Crazy
We are here this morning to celebrate something that is arguably crazy... One of the biggest religious holidays is all about a man who was dead, and came back to life. Science and our own personal experience tells us that people who are actually dead, no pulse, no brain activity – truly dead – those people do not just come back to life. We understand that. Despite what movies and TV shows frequently portray – dead is dead.
That is the human experience – but that wasn't what happened almost two thousand years ago with Jesus of Nazareth. What occurred on that day, which we now celebrate at Easter, defies all logic and reason. In fact, outside of a Church service, think about it – if you start talking about the resurrection of the dead – how many people are really going to take you seriously? People don't believe that, outside of scary movies, that dead bodies could really rise from their graves.
It makes for a good science fiction or horror movie - but, c'mon, it's not real... So when it comes to the subject of the resurrection…
I. Doubting is natural
Even when Thomas, one of Jesus' original twelve disciples had his doubts about Jesus rising from the dead – Jesus didn't condemn him. Instead, He offered him proof – 'touch the nail prints, put your hand into my side'. That's because doubting is natural. People do not just rise from the dead every day.
Before Jesus' death and resurrection, even many of the religious leaders of the day had doubts and disagreements about the subject. One group of Jewish religious leaders called the Sadducees denied that scripture even taught a physical resurrection. They didn't believe that a dead body could physically, bodily be raised from the dead. In fact, they wanted to argue with Jesus about His teachings on the subject.
Matthew 22:23 (NIV)
That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question.
And there are a lot of modern people who believe a very similar thing. There are a lot of people who believe in an afterlife of sorts, but not really a physical resurrection. That's where we get all the stories about ghosts. We know there are real life 'ghost hunters' and people who claim to be able talk to ghosts and spirits. They believe in an afterlife for spirits, but not in a physical resurrection of our bodies. Because that's just crazy...right?
But that's not what Jesus taught and it's not what His disciples experienced. And that definitely upset those in power…
Acts 4:1-4 (NIV)
The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. (2) They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. (3) They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. (4) But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
Some doubted, some got angry that their personal beliefs were challenged, but still others believed. Doubting a physical resurrection is actually a natural response – but when it gets right down to it, what do you believe?
***Video - "Our Risen Savior Peter and John"
In the end – everyone has to make a choice, is the Biblical account of Jesus physically rising from the dead fact or fiction? That was the case back then and it's still true today. The Apostle Paul preached, in Acts 17:31-32 (NIV)...
"For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead." (32) When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject."
- Some sneered and others wanted to hear more. - Fact or fiction - accept it or reject it. Now I'm just guessing by the fact that you're here today – the majority of you have accepted the fact of Jesus' resurrection, even if you have the occasional doubt. For those who either need a little encouragement or perhaps want a bit of support in talking to those who aren't quite convinced - let's look at…
II. The evidence
First, let's look at some Biblical support verifying the physical resurrection of Jesus. I know many have probably read this next passage dozens of times - but let's not just breeze through it without thinking of the immense implications. Regarding the moment of Jesus' death, we find this in Matthew 27:51-54 (NIV)...
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. (52) The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. (53) They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
(54) When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"
Think about this - the tombs of many holy people who had died broke open at the moment of His death - there was an earthquake - a large scale event that was easy to confirm. Then, after Jesus' resurrection, those newly 're-alive people' went into the city and were witnessed by many people. The Bible doesn't explain much about these people, but it appears that Jesus' power to conquer death was so awesome that it couldn't be contained! It spilled over to many other believers in the tombs and they came back to life as well!
These 'holy people' raised from the dead were additional evidence that Jesus' resurrection was not merely a 'swooning', or a 'fainting-spell', or some confusion about Jesus' death. It wasn't just one person rising from the dead that critics could somehow ignore or discount; it was many demonstrable, irrefutable instances of many people rising from the dead at the same time of Jesus' resurrection!
None of this just happens every day AND it wasn't disputed! If this account written by Matthew was a lie – Jesus' opposition of the day in the religious leaders and in the Roman government all would have challenged it and proven it wrong. They couldn't!
The Apostle Peter stood up and preached in Acts 2:32 (NIV)...
God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.
And no one could argue with him because they had all seen it for themselves; with their own eyes!
And for those who argue that the Biblical accounts of the facts of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection surely can't be trusted for accuracy – is there any confirmation of the facts outside of the Bible? Matthew also recorded, at the time of Jesus' death...
Matthew 27:45 (NIV)
From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.
