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      • 1 Corinthians 1:10-4:21 - Worldly Wisdom
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The Resurrection of Christ

The Greatest Discovery Ever Made

Christopher Columbus discovered San Salvador in the New World on October 12, 1492. Scottish bacteriologist, Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin on September 3, 1928. The American druggist John Stith Pemberton discovered ‘Coca Cola’ on May 8, 1886. Many have been the remarkable discoveries made by men throughout the course of history, but the greatest discovery ever made was early one Sunday morning in Jerusalem on April 5, A.D.33*.

Just before daybreak a group of women made their way to the garden tomb were the body of their Lord had been respectfully laid the previous Friday evening after His crucifixion. They had prepared spices intending to anoint His body but on arrival what they saw surprised and perplexed them. The stone over the tomb was rolled back and inside was empty except for the linen burial clothes, but the body was gone. Gazing in disbelief at what they saw and wondering in their hearts as to what could have happened, two angels appeared. The women listened to their words with astonishment: “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!” (Luke 24:5-6). The empty tomb was the first evidence that Jesus had risen from death.

The Greatest Sight Ever Seen

Meanwhile, Mary Magdalene, one of the women who came early to the tomb, after seeing the stone rolled back and realising that the tomb was empty, immediately left the others and ran to tell Peter and John the news, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him” (John 20:2). Shocked, the two disciples ran to the garden to see for themselves. There in the tomb the undisturbed burial clothes lay as if still wrapped around the body with the head cloth neatly rolled up in a place by itself. One thing was evident - His body could not have been stolen.

Peter and John soon returned home but Mary remained at the garden. Standing there alone, tears of grief began to flow. She could not forget the man who had changed her life. Once she had lived in the grip of demonic possession but the Lord Jesus had saved her. Now her hopes and the hopes of many disciples had been buried in the tomb with Jesus. They never anticipated that He would be condemned to death and crucified. Just a week earlier He had entered Jerusalem riding on a foal and was hailed as the Messiah, Israel's promised deliverer and king (Matt 21:1-11), but now He was dead.
 
Mary stooped and looked into the tomb, only this time the angels were back. “Woman, why are you weeping?” they asked. “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him” she replied (John 20:13). Then sensing someone near to her she stood up and turned around to see a man looking her direction. “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” He asked. Mary’s eyes misty from crying assumed he was the gardener and answered, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away” (John 20:15). Then He spoke again: “Mary!” Through her tears and grief she knew this voice, “Rabboni!” (Teacher) She responded (John 20:16). It was none other than the Lord Jesus in resurrection glory. 
 
Mary was the first to see Him (Mark 16:9). Other appearances soon followed. During these appearances, on that first day of the week, the Lord Jesus talked, ate and was physically touched by His disciples; proving it was really Him. Over the next forty days He continued to give ‘many infallible proofs’ (Acts 1:3) that He was really alive.

The Greatest Story Ever Told
 
The testimony of the apostles was not based upon secondary information or limited by the separation of time – they were there. Commissioned by the Lord Jesus to preach the gospel to the nations (Luke 24:46-48), and being baptized by the Holy Spirit on the Jewish feast of Pentecost fifty days after His resurrection (Acts 2:1-4), the apostles began the mission of worldwide evangelism. Peter, surrounded by the other eleven apostles, stood up and preached Christ. His message was clear: “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear” (Acts 2:32-33). Around three thousand souls were saved that day (Acts 2:41), and now ignited; the ‘spreading flame’ of the gospel blazed forth.
 
The gospel is the greatest story ever told because it is true. Yes, other world religions and philosophies also claim to be true, but unless their message is supported by coherent and verifiable evidence, they cannot and should not be taken seriously. Through the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the gospel has been demonstrated to be true. If it is not true, then the gospel is an elaborate deception which means that the apostles were compulsive liars and the New Testament is totally unreliable. You cannot pick and choose certain parts of the gospel and reject others as some who profess Christianity do: all of it is true or none of it is true. Claiming to be Christian and yet denying the virgin birth of Christ or the fullness of His deity or the fact of His bodily resurrection is not only contradictory, it is indeed blasphemy. Also, militant Atheists who dismiss the gospel as nonsense, defame the character of God by slander and denounce Christians as fools fail to see the difference between arrogant pronouncements, no matter how persuasive or articulate they may be, and the actual disproving of the facts that demonstrate the historical accuracy of the gospel.
 
If the gospel is true then it is reliable. We live in a vulnerable world and recent times have demonstrated this fact so forcefully with the spread of COVID-19. As well as its effect on health, the story of the economic fallout is yet to be told. Also, natural disasters continue to happen while war and conflict persist in numerous lands. The threat of terrorism still exists of which we are painfully reminded every so often and many other deadly diseases unceasingly plague humanity; the list goes on. Where can we find hope in such a world?  The gospel of the risen living Lord Jesus offers such hope. He gives a foundation for life and the assurance of heaven in the next.  Sin is the cause of humanity’s woes. The Lord Jesus broke its power by His death on the cross; He died to deal with sin: ‘He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself’ (Hebrews 9:26). Death is the result of sin for ‘the wages of sin is death’ (Rom 6:23), and the Lord Jesus triumphed over death by rising from the dead. All who repent and believe in Him will benefit from what He has accomplished and have the assurance of eternal life: "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36).
 
