The very first thing that got here to thoughts and out of my mouth was “the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” I discussed to him that there are historic writings, from each biblical and non-biblical sources,¹ that we are able to look to as proof for the life and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. I then advised him, though we’ve historic proof of Jesus’ life and loss of life, his body has by no means been discovered. I then started to share with him why the resurrection of Christ from the lifeless is affordable to consider. What follows is what God used me to share as we spoke that evening.
Some have argued that the disciples stole the body and hid it. I feel that that is extremely unlikely. When Jesus was arrested by these despatched from the Jewish leaders and turned over to the Roman authorities to be crucified, his disciples scattered from Him (Mark 14:43-50), and the ring chief, Peter, denied that he had been with Him (Mark 14:66-72).
They had been cowards who scattered, hid and didn’t wish to be related to Jesus in His loss of life. Yet, seven weeks later, we discover Peter preaching, together with the opposite disciples, that Jesus was raised by God from the lifeless within the very metropolis (Jerusalem) the place He was condemned to die (Acts 2:14-36). What modified for these males? What turned their worry into braveness? The undeniable fact that they’d hidden a corpse? Or that these males had seen Jesus after He had risen from the lifeless (Acts 1:3)?
It is reported that 11 of the 12 apostles suffered violent deaths for his or her preaching of Jesus Christ and never considered one of them took again or renounced their religion.² It is commonly mentioned that many individuals have died for a lie. But what number of have died for a lie figuring out that it was a lie?
If the disciples had stolen the body, then they might have recognized that the resurrection was a lie. And you’ll assume if that had been the case, not less than considered one of them would have taken again their testimony within the face of utmost torture and violent loss of life.
Persecution and loss of life for preaching Christ was true not just for the 12 apostles however for many who obtained their educating. It is troublesome to consider that these folks would willingly die for Jesus Christ in the event that they knew it was a lie. Thousands of those Christians died as a result of they believed the statements within the Gospels about Jesus. They willingly died as martyrs, refusing to disclaim their religion in Him. In the face of Jewish and Roman opposition and persecution, Christianity unfold all all through the Roman Empire in 300 quick years, and it continues spreading as we speak.
I additionally talked about that if the Romans and Jews had recognized the place the body of Jesus was, all they needed to do was wheel it down the road on a cart and Christianity would have died proper there.
