On evidences can you verbalize Strobel's four "E"s?
"E" one - The Execution of Jesus Christ.
"E" two - Early Reports of Jesus’ Resurrection.
"E" three - Christ's Empty Tomb.
"E" four - Eyewitnesses to Christ's Resurrection
“I say unequivocally that the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof, which leaves absolutely no room for doubt.” ~Sir Lionel Luckhoo (the most sucessful lawyer who ever lived that became a Justice in the highest court of England according to the Guinness Book of World Records)
"But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." Matthew 28:5-7 nkjv
"The bodies of those who are condemned to death should not be refused their relatives; and the Divine Augustus, in the Tenth Book of his Life, said that this rule had been observed. At present, the bodies of those who have been punished are only buried when this has been requested and permission granted; and sometimes it is not permitted, especially where persons have been convicted of high treason. Even the bodies of those who have been sentenced to be burned can be claimed, in order that their bones and ashes, after having been collected, may be buried.... The bodies of persons who have been punished should be given to whoever requests them for the purpose of burial." ~Digesta
"I conclude that the burial of the body of Jesus in a known tomb, according to Jewish law and custom, is highly probable [and that] it was the knowledge of the tomb and the discovery that it was empty, in addition to the appearances of Jesus, that led the followers of Jesus to speak in terms of resurrection." ~Craig A. Evans
"If the coming into existence of the Nazarenes, a phenomenon undeniably attested by the New Testament, rips a great hole in history, a hole the size and shape of resurrection, what does the secular historian propose to stop it up with?" ~ C.F.D. Moule
Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, as recounted in Luke 24:13-35. These disciples did not recognize Him initially, but their hearts burned within them as He explained the Scriptures concerning Himself. It was Jesus sharing Jesus with two and it wasn't long before their eyes were opened. in John 20:19-29, Jesus appears to the disciples in a locked room and Thomas wasn't there. Later, Thomas declared with faith: "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). James had been skeptical of Jesus during His ministry (John 7:5), but the resurrection appearance transformed him into a devoted follower.
“Eyewitness testimony is the cornerstone of most legal cases. Without it, many convictions would never occur. The Resurrection is no different – it’s the eyewitnesses who provide the foundation for belief.” ~ Lee Strobel
Yes, the New Testament authors emphasized firsthand accounts of Jesus’ physical Resurrection, and the early church carried on this teaching from there (See John 20:11–18; Luke 24:36–4).
The Apostle Paul said, "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,[b] and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born." 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
Here are examples of eyewitness testimony:
• John 20:26–29 – Thomas demands to see and touch Jesus to believe, and his transformation is profound after witnessing the risen Lord.
• Luke 1:1–4 – Luke asserts that his Gospel is based on the careful investigation of eyewitness accounts.
• 1 Corinthians 15:3–8, 11 – Dated to within a few years of the Resurrection of Jesus. Paul was one of the eyewitnesses. He's listing numerous eyewitnesses, many of whom were still alive at the time of his writing.
These believers relied on empirical evidence (but more on that next week).
Today, in week three, let's examine the important proof of Jesus' physical Resurrection, what Lee calls the third “E”. Explain and give us a summation!
The empty tomb is a part of the evidence that instills unwavering faith in our beliefs -- it affirms the triumphant victory over death we’ve received through our living Lord.
Questions For Ya:• What is a more powerful symbol than Christ's empty tomb?• How would you respond if someone told you he or she had found their loved one’s grave empty?• How does the evidence for the Resurrection strengthen your understanding of who Jesus is?• Why is the Resurrection of Jesus important to all real Christians? How does it separate us from other religions?
The empty tomb marks an enduring truth that encourages us to live a life that daily honors Christ.
Now check out Stoble's Case for Easter Resurrection video and the Scriptures:
Paul in Romans (6:3-11 esv) says: "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."
I like how the Message puts it: "If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn’t you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land! That’s what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we’re going in our new grace-sovereign country. Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin’s every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That’s what Jesus did. That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don’t give it the time of day. Don’t even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life."
