Matthew 28:6 - Jesus Is Risen ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Matthew 28:6: Jesus Is Risen ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Mat 28:6a (KJV) He is not here: for he is risen,
This simply stated fact is the basis of the Christian faith.
[Ryrie SB]
Christianity is the only religion whose founder has an empty
tomb. [CBN News 4/12/09]
Central to Christian faith is the bodily resurrection of
Jesus. By recording over 10 resurrection appearances, the New Testament
leaves no doubt about this event.
1. to Mary Magdalene near the tomb (John 20:11-18);
2. to the women returning from the tomb (28:9, 10);
3. to Peter (Luke 24:34);
4. to the disciples on the road to Emmaus in the evening
(Luke 24:13-32);
5. to all the disciples except Thomas, who was absent (Luke
24:36-43);
6. to the disciples, including Thomas, on Sunday night one
week later (John 20:26-31);
7. to seven disciples beside the Sea of Galilee (John
21:1-25);
8. to more than 500 people possibly on an appointed mountain
in Galilee (28:16-20; possibly parallels 1 Cor. 15:6);
9. to James the half brother of Jesus and the other apostles
(1 Cor. 15:7);
10. to the apostles at the ascension (Acts 1:3-11).
11. to Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-6; 22:1-10;
26:12-18; 1 Cor. 15:8) [Believers and Nelson SB mod.]
All four Gospels give an account of Jesus' resurrection (vv.
1-10; Mark 16:1-18; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-29). Moreover the rest of
the New Testament speaks with a tremendous sense of confidence about
an empty tomb and the triumph of Christ over death.
And no wonder. If true, the resurrection is the most amazing
news the world has ever heard. It means there is a God after all. It
means that Jesus really is Gods Son. It means that Christ is
alive"today"and we can know Him and be touched by His life and power. It means
that we need not fear death the way we once did; we are not destined
to oblivion but to spend eternity with God. It also means that
knowing God is of the utmost importance right now,
These are important implications, so the question of whether
Jesus actually rose from the dead is crucial. At least four lines of
evidence indicate that He did:
(1) Jesus really was dead. Every source we have indicates
that Jesus was publicly executed before large crowds. He was
certified as dead by both a centurion in charge of the execution"a
professional whose job it was to determine that death had taken place"and
by the regional governor, Pilate, who sent to have the matter
checked.
(2) The tomb was found empty. Jesus' enemies would have been
the least likely to have stolen the body. Even if they had, they
would certainly have produced it later to refute the claims of the
disciples that Jesus was alive. What about Jesus' friends? Unlikely, since
the accounts show them to have been very demoralized after the
crucifixion. Nor would they have willingly suffered persecution and death for
what they knew to be a lie.
(3) Jesus appeared after His death to many witnesses. In a
garden, on a road, in an upstairs room, by a lake"over a period of
forty days.
(4) Countless people have encountered the living Jesus and
been changed by Him. The resurrection is not simply a matter of
intellectual curiosity or theological argument, but of personal experience.
From the first century to today there have been innumerable people
who have turned from being totally opposed or indifferent to
Christianity to being utterly convinced that it is true. What changed them?
They met the living Jesus. He has invited them to respond to Him in
faith and challenged them to live according to His way. Jesus is as
alive now as He was that first Easter morning. He still invites people
to know Him today. [Word In Life SB mod]
A variety of lines of evidence make it very clear that Jesus
did rise from the dead.
1. The Old Testament predicts Christs resurrection: Ps.
16:10 says, You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let
your Holy One see decay.
2. Jesus predicted the Resurrection: In Deut. 18 the OT
establishes a principle: prophets are authenticated as Gods messengers
when the things they predict actually"and always"happen. when
prediction and fulfillment are linked, there is no mistaking the hand of
God. True prophets never erred. Thus the fact that the Gospels record
frequent statements by Jesus that He would be killed by His enemies and
would rise again after the third day is significant. In fact, each
time Christ spoke of His death He also promised that He would rise
again. Thus the Resurrection is a foretold event, and a clear link
between prediction and fulfillment is established, giving added
credibility to the resurrection report.
