John 20 - Why the Resurrection is True and Why Believing in Jesus is the Most Important Decision You Will Ever Make in This Life!

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Millions of Christians have put their hope in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which we celebrated on Easter. Thousands have died for their faith believing that Jesus rose from the dead proving He was and is the Messiah, the Son of God. Due to the overwhelming evidence for the resurrection and even pure logic, one would need more faith to not believe in the resurrection than to believe in it. And to not believe in Jesus and His resurrection would be a grave mistake with eternal consequences. 

The Empty Tomb

The empty tomb is the single most compelling evidence for the literal, historical and bodily resurrection of Jesus. I pick each of those words intentionally, because they are all words that non-believers have used to try and discredit the literal and bodily resurrection. Basically they would say it is a really nice story but only metaphorical. It just makes us feel good that when we died we will go to heaven.  

If and when we believe in Jesus' literal and bodily resurrection from the dead it validates everything Jesus said about himself and everything he taught is unequivocally true. We can trust in Jesus for our salvation and his guidance for our life. 

Here are some of the most compelling proofs of the resurrection. If you were an investigator and given this evidence, what verdict would come to. 

1. The women were the first to the tomb. In Jesus' day a woman's testimony was not allowed in court. If someone were to make up this story, they would have never have had women being the first to go to the tomb and report to the disciples that Jesus had risen from the dead. 

2. When Peter and John race to the tomb, they find Jesus' grave clothes folded up neatly with the head piece separated from the rest of the garment. There would no reason for the grave robbers to do this. It was clearly to be a sign to the disciples that Jesus had risen from the dead and that body was not stolen, which is why they came to faith.

3. In John's gospel, we have the story of Jesus literally appearing the Mary Magdalene, who he had cast 7 demons out of. At first she did not recognize Jesus, because He had a resurrected body, or she might have been in shock that he was not in the tomb. When Jesus called her by name, she knew it was him. Then, she ran to the disciples and told them, "I have seen the Lord!" She would never have done this unless she had seen her resurrected Lord. 

4. Jesus came into see the disciples by getting through locked doors. This was a supernatural event proving his divinity. He showed them the wounds in his hands and feet as evidence that it was truly him who died on the cross not some imposter trying to trick the disciples. 

5. Jesus appeared to Thomas, who was the skeptic in the group. He was still skeptical and asked Jesus if he could put his hands in the wounds in Jesus' hands and the side where he was pierced. He would only believe if he had this doubt answered. Immediately he proclaimed, "My Lord and my God." 

6. One might say that all of these stories were fabricated to make the resurrection look like it happened. None of this really happened. This was all myth and story.  But there are many facts that refute this argument. 

      1.) The gospels were written between 30-50 years of Jesus' crucifixion so there would have been no time for legend to occur. These disciples lived in that time period. 

     2.) Many of the disciples died for their faith. Rarely would a person die for the truth, but no one would die for a lie. 

     3.) These ordinary men and women, many of whom were fishermen, started a revolution under severe persecution that transformed the society then. Since then, millions of Christians have put their faith in the resurrection of Jesus. Thousands of Christians have died because of their witness to Jesus and the resurrection. 

So let me ask you this? Is this enough evidence for you to believe in the resurrection, which makes everything he said about himself true? If the resurrection is true, he really died for your sin, and you really need a Savior. Jesus offered this free gift to the world. and to me and you Only Jesus as truly God and human could have said, 

"I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in this will live even though they die?" 

Do you believe this? This is the most important question you will ever answer in your life. A non-answer is the same as a "NO"! Believe in Jesus today so you can know you will be with Him and all the saints into eternity! 

I have put my faith in Christ and his death and resurrection for my sin and it was the greatest and most important decision I have made in my life. I would like to think my life has made a difference in helping others to believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one can go to the Father except through him. 

God bless you as your prayerfully consider these truths for your own life!

Pastor Mike