NEWBOLD BAPTIST CHURCH WEB SITE

The old soldier told me the story of when he was in the desert and he received orders to collect a body from a certain police station and deliver it elsewhere. Imagine his surprise when he arrived at the police station and was shown into a cell where the "body" was sat on the edge of the bed smiling at him and very much alive.

The Arab prisoner was accused of murdering a senior British officer by putting a hand grenade with the pin removed into his freshly made bed, the results don't need to be described.
The prisoner had not to escape, and the charges against him were so serious that the guard could shoot him if neccesary, just as long as he produced the body at the other end, dead or alive.

Soldiers through the ages are used to being given orders and expected to follow them to the letter, if they didn't then they could expect to pay with their lives for disobedience.

So you can be sure that the Roman soldiers who crucified Jesus and the two thieves, were absolutely certain they were dead before they were taken down from the crosses.

The soldiers who guarded the tomb to prevent the disciples or anyone else from stealing the body, were also efficient in their job - there lives depended on it.

Jesus rose from the dead through God's power. The resurrection marks Christianity as being different from other religions. The God we believe in, came to earth lived amongst us, died a cruel death for our sins but rose, defeating the power of death.

Jesus's resurrection from the dead took place, otherwise there would be no Christian faith.

Paul wrote:-
"Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve (disciples). After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me."
(I Corinthians chapter 15 verses 3 - 8)

Paul is almost challenging anyone who has their doubts to ask one of these people, and probably some did.
The twelve went on to preach Jesus through the world and most were killed for their trouble, they would not have done that if they had not seen the risen Jesus.

Author Michael Fowler 1999