February 12, 2006
Evidence for the Resurrection
John 20

If a person’s goal were to destroy Christianity, the best way to do that would be to disprove or at least discredit the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

The resurrection proves that Jesus Christ is:
1. The Son of God – John 20:24-31
2. Lord and Christ – Acts 2:32-36
3. The Forgiver of sins – Acts 13:30 &:38-39
4. The Judge of all the earth – Acts 17:31

Without the resurrection Paul says our faith would be in vain and that we would be the most miserable of all men – 1 Corinthians 15:14-19

What evidence do we have for Christ’s resurrection?

I. We have the existence of a thriving church, even 2000 years after the time of Christ as evidence of the truth of His Gospel and resurrection – Revelation 5:8-10
1. Would the church have been so successful if Christ’s dead body was brought out – Acts 2:32, 41 & 47
2. This church thrived in spite of great persecution – Romans 8:31-37
3. Those who taught the faith were willing to die for the faith:
A. Peter was crucified upside down
B. James was killed by Herod Agrippa – Acts 12:1-2
C. Andrew, Bartholomew and Philip were crucified
D. James the Son of Alpheas was thrown from the temple, stoned and beaten with a club
E. Thomas was killed with a spear
F. All the rest except John died martyrs deaths – Did they die for a lie?
G. Christians were fed to the Lions, would you want to become one if claims were proven false?

II. The evidence of Scripture –
1. An abundance of transcripts – 24,000 dated at or near the first century, more than any other historical writing by more than 23,000
2. Accuracy of Scripture in it’s details, for example – John 19:31-37 accurately describes crucifixion, 19:38-42 accurately describes burial procedures, John 20:7 accurately describes the handkerchief and linen cloths that would have wrapped Jesus’ body etc… etc…
3. It’s bold claims are established and even written by it’s enemies – 1 Corinthians 15:1-9; Philippians 3:7-11; 2 Corinthians 11:22-33

III. The weakness of other explanations:
1. The swoon theory, Jesus never died
A. He was crucified
B. Roman soldiers confirmed his death – 19:31-33
C. John saw His pierced side
D. His body was wrapped tight
E. Post resurrection appearances were convincing – John 20:19-29
F. He escaped the guards -
G. He moved the stone –
2. Conspiracy theory, the disciples agreed to lie
A. What did they gain from it? – Acts 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 15:17-19
B. The Jews (enemies of Christ) could have produced the body and nipped the lie in the bud
C. Their character argues against this, look what they wrote
3. Hallucination theory –
A. 500 people saw him at one time – 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
B. Jesus appeared to them for forty days – Acts 1:3
C. The disciples touched Him (Matthew 28:9; John 20:27) spoke with Him (Acts 1:3) and ate with Him (24:42-43; John 21:1-14)
4. Myth theory –
A. Would you die for a myth?
B. Not written like a myth
C. Not responded to as myth
D. To close to the events to be myth

Pastor Arnold Brevick