Posts tagged resurrection

Do You Really Believe in the Resurrection? | John 11:1-44 | Mikey Brannon

Dying for Glory

Grace Christian Fellowship

John 11:1-44

Introduction

If you have your Bible I would ask you to go ahead and turn with me to John

chapter 11 as we will be looking at verses 1-44.

Let us pray

This morning we are going to be talking a lot about a dead man. And in many

ways, I think we have a lot in common with Lazarous. Ephesians 2:1 tells us, that

“you were dead in trespasses and sin”.

So while we talk about this physical death and physical resurrection here in John

chapter 11, I also want us to be thinking of our own spiritual death. The Bible

teaches that before we come to faith we are Spiritually dead. We have no means to

come to life except that Jesus intervenes. Just how dead are we? We are very very

dead.

Francis Chan puts it this way. Imagine this morning that we wheel a casket to the

front of the church. And during the service it is our job as the worship team, as the

preacher, as the congregation to bring this dead body to life.

So we sing our hearts out. We say wonderful things. We read Scripture. The

preacher preaches the most compelling service that has ever been preached. And at

the end of the service we all gather around the body and look down and find what.

The person is still dead. This is our condition before we come to know the Lord.

There is only one way that this body can be resurrected. Jesus will teach in this

text today that he is the only resurrection. And Jesus calls out to this dead man,

and instantly he lives.

Location and Characters

[Jhn 11:1-3 ESV] 1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of

Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment

and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters

sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill."

We are introduced to Lazarus. This is not the Lazarus from the Luke who Jesus

told about in a parable. This is a close friend. Lazarus is the brother of Mary and

Martha. This is a family that Jesus knew well.

We remember the story of Mary and Martha. When Jesus visited the house, it was

Mary who poured the expensive oil on Jesus feet and washed his feet with her

hair. It is Martha who was not happy about the situation, who confronted Jesus

about her sister’s unwillingness to make a fuss around the house. And remember

Jesus told Martha he was not going to tell Mary to do that because Mary had

chosen something greater.

The personalities that we learned about Mary and Martha play out even in Johns

account of this text. We will se it. Martha, the high strung one. The one who is

busy and quick to speak her mind. Mary, the one who is reserved and quite. This is

the family.

In Chapter 10 Jesus has fled Jerusalem since chapter 10 because the Pharisees had

just tried to stone him to death. While Mary, Martha, and Lazarus situations

unfolds just East of Jerusalem in a village called Bethany.

[3] So the sisters send word to Jesus who is probably at least a day’s travel away

that Lazarus is sick.

So What?

We all have faced, and likely are facing difficult trials in our lives. And wouldn’t

it be nice sometimes if God just came out and said, “well the reason that I’m

having you go thru this is because...”. Well this is exactly what he does in verse 4.

[4] Word reaches Jesus and the disciples and he tells them exactly what this ordeal

is all about. We can underline in verse 4 where it says “It is for the glory of God,

so that the Son of God may be gloried through it”. These are believers, who are

suffering, but God has a greater purpose for their suffering.

It goes directly to the thesis of the entire book of John, that Jesus is the Christ, the

son of God, and that believing in him, we can have eternal life.

[6] It is very interesting what happens in verse 6. Jesus doesn’t say, quick guys

pack your bags we are heading back to Jerusalem. What does he do? “He stayed

two days longer”. And over the course of these two days what would happen. The

suffering would intensify. In fact in would go from panic to despair and even to

hopelessness.

The old country preacher said it this way, “there is no hole so deep that God is not

deeper.” Jesus was preparing a deep hole.

Jesus Returns to Jerusalem

Lazarus must have died the day that the messenger was sent to Jesus. We have 1

day for the messenger to get to Jesus. Jesus delays for 2 days. And then it takes

him 1 day to return. That comes to 4 days.

[7] In verse 7 Jesus breaks the news to his disciples that they are going to return to

the place where they were nearly killed. Verse 8.

