Witnesses Of The Resurrection

vi. Really, the apostles were blessed to have the Lord appear to them. It made their choice real easy. But, as Jesus would tell Thomas – “Blessed is he who has not seen, and yet believes.”

vii. It comes down to a question of faith, and that question will be the most important one that you will ever answer in your life. In a few minutes, we are going to pray, and you are going to get a chance to make that decision. Are you going to accept Jesus, and the evidence, or reject it? I pray that each one here would not leave today before deciding to accept Him.

h. Point Summary - There are three things I want us to take away from this message -

1. Jesus’ resurrection was a surprise even to His followers.

2. Jesus’ resurrection validates His life and ministry.

3. Jesus’ resurrection is what saves us from our sins.

i. I‘d like to close with a short story.

i. It is reported that at the close of the Battle of Waterloo, the English people were anxiously awaiting news of the result, because it’s outcome meant the future for all of Europe. Their only means of communication was a system of signal lights flashed across the English Channel. The fog became so dense that only a part of the message was made out. It read, "Wellington defeated." Gloom settled upon the English. But imagine their joy when the fog lifted and they received the whole message, "Wellington defeated the enemy."

ii. When Christ was crucified, His disciples were so enshrouded by the fogs of doubt that they saw but one meaning to the sad event, "Christ defeated." All hope was gone; Christ was dead. But Easter morning brought the glorious fact of the risen Lord, and the message read, "Christ defeated death." How glorious! By dying, Christ conquered the grave; by ascending, Christ made possible our ascension even to heaven.

iii. Dietrich Bonhoffer once wrote that Socrates had mastered the art of dying, and that Christ overcame death as "the last enemy". There is a real difference between the two things; the one is within the scope of human possibilities, the other means resurrection. It’s not from the art of dying, but from the resurrection of Christ, that a new and purifying wind can blow through our present world. ... If a few people really believed that and acted on it in their daily lives, a great deal would be changed. To live in the light of the resurrection--that is what Easter means.

j. Let’s Pray.

V. Closing Prayer