He is not Here, He’s Risen Just as He Said

First, they tried to stop the resurrection. After Jesus was taken down from the cross and laid in the tomb, Pilate (at the behest of the chief priests and Pharisees), ordered it to be secured. They placed a two ton boulder at the entrance of the tomb and sealed it. Sixteen soldiers, each armed with a six foot pike, a sword and a dagger, were then posted at the graveside to keep watch over Jesus’ body.

But death could not keep him. No grave could hold his body down. Just like he said he would, on the third day he arose

When Mary Magdalene and the other women got to tomb early that Sunday morning they found the stone had been rolled away and an angel sat upon it.

“Don’t be afraid for I know you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified” he said. “He is not here, for he has risen just as he said. Come; see the place where he was lying (Matt 28:5).”

Indeed he was risen! And there was the empty tomb to proof it. Peter found the burial clothes neatly disposed within the tomb but Jesus was gone. Even the soldiers bore witness to the fact of the resurrection; they reported everything that had happened (Matt 28:11).

But the chief priests and the elders of the people were intent on discrediting Jesus/Christianity. Unable to block the resurrection they now set about to deny that it ever happened. They paid the soldiers a substantial sum of money to pedal their deception. . “You are to say” they instructed “his disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep (Matt 28:13).”

Of course, the accusation that the disciples slipped past sleeping guards and raided the tomb is extremely absurd and implausible. These were well trained soldiers who used sophisticated methods to secure the tomb. Besides, dereliction of duty was punishable by death. But no one went to the gallows. At any rate the guards could not have slept through the theft of the body else they could not have known what happened to it. Above all, if the claim was true, not only would the guards have been punished, the disciples would have been prosecuted as well.

The undeniable and eternal truth however is that Jesus did rise from the dead just as he said he would. And less someone dismiss the resurrection as an elaborate hoax perpetrated by his disciples, Jesus appeared (according to the bible) on ten distinct occasions to different people, and at different times and places, from the day of his resurrection until his ascension to the father forty days later. At one point he appeared to over five hundred of his disciples (1 Cor 15:6).

Sadly, there are those today who still deny that the resurrection ever occurred. Their denial however, just as it was back in Jesus’ day, is not for want of evidence. There is more evidence to prove the veracity and historicity of Jesus (life, death, burial and resurrection) than any other in figure in antiquity.

Simply, people deny the resurrection because they want to. They’d rather not deal with its ramifications. Contrary to his accusers, Christ’ resurrection supplies ample evidence that he was no impostor or deceiver (Matt 27:63). That in rising from the dead, he did exactly what he said he was going to do. It established his authority and divinity. Only God can self resurrect (1 Cor 15:12-20)..

The resurrection sets Jesus apart from every other religious leader. Their burial sites are sacred and important to the faithful because therein lies their remains. The garden tomb is important to Christians precisely because it’s empty.

Then of course, if Jesus was spot on in predicting his own death, burial and resurrection (John 2:19, Matt 27:63), then it stands to reason that he must be right about every other things including his claim to be co-equal with the father (John 10:30; Phil 2:6), his assessment of our sinful condition, our need for his forgiveness and salvation (Rom 3:23,24;6:23) and his judgment upon all those who continue to reject his love and redemption (John 16:8-11)..

Jesus made his penultimate appearance to his disciples on the Day of Ascension. As he was raptured into a cloud of glory before their very eyes the Angels gave them this assurance:.

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven (Acts 1:11).”

The angels were simply affirming the promise Jesus made to his disciples in John 14:3. Certainly, if he could keep his promise to resurrect himself, he sure will return.

Are you ready?