References:
(1) Jesus is unique because of His resurrection. Jesus did not decay in some grave in Jerusalem. He rose from the dead and is alive today and we can know Him in an experiential way. He can give us peace, joy, hope, and comfort.
(2) Only Jesus, the founder of Christianity, is alive now because of His resurrection. All Christians are able to say with the apostle Paul, “I know whom I have believed” (2 Tim. 1:12).
(3) Early Christian sermons focused on the resurrection of Jesus.
(4) When presenting the claims of Christ the apostles continually used the fact of Christ’s bodily resurrection as the basis for their arguments [Acts 13:32-41; 17:1-4, 22-31]. No one can deny that the truth of Christianity is based squarely on the bodily resurrection of Christ.
(5) Benefits that accrue to believers because of the resurrection:
a. Jesus’ resurrection vindicates His claim to be the Son of God and the Christ.
b. Jesus’ resurrection in the past guarantees the believer’s own resurrection in the future.
c. Jesus’ resurrection is the ground of justification.
d. Jesus’ resurrection grants new life for believers.
e. Jesus’ resurrection defeats death.
(6) Not only is Jesus unique because of His death and His resurrection, but He is unique because many events about His life is foretold by prophesy. Centuries before Christ entered the world as the incarnation of God, the OT listed over 300 prophesies regarding the Messiah including:
a. the location of His birthplace in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).
b. He would be born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14).
c. He would be betrayed by a close friend (Ps. 41:9).
d. He would be rejected by His own people (Isa. 53:3).
e. His death would pay the penalty for sins (Isa. 53:4-9).
f. His resurrection from the dead (Ps. 16:10; 49:15).
g. the events as He died (Ps. 22:14-18).
h. the precise time when He would be cut off (Dan. 9:26).
(7) Christ’s entry into the world is promised by prophesy.
(8) Not only was Christ was prophetically anticipated, He was also miraculously conceived.
This is episode 233.