The Resurrection of Jesus – He’s Alive!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most significant events in history. Stephen March completes his Easter Week series by explaining why.

Joseph of Arimathea

After Jesus died on the cross, Luke tells us a man named Joseph of Arimathea, who was a member of the council, well respected, and a secret disciple of Jesus, went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.  Pilate was surprised that Jesus had died already, even calling for the centurion to come and confirm that it was so.  The guard did acknowledge Jesus’ death, and so Pilate granted the body to Joseph, so he could prepare it for burial.

Joseph took the lifeless body of Christ, and along with Nicodemus, the Pharisee who had visited Jesus at night in John chapter three, they wrapped the body in a burial shroud, and laid it in a nearby tomb.  The tomb had been a cut out of rock, essentially like a small room in the side of a mountain, and had a large, heavy stone that rolled to cover the entrance.  Jesus was laid to rest there, and the entrance sealed.  Some of the women who had followed Jesus saw where the tomb was, and they went home to prepare spices and ointments to be used to anoint the body after the Sabbath. 

What Happened on the Sabbath

We have very little information about what happened on that Sabbath.  The Bible simply says they rested.  We do know from Matthew’s gospel that the chief priests and Pharisees had remembered how Jesus said he would rise after three days, so they petitioned Pilate to allow them to have a guard of soldiers protect the tomb, thinking the disciples might come and steal the body, and then say he had risen.  Pilate gave them the guard, and the tomb became even more secure.  Sadly, the disciples didn’t seem to know what to do.  They just knew that their teacher, Lord, and friend had died.

The Resurrection of Jesus on the Third Day

On the morning of the third day, which was the first of the week, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb of Jesus.  On the way they wondered together who would roll the stone away for them.  However, when they got there, the stone had already been moved. They went inside to find the tomb empty.  Here is how Luke describes what happened next;

“While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.  And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here but has risen.  Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.””

The Disciples Head to the Tomb

What news this must have been for them.  They returned and told the disciples everything that they had seen and heard, so Peter and John ran to the tomb to see for themselves, and found it as the women had said, empty.  From there they returned home, and it appears from scripture that there were emotions of joy and amazement mixed with disbelief.  Mary lingered in the garden where the tomb was located and saw who she supposed to be the gardener.  Still not knowing what to make of all this she said to him,

“Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 

But it wasn’t the gardener, it was Jesus, and he said to her “Mary” and she recognized him and knew that He was alive. 

The Road to Emmaus

After this Jesus appeared to Peter, it’s a meeting that we are told happened but have no details about, then to two disciples walking to the city of Emmaus, then to the all the disciples, except Thomas, in a locked house in Jerusalem.  For the next forty days Jesus appeared to different people in different places.  It was undeniable, he was alive, Jesus is alive.

The Bribing of the Soldiers

There were some in that day who did try to hide or obscure this fact.  The Bible tells us the Jews bribed the soldiers to say they had fallen asleep, and the disciples came and stole the body while they slept.  And while they may have taken the money, it is doubtful they would have stuck to that story, such dereliction of duty in the Roman army was punishable by death, even the promise of the Jews to satisfy the governor should he find out would not have been worth taking the chance.  Word was spreading, Jesus had risen from the dead.

The Significance of the Resurrection of Jesus

The significance of this event, the resurrection of Christ, can never be overstated.  Paul would write to the Roman church that Jesus was

“declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness, by his resurrection from the dead.” 

To the Corinthians, he wrote

“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins.” 

These verses work together to show how the salvation of man is possible through faith in Jesus Christ.

The resurrection proved or declared Jesus to be the Son of God.  Because he was the Son of God, he was perfect in every way, he had no sin.  That was necessary to be the offering for sin, if Jesus were just a man like everyone else, he would need to pay the penalty for his own sin, and therefore would not be qualified to pay for ours. 

That’s why Paul said if he didn’t raise from the dead, our faith would be futile.  If Christ did not rise from the grave, it would have meant he was just an ordinary man, and his sacrifice for sin would have been insufficient.  We would still have no hope. 

Jesus Did Rise

Thankfully, the tomb was empty!  Jesus did rise and showed himself after his suffering and provided many proofs that he was risen from the dead.  There were more than 500 recorded eyewitnesses that saw him alive after the crucifixion.  Many of those people were martyred for their faith, if they were lying about seeing the resurrected Lord, or even unsure if they did, they would have recanted their testimony to live.   There is no shortage of evidence for the resurrection.

I Am He That Lives

In the book of Revelation, Jesus identifies himself this way,

“I am he that lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.” 

What’s more is that this what he promises to everyone who believes in Him.  Jesus told his disciples in John’s gospel about his coming death and resurrection, and what it will mean, saying

“Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me, because I live, you also will live.”

Death could not hold the Son of God, though he suffered and died for the sins of man, God raised him from the dead.  Acts 2:23-24 says

“This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.  God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” 

In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul writes

“knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.” 

And that is why this one week in the life of Jesus is so critically important for everyone.  In fulfillment of everything that had been spoken by the prophets, Jesus entered Jerusalem and gave his life as an atonement offering for our sin by dying on the cross, he was buried, and on the third day rose again, all in accordance with the scriptures.  He did this for us, because of his great love for us.  Today, if we believe this, if we believe in him, we can rejoice, and live in joy and hope, and know that it is true, because he lives. 

Jesus’ trial was an extraordinary miscarriage of justice. What surprises you most? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.