[8] The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you,

and are you going there again?"

Jesus answers this concern with a simple proverb that is very interesting.

9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the

day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone

walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."

God is in control. How easy it is for his disciples, even having witnessed Jesus

power on so many occasions, how easy it is to forget who is in control! Are you

walking in the light? Are you walking with God? Then there is not one thing to be

afraid of. How easy is it for us to do the same thing?

Jesus says men, we walk in the power and the promise of God, and no man, no

sickness, no stone, has the power to stop that!

Jesus Breaks It Down for the Disciples

[11]-[13] There is this interesting exchange where Jesus uses some figurative

language that Lazarus is asleep. Alluding to the fact that his death situation is

temporary like a nap. The disciples completely miss it. Listen, I struggle in high

school literature when we were studying poetry so I’m not going to make fun of

these guys. So just like my English teacher, Jesus spells it out plainly, [14] he is

dead.

Don’t miss [15] for your sake, I am glad that I was not there!

Why?

[15] So that you may believe.

I must break this down a little.

Notice the reasons that Jesus does not give.

• He doesn’t say so that he can spend time with Lazarus again

• He doesn’t say so that the Pharasees or non-believers will see this miracle

and believe

• He doesn’t say so that other people will see this miracle and become my

follower, although that may be true too

Jesus says the reason is, so you guys who already believe in me, will believe. How

many of us in this room believe, but today we need to really believe. Mark 9:24,

Lord I believe help my unbelief. If you think you believe now, just wait to see how

much your about to believe.

Mary, Martha, family friends, other disciples are about to believe on a whole knew

level. My prayer this morning is that we all have that same reaction to this

powerful story.

[16] Now Thomas, he gets a bad rap. But I want to talk about him in a positive

light here. "Let us also go, that we may die with him." They know it’s a death wish

to return to Jerusalem, but it is Thomas who says, he guys let’s go. At least we die

with him.

In some ways it is a picture of what we as the church are called today. We are

called to what “pick up our cross, and follow Jesus”. That is exactly what Thomas

proposes here.

We are called to follow, and we are promised suffering. Who is willing to go?

Thomas is.

I was reminded of a book I read a long time ago on one of the first missionaries,

Adoniram Judson who served his entire life in Burma. He met his wife, in the

states, and when he wanted to ask her father for his daughters hand in marriage he

wrote this.

“I have now to ask whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next

spring, to see her no more in this world ? Whether you can consent to her

departure to a heathen land, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of

a missionary life? Whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the

ocean; to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want

and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death?

Can you consent to all this, for the sake of Him who left His heavenly home and

died for her and for you; for the sake of perishing, immortal souls; for the sake of

Zion and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting

your daughter in the world of glory, with a crown of righteousness brightened by

the acclamations of praise which shall resound to her Saviour from heathens

saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?”

Who is willing to follow Jesus into that kind of storm? Thomas was.

Ann had 3 pregnancies while in Burma. The first ended in miscarriage, the second

died at 8 months, and the third only lived 6 moths. In fact Adoniram would even

lose his wife Ann to small pox. His trials continue even beyond that.

Why would anyone do that? Today there are 2.5 million evangelical Christians in

Burma who can trace roots back to Judson.

Jesus Returns to Bethany (Funeral Scene)

In verses 17-20 we again see that Lazarus is dead and has been dead for 4 days.

Lazarus is very dead. And remember what I said about the personalities of Mary

and Martha showing up in the story? One of the sisters, can’t even wait for Jesus

to arrive at the house before she unloads her disappointment on him. Which one

do you think it was? That’s right Martha.

[20] So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but

Mary remained seated in the house.

It was Martha who tends toward anxiousness (from the other story). She can’t

even wait for Jesus to arrive because it says she goes to meet him. And Mary, the

more calm and reserved sister waits at the house.

