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Stonington Baptist Church Sermons

Proving the Resurrection

·42 min·4 clips
What would it take to convince you that someone rose from the dead, and how does a courtroom approach prove Jesus's resurrection?
The episode is a sermon delivered on Easter Sunday, focusing on proving the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The speaker introduces a courtroom analogy, using eyewitness accounts, evidence, and logic as the three pillars of proof. He begins by reading 1 Corinthians 15:12-21 to establish the theological importance of the resurrection, arguing that without it, Christian faith is futile. The speaker then delves into biblical eyewitness accounts, highlighting 'embarrassing details' such as Peter being called Satan and denying Jesus, and the scandalous genealogy of Jesus including Judah and Rahab, to argue for the authenticity of the Gospels. He discusses the transformation of the disciples from hiding in fear to boldly proclaiming the resurrection, and the conversions of skeptics like Paul and James after personal encounters with the risen Jesus. The speaker cites non-Christian sources, including Roman historians Tacitus and Pliny the Younger, and Jewish texts like the Talmud and Josephus, to corroborate Jesus's existence, crucifixion, and the early belief in his resurrection. He systematically refutes alternative theories such as the swoon theory, stolen body theory, and hallucination theory, using logical and historical arguments. The sermon concludes by applying criteria like multiple attestation and enemy attestation to affirm the resurrection's historicity, and explores the personal implications for believers, including hope for eternal life and the necessity of faith in the resurrection for salvation. The episode ends with a Q&A session where attendees discuss practical approaches to discussing the resurrection with non-Christians.

As heard by us

An Easter sermon tests resurrection testimony through evidence, logic, eyewitness accounts, and the changed responses of skeptics.

"Proving the Resurrection" approaches Easter's central claim as something to be tested, beginning with the question of what might persuade someone that a person had returned from the grave.

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Why you'd press play

An Easter sermon that puts resurrection belief in the witness box, testing the claim through eyewitness accounts, evidence, and logic.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
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