3. The reaction of Jesus enemies: Clearly, if the members
of the Sanhedrin who had arranged Christs death could have
disproved the Resurrection, they surely would have. How? Simply produce
the body! If the Sanhedrin really thought the disciples had
stolen Christs corpse, as the rumor they started suggests, they were
fully empowered to arrest the disciples and to force them to reveal
where the body lay. Yet there was no attempt to do anything of the
sort! The utter failure of the Jewish leaders to stifle the
resurrection report"In view of the eagerness of the Jewish leaders to
squelch the Jesus movement, we must take their failure to show the
Resurrection to be a hoax as strong evidence that it was not a hoax at all,
but actually happened.
4. The transformation of the disciples: One of the most
powerful reasons for accepting the Resurrection as a fact of history is
the reaction of Jesus disciples to Christs death and
resurrection. Jesus death stunned His followers, dashed their hopes, and
left them in despairThen, suddenly, we see a group of men who with
great enthusiasm and conviction announce that Christ is risen, and who
dedicate their lives to bringing this message to the world. If these men
became rich or famous by proclaiming Christ, as some who have invented
religions, we might question their motives. But instead of fame the
apostles of Jesus gave up hope of worldly wealth, suffered rejection and
persecution, and despite the most terrible hardships felt only delight in
their privilege of serving Jesus. It is simply unimaginable that this
could have taken place unless the disciple were totally convinced that
Jesus was truly the Son of God, and was truly risen from the dead.
5. The Gospels: There is unmistakable evidence that the
Gospels were written within a few decades of the events the authors
describe, well within the lifetimes of those who claim to have been
eyewitnesses. And well within the lifetimes of others, both friend and foe,
who would surely have known if the reports of Jesus activities
were false! The notion that the story of Jesus and His resurrection
could be a fable is absurd on its face, for without a basis in fact,
the stories would have been immediately contradicted within
Palestine, no vital church would have been formed. [Victor Bible Background
Commentary mod]
Christ arose from the dead as the first fruits of those that
slept. He was the antitype of the wave sheaf, and His resurrection took
place on the very day when the wave sheaf was to be presented before
the Lord. For more than a thousand years this symbolic ceremony had
been performed. From the harvest fields the first heads of ripened
grain were gathered, and when the people went up to Jerusalem to the
Passover, the sheaf of first fruits was waved as a thank offering before
the Lord. Not until this was presented could the sickle be put to
the grain, and it be gathered into sheaves. The sheaf dedicated to
God represented the harvest. So Christ the first fruits represented
the great spiritual harvest to be gathered for the kingdom of God.
His resurrection is the type and pledge of the resurrection of all
the righteous dead.
During His ministry, Jesus had raised the dead to life.
But these were not clothed with immortality. After they were raised,
they were still subject to death. But those who came forth from the
grave at Christs resurrection were raised to everlasting life. They
ascended with Him as trophies of His victory over death and the grave.
These, said Christ, are no longer the captives of Satan; I have
redeemed them. I have brought them from the grave as the first fruits of
My power, to be with Me where I am, nevermore to see death or
experience sorrow.
To the believer, death is but a small matter. Christ speaks
of it as if it were of little moment. To the Christian, death is
but a sleep, a moment of silence and darkness.
At the Saviours resurrection a few graves were opened, but
at His second coming all the precious dead shall hear His voice,
and shall come forth to glorious, immortal life. {DA 785-7}
"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not
here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with
you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of
sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' ". Then
they remembered his words. Luke 24:5b-8.
He's alive and I'm forgiven and my soul has been set free.
He's alive and I'm forgiven and my joy I can't contain. He's alive
and I'm forgiven and my faith is here to stay. He's alive and I'm
forgiven and my love flows deep and wide. Hes alive and Im
forgiven, because He did what He promised, He arose after three days. He's
alive! He's alive! He's alive!