AJC
 
 
*Other dates are suggested. I have taken this date from Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ by Harold W. Hoehner


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  • Home
  • Gospel Words
    • A Deadly Deed
    • Saving a President
    • The Death Zone
    • An Anchor of the Soul
    • Afraid Twice
    • Two Ways
    • Withering Grass & Fading Flowers
    • A Spider's Web
    • The Voice of the Son of God
    • Forgiven!
    • The Full Assurance of Hope
    • A Sinner's Prayer
    • A Present & Personal Saviour
    • The Great Supper
    • Judgment is Coming
    • A Closed Heart
    • "Iceberg Right Ahead!"
    • The Lamb of God
    • Truth & Certainty
    • 'Then the King Will Say'
    • The Testimony of the Chief of Sinners
    • The Testimony of the Lord's Prisoner
    • The Power of Christ
    • The Good Shepherd
    • 'Wonderful Words of Life'
    • Finding Wisdom
    • The Unchanging Person of Jesus Christ
  • Bible Answers
    • Remembering Our Creator
    • Was the Cross Necessary?
    • What is God Like?
    • Does the Resurrection Matter?
    • What's in a Name?
    • Why Must We be Saved?
    • "Who Art Thou, Lord?"
    • "The Unknown God" - Just Who is He?
    • "What is Truth?"
    • "Holy, Holy, Holy"
    • Knowing God
    • A Conversion Story
    • The Gospel according to Jonah
    • "Jesus of Nazareth, a Man Approved of God"
    • The Saviour of the World
    • A Chosen Vessel
    • Who is Jesus?
    • God's Mercy & Judgment
    • Does What I Think about the Son of God Matter?
    • 'How Shall we Escape if we Neglect so Great Salvation'?
    • What is Life Really All About?
    • The Rock of Ages
    • Easter Messages >
      • The Sufferings of Christ - Part 1
      • The Sufferings of Christ - Part 2
      • The Resurrection of Christ
      • Zion's King & God's Lamb
    • Christmas Messages >
      • Joseph, Mary & the Birth of Jesus
      • "A Savior who is Christ the Lord"
      • Hark the Herald Angels Sing
      • Covenant Promises & the Birth of Christ
  • Timeless Truths
    • Timeless Truths 1
    • Timeless Truths 2
    • Timeless Truths 3
    • Timeless Truths 4
    • Timeless Truths 5
    • Timeless Truths 6
    • Timeless Truths 7
  • Expository Messages
    • Topical Messages >
      • Spiritual Warfare
    • Psalms >
      • Psalms 84-88 >
        • Psalm 84 - The Courts of the LORD
        • Psalm 85 - 'Revive us Again'
        • Psalm 86 - Calling upon God in the Day of Trouble
        • Psalm 87 - The Glory of Zion, 'City of God'
        • Psalm 88 - Hands Stretched out in Grief
    • Minor Prophets - Study Notes by Gary Woods >
      • The Twelve Minor Prophets - An Overview
      • Hosea P1
      • Hosea P2
      • Joel P1
      • Joel P2
      • Amos P1
      • Amos P2
      • Obadiah
      • Jonah
      • Micah
      • Nahum
      • Habakkuk P1
      • Habakkuk P2
      • Zephaniah
      • The Post-Captivity Prophets - An Introduction
      • Haggai
      • Zechariah P1
      • Zechariah P2
      • Malachi
    • The Lord's Upper Room Ministry >
      • John 13:1-3 - The Omniscient Christ
      • John 13:4-17 - The Foot Washing Ministry of the Perfect Servant
      • John 13:18-38 - The Son of Man Glorified
      • John 14:1-3 - The Father's House P1
      • John 14:4-7 - The Father's House P2
      • John 14:8-14 - The Father's Visibility
      • John 14:15-26 - The Father's Gift
      • John 14:27-31 - The Father's Primacy
      • John 17 - The Lord's Intercessory Prayer
      • Excursus: The Passover & the Last Supper
    • Romans >
      • Romans - An Introduction
      • Romans - An Outline
      • Romans 1:1-7 - Paul's Salutation
      • Romans 1:8-17 - Visiting Rome & Gospel Debt
      • Romans 1:18-32 - Wrath Revealed & Why
      • Romans 2 - An Introduction to a Difficult Chapter
      • Romans 2:1-5 - The Hypocrisy of the Self-righteous P1
      • Romans 2:6-11 - The Hypocrisy of the Self-righteous P2
      • Romans 2:12-16 - The Hypocrisy of the Self-righteous P3
      • Romans 2:17-29 - The Guilt of the Self-confident
      • Romans 3:1-20 - 'All the World Guilty'
      • Romans 3:21-24 - The Heart of the Gospel P1
      • Romans 3:25a - The Heart of the Gospel P2
      • Romans 3:25b-31 - The Heart of the Gospel P3
    • 1 Corinthians >
      • 1 Corinthians 1:10-4:21 - Worldly Wisdom
  • Booklets