The Disappointment In Jesus

Let’s look at what Martha says:

[21-22] 21 Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not

have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give

you."

Have you ever been disappointed in God like this. I think what we see here is it is

okay to approach God and be REAL. We don’t have to put on a front. I remember

when I was a kid and I would hear people at my church start to pray (talk to God)

and all of the sudden they would start speaking in King James. I thought that is

how you had to pray.

And maybe sometimes we don’t do much better because we don’t pray our heart.

We don’t express ourselves, we don’t pour out our emotions to God the way that

Martha did here. It’s okay to be real with God. He already knows how we feel

anyway. Take a look at Psalm 13. Sometime you might feel like praying this Psalm

in a situation in your life. It’s okay to do that.

[Psa 13:1-6 ESV] 1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD?

Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How

long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How

long shall my enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and answer me, O LORD my

God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, 4 lest my enemy say, "I have

prevailed over him," lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. 5 But I have trusted

in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the

LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

We give credit to Martha she still has a glimmer of hope in vs 22. She says even

now I know you can do anything.

Martha’s Theology

Jesus says something interesting in vs [23] as he says “Your brother will rise

again”. And Martha says I know Lord, 24 Martha said to him, "I know that he will

rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Now remember, this is obviously

before the cross. Jesus has not been resurrected yet. The NT has not been written.

But Martha knows all about the resurrection because it is in the OT. But like Jesus

does, he is about to take her resurrection understanding to a new level. Don’t’ miss

this...

[25] “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet

shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”

This is one of the seven I am statements. Why is Jesus the resurrection and the life?

Because he is the source of both. By him and thru him all things were made. And

the power for our resurrection comes through Jesus’ resurrection.

To be a disciple of Jesus, ou must believe these two things, Jesus is life, Jesus is

the resurrection. Martha believed it

27 She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,

who is coming into the world."

Mary’s Reaction

So Jesus calls for Mary to come now.

We still see Mary’s personality play out in these passages. The reserved one. The

one who was probably equally disappointed in Jesus, but maybe less eager to share

her disappointment.

32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet,

saying to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

Mary is a true worshiper. It is Mary who washed Jesus feet with her hair. She falls

at the feet of the Lord. But she echoes exactly what Martha said. They probably

had conversations about this together. I’m sure the regret was so great in the family

that all of this was unnecessary and if only Jesus wouldn’t have left it wouldn’t

have happened.

Jesus Reacts

[33] When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also

weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said,

"Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus

wept.

Jesus is greatly troubled. [33]. The verb here is to groan with outrage. He is

troubled I think because they are acting like there is no hope. It’s kind of like a

funeral of non-believers who believe death is the final chapter. Not like believers

who have hope in a resurrection. It points to the motivation of why this miracle

needed to be done. Not so that Lazarus could live, or so they stop grieving that is

not the issue. The issue is that their faith needs to be strengthen so that they can see

beyond this life into the next.

After arriving at the tomb we get to verse 35. Jesus Wept.

There is something very unique about Jesus, 100% man, 100% God. In his

humanness he is able to relate to us. He is the man of sorrows. Because he knows

what it is to experience hurt, abandonment, disappointment.

2. Hebrews 2:17–18

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might

become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make

propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when

tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

I think Jesus has more than Lazarus in mind when be begins to burst out into tears.

Listen, death is not a natural thing. It was never supposed to be that way. If we go

back to the Garden of Eden in the beginning there was no death. But then sin

entered into the world and so did death.

I think Jesus has all of creation in his mind. Not just this death, but all the death.

And the pain that sin has brought into the world and he is overcome with emotion.

The Resurrection

[Jhn 11:38-44 ESV] 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was

a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the

sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he

has been dead four days."

The KJV says that the body would “stinketh”. I am not making that up, you can

look it up! The point here in the delay, in the four day waiting period was a matter

of degree.

