Pennsville Baptist Church
Sunday Morning Service
The Resurrection Was No Surprise To God
Selected Scriptures
Introduction
1. Let’s start. There is a God. His fingerprint is all over creation from the simple cell (which is
not so simple) to the galaxies. If our planet came from a Big Bang what about the billions of
galaxies beyond ours?!
2. Plant life…insects…fowl…mammals…man…let alone our eyes, ears, digestive, circulatory,
and respiratory systems…nothing is simple!!
3. The Old Testament is not merely a history of the nation of Israel. It is a running document of a
coming Messiah. All the Old Testament points to Messiah who will come!
4. This God/man is a game changer! The Gospels (each one to a different group) show that Jesus
is God. This God died on a cross to pay for our sin. Then what? He was buried. THEN
WHAT?
5. Jesus rose from the grave! The Resurrection!! Why is the resurrection important? (I Cor.
15:12-20a)
6. The Jews believed in a final resurrection, but for one man to rise…SURPRISE!
7. Do you know the Resurrection was no surprise to God?
Do you know the Resurrection was no surprise to God?
I. THE PROPHECY OF THE RESURRECTION
A. Prophecy Expected I Cor. 15:3, 4 According to Scripture
1. Christ died for our sins according to Scripture (Is. 52:15;53:4-6) The Old Testament
spoke of the death of Messiah for our sins.
2. Christ rose again the third day according to Scripture. Rose or raised is in the perfect
tense which means He is still alive!!
B. Prophecy Expounded Ps. 16:8-11 How do we know that this speaks of the resurrection?
C. Prophecy Explained Acts 2:22-36
1. Peter on the day of Pentecost quotes Psalm 16:8-11 and answers their objections (vss
29, 34) He explains the resurrection of Messiah (31) and in v. 32 God raised Him up!
What was the result? 3000 souls were baptized and added to the church.
2. If there is no resurrection…show us the body! Something happened to preach a
resurrection sermon and have 3000 believe and 3000 were baptized.
Do you know the Resurrection was no surprise to God?
II. THE PREDICTION OF THE RESURRECTION
A.The Statement Mark 8:31; 9:9, 31; 10:33-34
1.Rejected…Killed…Rise the third day (8-31)
2.Delivered to the Gentiles…rise the third day…They understood not (9:31) Risen from the dead (9:9)
3.Go to Jerusalem…Son of man delivered (chief priests/scribes)…condemned to death…delivered to Gentiles (mocked, scourged, spit upon)…Kill Him…the third day He shall rise again (10:33,34).
4.Jesus was not taken by surprise. He knew every detail. Jesus Was God!
B.The Sign Mt. 12:38-40
The Scribes and Pharisees: We would see a sign.
1.They had already seen water to wine, demons cast out, multiple healings, feeding of 5000, etc.
2.The ultimate proof is v. 40 As Jonah was 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the great fish so the Son of man will be 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth.
The Resurrection is the ultimate proof that Jesus is God!
Do you know the Resurrection was no surprise to God?
III. THE PROOF OF THE RESURRECTION
How do we know? Not everyone believes in the Resurrection.
A. The Myths
1. Jesus Remained In The Tomb
*Two Marys, Magdalene, mother of James, came
early…stone was rolled away. The stone would weigh 3-4000 lbs was rolled in its
track. The angel rolled the stone away so all could see in…not to let Jesus out (Mk
16:5, 6) The empty tomb is an essential element in our evidence for the resurrection.
*J.N.D. Anderson: a former lawyer/professor at University of London: To suggest it
was not in fact empty at all, as some have done, seems to me ridiculous. It is a matter
of history that the apostles from the very beginning made many converts in Jerusalem,
hostile as it was, by proclaiming the glad news that Christ had risen from the
grave…and they did it within a short walk from the sepulchre. Any one of their hearers
could have visited the tomb…It is conceivable, then, that the apostles would have had
this success if the body of the one they proclaimed as risen Lord was all the time
decomposing in Joseph’s tomb?
2. The Women Went To The Wrong Tomb
*They observed where He was laid (Mk. 15:47) Devoted followers, they followed him,
Joseph of Arimathea and they saw where he placed the body.
*Roman soldiers guarded the tomb…the wrong tomb?! (Mt. 27:64-66) Did an angel go to
the wrong tomb and roll the wrong stone?
*The tomb belonged to Joseph of Arimathea. He placed the body in it! It is doubtful
that everyone involved would have gone to the wrong tomb!
3. Jesus Never Died…Swoon Theory
*Jesus almost died and exited the tomb on His own power. Let’s see: 39 heavy strokes
with a cat of 9 tails…6 hours on the cross…a spear through His side…36 hours in an
airless tomb.
*The Romans who were experts in death said He was dead.
*The spear brought forth water and blood which was an indication that He was already
dead.
*After all He went through to roll a 2-ton sealed stone away from the opening…I don’t
think so.
4. Jesus’ Enemies Stole The Body
*That was the last thing His enemies wanted! Show us the body and it would end
Christianity!
5. Jesus’ Disciples Stole The Body
*How could they have done so? Roman soldiers were guarding the tomb to keep that
from happening.
*Why would they steal the body and insist He arose? They did not believe the women
when told. 10 of the 11 died a martyr’s death for a lie…knowing it was a lie. I don’t
think so!
C.The Manifestations…Eye Witnesses
In both Jewish and Roman law a matter was settled by 2 or 3 witnesses.
1. Mt. 28:1-7a
2. Lk. 24:13-15, 22-23
3. Jn. 20:1-10, 24-29
4. I Cor. 15:4-8 He was seen by over 500 at one time, the greater part are still alive
today!
Gal. 2:20
The most convincing proof today for those who do not believe is to see changed lives.
Do you know the Resurrection was no surprise to God?
IV. THE PURPOSE OF THE RESURRECTION I Cor. 15:1-4
I declare unto you the Gospel…Sin must be paid for.
A. Preached…
B. Received…
C. Saved… Jesus died…that was a down payment for our sin. He was buried…He rose again
The Resurrection is the bill of sale…the payment was enough.
JESUS IS ENOUGH!!