Redemption Forgiveness Justification Propitiation Reconciliation

then our PREACHING is in vain then our FAITH is in vain then we are LIARS then we are still in our SINS then the DEAD are HOPELESS then WE are HOPELESS

When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life."

"We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"

the Burial the Broken Seal the Moved Stone

“When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"

“Never had a criminal been given so much attention after his execution. Never had a crucified man had the honor of being guarded by a squad of soldiers.”

the Burial the Broken Seal the Moved Stone the Empty Tomb

“…the early Christians did not believe in the resurrection of Christ because they could not find His dead body; they believed because they did find a living Christ.”

“Take a look at the vacated tomb. Did you know the opponents of Christ never challenged its vacancy? No Pharisee or Roman Soldier ever led a contingent back to the burial site and declared, “The angel was wrong, the body is here, it was all a rumor. They would have if they could have.

Within weeks disciples occupied every Jerusalem street corner announcing a risen Christ. What quicker way for the enemies of the church to shut them up than to produce a cold and lifeless body? Display the cadaver, and Christianity is stillborn; but they had no cadaver to display.

Helps explain the Jerusalem revival. When the apostles argued for the empty tomb, the people looked to the Pharisees for a rebuttal, but they had none to give. As A.M. Fairbairn put it long ago, “the silence of the Jews is as eloquent as the speech of the Christians!”

the AWOL Roman Guard

“How conditions have changed since Friday. The crucifixion was marked by sudden darkness, silent angels, and mocking. At the empty tomb the soldiers are silent, an angel speaks, and light erupts like Vesuvius.

The One who is dead is said to be alive, and the soldiers, who are alive, look as if they are dead. The women can tell something is up. What they don’t know is Someone is up.”

the AWOL Roman Guard the Grave Clothes

“Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.”

the AWOL Roman Guard the Grave Clothes the Post-Resurrection appearances the Changed lives of the disciples... of US the Changed lives of the disciples... of US