The Resurrection Of Christ
An Undeniable Fact Of History – Mark 16:9-14
It
is not my purpose merely to convince you of the doctrine of the resurrection. I
want you to know him who is himself “The
Resurrection and the Life.” May God give us grace to know him and the power
of his resurrection.
Yet, it must be stated that the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead is an undeniable fact of history. That which is, in many ways, the most important and most significant fact revealed in Holy Scripture is an undeniable, irrefutable fact of history. It is important that we realize this.
If the literal, bodily resurrection of Christ from the dead could be disproved, everything else in the Bible must crumble to dust. If Christ did not rise from the dead, then there is no redemption, no atonement for sin. If our Savior did not come forth from the grave, there is no forgiveness. If the Son of God did not both die and rise from the dead, there is no salvation, no gospel, and no hope for sinners. If Jesus Christ did not literally arise from the tomb in that same physical body in which he suffered all the wrath of God for his people, then all who preach grace, salvation, atonement, forgiveness, and eternal life in him are false prophets, false witnesses, deceivers of men’s souls. If Christ did not rise from the dead, victorious over death, hell, and the grave, then we are yet in our sins; and we are of all men most miserable.
In these six verses, the Holy Spirit tells us three of those occasions when the risen Lord appeared to men. Remember, Mark mentions only three of Christ’s post resurrection appearances, though there are many others recorded in Scripture. Mark tells us that our risen Lord appeared first to Mary Magdalene, then to the two disciples on the Emmaus road, and then to the eleven apostles.
This
is a great mercy to us. Our Lord Jesus made his resurrection from the dead a
thoroughly established, undeniable fact. This fact is a matter of great mercy,
because, as stated above, everything we believe, everything revealed in the
gospel, stands or falls with the resurrection of Christ. The resurrection was
the crowning proof of Christ’s having put away our sins by the sacrifice of
himself, the seal of our redemption, the receipt of our justification, and God’s
public declaration of his Son’s exaltation and glory. For this reason the
resurrection of Christ is given a very prominent place in Holy Scripture (
The
multiplied witnesses of our Lord’s resurrection are simply irrefutable. Our
Lord Jesus Christ did not only die for our sins, he arose up from the dead and
reigns in glory upon the throne of universal monarchy to give life and
salvation to those for whom he died. "For
to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both
of the dead and living."
Don Fortner