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.” Today, we’re going to discuss the Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection.
Christ’s resurrection is proven – Acts 1:3. 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 the 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]. He appeared to the disciples and Thomas, eight days later [Jn 20:24-29]. Later, he appeared to the disciples while they were fishing [Jn 21:1-14], more than five hundred brethren at once [1 Cor 15:6], and James [1 Cor 15:7]. Then he appeared to the disciples and others at his ascension [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.
Christ’s resurrection is personal 1 Cor 15:12-17. 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. 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.
Christ’s resurrection is powerful – Rom 1:4. 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. Now, he’s far above all of them, Eph 1:21. Don’t play king of the mountain with Jesus Christ unless you hope to lose.
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 now. 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].
Conclusion: Your resurrection is prophesied – you are going to rise from the dead in the future, no matter what. Many Old Testament saints knew this. See The Doctrine of the Resurrection. 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] and spend eternity in the lake of fire with the devil. 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.