Listen Jesus has already raised people from the dead. But in those other cases it

was soon after the death had occurred. In this case the body is severely

decomposing. It physically and visibly beyond repair.

Jesus is in the business of resurrections, and he is up for the hard cases. Some of

us if we are honest our lives kind of stinketh. And we even think somewhere down

deep that sure Jesus can help so folks, but not me. I’m just too far gone. Jesus takes

joy in the hard cases. And I have no doubt whatever your situation if you call on

Jesus he will answer. And he will regenerate you into something new. And you

will live forever with him.

41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I

thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said

this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent

me." 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus,

come out." 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with

linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him,

and let him go."

Can you imagine this scene? Lazarus comes out of that grave looking like a

mummy. Completely healed, but I bet still in need of a shower. Now scripture

doesn’t say, but what do you think you would have seen if you looked around at

what everyone else was doing.

I’ll bet you there was a great great and new understanding. For those who didn’t

believe, perhaps they now believe. But mainly for those who already believe, I

think they believe unlike they have ever done before.

May this story have the same effect on us. It is good to reminded of the power of

the Lord that we serve. I think in our struggles, in our grief, we often turn to worry.

And the reason is not because we stop believing in Jesus, but because we need to

believe more. Let’s pray for God to increase our beliefe in this same way.

Guest UserJuly 13, 2025Grace Christian FellowshipMikey Brannon, non denominational church, bible believing church, Grace Christian Fellowship, Signs and Glory, John 11, resurrection

What About the Resurrection of Jesus? | Matthew 28:1-15

Series: All!

Jesus has all authority,
So that all nations
Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-15, Title: “What about the resurrection of Jesus?

Bottom line: The resurrection of Jesus shows us the power of God to change our lives.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES
MAIN REFERENCES USED

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process:

Retell the story in your own words.
Discovery the story

What does this story tell me about God?
What does this story tell me about people?
If this is really God’s word, what changes would I have to make in my life?

Who am I going to tell about this?

Final Questions (optional or in place of above)

What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Q. What do I want them to know?

A. That the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ really happened.

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A. 1. Because it means that we can be resurrected too when we die and live forever with Jesus.

Because it means we don’t have to fear sin and death. The cross shows us the love of God. The resurrection the power of God.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A. Believe, worship, and obey Jesus.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A. So that they can live the life God created them to live in the first place.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A. Like the women did: Believe Jesus, worship Jesus, and tell others about Jesus.

Introduction

Not a Mickey Mouse Religion

In 1998 when a little girl in Mablethorpe, England died of Batten's disease her graveside was marked by a simple cross. Soon afterward the local authorities asked her family to remove it due to a new local ordinance that stated "Crosses are discouraged, as excessive use of the supreme Christian symbol is undesir-able." In lieu of the cross, the family was allowed to erect a headstone with Mickey Mouse on it.?4 No joke.

The cross will always be an offense to the world. But let's not change the symbol from a cross to the head of a harmless make-believe mouse. Mickey Mouse couldn't save a fly or hurt one. But Jesus will come again in power to judge the living and the dead, and his judgment will be based on what you thought of this scene in Matthew. Is Christ crucified a stumbling block for you, or is Christ crucified your only hope of salvation? I pray that "that old rugged cross, so despised by the world" would have "a wondrous attraction" for you.25

Let’s start with the cross.

The Most Important Question in the World

“The brilliant professor of philosophy at London University, C.E.M. Joad, was not a Christian. He was asked on a radio programme, 'If you could meet any person from the past and ask them just one question, whom would you meet and what question would you ask? 'Professor Joad answered without hesitation: 'I would meet Jesus Christ and ask him *the most important question in the world* - "*Did you or did you not rise from the dead?*"'

“There came a day in Professor Joad's life when he assessed the evidence, encountered Jesus himself and wrote a book called, *Recovery of Belief*. If Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, this changes everything.

