HE IS RISEN!

Matthew 28:5-7; I Corinthians 15:3-8

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HE IS RISEN!
• The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who
was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he
lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you
into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7, NIV)

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 • For I handed down to you as of first importance
what I also received, that Christ died for our
sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was
buried, and that He was raised on the third
day according to the Scriptures, and that He
HE IS RISEN! appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that
He appeared to more than five hundred
brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom
remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then
He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and
last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to
me also. (I Corinthians 15:3-8, NASB)

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 Jesus died on the cross

Evidence for The tomb was empty

the
The post-resurrection appearances
Resurrection
The importance for every Christian
 Jesus’ execution is reported in a number of ancient
sources: Christian and non-Christian (Josephus,
Tacitus, Lucian of Samosata, Mara bar Serapion)

The probability of surviving crucifixion was very low.

1. Jesus died
on the cross Professional medical opinions are unanimous in
concluding that Jesus died as a result of being
crucified

Even if Jesus had somehow managed to survive

crucifixion, he would not have inspired his disciples
to believe he had been resurrected

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 The most powerful argument favoring the empty tomb
concerns its location and the events surrounding it

The most mentioned argument in support of the Gospel

accounts is the unanimous agreement that women were the
first witnesses to the empty tomb
2. The tomb
was empty While the empty tomb accounts in the Gospel accounts are
later than Paul’s writings, it is crucially important that the
empty tomb accounts are witnessed by many

Most recent scholars seem to agree that, while Paul does

not explicitly mention the empty tomb, the early tradition
that this apostle reported to others in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4
implies an empty tomb.
2. The tomb was empty

Many scholars also concede that Acts 13 may very well contain another early tradition, an
early sermon account that was included in a book that was written at a later date.

According to reports found in Matthew 28:11–15, Justin Martyr, and Tertullian, for almost two
centuries or more, the Jewish leaders tried to explain that the tomb was empty because
Jesus’s disciples stole his body.

A word should be said about the scholarly thesis of N. T. Wright and others. In the ancient
world—whether pagan, Jewish, or Christian— writings up until the second century AD were in
complete agreement that the very definition of resurrection was clearly a bodily notion.

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3. The post-resurrection appearances
• First, for a number of reasons, when recent scholars discuss the resurrection
appearances of Jesus, they begin with the apostle Paul. He had been a
powerful opponent of the early Christian message (1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:13–14;
Phil. 3:4–7).
• Second, beyond his scholarly and eyewitness testimony, Paul contributes far
more to a case for Jesus’s resurrection appearances.
• Third, Paul was so careful to assure the truth of the gospel message that he
returned to Jerusalem fourteen years after this initial visit (see Gal. 2:1–10).
 • Fourth, in 1 Corinthians 15:11, Paul added still
another layer of personal testimony. Paul asserts
that he also knew what the others were
preaching. And as they had confirmed his
message years before, Paul now testified that
they also taught the same truth that he did

3. The post- regarding Jesus’s resurrection appearances (1 Cor.

15:11).

resurrection • Fifth, besides 1 Corinthians 15:3, scholars usually

agree that many other New Testament books also
contain early traditions that predate the texts in
appearances which they appear.
• Sixth, virtually no one, friend or foe, believer or
critic, denies that it was their convictions that
they had seen the resurrected Jesus that caused
the disciples’ radical transformations. They were
willing to die specifically for their resurrection
belief.
3. The post-resurrection
appearances
• Seventh, it is almost always acknowledged that during Jesus’s ministry, his
brother James was a skeptic (see John 7:5). He was probably one of the family
members in Mark 3:21–35 who thought that Jesus was insane! But how do we
account for the surprising reports that James later led the Jerusalem church
(Gal. 1:18–2:10; Acts 15:13–21)? According to the creedal comment in 1
Corinthians 15:7, Jesus appeared to James, yet another pointer to a
resurrection appearance.
• Eighth, the tomb in which Jesus was buried was found empty shortly afterward.
The early apostolic preaching of the resurrection began in Jerusalem, where a
closed or occupied tomb would have been disastrous! Moreover, the
unanimous agreement that women were the earliest witnesses to the empty
tomb is another strong consideration, since the widespread prejudice against
female testimony indicates that the reports were not invented.
 • Ninth, that Jesus’s resurrection was
the very center of early Christian faith
also indicates its reality, since, for this
reason, it was repeatedly affirmed by
believers and challenged by

3. The post- unbelievers.

• Last, two thousand years of attempts

resurrection
by nonbelievers to explain what
happened to Jesus in natural terms
have failed. The Jewish leaders in

appearances
Jerusalem had the power, motive, and
location to investigate thoroughly the
proclamation of the resurrection
appearances. They knew of Jesus’s
death and his burial. Though they
were ideally situated to expose the
error, they did not refute the evidence.
Did the Disciples and Paul Experience Appearances of Jesus?

Appeared to Where When References

1 Mary Magdalene Jerusalem Sunday Mark 6:9-11; John 20:11-18
2 Other Women Jerusalem Sunday Matt 28:9-10
3 Peter Jerusalem Sunday Luke 24:32; 1 Cor. 15:5
4 Emmaus disciples Emmaus Sunday Luke 24:13-35; Mark 16:12
5 10 disciples Jerusalem Sunday Mark 16:14; Luke 24:26-42; John 20:19-
25
6 11 disciples Jerusalem A week later John 20:26-31; 1 Cor. 15:5
7 7 disciples Galilee ? John 21:1-25
8 500 brethren Galilee ? 1 Cor. 15:6
9 James ? ? 1 Cor. 15:7
10 11 disciples Galilee ? Matt 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-18
11 11 disciples Jerusalem 40 days later Acts 1:3-12
12 Paul Road Emmaus ? Acts 9
4. The importance for every Christian
• For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised
either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are
still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are
lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people
most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the
firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came
through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a
man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (I
Corinthians 15:16-22, NIV)

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• Our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we await a Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ, who will
transform our lowly body to be
like his glorious body, by the
power that enables him even
to subject all things to himself.
(Philippians 3:20-21, ESV)
 • For you know that it was not with perishable things such as
silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way
of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with
the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or
defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but
was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him
you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and
glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (I
Peter 1:18-21, NIV)

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 • For I know that my Redeemer
lives, and at the last he will
stand upon the earth. And
after my skin has been thus
destroyed, yet in my flesh I
shall see God. (Job 19:25-26,
ESV)

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• Jesus said to her, “I am the
resurrection and the life. The one
who believes in me will live, even
though they die; and whoever
lives by believing in me will
never die. Do you believe
this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I
believe that you are the
Messiah, the Son of God, who is
to come into the world.” (John
11:25-27, NIV)
 All preaching All faith is in
would be in vain, empty
vain and useless
5. What if
Jesus did not We are still on The dead will
rise from the sins perish
dead?
There is no
hope in
heaven

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 The Gospel
Yes, HE IS ALIVE! God exists
message is true

6. Well, Jesus Our sins were

had risen from Miracles are

possible
The Bible is reliable
and inspired
forgiven, and we
have hope of
eternal life
the dead
Those who trusted
Christ will be with
Him forever

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Conclusion
• In the commemoration of the day when Jesus had risen from the dead, we must remember that
through His resurrection, He proved to us that He is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that He is the
only way in order for us to be saved. This is not only what we know, but it is also why we trust in Jesus.
Remember that the Gospel is all about Jesus Christ. He is truly our Savior, our Lord, and our King.

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