Lesson Ten
The Resurrection

The Importance of the Resurrection:
•	The resurrection of Jesus Christ is essential to our salvation. 
•	All is vain if Christ's body was not raised from the dead.
•	If Jesus Christ had remained buried in the grave, the story of His life and death would have remained in the grave with Him. 
•	The resurrection does not grow out of the story of His life but the beautiful story of Christ's life grew out of the fact of His resurrection. 
•	In other words the resurrection of Christ's body from the tomb proves the Deity of Jesus and the power of His blood to save sinners.

Proof of the Resurrection:
1.	The Empty Tomb - (John 20:6-7):
•	One of the greatest proofs of the resurrection is told by the message of the empty tomb.
•	In the resurrection of Lazarus, he came forth from the tomb bound hand and foot with the graveclothes.
•	It was necessary to loose him from these by unwinding the graveclothes (John 11:44). 
•	What was so startling to Peter and John in the resurrection of Jesus was the fact that the graveclothes and napkin were in their place untouched like they had been when the body was there, but now the body was gone. 
•	It was not necessary to any unwind graveclothes for Jesus to arise. 
•	He simply came out of them. 
•	Likewise it was not necessary for the stone to be rolled back for Jesus to arise. 
•	The stone was not rolled back to make the resurrection possible; it was rolled back to show the world the empty tomb.

2.	The Number Of Witnesses:
•	A large number of witnesses testified to the fact of the resurrection.
Matthew 28:8 & Mark 16:6	          - The angels;
Matthew 28:11-15	- The soldiers;
I Corinthians 15	                                     - Peter, the twelve, about five brethren,                  						James, the apostles, Paul on the road to 							Damascus.

The Appearances of Jesus Christ:
•	It is necessary to study the account as given in the four gospels to get the story as it happened. It would seem that His appearances were as follows:
1.	The women at the tomb see the angels.
2.	The women hurry to tell the disciples.
•	Peter and John live quite close; the other disciples were a greater distance away.
3.	Peter and John run to the tomb. John, being younger, outran Peter.
4.	Mary follows returning to the tomb to linger there, and sees Jesus.
5.	Jesus appears to the Emmaus disciples.
6.	Jesus appears to Peter.
7.	Jesus appears to the ten apostles with Thomas absent.
8.	Jesus appears to the apostles with Thomas present.
9.	Jesus appears to the multitude and the disciples on the mount.
10.	Jesus appears to the apostles on the shores of Lake Galilee.
11.	Jesus appears to James.
12.	Jesus appears to the apostles at the ascension.
13.	Jesus appears to Paul on the road to Damascus.

The Nature of the Resurrection:
1.	Jesus rose literally from the grave. He had the same body that been placed in the tomb (John 20:27 & Luke 24:37-39).
2.	Jesus rose with a real body, not a ghost or phantom. It was a body composed of flesh and bones (Luke 24:36-43). His body could be touched (John 20:20).
3.	His body bore the marks of His passion (John 20:24-29).
4.	Jesus ate and drank in the presence of His disciples (Acts 10:41).
5.	He could pass through barred doors and vanish (John 20:19).
6.	Christ's body can no more taste of death (Romans 6:9-10).
7.	Christ was the first fruits of the resurrection (I Corinthians 15:20).

The Meaning of the Resurrection: 
•	"Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:25).
•	This Scripture clearly states the significance of the resurrection in Salvation. 
•	The resurrection actually validates the atonement. 
•	To understand this fully we must look back to the Old Testament. 
•	The people waited outside the temple for the high priest to come out of the holy place, for they knew then all their sins were borne away. 
•	Our high priest came out of the grave and by this we know that our sins are atoned for.

Doubting Thomas:
•	We shall not attempt to study in detail all the beautiful stories and lessons centered on the story of Christ's resurrection. 
•	However, let us look briefly at one or two of these appearances.
•	On one occasion Jesus suddenly appeared to His disciples while they were eating an evening meal. 
•	To strengthen their faith, He called for meat and ate some broiled fish and honey.
•	Thomas was not among the disciples and when he was told of this appearance, he boldly said that he would not believe unless he put his finger into the nail prints, and thrust his hand into the pierced side.
•	Eight days later the disciples were together with Thomas present, when Jesus suddenly appeared. 
•	Fixing His eyes on Thomas, Jesus said to him, "Reach hither thy finger and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into My side, and be not faithless but believing.
•	"With worshipful devotion and bursting joy, Thomas cried out, "My Lord and My God." 
•	Thomas acknowledged Jesus as Deity and the Lord accepted His confession of faith. Another proof of the Deity of Jesus!

The Appearance beside the Sea of Galilee:
•	This story is related in John 21:1-25 and should be studied carefully. 
•	It is one of the most beautiful stories relating to His resurrection and contains many deep spiritual lessons.
•	When Peter said, "I go a fishing" he was revealing just how discouraged and depressed he was. 
•	After fishing all night in vain, Jesus appeared to the disciples. 
•	He addressed His main remarks to Peter and questions him three times regarding his love, and then gave him instructions to feed His sheep. 
•	Peter had denied the Lord three times. 
•	Now it was necessary to confess his love three times.

Lesson Ten
Self Help Test 

A. List accurately the appearances of our Lord during the forty days.

B. What spiritual lesson is taught by the following:

1.	The appearance to doubting Thomas:

2.	The appearance to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee:

C. Explain what John and Peter saw in the empty tomb which was proof of the resurrection.

D. Describe the nature of Christ's body after the resurrection.