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Revelation 1:16-18
[16] And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
[17] And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
[18] I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Belief in the Resurrection

Most Americans don't believe they will experience a resurrection of their bodies when they die, according to a new Scripps Howard/Ohio University Poll. Only 36 percent of the 1,007 adults interviewed a month ago responded positively to the question: "Do you believe that, after you die, your physical body will be resurrected someday?" Fifty-four percent said they do not believe so and 10 percent were undecided.

"This reflects the very low state of doctrinal preaching in our churches," said Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., and editor of the Southern Baptist Journal of Theology. "I continually am confronted by Christians, even active members of major churches, who have never heard this taught in their local congregations," Mohler said. "We have a lowest-common-denominator Christianity being taught in so many denominations that has produced a people who simply do not know some of the most basic Christian truths.

The problem in America when it comes to our faith is that we simply do not believe. If we do not believe we will experience a bodily resurrection of our body is it any wonder that people do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

NOTE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
Barna Research polls of American adults:
According to the ARIS study, "The proportion of the [American] population that can be classified as Christian has declined from 86% in 1990 to 77% in 2001." (2)

Year 1997 & 2000 polls:

Item	Year	General American Population	Born-again Christians *	Margin of Error	Ref.
Jesus was crucified but not physically resurrected	1997	39%	35%	3 points	3
After he was crucified an died, Jesus Christ did not return to live physically	2000	40%	30%	3 points	4

Barna Research: Year 2000 poll of Christian leaders:

Item	Year	Church leaders	Lay church leaders	Margin of Error	Ref.
Jesus was crucified but not physically resurrected	2000	33%	33%	3 points	7

Jeffrey Hadden 1998 poll: A survey of mostly mainline Protestant clergy by a prominent American sociologist showed that many doubt Jesus' physical resurrection. 8 Percentage of doubters were found to be:
•	American Lutherans: 13%
•	Presbyterians: 30%
•	American Baptist: 33%
•	Episcopalians: 35%
•	Methodists: 51%

Without much of a question it is generally believed and substantiated by documentation that Jesus Christ lived and died. The sticking point with many people is whether he arose from the dead. For us sitting here today that is not even a consideration. For most people in America that is generally not a problem. What becomes a problem is when we are confronted with the question of whether or not we personally will be resurrected from the dead to live again or more precisely is there life after death?

What is difficult for the mind to receive is that this body will have a literal transformation and be literally translated from this earth. But that is exactly what the Bible declares, what Jesus Christ proclaimed along with the apostles. If the resurrection of Jesus Christ was not a reality then any hope we have is in vain. But I am here today ladies and gentleman, brothers and sisters to declare to us that:

H E  L I V E S,  H E  L I V E S !!!

The song is right today, "You ask me how I know He live, He lives within my heart". But let us go deeper in our quest for the truth of His be alive today.

Jesus' Resurrection - Essential to the Christian Faith

Jesus' Resurrection from the dead is as essential to the Christian faith as His death upon the cross. Paul writes in his first letter to the Corinthians "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Paul emphasizes the importance of the Resurrection with his statement "And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not" (I Corinthians 15:14-15).

Jesus' Resurrection - An Historical Event?

So, is Jesus' Resurrection from the dead an historical event? It is proclaimed throughout the four Gospels as well as ancient correspondence. If these works are the historical documents they claim to be, then they bare witness to an historical event. According to Aristotle's Dictum (a noteworthy statement: as a : a formal pronouncement of a principle), these pieces meet the criteria for legitimate historical documents. However, as they describe miraculous events, they are not recognized by secular society as valid testimony. How then will these accounts be validated? Two questions must be asked.

First, do the authors of these literary pieces discredit their work, or do their lives give credit to their testimony?

Second, do accepted historical authorities corroborate these accounts?

Jesus' Resurrection - The Disciples' Testimony

The men who believed in Jesus' Resurrection from the dead, known today as Christ's Disciples, certainly had their testimony, as well as their convictions, tested by those who disbelieved. With the exception of John, every one of these men were put to death. These deaths were excruciating and merciless. More so were their lives, as these men were persecuted by the secular world and suffered great hardship for the spreading of their beloved Gospel, which they proclaimed.

