Is The Resurrection Believable?

Is the Resurrection Believable?

4 Credible Evidences

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

Citation: Case For Christ by Lee Strobel

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

1Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand 2and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you-unless you believed in vain.

3 For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received-that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures,

5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though to one born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.

Introduction

-- The Resurrection

-- The most critical event in history !

-- The most critical event in Christianity (1 Cor. 15:14) !

-- The most critical event in personal history !

-- Is the Resurrection credible?

-- How should effect us?

1. Evidences that Jesus actually died.

-- Did Jesus actually die or did he just collapse?

-- The torture before the cross

---- Hematidrosis

---- The skin is extremely fragile.

-- Flogging

-- The agony of the cross

---- Slow death

---- Asphyxiation

---- Spear on the right side

---- Blood and water

---- Roman soldiers were expert executioners.

2. Evidences that the tomb was empty.

-- Was Jesus really buried in the tomb?

-- Verses 3-7

---- Is it just a legend?

---- Early creed, as early as 2-5 years after the actual event

---- Women were the first witnesses

---- Both Jesus’ friends and enemies testified that the tomb was empty.

3. Evidences that Jesus reappeared to many.

-- Dead people normally don’t reappear

-- He appeared to Cephas (Peter)

-- Then to the Twelve disciples

-- Then to the 500 people

-- Critics can actually interview these people (verse 6)

-- Evidences that Jesus reappeared to many.

-- Sir Edward Clarke:

“To me the evidence is conclusive, and over and over again in the High Court I have secured the verdict on evidence not nearly so compelling. As a lawyer, I accept the gospel evidence unreservedly as testimony of truthful men to facts that they were able to substantiate.”

4. Circumstantial evidences

-- The disciples died for their beliefs

-- The conversion of the skeptics

---- James the brother of Christ

---- Saul of Tarsus who persecuted Christians

-- Changes to key social structures

-- Communion and Baptism

-- The emergence of the church

How then shall we live?

-- If Jesus actually resurrected, then He was God in human flesh.

-- If Jesus is God, then He is worthy of our praises, our lives, sacrifices and obedience.