Preaching a gospel message should always include something about the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. But there is another part to the gospel message that is just as important and one that is connected with the cross: The Resurrection.

Just how important is the fact that Jesus came back to life 3 days after He was crucified? Very important and it is so important that if we don’t believe that He resurrected, then we don’t believe in the true Jesus of the Bible. That’s how serious the implications are. This article in intended to not only remind us of the importance of the resurrection but also to go through the evidence the Bible provides so that we can be reassured that we have adequate proof that Jesus really did come back to life in the scriptures.

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
(Isaiah 9:7 – ESV)

We know that this verse is talking about Jesus Christ. And I use this verse as an example of scriptures in the Old Testament that prophesies that the Messiah (Jesus) will live forever. Now the very titles of “Messiah”, “Christ” and “on the throne of David and over his kingdom” point out the humanity of Jesus. Yet this passage in Isaiah says that Jesus will establish and uphold the throne of David from the time He comes on the scene to all of eternity.

The truth from this scripture means that Jesus has to live forever. This is what is prophesied here in the Bible. Do we realize that if Jesus had died and remained in the grave, that it would disqualify Him as the Christ for He would have not fulfilled the prophecies in the Bible about Him? The fact that He would live forever was established well before the New Testament and it is in the New Testament that the truth of these prophecies becomes clearer.

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
(John 2:19-22 – ESV)

Jesus Himself prophesied that He would rise from the dead. And when He declared this in the presence of the disciples, they had no idea what He was talking about. It wasn’t until after Jesus resurrected that it became clear to the disciples what Jesus was actually talking about. In fact, the disciples weren’t clear of a lot of things until Jesus came back to life.

But I point out these passages to show that not only was it prophesied of old that Jesus could not permanently die but Jesus Himself also spoke this truth. What does this mean to us as Christians? It means a whole lot because if all Jesus did was die on the cross but He never came back to life, then we are only reconciled with God in this life but we don’t have eternity to look forward to with God.

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
(1 Corinthians 15:13-19 – ESV)

Why in the world would we be living sacrifices unto God if there is nothing to look forward to when we die. If this life were all there was, then we should be concerned with living our best life now and getting everything we possibly can out of this life. But we can be living sacrifices unto the Lord with confidence because this life isn’t it. When a Christian dies in this life, he/she will be rescued by Jesus from death and will spend eternity with the Lord alive.

Now, how do we know that the resurrection is valid based on what the Bible presents us with? Let’s consider the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These were written by 4 different men and each book is told from a different perspective. But what they all have in common are Jesus’ crucifixion and His resurrection. Let’s examine:

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where hea  lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.
(Matthew 28:1-9 – ESV)

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”
(Mark 16:1-7 – ESV)

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 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.”
(Luke 24:1-7 – ESV)

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic,  “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
(John 20:11-17 – ESV)

Four different accounts all say the same thing and if you read throughout the rest of the New Testament, you will see the theme of the resurrection brought up again and again. This was a vital truth to the early church and it is equally as vital to us today. We can not claim to be believers in Jesus and yet doubt His resurrection. The resurrection fulfills the prophecies concerning Him, proves that He indeed is God in the flesh and validates everything that He said and did, including His crucifixion.

CLICK HERE FOR PART II