Series 1
Lesson 6: Did Jesus really rise from the Dead?

Dear Friend,

When Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross and was buried, Satan and his fallen angels thought they had won a great victory. They were very mistaken! On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead, victorious over Satan and his followers.

Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Yes, He certainly did! Let us see exactly what happened.

The Lord Jesus died on the cross about three o'clock in the afternoon. Later that day a man named Joseph of Arimathaea took the body of Jesus down from the cross so he could prepare it for burial. A man named Nicodemus helped Joseph.

Joseph was a rich man. He had a new tomb which was carved out of solid rock. It was like a cave. Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped the body of Jesus in linen cloth and placed it in this new tomb. A large stone was rolled over the entrance.

The Lord Jesus had said that He would rise from the dead on the third day. His enemies were afraid that Jesus' friends might steal His body and claim that He had risen from the dead. They asked Pilate, the Roman governor, to place soldiers at the tomb to guard it.

Pilate ordered soldiers to guard the tomb. He placed a special seal on the tomb. No one would dare open the tomb because it had Pilate's seal on it.

Early on the morning of the third day, Jesus rose from the dead, victorious over Satan and his evil spirits. There was a great earthquake, and an angel from Heaven came down and rolled the stone away from the door of the tomb. The Roman soldiers were terrified and they ran away.

Shortly after this, three women came to the tomb of Jesus. They wanted to put sweet-smelling spices on His body. When they got there, they found that the stone had been rolled away. An angel said to them,

"Fear not: for I know that you seek Jesus, which was crucified. "He is not here. He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." (Matthew 28:5,6)

The three women were very excited. They ran back to tell the disciples. They met Peter and John and told them what they had seen. Peter and John ran to the tomb. John outran Peter and got to the tomb first, but he stopped outside. When Peter came, he went right into the tomb and John followed him.

When Peter and John looked around inside the tomb, they saw a strange sight. The grave clothes were still there, in the form of a man's body. They had not been unwrapped, but the body of Jesus was not there. Jesus had risen from the dead!

 

Soon one of the women named Mary Magdalene came back to the tomb. She thought that someone had stolen the body of Jesus. She was crying because she loved Jesus so much. Suddenly Jesus stood near her. She thought He was the gardener. She said, "Sir, tell me where they have taken His body."

Jesus called her by name, "Mary." She turned and saw that it was Jesus. She cried out, "Master!"

That night ten of the disciples were in the upper room. Thomas was not there. The disciples had met together to talk about what they had heard and seen. Suddenly, Jesus appeared to them and said, "Peace be with you."

They were afraid. They thought He was a spirit or a ghost. But Jesus said, "Don't be afraid. I am not a spirit. Touch My hands and My feet and see that it is I Myself." Then Jesus sat down and ate fish and honey with them.

Later, when the disciples saw Thomas, they said, "Thomas, we've seen Jesus! He is risen!" But Thomas did not believe them. Thomas said, "Except I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe."

Eight days later, the disciples were again in the upper room. This time Thomas was with them. Suddenly Jesus appeared to them again and said, "Peace be unto you."

Jesus turned to Thomas and said, "Thomas, behold My hands. Put your finger in the nail prints. Put your hand in the spear wound in My side! Don't doubt any longer. Believe!"

Thomas felt ashamed that he had not believed. He worshipped Jesus, saying, "My Lord and my God."

We know that the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, but what does His resurrection prove? The resurrection of Jesus proves that He is the Son of God and that all He said is true. The Bible says that Jesus was "declared to be the Son of God with power . . by the resurrection from the dead." (Romans 1:4)

The Lord Jesus is our living Savior! He said,

"I am He that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forever more...." Revelation 1:18

Jesus Christ has all power in Heaven and in Earth

Jesus appeared on the earth for forty days after He rose from the dead. He appeared to His disciples many times. He was seen by many people. On one occasion, over 500 people saw Him.

Then one day Jesus told His disciples that He would soon be going back to Heaven. He said to them, "All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth." (Matthew 28:18)

The Lord Jesus has all power in Heaven and in earth. He told His disciples to go into all the world and to preach the gospel to every person.

Then Jesus blessed His disciples. As they watched Him, He went up, up, up into the sky. The disciples watched Him until a cloud hid Him from their sight.

While they were standing there looking up, two angels appeared to them and said,

"You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into Heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into Heaven." Acts 1:11

The Lord Jesus is in Heaven today, but one day He is coming back. The angels said, "This same Jesus . . . shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into Heaven."

Jesus is coming back to take all those who believe in Him to be with Him. He is preparing beautiful homes in Heaven for His believers. He has promised that one day He will come back to take us to be with Him. Jesus said,

"In My Father's house are many mansions (beautiful homes): if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:2,3