Proofs of the Resurrection: People Don't Die for What They Know is a Lie

Have you ever looked up the definition of the word proof? One definition is “the evidence or argument establishing or helping to establish a fact or the truth of a statement.” When used as an adjective it is defined as “able to withstand something damaging; resistant.” I am going to share ten proofs of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. For without the Resurrection, Christians are people most to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:19). Without the Resurrection, Christians don’t have a faith! Each proof serves as evidence to the truth of his message. They allow you to give a defense of the hope that is in your heart (1 Peter 3:15). Here is the first one: People do not die for what they know is a lie. They may die for what they think is true. But if it is a lie, and they know it’s a lie, they will not suffer persecution or lose their life for what they know is a lie. Think about 9/11. Extreme Muslim terrorists believed that by driving planes into buildings to kill infidels, they would be granted 70 plus virgins forever in paradise. Do you think they would have done this if they knew what they believed was a lie? Some have suggested the Resurrection was a legend, made up by the early disciples to keep Jesus’s message of love going forward. But this suggestion does not make sense either. First, the disciples were faithful Jews, faithfully following the law which clearly states, “You shall not bear false witness” (Exodus 20:16). Proclaiming a message they knew to be a lie would be in direct violation of the moral law they so faithfully kept. Moreover, these followers of Jesus were mostly persecuted, beaten and even martyred for their faith. No one undergoes this kind of pain for a known lie! Human nature is self-protective, looking out for #1. Wouldn’t you think that if they were getting physically tortured and knew it was all a big game, someone would have spoken up and said, “Just kidding! It’s a lie!” But the early disciples didn’t. They died saying, “Jesus is risen.” Why? Because they had seen a risen Lord (Mark 16:5-7). They were eyewitnesses to this fact. It proves Jesus is God in human flesh. The Lord over the universe. And worthy of our worship and obedience.