What emotions did the friends and disciples of Jesus feel
when they realized He was real? Certainly they were surprised by the
joy of knowing Jesus was back, even more larger than life. Even
though they had watched Him raise Lazarus after four days of death,
their faith had forgotten. But now they were glad again, because God
raised up His son to life.
If you look for Jesus among the dead you will not find Him.
He has left the cold cemetery and risen to be with the warm love of
His Father. Dead churches cannot claim the calming presence of
Christ, because they have forsaken the faith required to recognize Him.
Look for the Lord among the living, those who live out their faith
with bold grace.
Remember the words of Jesus and your faith will resound with
reassurance. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for
ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades (Revelation
1:18). You serve a risen Savior who lives in your life by faith. Take
Him at His word, and joy will fill your innermost being as you
celebrate His appearing almost 2,000 years later. Enjoy Jesus, and
anticipate your Lords second return. http://wisdomhunters.com
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
I am the risen One who shines upon you always. You worship a
living Deity, not some idolatrous, man-made image. Your relationship
with Me is meant to be vibrant and challenging, as I invade more and
more areas of your life. Do not fear change, for I am making you a
new creation, with old things passing away and new things
continually on the horizon. When you cling to old ways and sameness, you
resist My work within you. I want you to embrace all that I am doing in
your life, finding your security in Me alone.
It is easy to make an idol of routine, finding security
within the boundaries you build around your life. Although each day
contains twenty-four hours, every single one presents a unique set of
circumstances. Don't try to force-fit today into yesterday's mold. Instead, ask
Me to open your eyes, so you can find all I have prepared for you
in this and each precious day of Life. (Mat. 28:5-7; 2 Cor. 5:17)
[Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
I Am the Risen One - your living God. Celebrate the Joy of
serving a Savior who is exuberantly alive! Rejoice also in My promise to
be with you continually - throughout time and eternity. These
truths can sustain you through the greatest trials or disappointments
you will ever encounter. So walk boldly along the path of Life with
Me, trusting confidently in the One who never lets go of your hand.
Consider what I offer you: Myself, forgiveness of all your
sins, forever-pleasures in heaven. This is all so extravagant and
lavish that you cannot comprehend it fully. That is why worshiping Me
is so important: It's a powerful way of connecting with Me that
transcends your understanding. It also proclaims My Presence. There are
numerous ways of worshiping Me: singing hymns and praise songs, studying
and memorizing My Word, praying individually and with others,
glorying in the wonders of My creation. Serving and loving others with My
Love can also be worship. Whatever you do, do it all for the Glory of
God - My Glory! (Mat. 28:5, 6; Psa. 42:2; Col. 2:2, 3) [Jesus Always
by Sarah Young]
CLOSING THOUGHT
In His death and resurrection, our Lord defeated the world (John
18:33), the flesh (Rom. 6:1-7), the devil (John 12:31), and death itself
(I Cor. 15:50-58). You need not be afraid of life or death, time or
eternity (Rev. 1:17-18). [Chapter by Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren
Wiersbe]
SPECIAL RESURRECTION PAINTING:
[3 popular sites for the same video]
http://www.cbn.com/tv/1432091350001
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yABivU-AKQ
http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=KLLLZWNX
SPECIAL RESURRECTION PRAISE SONGS:
Hallelujah, Jesus is alive! By Keith Green.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q7s0VJG7ts
He's Alive by David Phelps & Gaither Vocal Band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gGa1w_bnvM
I've Just Seen Jesus by Sandi Patti & Larnelle Harris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yLgtd_kkxw
SPECIAL RESURRECTION GRAPHIC:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6e/c4/a5/6ec4a5cec6b7351e074d10ade9faf3cb.jpg
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES AND SEMINARS
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/
ABible.com: http://www.aBible.com
