Acts 1:3 says, “To whom also he (Jesus) showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”  This Easter Sunday, we’re going to discuss the Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

Christ’s resurrection is proven – Acts 1:3.  Luke wrote that Jesus shewed himself alive by many “infallible” proofs.  Infallible proofs are proofs that are incapable of error.  They are certain.  You may choose not to believe them.  But they cannot be refuted by any other evidence you or anyone else can provide.  These are eyewitnesses to his resurrection.  In a court of law it only take two eyewitnesses whose testimonies agree to “prove” a fact.  The Bible records the eyewitness accounts of over 500 people.  That’s why so many people world-wide still celebrate Easter Sunday.

Here are the chronological eyewitness accounts of the bodily appearance of Jesus Christ following his resurrection.  He first appeared to Mary Magdalene alone, Jn 20:15-17.  Afterwards, he appeared to Mary and other women on their way to tell the disciples, Matt 28:8-9.  Then, he appeared to Cleopas and another man on the road to Emmaus, Lk 24:13-32.  A little later, he appeared to the disciples and them that were with them, Lk 24:33-48.  Eight days later, he appeared to the disciples and Thomas, Jn 20:24-29.  Later, he appeared to the disciples while they were fishing, Jn 21:1-14.  Then to more than five hundred brethren at once, 1 Cor 15:6, and to James, 1 Cor 15:7.  Before his ascension, he appeared to the disciples and others, Acts 1:9-11.  On the road to Damascus, he appeared to Paul, 1 Cor 15:8.  Finally, he appeared to John, Rev 1:12-18.  These are an overwhelming number of eyewitnesses who have substantiated the fact that Jesus arose.

It’s up to you whether you want to believe these eyewitnesses.  But it wouldn’t be “blind faith” if you did.

Christ’s resurrection is personal – 1 Cor 15:12-17.  In the first verse in this passage, Paul asks an excellent question.  “If Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead”?  After the testimonies of so many eyewitnesses, it’s preposterous that some still believe that there is no resurrection of the dead.  If it’s so, then Christ didn’t rise, our preaching is vain, your faith is vain, the eyewitnesses lied, and you are still in your sins.

If Jesus Christ had not risen from the dead, you would be dead in your sins.  He rose for you that he might save you from your sins and give you eternal life.  Not until you see the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, personally, will it mean anything to you.  His resurrection is not just something to remember on Easter Sunday, it’s something he did that will change every day of the rest of your life, forever.

Lots of people believe that Jesus died for the sins of the world.  What they don’t see is that he died for them; that they need a personal Savior.  In Jn 11:25-26, Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”  He rose to give you life.  He rose that “whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”  Jesus will give you life, if you will believe in him.

Consider the thief on the cross to whom Jesus said, “This day shalt thou be with me in paradise”.  The other thief and the whole crowd below were mocking Jesus and the disciples were standing afar off in fear.  That thief who was saved didn’t make his decision based on the reaction of the multitude.  He made an individual decision to cry out to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom”, Lk 23:42.   He believed Jesus would rise after his death and burial.  He personally made a decision to trust Christ.  And so should you.

Christ’s resurrection is powerful – Rom 1:4.  Jesus Christ was “declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead”.  The resurrection of Jesus is a demonstration of the power of God to raise the dead and keep them alive for eternity.  It’s much more than a religious doctrine celebrated on Easter Sunday.

Jesus knew that his adversaries couldn’t kill him till it was time.  Once they killed him, they couldn’t keep him down.  The priests didn’t scare him, death couldn’t hold him, and the devil couldn’t beat him.  Today, he’s far above all of them, Eph 1:21.  As I have said before, “Don’t play king of the mountain with Jesus Christ unless you hope to lose”.  He whips all of his adversaries.  When he was at his absolute weakest point during his earthly ministry, he triumphed over the devil and all principalities and powers, Col 2:14-15, Is 50:6-9.

In Phil 3:9-11 Paul shows us that we can have the power of Christ’s resurrection now.  We won’t attain unto the resurrection until we are out of these bodies that we’re in right now.  However, we can have the power of his resurrection today.  In this power, we walk in newness of life, Rom 6:4, 11.  That’s why Paul wrote, “sin shall not have dominion over you,” Rom 6:14.  Like Paul wrote in Rom 7:24-25, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord”.

Conclusion: Your resurrection is prophesied.  You are going to rise from the dead in the future, no matter what, Jn 5:28-29.  You’ll either go up at the Rapture, 1 Cor 15:50-55, to spend eternity with Jesus Christ. Or you will rise to be judged at the white throne judgment, Rev 20:11-15, to spend eternity in the lake of fire with the devil.

This decision is like mulling over travel brochures.  In one itinerary, you are offered a life in heaven for eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ in mansions of glory.  It’s an all expenses paid trip since the entire cost for this trip has already been paid for by Jesus Christ, himself.  In the other itinerary, you are offered a life of torment in the lake of fire for eternity.  You get to pay the full fare, “the wages of sin is death”, Rom 6:23. And you will never get out.  The decision seems fairly simple.

Ron Reagan, in an advertisement for the Freedom from Religion Foundation, stated that he is an unabashed atheist who is not afraid of burning in hell.  Don’t follow him to hell; follow Jesus Christ to heaven.

You know by Christ’s resurrection and ascension, that he is in heaven today, and you can be, too, if you will receive Jesus as your Savior.  There is no better way to celebrate Easter Sunday than to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and receive him today.  You will never forget what this day is really about if you do.