The Resurrection of Jesus
Why the Resurrection of Jesus?
Romans 10.9 : "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
The resurrection of Jesus is established by God. It is the time marker and the most important historical fact of the entire human knowledge base. It is the symbol of the rebirth towards eternal life for all Christians. Death is defeated. Jesus is above all domination, all authority, all power. In his great mercy, he saves whoever turns to him through repentance. During our conversion, by the grace of God, we will die with Jesus to resurrect with Jesus. At the call of the Lord, all the saints asleep with glorious bodies will live again as Christ.
1 Peter 1.3 : "Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his great mercy, has regenerated us, for a living hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,"
Jesus had repeatedly announced his resurrection to his apostles. Also to the priests with the parable of rebuilding the temple on the third day.
Matthew 16.21 : "From that time Jesus began to make known to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, that he should suffer many things from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, that he be put to death. and let him rise on the third day. "
On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb with other women to embalm Jesus. They said among themselves, Who will roll us the stone far from the entrance of the sepulcher? They saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled. Warned by the women Peter and John come to the tomb.
Luke 24.12 : "But Peter arose, and ran to the tomb, and bending down, saw only the linen that was on the ground, and went to his house in astonishment at what had happened."
Mary Magdalene thought that the body of Jesus had been removed. Only John believed in the resurrection of Jesus when he discovered the empty tomb.
John 2011 : "And Mary, standing outside the tomb, wept, and wept, and bent down to look in the sepulcher, and saw two angels in white, sitting in the place where the body of Jesus had been laid. They said to her, "Woman, why are you crying?" She said to them, "Because they took away my Lord, and I do not know where they put him." .. "
Saying this, Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. In sorrow, she recognized his voice and a cry of joy sprang from his heart. Jesus was alive. This is the first appearance of Jesus. A little later he appeared to the other women.
Matthew 28.9 : "And, behold, Jesus came to meet them, and said, Hail, they came near to grasp his feet, and worshiped him.
In the afternoon, he showed himself to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.
Luke 24.13 : "While they talked and talked, Jesus came and went with them."
Also to Simon.
Luke 24.34 : "The Lord is risen indeed, and appeared to Simon."
Despite all these first witnesses, the group refused to believe.
Luke 24.33 : "Arising at that very hour, they returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven, and those with them, together."
Jesus came and stood in the midst of them and said to them, Peace to you! When Jesus appeared to the ten that night, he reproached them with their hardness of heart and their disbelief with those who had seen him.
Mark 16.14 : "At last he appeared to the eleven while they sat at the table, and he reproached them with their unbelief and the hardness of their hearts, because they had not believed those who had seen him risen."
Yet the eleven thought it was a spirit, so he had to invite them to examine his hands and his side, and even to touch them.
Luke 24.38 : "But he said to them, Why are you troubled, and why do such thoughts arise in your hearts?"
Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father sent me, so I send you. Having said this he breathed in them and said to them: Receive the Holy Spirit. He ate food. Yet he had the power to cross the walls, to appear and disappear at will.
Luke 24.43 : "He took some, and he ate before them."
After all this, the most incredulous Thomas was convinced of a mistake and only believed when he saw Jesus personally a week later. The Lord said to him, "Do not be incredulous, but believe."
John 20:28: "And Thomas said unto him, O my Lord, and my God, Jesus saith unto him, Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed, happy are they that have not seen, and have believed.
The disciples had returned to Galilee, which Jesus had asked them.