Q: Are you still dead inside spiritually (man, let's see that fixed), or are you currently “Alive to God” in Christ the Son of God? You can be. Don't put it off.
Because of Christ's death and physical resurrection, each of us can be made alive spiritually and enjoy a living hope!
What is the most vivid illustration from Romans 6? It is Lazarus (see John 11). Jesus raised him from the dead and then said, “Loose him, and let him go” (John 11:44). Are you a real Christian clinging to your old grave clothes of death, or anything from that old life?
Jesus wanted Laz alive and walking totally free. Lazarus left that grave and he refused to cling to anything of death. Yes, he quickly got rid of those smelly graveclothes and began a whole new way of living (Col. 3:1ff.).
All of God’s people were once spiritually dead, but now we are both “dead” to sin and “alive” to God (v. 11), and by faith we each are called to live accordingly.
Being a Christian is a matter of life or death (Rom. 6:1–11). People who do not understand God's grace have often foolishly argued, “If God is gracious, then we should sin more so we receive more grace.”
Those who trust Christ are identified with Him by the Spirit in His death, burial, and resurrection, as pictured in water baptism. The old life is buried! We can reckon it dead (v. 11), and we are to walk in newness of resurrection life.
- Being a Christian is a matter of bondage or freedom (vv. 12–22). We bailed out and left the bondage of sin and continue to leave what's wrong. Who is your master, Jesus Christ or the old life?
- You are not under the authority of Moses (v. 15), but that does not mean you have the freedom to break God’s moral law (8:1–5). Yield yourself to the Lord; He is the most wonderful Master of all masters, and the “salary” so to speak that He pays lasts forever.
- Being a Christian is a matter of rewards or wages (v. 23). We quote this verse as we witness to the lost, and rightly so; but Paul wrote it originally to believers. Although God forgives the sins of His children, He may not stop the painful consequences of sin. The pleasures of sin are never compensated for by the wages of sin. Sinning is not worth it!
- Look closely at Romans (6:3–4). Think about how it was with the church of Paul’s day. Immersion was the usual form of baptism; that is, new Christians were completely “buried” in the water. They understood water baptism as a step of obedience after regeneration inside. They saw how it symbolized the death and burial of the old way of life. Coming up out of the water symbolized resurrection to new life with Christ. If we think of our old, sinful life as dead and buried, we have a powerful motive to go on resisting sin as any decent godly representative will do. We can consciously choose to treat the inner desires and temptations from the old nature as if they were.. dead. Yeah, when tempted from without by a fallen angel, just die to your fleshly nature and the sins.. and stay dead to sin. Sow to the Spirit, and not to the flesh. Then we can continue to enjoy our wonderful new abundant life with Jesus (see Galatians 3:27 and Colossians 2:12 and 3:1–4 for more on this).
- Now see verse 5. Because we are united with the living Christ in his death, our evil desires and bondage to sin have died with him. Now, united by faith with him in his resurrection life, we have unbroken fellowship with God and freedom from sin’s hold on us. For more on the difference between our new life in Christ and our old sinful nature, read Ephesians 4:21–24 and Colossians 3:3–15.
- Check out verses 6 and 7. The power of sin over us died with Christ on the cross. Our “old sinful selves,” our sinful nature, died once and for all, so we are freed from its power. The “power of sin” refers to our rebellious, sin-loving nature inherited that came from Adam and Eve in a real garden. Though we often willingly cooperate with our sinful nature, it is the sin that is so evil. And it is this power of sin at work in our life that is defeated. Paul has already stated that through faith in Christ we each stand righteous before God. Here Paul emphasizes that we need no longer live under sin’s power. God does not take us out of the world or make us robots—we will still feel like sinning, and sometimes we do sin. Hate that. The difference is that before we were saved, we were slaves to our sinful nature, but now we can choose to live for Christ (see Galatians 2:20).