I find it intriguing that this fact is also referenced in the writings of an ancient Greek historian named Thallus, who specifically noted an earthquake and a "most fearful darkness", which coincided with the time of Jesus' crucifixion. Thallus chalked up this darkness simply as an 'eclipse of the Sun'.
However, another 2nd century Greek historian, Julius Africanus, pointed out that a 'solar eclipse' could not have occurred because at that time the moon was full and "diametrically opposite the Sun". It was not simply an eclipse – it was something else supernatural, miraculous.
- Yet another Greek historian, Phlegon, also wrote about a great earthquake in the time of Tiberius Caesar and the 'greatest eclipse' and even mentions the time 'from the sixth hour to the ninth', which also just happens to be the exact time recorded in the Bible.
These amazing historical events are documented and are explained in the Bible confirming the claims of the resurrection account! You can look each of these up online and research it for yourself! It is documented truth!
There are also other secular, non-Biblical sources to confirm the Gospels' claims. Both Jewish and Roman sources and traditions admit an empty tomb. The Jewish historian Josephus confirmed the prophecies, miracles, and crucifixion of Jesus. Tacitus, a Roman historian, wrote, "Christus suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of Pontius Pilate."
One modern scholar calls this "positive evidence from a hostile source, which is the strongest kind of historical evidence. In essence, this means that if a source admits a fact decidedly not in its favor, then that fact is genuine."
We can accept the most significant event in history, which coincidentally - based on the sheer volume of ancient manuscripts - is also the most well documented event in ancient history. When you do all of the research comparing the Bible and its documentation versus other ancient writings - it is a fact - The New Testament stands alone in its historical accuracy! It is the greatest of the resurrection proofs! The Gospels themselves are the most reliable historical books in existence.
It's natural to doubt, because the claims are so contradictory to our normal, everyday experience. - Still, when the facts are seen – everyone has to make a decision to accept them or not. But Easter Sunday is not just about a history lesson or an academic exercise. I've discussed the evidence, but now let's look at…
III. The promise!
The facts that we have been given are all pointing to a promise! We can believe that Jesus did indeed physically resurrect from the grave. But that's not the end of the story...
Before Jesus' crucifixion, when Jesus' friend Lazarus died, we see recorded that Jesus set out to see the family…
John 11:20-27 (NIV)
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. (21) "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. (22) But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." (23) Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." (24) Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
(25) Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; (26) and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (27) "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
And then Jesus demonstrated His power over death and raised Lazarus back to life! We have the fact that Jesus defeated death and the promise that He can and will do the same for those who believe in Him.
- We have this assurance from the Apostle Paul in Romans 6:3-5 (NIV)...
Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (4) We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (5) If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.
We know that Jesus rose from the dead! We also have the promise that we, and everyone in Christ who has gone before us, will also partake in that resurrection. So the human experience and understanding is - once a person is dead, that's it. - They stay dead and buried. Our experience says "dead is dead" but - because of Jesus, Christians don't stay dead!
So What?
As Christians, one of the high points we celebrate is the birth of Jesus. We know that God came down in the person of Jesus Christ and became a man; one of us. We also know He came for a purpose – to die on a cross and to rise again; to take away the sin of the world. Everything we do and believe is based on the resurrection of Jesus!
Back in September of 1984, I was 16 years old when my Grandma Jones passed away. It was the first experience I had with death where I was old enough for it to really hit home. Grandma had issues with her liver and several other medical complications. She'd been in the hospital up in Green Bay for weeks before she passed. I didn't get to see her - in fact she didn't allow many people to see her as she struggled. It wasn't until a few years later that my mother told me about the great amount of pain that Grandma was dealing with towards the end.
Grandma was a believer - she had followed Jesus her whole life. Her funeral was actually a celebration of her life - and knowing her final destination certainly helped with the pain of the loss. But it did hurt. Even knowing she was no longer in pain and that she was Heaven bound - it still hurt. But - because of what Jesus accomplished by defeating death - none of that really matters.
I'm not saying the pain wasn't real or the loss wasn't genuine - but ultimately it doesn't matter. The worst that this life can throw at us is only temporary because of Jesus!
1 Corinthians 15:16-20 (NIV)
For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. (17) And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. (18) Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. (19) If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. (20) But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
If there was no resurrection – we're certainly wasting our time here! If there was no resurrection – what's the point of trying to follow the teachings of a dead man? Following Jesus is not just about trying to be a good person here in this life. We serve a risen Savior who has promised those who follow Him victory over death! That is the kind of hope worth living for! That is the hope that makes a difference for today and eternity! Jesus is alive!