Proofs of the Resurrection

There will always be skeptics who call into question the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but plenty of evidence exists to defend this core teaching of our faith. The fourteen resurrection proofs below are meant to help you to live out your hope, “Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” (1 Peter 3:15b).

1. Jesus’ death was not private; hundreds of eyewitnesses saw the cross. He was really dead, so a resurrection couldn’t be “faked.”
2. The first eyewitnesses were women, which would never have happened in that culture were the story “made up.”
3. Soon many eyewitnesses saw him alive, touched him, and ate with him.
4. What happened to the guards at the grave?
5. It was a matter of public record that the grave was empty (Mt 28:11–15).
6. No one went looking for the body.
7. In the same basic location where Jesus was publicly killed, people claimed he was alive again—something publicly verifiable.
8. Five hundred saw him at one time.
9. The Gospel records are honest about the doubts of the disciples—again, would not have happened if they were trying to fool people.
10. What changed the disciples from “scared rabbits” who ran away to bold confessors? All in the space of a few weeks?
11. None of the disciples ever changed his testimony; they were eyewitnesses.
12. Saul the persecutor was turned into Paul the preacher.
13. Explosive growth of Christianity in the face of constant opposition.
14. The sudden switch by Jewish believers to worship on Sunday instead of Saturday. None of this is possible unless Jesus truly did rise from the dead!

Not only did He rise from the dead. He ascended and will come again.

Alleluia!  Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia!

Blessings,
Pastor Bryan E. Drebes

Rev. Bryan Drebes is Pastor at Pacific Hills Lutheran Church in Omaha Nebraska

Pastor Drebes attended Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri, beginning in 1997.  He spent the summer of 1999 teaching English to Chinese middle school teachers in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.  He served a four-month vicarage at St. John Lutheran Church, Plymouth, Wisconsin, followed by eight months at Bethany Lutheran Church, Overland Park, Kansas. Pastor Drebes was ordained into the Office of the Holy Ministry at Zion Lutheran Church, Palmyra, Missouri on August 19, 2001, and installed as Associate Pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church, Overland Park, Kansas on September 9, 2001.  He served Bethany for 14 years.  Pastor Drebes accepted a Divine