Paul was later beheaded after suffering in a Roman dungeon for many years. His death was far less brutal then those of his brethren as he was a Roman citizen and often they were not. These men believed the Lord allowed them to suffer greatly, as there is no better evidence of their sincerity and the truth of their message than their endurance and perseverance without any hope of an earthly reward. Every single one of them could have escaped such torture and humiliation by simply denouncing the Resurrection of Christ. This was the goal of their tormentors. However, not one ceded to their persecutors.

Jesus' Resurrection - Historical Authorities

Jesus' Resurrection and/or the persecution of His followers were documented outside of the Bible by the following historical authorities: Gaius Suetonius Tranquillas, Flavius Josephus, Thallus, Pliny the Younger, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and the Jewish Sanhedrin. Beyond these ancient historians, there are documents from other sources such as the 2nd century Greek satirist Lucian. The men who witnessed Jesus' Resurrection testified to it with their lives. Their testimony, besides the compelling evidences presented in the Bible itself (such as incredible prophecy), has inspired millions more to follow suit -- To suffer persecution and death at the hands of an unbelieving world for the knowledge that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Almighty. That He came to earth to die for our sins as was foretold in the Bible hundreds of years before His miraculous birth.

The resurrection of Jesus is challenged today on evidentiary grounds. Therefore, to be fair, the evidence should be judged like any other historical event. Based on standard rules of evidence, consistent eye-witness testimony from multiple credible witnesses would be considered the strongest form of evidence available to a litigant. Therefore, if we find such testimony present in credible accounts of the historical record of Christ's resurrection, we have satisfied a major evidentiary challenge under traditional rules. In fact, we do have multiple eye-witness testimonies regarding the resurrection of Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-6, Paul established the following:

"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep."

Resurrection of Jesus: More Eye-witness Accounts

The resurrection of Jesus was also declared in numerous other accounts, including:
the appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene (John 20:10-18),

[16] Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
[17] Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

to other women (Matthew 28:8-10),
[8] And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
[9] And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
[10] Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

to Cleopas and his companion (Luke 24:13-32), Road to Emmaeus

to eleven disciples and others (Luke 24:33-49),

[33] And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
[34] Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
[35] And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
[36] And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
[37] But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
[38] And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
[39] Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
[40] And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
[41] And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
[42] And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
[43] And he took it, and did eat before them.
[44] And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
[45] Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
[46] And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
[47] And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
[48] And ye are witnesses of these things.
[49] And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

to ten apostles and others (excluding Thomas) (John 20:19-23),

to the apostles (including Thomas) (John 20:26-30),

to seven apostles (John 21:1-14),

to the disciples (Matthew 28:16-20), and

to the apostles on the Mount of Olives (Luke 24:50-52 and Acts 1:4-9).

The ultimate test of credibility for these eye-witnesses was that many of them faced martyrdom for their eye-witness testimony. This is dramatic! These witnesses knew the truth. What could they possibly gain by dying for a known lie?

The evidence speaks for itself, these weren't just religious faithful dying for a religious belief, these were followers of Jesus Christ dying for a historical event - His resurrection that established Him as God.

Messianic prophecy is the collection of over 100 predictions (a conservative estimate) in the Old Testament about the future Messiah of the Jewish people.

These predictions were written by multiple authors, in numerous books, over approximately 1,000 years. Messianic Prophecy is so dramatic today, because with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the reliability of the Septuagint version of the Old Testament (both of which have been proven to exist prior to the time Jesus walked on the earth) you can be assured that these prophecies were not "conspired" after-the-fact.

