Reasoning the Resurrection (Part 3 of 4)

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the heart of the Gospel message.  Without it, there can be no salvation!

April 16, 2021

"And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ."

Acts 17:2-3

Part 3

Yesterday:  Paul did not only Preach the Word, but He also Discussed It
“Opening and alleging.”
Paul laid open the scriptures for all to see what they taught about Jesus.  He discussed the Word, as he knew it could stand on its own merits.

 

Today:  Jesus was the Suffering Savior

“That Christ must needs have suffered.”
To Paul’s audience, at least the Jews in the synagogue, they could not fathom a Messiah who experienced pain and suffering.  Their image was a Messiah who never suffered.  He was supposed to be only glorious and victorious over the Gentiles.

Jesus said of Himself to the disciples on the Emmaus Road,

“Then He [Jesus] said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?  And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:25-27).

“And He [Jesus] 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” (Luke 24:44).

“And [Jesus] said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46).

The Word of God teaches us that it is impossible to have salvation without a “suffering Savior.”  Jesus Christ is the only one who fits the Bible description of our Savior.  His Passion was intense, and He weathered the affliction of suffering up to and on the cross as only the Son of God could have.

“Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes, we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6).

 

“And risen again from the dead.” (a)
Jesus Christ’s suffering was not the end of the story!  Jesus “is risen again from the dead!”  Oh, Glorious words!  And words that are backed up by hundreds of witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection.

“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.  After that, He was seen of James; then of all the apostles.  And last, of all, He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).

Jesus’ resurrection from the dead proves at least four things.  Come back tomorrow as we look at these results from Jesus’ resurrection.

 

Quote:  “There are only two kinds of religion in the world… They all say, “Do, do, do.”  Only Christianity says, “Done.”  Christ has done it all”[1] (J. Vernon McGee).

 

 

 

[1] McGee’s quote Downloaded: Wednesday, April 7, 2021.  From: https://alwaysbeready.com/apologetics-quotes/.