When the New Testament writers speak of God's love they point to the cross. When they speak of God's power they point to the resurrection. God's 'incomparably great power' was 'exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead' (Ephesians 1:19-20). The risen Jesus says to his disciples, 'All authority (*all power to rule*) in heaven and on earth has been given to me' (Matthew 28:18, AMP).

The resurrection means that the risen Jesus is present with you now. Jesus continues, 'I am with you always' (v.20).

The result of the resurrection is not only his power and his presence but also his provision.”

Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel: Day 45 • Devotional

SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

Bottom line:

28:1 Faithful, courageous women continue to serve Jesus. Up early Sunday morning (Easter first sunrise service) they go trusting that God will make a way for them to get into the tomb.

28:2-4 “And behold” (implied in NIV) is Matthew’s way of saying, “Watch this!” Another earthquake but this one is caused by the angel moving the gigantic stone from the opening of the tomb. This “violent earthquake” might have been caused in part by the angel’s arrival. I imagine they are quite ticked off at humanity at this point. The appearance of this angels reminds me of the appearance of Christ at the mount of transfiguration. It’s funny to me that there is no dead Jesus there but that the guards become “like dead men” at the sight of the angels. They would have been terrifying to see.

28:5 Here we see the first of 3 commands by the angel to these courageous women. This first command is what angels have to tell every person they meet: “Don’t be afraid.” People realizing they were seeing angels assumed that what followed was death. Because angels are holy and we aren’t. Holiness does not put up with wickedness. Wrath and divine judgment are appropriate. But the angel’s job is to pass along his message from God.

Note that the angel confirms that Jesus was crucified. He died by asphyxiation (and more) on a Roman cross as he said he would.

28:6 He also rose from the dead as he said he would! And now the second command from the angel: “He has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” Don’t take our word for it—come and see. Use your senses. He didn’t rise spiritually and his body is still here. No, he rose bodily/physically from the dead. And they are about to see that for themselves!

28:7 The third command is to, “Go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’” They become the first evangelists post resurrection!

O’Donnell tells us that if you were trying to make this up, the last person you’d use as a witness would be a woman. The Jews wouldn’t even take their testimony about anything in a simple court of law. Yet here God provides the biblical “two witnesses” and makes them women. No man creating a myth would do this. Yet all four gospel writers share this.

28:8 The women hurry away afraid but in joyful obedience when they run into none other than Jesus himself! Another “And behold” to get our attention.

28:9 Jesus greets them cheerfully and so human-like. Their response is powerful and instructive:

They grab his human feet. They cling to him because they are ecstatic he’s really alive and there. Notice that when people draw ghosts, they never seem to have feet. (Think Casper or Ghostbusters) Here we have no ghost.
They bow with their faces to the ground in worship. They know he’s divine too. God in the flesh. God with us!

28:10 Jesus repeats the angel by telling them not to be afraid but instead to go and tell his brothers (not traitors) to meet up in Galilee (at the mountain they probably spent a lot of time at before) where they too will see him.

28:11 We go from a joyful scene of resurrection truth to a wicked plan of more deceit covering up the truth that they were trying to prevent. The irony is that everything they do just strengthens the case for the resurrection. Nicky Gumbel writes:

“The attempts of others to explain away the empty tomb began very early on (v.13). It was suggested that ‘his disciples… stole him away while [the soldiers] were asleep’ (v.13). Some people still postulate this explanation. But it does not fit the evidence:

The disciples were discouraged and frightened. Only the miracle of the resurrection could have transformed them.
They did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead. They had no motive to steal the body.
The tomb was heavily guarded (27:62–66).
They were not the only ones who saw Jesus. Many others saw him after the resurrection and interacted with him over a period of forty days (Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:6).
If the disciples did steal the body, their whole lives thereafter were based on a lie.”