- Muse on verses 8, 9, take your time. Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, his followers need never fear death again. That assurance frees us to enjoy intimate, close fellowship with God and then helps us to go do His will. This will affect all our activities and witness—our work and worship, our play, our Bible study, our quiet times, and our times out caring for others. When you know that you don’t have to fear death, you will have a holy fear of the Lord and experience a new vigor in life.
- Let's now obey chapter 6:11-14. “Consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin”. The King James says you are under grace and puts it like this: "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you.."
This means that we should regard our old sinful nature as dead and unresponsive to sin. Because of our union and identification with Christ, we no longer want to pursue our old plans, our old desires, and our old goals. Now we have a new goal! We aim to live all in for the glory of God. As we start this new life, the Holy Spirit will help us become all that Christ wants us to be. It's not about religion, it's about a relationship.
Easter Tomb of Jesus: It's About a Call to Moment by Moment Live Wholeheartedly for Christ
The empty tomb of the living Christ is more than an ancient historical fact—it is a living truth that should shape the way we think, are motivated, choose our attitudes, and live every day. The tomb is truly empty -- Christ is truly risen. Since He is risen, then everything He said is true, and His victory over sin and death is ours to claim. The Resurrection is not just an event to acknowledge; it is a reality that demands a personal response.
The Evidence for the Empty Tomb
Three powerful lines of evidence make the case for Christ’s Resurrection:
The Jerusalem Factor – The tomb was known to both believers and skeptics. If it still held Jesus’ body, Christianity could have been instantly debunked. Instead, the message of the risen Christ spread like wildfire (by on-fire Christians) in the very city where Jesus had been crucified. Why? Because the tomb was truly empty.
The Criterion of Embarrassment – The Gospels report that women were the first to discover Jesus' empty tomb. In that culture, women’s testimony was not highly regarded (remember in Luke 24 how angels reminded the women who visited the tomb that Jesus had earlier predicted his own death and resurrection. They prompted them to remember Christ's words and go share the great news regardless). Now if those male disciples were fabricating that story, they would never have made women the key witnesses. The only reason to record this detail? Because it actually happened.
The Enemy Attestation – Even Jesus’ opponents admitted the tomb was empty. That was the final line of evidence. Examine what Jesus’ opponents actually said about Christ's empty tomb. Instead of denying it, they concocted a lie that the disciples swiped the Lord's body. This lame and desperate attempt to explain away the missing body only reinforces the reality of the Resurrection.
"When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, 'Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.'" Matthew 28:12-13 nkjv
If Jesus did not rise up from a stone-cold death, the disciples would have known it and they certainly wouldn't have died for what happened there. People may die for false beliefs, but no one willingly dies for something they know is a lie. Yet, one by one, these men endured persecution and martyrdom, steadfastly proclaiming that they had seen the risen Christ.
The opponents of Jesus implicitly admitted that the Tomb of Jesus was empty, which is a compelling piece of evidence that it really was totally vacant. So really, everybody implicitly or explicitly is conceding that the body is gone. The real question it turns out is how did that tomb get empty?
The Romans weren't about to steal the body they wanted Jesus dead. The Jewish leaders to the day weren't about to steal the body. They wanted Jesus to stay dead. And certainly the disciples didn't steal the body. They didn't have the motive they didn't have the means they didn't have the opportunity.
In fact, we have seven ancient sources that the disciples live lives of deprivation and suffering as a result of their Good News Proclamation that Jesus had risen. Those seven sources are the book of Acts, Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Ignatius Dionysus of Corinth in a quote found in Eusebius, Tertullian, and Origin.
While we don't have solid historical sources for HOW each of the disciples actually did die, we do have strong historical data that they were willing to die for their inner conviction that Jesus had risen from the dead.
"True, the discovery of the empty tomb is differently described by the various gospels, but if we apply the same sort of criteria that we would apply to any other ancient literary sources, then the evidence is firm and plausible enough to necessitate the conclusion that the tomb was, indeed, found empty." ~Michael Grant, Jesus: An Historian's Review of the Gospels
One empty tomb does not a resurrection make, Kurt!
