Over 2,000 years ago, the greatest event in the history of mankind occurred: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Every gospel writer addressed it. In fact, the resurrected Christ appeared personally to 100s of people after his resurrection, 500 at one time.
In Luke 24.1-12, Luke, the beloved physician, described how several women from Galilee, who had followed Jesus during his ministry, came to the tomb of Christ early on the first day of the week. They had seen him buried there. Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemous actually laid Christ in Joseph’s tomb.
The next day, Roman guards came and sealed the stone to the tomb with rope and a seal. These multiple witnesses and authorities confirmed the death of Christ and his physical burial in the tomb. Their testimonies refute the popular myth of a swoon instead of death. After all, who could withstand a spear to the heart and lungs and live?
As they approached the tomb, they saw that someone had moved the stone that had covered the entrance to the tomb. When they entered the tomb, they did not find the body of Christ, whom they had seen buried there.
The women had come to place spices on the body of Christ, which they had prepared following his burial. Although their coming showed their deep affection for Jesus, it also revealed their unbelief in what Jesus had taught them concerning his resurrection. In similar fashion, multitudes today still doubt the resurrection, despite the massive amount of evidence that confirms the resurrection of Christ from the dead.
While they stood in the tomb, filled with uncertainty and doubt, two angels appeared beside them. The angels challenged their unbelief and reminded them of Christ's message that wicked men would crucify him in Jerusalem. But, he encouraged them to wait for his resurrection on the third day after his death.
The women remembered Christ's words, and their unbelief turned to faith. God in grace and mercy had sent messengers to them to remind them of Christ's promise. Likewise, God has preserved the records of the witnesses of the resurrection for people today. He sends his Holy Spirit to reveal the truthfulness of Christ's message and confirm to them the reality of Christ's resurrection.
The women sped to the disciples and others to tell them the good news. They told them of the empty tomb and the message of the angels. Christ had resurrected from the dead just as he had told them. It all seemed like an idle tale to these followers of Christ. They did not believe the women’s report.
After hearing their account, Peter and John ran to the tomb to see for themselves. Peter arrived after John and entered the tomb. He saw the grave clothes lying on the ledge where the burial party had laid Christ.
When they buried Christ in the tomb, those who buried him followed a common practice of that day. They wrapped his body with linen cloths with spices placed with the cloths. They wrapped his head with separate cloths. Then, they placed his dead body on a ledge inside of the burial tomb and put a stone under his head.
Peter saw the burial cloths lying in their original positions, but no body inhabited them. They lay in the same positions as at the time of burial. These linens no longer confined Christ in them. He had risen from them, through them.
The resurrection of Christ and his subsequent appearances to them affected the followers of Christ so that they made its reality a vital part of their lives. In fact, 12 books of the New Testament include references to it to confirm it and to explain its purpose.
• The resurrection of Christ confirmed his deity (Romans 1.4). He came not as just an ordinary man but as God inhabiting human flesh. • His resurrection completed Christ's purchase of salvation for sinners (1 Corinthians 15.12-19). Without the resurrection, no person can obtain salvation, reconciliation to God (1 Peter 1.3-5). • The resurrection of Christ causes Christ-followers to anticipate their resurrection in the future (1 Corinthians 15.20-23).
Because of the overwhelming evidence of Christ's resurrection from the dead, therefore, we must • reject the doubts and denials of its reality; • rely fully in faith upon its truthfulness as confirmed in God's word and revealed by the Holy Spirit; • rejoice in what it has accomplished for those who believe upon Christ.
I pray that the Holy Spirit will enable you to reject the popular myths and doubts of Christ's resurrection and to respond in faith to its reality. You, too, will rejoice like those early believers and millions of others since that greatest of all days in history.
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