Infallible Proofs of the Risen Lord

God gave infallible proofs in order that we might have infallible faith.
   When God sent His Son into the world, many did not accept Him as such and mocked, “Is not this the carpenter’s son, born of Mary, the same as any child?”  When Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, they tried to throw Him off a cliff and later succeeded in crucifying Him.
   When Christ was crucified, they accepted no evidence that He was the Son of God.  The multitude mocked with words:  “If thou be the Son of God, save theyself -- come down from the cross!”  Even the disciples cowered in fear, believing they had lost their leader.  All hope was gone.
   What transpired, what evidence was presented, what infallible proofs occurred to transform His demoralized group of followers into the most dynamic movement in the history of mankind?  “He ROSE from the grave!”  The day called Easter on all calendars commemorates: “Jesus is risen!”
   Acts 4:33:  “With great power gave the Apostles their witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus...”  The most amazing characteristic of the first Christian preaching is its emphasis on the resurrection.  Clearly, the resurrection is of the very first importance for the Christian faith.
   Historically it began on Sunday, April 8, A.D. 30.  The first Lord’s Day.  The resurrection of Christ fulfilled an old and began a new era.  From the time of the Apostles, after the resurrection, the first day of the week, Sunday, has been called The Lord’s Day.  Furthermore, every single nation, including the Jewish nation, now observe the Seventh Day of Rest from Labor on the first day, and this transpired because Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week, Sunday.  All the permanent sanctity of the original Sabbath was transferred in the fulfillment of the risen Lord.  The Jew held the Sabbath sacred since it was given in Eden and again amid the thunder of Mount Sinai;  and yet we find the New Testament Christian Jew changing their time honored seventh day (Sabbath) to the first day of the week and calling the day “The Lord’s Day” after the risen Jesus.   This day of worship was to be a permanent reminder that the Lord is risen and alive.
   The Lord’s Supper was also observed on Sunday and the aim of this was to remember Jesus’ death and celebrate His resurrection.  Praise and thanksgiving were uppermost in celebrating His being alive.  (Acts 20:7).
   Acts 1:3, “To whom also He (Christ) showed Himself alive after His passion (crucifixion) by many infallible proofs, being seen of them (the Apostles) forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”
   The Bible says to prove all things and to accept that which is true.  God gave us infallible proofs to do this.  Because of this we can say with the assurance of the Apostle Paul, “For I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12).  We need infallible proofs in order to know “to Whom” our lives are committed to -- the Risen Lord!
   First, let us review Friday.  The cross was, by all reconing, one of the darkest crimes in all of history.  Jesus’ followers had nothing to celebrate on Friday.  They had lost all hope.  Their Leader was dead and they feared they might be next.  They cowered before the cross.  Now, they were dispirited, frightened men in hiding.  The cross brought fear and trepidation.  What transpired to change them and thousands like them down through the ages?  What made them to have dauntless faith, and become men and women of courage?  The miracle of Easter morning -- the risen Lord!  The dramatic scene from the cross to the resurrection:  We have the dead body of Jesus.  Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had drawn out the spikes from His hands and feet and removed Him from the cross.  They washed and prepared Him for burial by wrapping Him in linen, enclosed within the folds 100 pounds of spices.  (John 19: 38-42).  Then He was placed in a tomb and it was sealed with a large stone.
   The scene rapidly unfolds.  The stone was rolled away by an angel of the Lord for all to witness the evidence of His resurrection.  (Matthew 28:2).  Next, the angel announced that Jesus was risen.  (Matthew 28:5-6).  More evidence is presented.  The angel says, “Come see the place where the Lord lay.”  (Verse 6).  Why would anyone want to see the place where the Lord lay? “To witness the evidence!”
   The significance of the grave clothes:  The linen cloths that wrapped the dead body round and round were still in their original wrapped form with the spices still within the folds.  Nothing disturbed.  Jesus’ body had risen through them leaving them intact.  (John 20:3-8, 11-12).  This evidence caused the disciple John to believe that Jesus had risen.  (Verse 8).  Then the angel refreshed their memory of what Jesus had said prior:  “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third day rise again.”  (Luke 24:4-7).
   The grave clothes were left for a witness and reveal that Christ had risen as He foretold He would.  “Come see the place where the Lord lay.”  From the evidence of the grave clothes, a chain-reaction was started in the lives of the apostles and others.
   Further proofs were given by Jesus’ risen appearances to satisfy the disciples and others that the Lord was risen indeed!  The first appearance of Jesus was to Mary Magdalene at the grave.  This was early on Sunday morning and straightway she witnessed:  “He is risen!”  (John 20:11, 15, 16, 18;  Mark 16:9).
   The second risen appearance of Jesus was Sunday morning to the women on their way home from the grave near Jerusalem.  (Matthew 228:9-10).  The third appearance of Jesus on Sunday was to Peter alone near Jerusalem.  Apostle Paul states, immediately after the fact of our Lord’s resurrection, “That He was seen of Cephas (Peter),” before He appeared to the other apostles.  This appearance is also mentioned incidentally, but very emphatically, by Luke, in connection with the journey to Emmaus.  (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5).