"Jesus said to them, 'This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Luke 24:44 (NIV)

The Old Testament verses are the prophecy; the New Testament verses proclaim the fulfillment.
•	Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21-23)
•	A descendant of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; 22:18; Matthew 1:1; Galatians 3:16)
•	Of the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10; Luke 3:23, 33; Hebrews 7:14)
•	Of the house of David (2 Samuel 7:12-16; Matthew 1:1)
•	Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4-7)
•	Taken to Egypt (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:14-15)
•	Herod´s killing of the infants (Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:16-18)
•	Anointed by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2; Matthew 3:16-17)
•	Heralded by the messenger of the Lord (John the Baptist) (Isaiah 40:3-5; Malachi 3:1; Matthew 3:1-3)
•	Would perform miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6; Matthew 9:35)
•	Would preach good news (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:14-21)
•	Would minister in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1; Matthew 4:12-16) Would cleanse the Temple (Malachi 3:1; Matthew 21:12-13)
•	Would first present Himself as King 173,880 days from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (Daniel 9:25; Matthew 21:4-11)
•	Would enter Jerusalem as a king on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:4-9)
•	Would be rejected by Jews (Psalm 118:22; I Peter 2:7)
•	Die a humiliating death (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53) involving:
	1.	rejection (Isaiah 53:3; John 1:10-11; 7:5,48)
	2.	betrayal by a friend (Psalm 41:9; Luke 22:3-4; John 13:18)
	3.	sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:14-15)
	4.	silence before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 27:12-14)
	5.	being mocked (Psalm 22: 7-8; Matthew 27:31)
	6.	beaten (Isaiah 52:14; Matthew 27:26)
	7.	spit upon (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 27:30)
	8.	piercing His hands and feet (Psalm 22:16; Matthew 27:31)
	9.	being crucified with thieves (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 27:38)
	10.	praying for His persecutors (Isaiah 53:12; Luke 23:34)
	11.	piercing His side (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34)
	12.	given gall and vinegar to drink (Psalm 69:21, Matthew 27:34, Luke 23:36)
	13.	no broken bones (Psalm 34:20; John 19:32-36)
	14.	buried in a rich man's tomb (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60)
	15.	casting lots for His garments (Psalm 22:18; John 19:23-24)
•	Would rise from the dead!! (Psalm 16:10; Mark 16:6; Acts 2:31)
•	Ascend into Heaven (Psalm 68:18; Acts 1:9)

Empty Tomb

Finally, I took a look at some of the academic scholarship regarding the empty tomb of Jesus. I was truly surprised to find that a large majority of scholars today agree that Christ's tomb was found empty.

Consider...
°The Jerusalem Factor. Since Jesus was publicly executed and buried in Jerusalem, it would have been impossible for Christianity to begin in Jerusalem while the body was still in the tomb. Christ's enemies in the Jewish leadership and Roman government would only have to exhume the corpse and publicly display it for the hoax of the empty tomb to be shattered.

° The Jewish Response. Rather than point to an occupied tomb, the Jewish leadership accused Christ's disciples of stealing his body. Wouldn't this strategy seem to establish that there was, in fact, an empty tomb and a missing body? (1)

° The Women's Testimony. In all four Gospel accounts of the empty tomb, women are listed as the primary witnesses. This would be an odd invention, since in both Jewish and Roman cultures women were not esteemed and their testimony was not admissible.

CONCLUSION:

It is not difficult to conclude:

JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE

Dr. Joseph Haroutunian, professor at McCormick Theological Seminary, came to America from Armenia. One day a well-meaning friend said to him, "Your name is difficult to pronounce and difficult to spell--it could hurt your professional career. Why don't you change your name to Harwood or Harwell or something like that?"

Dr. Haroutunian asked, "What do those names mean?"

His friend said, "Well, nothing. They're just easier to remember."

Dr. Haroutunian said, "In Armenia, when my grandfather was baptized, they named him Hartounian which means 'Resurrection.' I am Joseph Haroutunian and I will be a son of Resurrection all my days."

I claim to be an historian. My approach to Classics is historical. And I tell you that the evidence for the life, the death, and the resurrection of Christ is better authenticated than most of the facts of ancient history . . .

~E. M. Blaiklock, Professor of Classics at Auckland University