"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time" (I Corinthians 15:3-6a)There are many other significant evidences for the resurrection which further support the FACT of the resurrection.
- The believers who felt depressed, defeated, and discouraged by Jesus' death were filled with a boldness after the resurrection that made them even be willing to die for their faith.
- The worst persecutor of the church, Saul, saw Christ on the road to Damascus as He revealed his plan for him to become one of his followers.
- The social structures were extremely important to the Jews and their culture to the point that they believed if they did not include all the structures in their lives they would go to hell. YET just five weeks after his death, over ten thousand Jews became followers of Jesus and were willing to give up "all five of the social institutions that they have been taught since childhood" (Lee Stroebel, The Case for Christ, p. 250)
- Baptism and communion became a standard part of the church. Both are representations and celebrations of Jesus' resurrection
- The Christian church started Jesus' ascension and spread very quickly. The reason for that is that the followers were absolutely convinced of the fact of the resurrection.
- The evidence that accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior can change lives and give hope beyond what anyone else can experience.
Lord, thank You for letting us experience the life-changing power of Jesus Christ. Equip us to share your message of salvation so that others can do the same.
