 
Illustration. The Visit To The Sepulcher. "He is not here: for He is risen, as He said." Matt. 28:6. 1. In what psalm was the resurrection of Christ foretold? “For Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell [Heb., Sheol, the grave]: neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption.” Ps. 16:10. 2. In what way was Jonah a type of Christ? “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Matt. 12:40. 3. In what plain words did Christ foretell His resurrection? “From that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” Matt. 16:21. “And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: and they shall kill Him, and the third day He shall be raised again.” Matt. 17: 22, 23. “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.” Luke 9:22. See also Matt. 20:17-19; Mark 8:31; 9:31, 32; 10:32-34; Luke 18:31-34. 4. When asked by the Jews for a sign of His Messiahship, what did Jesus say? [pg 170]“Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” John 2:19. 5. To what temple did He refer? “Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt Thou rear it up in three days? But He spake of the temple of His body.” Verses 20, 21. 6. After His resurrection, what effect had this prediction upon His disciples? “When therefore He was risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.” Verse 22. 7. How did the chief priests and Pharisees seek to prevent the fulfilment of Christ's words concerning His resurrection? “Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while He was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night, and steal Him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.” Matt. 27:62-64. 8. How did Pilate comply with their request? “Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.” Verses 65, 66. 9. How futile was all this? “In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which 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.” Matt. 28:1-7. See also Mark 16:1-16; Luke 24:1-8, 44-46; John 20:1-9. 10. Was it possible for Christ to be holden of death? “Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be holden of it.” Acts 2:23,24.
Illustration. The Resurrection. "Go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead." Matt. 28:7. 11. How does Paul speak of the resurrection of Christ? “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Cor. 15:3, 4. 12. Who does the apostle say saw Christ after He was risen? “He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; ... after that, He was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.” Verses 5-8. 13. What importance is attached to Christ's resurrection? “If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.... Ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.” Verses 14-18. 14. What positive assurance of the resurrection is given? “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept.” Verse 20. 15. What great truth therefore follows? “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Verse 22. 16. What cheering message has Christ sent to His people touching His resurrection? “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Rev. 1:18. 17. What is the measure of the power of God which believers may experience in their daily lives? “That ye may know ... the exceeding greatness of His power to us ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead.” Eph. 1:18-20. 18. What Christian ordinance has been given as a memorial of Christ's burial and resurrection? Baptism, the symbol of the new birth. Rom. 6:3-5. |
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