1. The resurrection FOR I DELIVERED UNTO YOU FIRST OF ALL THAT WHICH I ALSO RECEIVED, HOW THAT CHRIST DIED FOR YOUR SINS ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES

2. Christianity proclaims a risen Savior And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching in vain, and your faith is also vain.

3. I. The Plain Fact THREE STUBBORN FACTS

4. 1.The Vacated Sepulchre 2.The Victorious Savior 3.The Verifying Signs

5. The first witnesses of Christ’s empty tomb were …………..

6. Women!

7. John’s gospel records the first visit of Peter and John to the tomb and they didn’t expect a resurrection. John 20:9

8. 2. The Victorious Savior We have 5 independent accounts of the risen Christ. Look at Deuteronomy 19:15

9. Matthew records that Christ appeared to: 1.Mary Magdalene 2.The eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee

10. Mark records that Christ appeared to: 1.Mary Magdalene 2.Two disciples as they were walking in the country 3.The eleven a table.

11. Luke records that Christ appeared to: 1.Two disciples on the road to Emmaus 2.Simon Peter 3.The eleven disciples

12. John records that Christ appeared to: 1.Mary Magdalene 2.The disciples minus Thomas 3.The disciples with Thomas 4.Seven disciples by sea of Galilee.

13. Then Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 records how Christ appeared to: 1.Peter 2.The twelve 3.A group of more than 500 at once most of whom were still around to substantiate the fact

14. 4. James the Lord’s initially unbelieving brother 5. All the apostles 6. Paul himself.

15. 3. The Verifying Sings If every cause has an effect even more evidence for the resurrection accumulates……..

16. 1.The transformation of the disciples. 2.How do we account for the change of the Sabbath to the first day of the week.

17. 3. How do we account for the growth of the Christian church for the last 2000 years? 4. How do we account for the individual Christian experience if Christ is dead?

18. The virgin womb corroborates the virgin tomb. John 11:25 “I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall live again.”