True, but guess what, Sport, there were a whole lot of eyewitnesses viewing and relating to Jesus after his death, burial, and physical Resurrection. Yep, over 500 of them (more on that next week).
Christ's Resurrection: It's More Than a Historical Event
"The Resurrection is the miracle of all miracles!" ~ Lee Strobel
It validates Jesus' divine identity, His authority over sin, and the hope of eternal life for all who by faith trust in Him. But if we only recognize the Resurrection as history, guess what.. we miss its full impact. Romans 6 declares that believers are united with Christ in His death and Resurrection. Water Baptism symbolizes this truth—just as Christ rose to new life, we are called to live transformed lives.
Jesus is not a relic of the past. He is alive today, reigning at the right hand of our loving Father God, interceding for us, and sending His Spirit to guide and empower us. Christian-empty-tomb teaching is not just a mere theological doctrine; it fuels our hearts and minds for bold, Christ-centered living. All of us are called to be and give witness for His glory.
Daily Living in the Power of the Resurrection is Imperative
Because Christ's tomb is empty, we must live differently from those of the world.
Fear has no hold on us – If Christ conquered death, what is there to fear? We can face suffering and even death with confidence, knowing the end of the story.
Sin no longer defines us – Jesus died to break sin’s power. We are not bound by our past but called to walk in newness of life.
Hope is secure – The same God who raised Christ will one day raise us. This truth should anchor us in every trial.
Dead to Sin, Alive to God Long Term
Those words of Paul in Romans 6:3-11 paint a vivid picture of what it means to live in the reality of Jesus' Resurrection.
Water Baptism is far more than some religious ritual—it is a step of obedience and it symbolizes our death to sin, burial, and resurrected new life in Christ. Just as Jesus was buried and raised up, we too are called to leave our old selves behind and walk in the power of new zoe life.
Buried and Raised with Christ (Romans 6:3-5) – When we are baptized into Christ, we are baptized into His death. Our old sinful nature is buried with Him, and we rise to walk in newness of life. Just as Christ was raised in glory, we too will be resurrected to eternal life with Him. This truth fuels our daily pursuit of holiness.
Freedom from Sin’s Power (Romans 6:6-7) – Our old self was crucified with Christ so that sin would no longer enslave us. The power of sin was broken at the cross, and we are no longer its captives. While temptation still exists, we now have the power to say no and live righteously.
Living with Christ (Romans 6:8-10) – Because Christ was raised, He will never die again. Death has no dominion over Him, and likewise, it has no final claim on us. We live with Christ now and forever, walking in His victory.
A New Mindset (Romans 6:11) – Paul calls us to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. This is a daily, conscious decision to reject our old ways and embrace our identity in Christ. The Holy Spirit enables us to live in this truth, transforming our desires and actions to align with God’s will.
Applying the benefits of Jesus' Resurrection matters -- it is not just an event to celebrate—it is a reality to live by 24/7/365.
Reject your sins (yes all that the Bible calls sin) as a thing of the past – Consider your old nature buried and gone. Don’t return to the grave looking for life.
Prayerfully appropriate and then walk in resurrection power – Choose to live in the freedom Christ has given you and go share the gospel message. Sin has no power unless you give it authority. Why let sin, condemnation and all the accusations of the enemy slow you down or stop you from fulfilling your role?
Live with a new perspective, with eternity in mind – Since Christ has conquered death, we can live with confidence, purpose, and joy, knowing that our future is secure.
• What simple step(s) can you take to deepen your relationship with Jesus, and fully trust God’s Spirit and promises? Daily prayer, daily Bible intake (memorize even), daily steps of obdience (like with avoiding places of past temptation), honest fellowship upwards and outwards (with on-fire growing believers) sure helps with being, and giving witness in this world.
• How can you strengthen your belief in God’s promises this week?
• In what ways does the Bible study on the empty tomb of Jesus better prepare you for the next time someone criticizes your faith or testimony? @kurtwVs
