see, if the Resurrection did not happen, the disciples didn’t "cover it up" very well. In fact, their actions and words tell us a different story: Christ has risen indeed! You see Easter is more than just bunnies and candy-- it’s about the power of God’s love for mankind. Today, that same power that raised Jesus from the dead can give you hope. I pray you’ll find a church this Sunday and celebrate the real meaning of Easter.
Copyright Doug Johnson