28:12-15 So the guards go to the chief priests and report what happened. The truth, actually. Notice that they are not cross-examined. Everyone responds as if this is what actually happened. Damage control. Not challenging the guards that it didn’t happen. Just a cover up of the truth. Instead, they just pay off the guards so that they story they want out there comes from those who were there.

And some buy this even today despite the overwhelming evidence.

What are we supposed to do with the resurrection?

Conclusion

The apostle Paul writes that if the resurrection isn’t true, then we as Christians are to be pitied because all we believe is a lie. Everything rises and falls on the resurrection.

This is why atheists like Lee Strobel, reporter at the time of the Chicago Tribune, decided to prove it was a hoax. His wife had recently started following Christ. He could not deny the real change in her towards him and in life. Yet he couldn’t buy into this religious gobbledygook. So he interviewed bible scholars and asked them the most difficult questions like any investigative reporter would and should do. In the end, he was compelled to believe. He follows Jesus Christ now. He has written books. He now has a movie. All so that others can see that the overwhelming evidence that God became man so he could die for humanity’s sins.

“For God demonstrates his love for us in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

The cross shows us the love of God.
The resurrection the power of God.

So what are we supposed to do with the resurrection?

Look at how the women responded:

Believe it. They saw Jesus bodily and they fell at his feet in worship. They went from fear to joy to worshiping the one who conquered sin and death, shame and guilt, and hell itself.
How do we believe?

Repent = goes beyond just confessing (agreeing with God) to resolving to let God change by grace through faith.
Believe = Trusting that God can and will forgive sin in Jesus’ name.

Pray

NOTES

Nicky Gumbel notes

I have found that there is nothing greater in life than to experience the sense of the presence of the resurrected Jesus.

The risen Jesus commissions his followers to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’ (v.19a). This is our calling as individuals and as a church community. The vision statement of our church is ‘to play our part in the evangelisation of the nations, the revitalisation of the church and the transformation of society’. It is based on this command of Jesus.

Together with the command comes a promise: ‘I am with you always’ (v.20b). The resurrection isn’t just an historical fact or religious idea; it is a life-changing reality. God promises that as you go about fulfilling his commission, the presence of the resurrected Jesus goes with you.

When the women see the empty tomb the angel tells them, ‘He is not here; he has risen… you will see him’ (vv.6–7).

Filled with ‘great joy’ they ran to tell the disciples. As they did so, ‘Jesus met them’ (v.9). They experienced the presence of the risen Jesus (vv.8–10), ‘clasped his feet’ (v.9) and worshipped him as God (vv.9b,17a).

The attempts of others to explain away the empty tomb began very early on (v.13) and, in spite of all the evidence, not everyone believed (v.17b). It was suggested that ‘his disciples… stole him away while [the soldiers] were asleep’ (v.13). Some people still postulate this explanation. But it does not fit the evidence:

The disciples were discouraged and frightened. Only the miracle of the resurrection could have transformed them
They did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead. They had no motive to steal the body
The tomb was heavily guarded (27:62–66)
They were not the only ones who saw Jesus. Many others saw him after the resurrection and interacted with him over a period of forty days (Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:6)
If the disciples did steal the body, their whole lives thereafter were based on a lie. My friend Ian Walker, a Cambridge scientist, became a Christian because he could not believe that the disciples would have been willing to be tortured and put to death for something they would have known was not true.

It really is true. Jesus is risen. Death and burial are not the end. In Christ, you too will be raised from the dead.

It was women who were the first to be entrusted with the message of the resurrection. This is particularly noteworthy since women at the time were not considered valid witnesses in court…

Matthew’s Gospel starts by stating that Jesus is ‘God with us’ (Matthew 1:23). In the very last verse of the Gospel, Jesus affirms his eternal ongoing presence with all of his followers. To those who believe and obey Jesus’ command, he promises, ‘I am with you always’ (28:20b).

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

“Exalting Jesus in Matthew” by David Platt (CCE)

Outline Bible, D Willmington

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app

ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

AnswerThePublic.com