Introduction

Good morning everybody! And Happy Easter! Are you ready to do some learning today? Pray with me: Lord Jesus, speak to me. Amen! Take out your notes and let’s learn together.

Review

For the past 5 weeks we’ve been in a series called Against All Odds. The series is based on a monumental chapter in the Old Testament: Isaiah chapter 53. Isaiah is an incredible book, and chapter 53 is an incredible chapter. The Prophet Isaiah recorded His predictions 700 years before Jesus was born. Isaiah 53 describes 24 actions the Messiah would experience that were all fulfilled in Jesus during Holy Week.

He predicted that… The Messiah would be despised, betrayed and rejected. That He would be silent when facing His accusers. That He would bear our sorrows and sins. And by bearing our sins, He would heal our sickness. And pay the price for our wrongdoings. Isaiah predicted that He would be successful (which really is an understatement, because with over 2 billion followers today, Jesus Christ is by far the most successful person ever to live.) And that He would rise from the dead. 24 predictions in all.

The reason we’ve called this series, Against All Odds is because several years ago, a mathematician named Dr. Peter Stoner did some work with probability theory. He sat down and determined the odds for any one person fulfilling eight prophecies of Scripture. Stoner’s calculations showed that the probability of fulfilling 8 prophecies was so miniscule, it would be virtually impossible.

The reason we’ve called this series, Against All Odds is because several years ago, a mathematician named Dr. Peter Stoner did some work with probability theory.

Segue

Today being Easter, we’re not going to talk about 48 prophecies, we’re just going to talk about the great prophecy: Jesus’ Resurrection from the dead. What are the odds that a dead person could come back from the grave? Well, it’s been done a few times. Most of them involve an Emergency Room, or an Operating Table, or being trapped under icy water and revived afterwards. It’s happened, but not often. Jesus wasn’t revived, He was resurrected.

What are the odds that someone who had been crucified and pronounced dead by a professional Roman executioner, who had thrust a spear through His heart, watched clear pericardial fluid gush through the open wound, showing that His heart had burst and the chambers of it collapse, His body pried from the nails that held it to the cross, wrapped in 200 pounds of spices, including His face, nose and mouth, laid behind a 2,000-pound stone, could revive Himself, move the stone, walk 14 miles that afternoon, and convince His friends that He was completely restored to health? Zero ... View this full sermon with PRO Premium