Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. 29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Acts 2:22-36 KJV
The very first Pentecostal sermon was Peter's famous address to the multinational gathering in Jerusalem, present for that historical Shavuot celebration. Peter boldly declared that Jesus Christ was crucified and slain by wicked hands, but did not experience corruption or decay in the grave, because God raised Him up! These events form the central theme of the gospel, and Peter quotes David's psalm in support of the resurrection. I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalms 16:8-11 KJV Paul testified of this gospel of God (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: Romans 1:2-4 KJV
Easter is not about ham and eggs, it's not about bunnies, and the rest of the piddling trifles that so many Christians are caught up in! Or maybe Easter is about all this since it's a word derived from a pagan tradition and Eostre, the pagan goddess of spring! The word itself is only mentioned once in the Bible and there it it translated from a word that actually is elsewhere translated Passover. To the Christian believer however, it all about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ!
The Jewish elite really wanted Jesus to be dead, and to stay dead! Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, 63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. 64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. 65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. 66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. Matthew 27:62-66 KJV
As far as the chief priests and Pharisees were concerned, Jesus was dead! Right? Yet they were not satisfied! They were remembering a statement that Jesus made several times while yet alive! He will rise again after three days! All they wanted was to ensure that He was proven wrong! Once three days passed it would be okay, and nothing else mattered. I mean with a secure check made of the tomb, a huge stone covering the only opening and a set of Roman soldiers standing watch, what can happen? After all Jesus was brutally and mercilessly beaten nearly to death by the Romans! He was nailed and hung from heavy wooden beams stuck in the ground! He had a lance thrust through His side into His heart and lungs to validate His death! He was securely bound from head to toe with linen burial cloth, then placed in a tomb alone and unattended for three days, with a huge boulder covering the only opening.
No way is He getting out of there! Right? If they had only, really knew their God! With all their learning and experience they were quite smug about the outcome! But academic and intellectual knowledge never impressed God! Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Psalms 2:1-4 KJV For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 1 Corinthians 3:19 KJV He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise. 13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong. Job 5:12-13 KJV
The chief priests and Pharisees secured, sealed and set the tomb with an efficient guard system! They were putting Jesus in His place, as they fondly believed!. This is exactly where many people today, would like Jesus to be! In the place they put Him! They want Him out of the way; out of their way, secured, sealed and safeguarded by all their reasoning, rationale and ridicule! As far as many are concerned God is dead, bound, buried, and behind a big boulder. They have removed Him out of their lives, out of other people's lives, out of the way, and out of sight forever.
Those who followed Him are now cowering in fear, afraid to show themselves, afraid to speak, afraid to draw attention to themselves for fear of ridicule, retaliation, retribution and restraints. Because sadly, many like the disciples, have had their hopes crushed, their dreams destroyed, and their future uncertain, eking out a miserably plodding existence in a hopeless environment with no glimmer of a promised change! This is what happens when men think God no longer matters, and that they, puny mortal men, have everything under control. This is what happens when believers are afraid, doubtful and uncertain of the miraculous any more. This is what happens when we allow the enemy to make us doubt God's Word and Promises!
Whether the saying that you can't keep a good man down, is true or not, the question we should actually ask is, Can you keep The Good God down? How can we even begin to think in our puny minds that we have all the answers when we come up against Yahweh, Who is infinite in all His ways? The intense immensity of this infinite God caused Job to say, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Job 40:4 KJV I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 3 Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. 4 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. Job 42:2-6 KJV But these others who believe they are the elite, with everything, including the Creator, under lock and key, and under their control, continue to sound off in their ignorant arrogance and fond belief that everyone has been waiting on them! They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. 7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear? 8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. Psalms 59:6-8 KJV
Nothing could be more open and public than a Roman crucifixion! No gimmicks, secret devices or sleight of hand! All who passed by and cared to observe, could see Him naked, beaten, battered, torn, scarred and marked beyond recognition, hanging there on the cross. With His hands stretched out wide and nailed, and His feet fastened, He appeared to be going nowhere! But suspended there without clothes He was in effect saying "See? No tricks up my sleeves for I have no clothes! Nowhere to hide any devices or gadgets! No use of hand or feet! Behold and observe well!"
So there He is! In the tomb, secured and sealed, with soldiers of the world's super power posted, to ensure no entrance or 'exit'! That is the extent of man's efforts! They can go no further! Christ is crucified and buried. Now it all hinges on the resurrection! Everything Christianity is about! Everything our faith is about hinges on the resurrection! And when all seems loss to the believer, and all seems settled to the unbeliever, God does what only God can do! He says, "Hi there!" And we look, and behold, and we see the stone's been rolled away by angelic hands, but His body isn't there! For death cannot keep Him, and the grave cannot hold Him, and the multitude of plots and schemes by men and devils are confounded, and brought to nothing, before the breathtaking grandeur of His Majesty and Divinity, The King of kings and the Lord of lords! And all the enemy can do is make desperate attempts at damage control, by lies and deception, and subterfuge and trickery, and threats and violence, but we're no longer afraid, because Jesus Christ lives, and we shall live also, for He said, I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. John 14:18-19 KJV
Finis Dake lists 12 calamities taken from 1 Cor 15 if the resurrection is a farce
1. We have no guarantee of resurrection (1Cor. 15:12- 13, 20- 23).
2. Our preaching is in vain (1Cor. 15:14).
3. Our faith is in vain (1Cor. 15:14, 17).
4. We are liars; because we have preached such a doctrine (1Cor. 15:15).
5. We are yet in our sins (1Cor. 15:17).
6. All the dead are perished (1Cor. 15:18).
7. We have no hope (1Cor. 15:19).
8. We are most miserable (1Cor. 15:19).
9. We are plain fools (1Cor. 15:30- 32).
10. Nature is a farce (1Cor. 15:35- 49).
11. Promises are lies (1Cor. 15:50- 54).
12. Prophecies are false (1Cor. 15:55- 56
(DakeStudyBibleNotes)
But today we can say, because Christ is risen from the dead…
We are not liars when we preach the resurrection!
Our preaching is not in vain!
Our Hope is not in vain!
Our faith is not in vain!
The prophecies in His Word are all true!
His promises are Yes and Amen!
We are no longer in our sins!
We have joy and not misery!
Because He lives we shall live also!
The dead in Christ are not perished but we have a sure hope!
We have a guarantee of a resurrection for He said I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 11:25-26 KJV He said, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Revelation 1:17-18 KJV He said, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:18-20 KJV
