Acts 1:3
To whom also he shewed himself alive
after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days
The cross was for God.
The resurrection is for us.
Along with the birth of Christ, the cross and the resurrection are the most important events in all of human history, past, present, and future.
All of this could have been done in secret and the purpose of God, to save his people from their sins, could have still been accomplished.
But, I am so thankful that it was not done in secret. We have the great privilege to know the gospel, the good news of the cross and the resurrection.
We get to know the love of our Father in heaven, and we have the wonderful hope of the resurrection to comfort us all of our lives and even when we are faced with the death of loved ones and ultimately our own.
Our loving Father has given us many infallible proofs to comfort us and so that we may know His love for us.
The cross was for God. Jesus gave his life for the sins of his people, but that sacrifice was not to us, it was to God. Jesus offered himself once and for all to God for our sins.
God accepted the sacrifice of Jesus and proved it by raising him from the dead.
The bible says we are justified by the resurrection.
Romans 4:25 — Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
We were declared righteous or just, when God accepted the sacrificial death of Jesus for our sins. Jesus took our sins on himself, died for them, and gave us his perfect righteousness in exchange.
God proved to all the world for all generations to come that he was well pleased with the sacrifice of his son by raising him from the dead.
Some bible doctrines are mentioned in passing, once, or just briefly.
The resurrection is not like this.
There are many infallible proofs of the resurrection. God seems to have wanted to make a point that this most important event, would not go unnoticed, nor could there be any reasonable doubt that is occurred in all its wonder and magnificence.
Many have claimed that the resurrection of Jesus is a myth, a fairy tale, a supernatural event that is not possible in this world and must be rejected.
The apostle Peter anticipated this and addressed it.
2 Peter 1:16 — For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
There are indeed many infallible proofs of the resurrection. Let’s look at a few.
- Eyewitnesses
- The empty tomb
- The ministry of the apostles
As Peter, wrote, they were eyewitnesses to his majesty. And, he showed himself many times in the forty days after his resurrection before he ascended to the Father.
He appeared to the travelers on the road to Emmaus, hiding himself from them at first as he told them about himself from the Old Testament prophesies.
He appeared to the 12 in the upper room, walking through a locked door as they all cowered in fear of the Jews.
He appeared again when Thomas was there, so Thomas could see him in the flesh and have his doubts turned to belief.
And, the apostle Paul sums it up in his resurrection chapter.
1 Corinthians 15:4-8 — And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
500 witnesses at once and not a single account in written history, disputing this testimony.
The empty tomb.
The Jewish authorities knew that Jesus had said that he would rise from the dead, so they asked the Roman authorities to post a guard at the tomb.
Matthew 27:62-65 — Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. 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. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.
But, no Roman guard or sealed tomb could keep our Lord in the grave. He arose!
The Roman guard was thought to be 4-16 professional soldiers. Roman guards could be put to death if they failed in their guard duty.
The large stone rolled in front of the tomb, a cave carved into a hill, would have required several strong men a considerable amount of time to remove, while a Roman guard watched.
Yet, on Sunday morning, the stone had been rolled away, and our Lord was not there.
But, I think the most convincing evidence for the resurrection is the ministry of the apostles.
Before they saw our risen Lord, they were cowering in that upper room, afraid of the Jewish authorities. Afraid that they would be next.
After our risen Lord came walking through that locked door, they went out and took the world be storm, preaching the gospel, and most dying martyrs’ deaths.
If the skeptic continues in his disbelief, he must come up with some explanation for this turnaround in the apostles. Why would they go out into the world and be tortured and killed for the gospel, if they did not really believe Jesus arose.
Simon Greenleaf, an atheist and Harvard Law Professor, the world’s leading authority on the subject of evidence, was converted to Christianity, when challenged by a student to “consider the evidence” of the resurrection. He took a sabbatical and considered the evidence. This was his conclusion in his book Testimony of the Evangelists Examined by the Rules of Evidence Administered in Courts of Justice
“All that Christianity asks of men… is, that they would be consistent with themselves; that they would treat its evidences as they treat the evidence of other things; and that they would try and judge its actors and witnesses, as they deal with their fellow men, when testifying to human affairs and actions, in human tribunals. Let the witnesses [to the Resurrection] be compared with themselves, with each other, and with surrounding facts and circumstances; and let their testimony be sifted, as if it were given in a court of justice, on the side of the adverse party, the witness being subjected to a rigorous cross-examination. The result, it is confidently believed, will be an undoubting conviction of their integrity, ability and truth.”
C.S. Lewis, a former atheist and Cambridge professor, was converted to Christianity on the basis of the evidence, according to his book Surprised by Joy. He recalls, “I thought I had the Christians ‘placed’ and disposed of forever.” But, “A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. There are traps everywhere— ‘Bibles laid open, millions of surprises,’ as Herbert says, ‘Fine nets and stratagems.’ God is, if I may say it, very unscrupulous.”
Yes, there are many infallible proofs.
He is risen! He’s alive!
May the Lord bless you.
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