   The fourth appearance of the risen Lord was to two disciples, Clopas and another, on their journey to Emmaus on Sunday afternoon, and they gave witness, “He is risen!”  (Luke 24:13-35, Mark 16:12).  Our Lord’s fifth appearance is Sunday evening to the assembled apostles, except Thomas.  (Luke 24:36-49, John 20:19-24; 1 Corinthians 15:5).  The fifth appearance of the risen Lord was the last one to take place on Sunday -- the day of the resurrection.
   The sixth appearance was Jesus’ second appearance to the assembled disciples, with Thomas present.  This was on Sunday, April 16, eight days from the resurrection.  Here again they are assembled on the first day of the week, Sunday, not on the Sabbath.  Thomas sees the evidence, “the risen Lord,” and believes (John 20:25-29).  The seventh appearance of the risen Jesus was to the seven apostles by the lake of Galilee, or the Sea of Tiberius.  (John 21:1-14).  The eighth appearance of the risen Lord was to the great body of His disciples in Galilee.  Jesus gives them their commission and lets them know:  “I am with you always.”  (Matthew 28:16-20).
   The ninth appearance of Jesus was to above 500 brethren at once.  (1 Corinthians 15:6).
   The tenth appearance of the risen Lord was to James.  James was one of the “pillars of the church.”  (1 Corinthians 15:7;  Matthew 13:55; Acts 12:17;  15:13; 21:18).
   Our Lord’s eleventh appearance took place forty days after HIs resurrection and this was to just the apostles.  This was just before His ascension on the Mount of Olives.  (Acts 1:2, 8, 9;  Luke 24:49-51).
   So for forty days, Jesus showed Himself alive by infallible proofs.  This was so, not only they, but by their witness of the risen Lord, ALL might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and believing on Him might have life through His name.  Jesus established the fact, or gave infallible proofs of His resurrection because His being risen was to be the subject of the apostles’ preaching.  The commission He gave them was based on what they witnessed:  “The Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses.”  (Acts 2:32).
   Jesus presented Himself in such a way for forty days after His crucifixion that there could be no doubt He had been raised from the dead.  Jesus’ resurrection proved Him to be the King of the Kingdom and that for people to enter the Kingdom, the apostles were to preach what they had witnessed in order for them to believe and receive the risen Lord.
   We have yet more recorded manifestations of the glorified Christ.  In A.D. 36, six years from the resurrection when Stephen was being martyred, he stood gazing up into heaven and saying with calm rapture, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.” Still risen!  (Acts 7:55-56).
   Next, we have the record of Saul’s witness of seeing the risen Christ.  Saul’s conversion by the Revelation of the risen Christ took place about A.D. 37;  one year after Stephen’s revelation, or approximately 7 years from the resurrection of Christ.  Paul was 37 years old at the time.  Ananias verifies this through his vision:  “The Lord Jesus, Who appeared unto thee in the way.”
   “The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest...SEE the Just One.”  (Acts 9:17).  Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 15:8, “...He was seen of me...”  Paul preached this Revelation (Galatians 1:12).  Paul received it directly of the risen Lord.  (Acts 9:16).  The last biblically recorded revelation of the risen Jesus was by apostle John about 60 years after the resurrection.  This took place about 96 A.D.  John SAW the Christ on the first day of the week, “the Lord’s day,” referring to resurrection morning.  (Revelation 1:10).  John SAW Him in the midst of the lamp stands.  (Verses 17-18).  Christ is quoted:  “I am the first and the last and the living One.  I was dead and behold, I am alive forevermore.”  Risen and alive forevermore.
   Another infallible proof is the institution of the Christian Church.  What caused it?  When the risen Christ appeared unto the discouraged disciples, He revived their faith and hope.  They went forth, under the all-conquering faith in the risen Lord and preached the story of His life, death, resurrection, ascension and coming again.  Men believed their teaching, gathered themselves together to study the scriptures, to pray, to worship Christ and extend His kingdom among men.  This is how the Church came into existence.  Its cause was the risen Christ.
   Another infallible proof is the New Testament.  The New Testament was written because of the risen Christ.  It was the resurrection that put heart into the disciples to go forth and tell the story.  There would be no story - no Gospel, no New Testament had there been no resurrection!  We have the New Testament because Christ is risen!  Under our legal jurisprudence, seven witnesses are the most that are required in any case of law.  Witnesses of Christ rising from the dead were well over 500!  The character of these witnesses was of the highest degree.  They were willing to die for their testimony and many were martyred for that cause.
   Apostle Paul, the chief missionary of early Christianity, founder of many churches, the author of 14 of the 27 New Testament books, presents Christ’s resurrection as CENTRAL in the Gospel of salvation which he proclaimed, and that believers are calling into fellowship with this risen Lord.
   Paul preached that Christ’s resurrection is the basis of ours.  1 Corinthians 15:12-19; 20-23).  Without the resurrection, we have nothing.  With it we have everything.  We can say with St. Peter, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who according to His great mercy begat us again unto a LIVING hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”  (1 Peter 1:3).  
   Before Easter morning all hope was gone and His followers did nothing because their Leader was dead.  But as soon as He gave them infallible proofs that He had risen, their lives changed completely.  Christ has proven with competent evidence that His is risen and alive.  This deserves our intelligent acceptance of Him as our Lord and Savior.  Send questions or comments to:
Upper Room Ministries
6854 N. Zett Road  •  Loretta, WI  54896