The Resurrection

"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.  In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; he has risen!'"  Luke 24:1-6a

There were several proofs of Jesus' divinity, such as His virgin birth, fulfilled prophecy, His sinless life, His amazing words, His miracles, God's words of approval, and Jesus' transfiguration.  But Jesus' most important credential was His resurrection.

Jesus' enemies took great care trying to prevent anyone from stealing Jesus' body and claiming that He was resurrected.  The tomb was sealed, and a guard was posted.  However, when the women went to anoint Jesus' body on the third day of his death, the tomb was empty.

People have tried to explain away the resurrection, but the resurrection is the only reasonable explanation for the empty tomb.  Some people have said that the women went to the wrong tomb, but they had watched carefully where Jesus' body was laid with the intention of returning as soon as the Sabbath was over.  Besides, the tomb was not literally empty.  Left behind were the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' head lying by itself and the strips of linen that had been wrapped around His body, lying like a cocoon after the butterfly had emerged.

Some people theorized that Jesus really didn't die but revived in the tomb and escaped.  Here was a man who had been beaten so badly that someone else had to carry His cross.  He was put to death by professional executioners.  He was wrapped in grave clothes which had been packed with probably 75 to 100 pounds of spices.  He was laid in a solid rock tomb, and the entrance was covered with a stone that engineers estimate weighed a minimum of 1 1/2 to 2 tons.  A Roman guard unit was stationed outside the tomb.  It is impossible to believe that Jesus could have revived, torn off His linen wrappings, pushed aside that enormous stone, overpowered all the Roman guards single-handed, and escaped.

Besides, the resurrection is the only reasonable explanation for Jesus' post-resurrection appearances, the transformation of the disciples, the founding of the church, and the fact that He is still changing lives today.  He is risen!  He is risen indeed.

Lord Jesus, thank You for the cross.  Heavenly Father, thank You for the resurrection.  Amen.