Tag: Witnesses

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The Empty Tomb

Jesus’ arrest, kangaroo court trial, meeting with Pilate, and crucifixion were verified historical events. Archeologists have found documentation (on paper and on stone), both Roman and Jewish, that conclusively verifies the facts and removes Jesus’ birth, life, and death from the realm of religion. It is recorded history.

You need to know that science, including archeology, has verified the Bible hundreds of times. Therefore, the Bible is an authentic history book in addition to being the Holy Word of God.

But what about Jesus’ resurrection? Has that been verified? Yes, and it starts with that authentic history book – the Bible.

Jesus’ resurrection was witnessed by the guards stationed at the tomb. They were to guard the tomb for at least three days to prevent anyone from stealing Jesus’ corpse and claiming that He raised from the dead (Matt. 27:60-65).

When the guards told the Jewish leaders about Jesus leaving the tomb, the leaders bribed the guards to lie. The lie was not the guard’s idea. Read this: Matt. 28:11-15: “As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’ If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble.” So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today. (NLT)”

But most people miss an exceedingly important concept here. The lie is self-contradictory because no one can know what happens when they are asleep. Therefore, the lie and the bribe adds to the evidence that Jesus did, indeed, raise from the dead.

Another question has been asked: “Why is Jesus’ resurrection important?”

1) For starters: all of history is dated according to Jesus’ birth. 2) The resurrection verifies the power of God by not only creating life, but also by restoring life to one who had died. 3) It proves who Jesus claimed to be – the Messiah, God in the flesh. 4) It proves the Old Testament prophecies were correct. 5) Without the resurrection, we have no Savior, no salvation, no eternal life (1 Cor. 15:14-19). 6) In John 11:25 Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life.” And He told his disciples several times that He would die and come back to life. So it proves that Jesus knew the future, it verifies that Jesus was in control of the situation, and it proves that Jesus was correct in everything He said.

Another question I heard is, “What’s the big deal about the empty tomb?” Great question!

The resurrection is important, and the empty tomb verifies the resurrection. That gives credibility to Jesus’ statement in John 11:25-26, “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never [spiritually] die.”

Did anyone see Jesus after He walked out of the tomb? I am thrilled to say, “Yes!” There were at least twelve events in the Bible when Jesus appeared to people. The first to see the risen Christ were the guards who were supposed to keep His corpse secure. The second appearance was to Mary in the garden near the tomb. And the last time was to over 500 during His ascension. Yes, there were witnesses!

Something else to consider: Hundreds, if not thousands, of people came out of their graves when Jesus came out of the tomb. They walked among the towns folk telling about the wonders of God. Now THAT’s what I call personal witnessing! Jesus’ resurrection is the world’s most significant event after creation.

I’ve been told that believing in Jesus is an example of blind faith. Not true! Although faith in Jesus Christ requires child-like faith, Scripture attests that all of nature reveals the Glory of God and we see God’s handiwork with eyes wide-open. Our faith is simple and in vivid color. No other religion or faith has the substantiation that Christianity has. All other faiths are blind to some degree.

Finally, hundreds of millions of people throughout history have been transformed by simply placing their faith and trust in Jesus. Why? Only a living Savior Who is actually God has the power to forgive sin and turn sorrow into joy.

We need to remember that Jesus’ resurrection and the empty tomb verifies that our redemption is complete. The future of believers in Christ require no guessing: it’s an established fact. Since Jesus raised from the dead, He is preparing a place for us in heaven – and He will come back in the same way He left. Read Acts 1:9-11.

Jesus is alive!

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What’s the Basis for Your Faith?

The title of this Reflection is a question I’ve been asked several times. Years ago, I often said: “The Bible is the basis for my faith.” But my answer has changed. Now I joyfully say, “Eyewitnesses, and the empty tomb where Jesus was buried is the basis for my faith.”

What’s the difference? To answer that, I’ll use a Protestant version of the King James Bible.

This version of the KJV Bible (printed around 1885) has 66 books, 1,189 chapters, 31,102 verses, and 788,258 words in the text. It contains stories and narratives that relate information such as numbers of people killed in numerous battles, lists of kings, priests, and prophets, and genealogies of various people.

But that information, and a lot more, is based on various dating and numbering methods. For example: some cultures listed the second year of the king’s reign as the first year simply because some kings were killed before the first year was complete. Sometimes the second year of a baby’s life was counted as its first because 1st-year mortality was rampant. Sometimes, a king and a co-regent reigned simultaneously, yet their individual reigns seem to be listed consecutively.

Various versions of the Bible – even various KJ versions – have different word and verse counts. Other things are documented differently, depending on the original ethnic scribes or subsequent translators.

All of that, plus more, give people opportunities to call the Bible wrong – therefore, impugning the integrity of the Bible – which, consequently, tends to impugn the integrity of those of us who believe the Holy Bible.

Therefore, I no longer say the Bible is the basis for my faith because detractors, skeptics, agnostics, atheists, and adherents of other religions think they have grounds to prove the Bible wrong.

I now rely on eyewitnesses and the empty tomb as the basis for my faith. As surely as the person on the right of this blog witnessed the US Navy Blue Angles flying over Duncanville, Texas, there were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection and of the empty tomb in which He had been buried. That means Jesus rose from the dead. How can you argue against a person who predicted that he would die, how he would die, by whose promptings he would die, by whose hands he would die, and that he would come back to life in three days – and it all come true? Are you going to call him a liar? Not me; especially since much of it was also predicted centuries earlier by others.

How can a person debate that? Jesus either rose from the dead, or he didn’t. It isn’t “The Bible” I have to believe – it is eyewitnesses I believe. Witnesses such as Matthew, Peter, John, and others who documented their observations. They had no idea that their writings might be saved for people to read centuries later. However, because their observations and stories were found to be authentic, they were incorporated into a group of books that became the Holy Bible.

Merriam-Webster defines the word bible as: a publication that is preeminent especially in authoritativeness or wide readership. Many bibles abound such as the Machinists’ Bible, Deer Hunters’ Bible, Flower Gardener’s Bible, the Holy Bible, and many more.

The topic of Jesus’ rising from the dead has been found by archeologists in ancient Roman documents because it was a political concern for the emperors. Therefore, it is worth our time discussing it, but not arguing over it.

But I don’t blindly accept the Holy Bible. We can believe it or we don’t have to believe it; but there isn’t much sense in arguing over it. The fact is that the Holy Bible is not just a spiritual book; it is one of the oldest and greatest history books in existence. It’s also a matter of faith. But faith goes both ways: you either have faith to believe Jesus rose from the dead, or you have faith that he didn’t rise from the dead. You have faith to believe the Bible, or you have faith not to believe it. You have faith to believe in God or you have faith not to believe. Everyone’s life is based on faith in something or in someone.

The historicity of Jesus living and dying has been proven by non-biblical sources, so that is not the issue. His raising from the dead is the issue. But you’ll also discover that Jesus’ resurrection has been proven by atheists and agnostics. Of course, they became believers in Christ once they verified the deity of Jesus Christ.

Not only does the empty tomb provide me with answers for this life, it also substantiates my faith for eternal life. And I ask you to turn to Jesus Christ and live for Him.