Empty Tomb
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.”
Luke 24:1-3
Dr. Curtis Hutson told the story of two English unbelievers named Lyttelton and West who set out to undermine the faith of Christians. They decided that the two stories that would most damage the Christian religion if they could be disproved were the resurrection of Christ and the conversion of Paul on the road to Damascus. They agreed that both of them would take one story and spend a year gathering evidence to prove it was false.
At the end of the year, the two met back together. Lyttelton said, “After a year of investigation, I am convinced that the Bible story of the conversion of the Apostle Paul is true. I too have been converted.” West replied, “I have discovered that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a fact. I have received Him as my Saviour.”
The reason no one can prove the story of the resurrection false is that it is entirely and completely true. Jesus died, was buried, and was resurrected just as He said would happen ahead of time. The very first time He went to Jerusalem after His ministry began, Jesus described what was coming: “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). Though even His closest followers did not understand or believe what He was telling them until after it happened, Jesus did indeed come back to life. And it is His triumph over death and the grave that is our assurance that our faith is real and that our future with Him in Heaven is secure.
Luke 24:1-3
Dr. Curtis Hutson told the story of two English unbelievers named Lyttelton and West who set out to undermine the faith of Christians. They decided that the two stories that would most damage the Christian religion if they could be disproved were the resurrection of Christ and the conversion of Paul on the road to Damascus. They agreed that both of them would take one story and spend a year gathering evidence to prove it was false.
At the end of the year, the two met back together. Lyttelton said, “After a year of investigation, I am convinced that the Bible story of the conversion of the Apostle Paul is true. I too have been converted.” West replied, “I have discovered that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a fact. I have received Him as my Saviour.”
The reason no one can prove the story of the resurrection false is that it is entirely and completely true. Jesus died, was buried, and was resurrected just as He said would happen ahead of time. The very first time He went to Jerusalem after His ministry began, Jesus described what was coming: “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). Though even His closest followers did not understand or believe what He was telling them until after it happened, Jesus did indeed come back to life. And it is His triumph over death and the grave that is our assurance that our faith is real and that our future with Him in Heaven is secure.
Today’s Growth Principle:
The greatest proof of the Christian faith is found in the empty tomb that Jesus left behind.
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