Just a few days ago on Easter Sunday we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross and three days later rose from the dead. With God’s Word, I will point out several things in the Case for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The first thing to consider is Jesus’s own Words from the Gospel of Luke. Luke 9:22 “Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.” Again, in Luke 18:33 Jesus says, “And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.” In Luke 23 we read of Jesus being brought by the multitude to Pilate. Three different times Pilate finds Jesus innocent of the charges made against Him. Luke 23: 4 “Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. 13 And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: 22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.” Nevertheless, Pilate gives in to the will of the people and sends Jesus to be crucified. Luke 23:24 “And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.” We read of this in Luke 23:33 “And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.”
Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ who was faultless; the sinless Son of God was crucified on the Cross of Calvary! Luke 23:46 “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.” It was there on the cross that Jesus died for our sins. 1 Corinthians 15: 3 “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;”
After Jesus died on the cross he was buried. We read this account of Joseph of Arimathaea, in Luke 23:52 “This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.” So, Jesus is buried and on the sabbath day there came women there to anoint the body of Jesus, but when they arrived something was not like they expected. The stone was rolled away from the tomb. They entered in and Jesus’s body was not there! This caused them to be perplexed, and yet two men spoke to them. Take notice of what they said and the questions they asked. Luke 24:1 “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. 8 And they remembered his words,” They asked the women why they seek the living among the dead. This is a reference to the fact that Jesus is alive! So, Jesus died, was buried and rose again!
Another aspect to note is the witnesses to the Risen Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:5 “And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 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. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.”
The Bible says in Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” The only person exempt from the word “all” in that verse is Jesus. He was the sinless, faultless Son of God sent here to die on the cross for our sins, be buried and rise again the third day. That is why Easter is also called Resurrection Day. I hope you know Jesus died for your sins and by faith in Jesus Christ you have trusted in Him as your Saviour. If not, please do so without delay. If you are a believer, live for Jesus and share that Good News with the world around you. 1 Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
