HOW TO PROVE THE RESURRECTION IS TRUE

TEXT- 1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-8

INTRODUCTION

ONE DARK STORMY NIGHT A MAN DECIDED TO TAKE A SHORTCUT ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK BY WALKING THROUGH A LOCAL CEMETERY.  BEING A RESIDENT HE THOUGHT HE COULD FIND HIS WAY, BUT WHAT HE DIDN'T KNOW WAS THAT ALONG HIS PATH LAID A FRESHLY DUG GRAVE.  UNABLE TO SEE WHERE HE WAS GOING HE ENDED UP FALLING INTO THE DEEP HOLE.  HE TRIED TO CLIMB OUT BUT COULDN'T BECAUSE THE RAIN HAD MADE THE WALLS SLIPPERY WITH MUD.  EVENTUALLY HE GAVE UP TRYING TO CLIMB OUT AND BEGAN TO SCREAM FOR HELP, BUT BECAUSE THE STORM WAS SO LOUD NO ONE HEARD HIS CRIES.  EVENTUALLY HE YELLED SO MUCH THAT HE BECAME HOARSE AND WAS SO TIRED HE FELL ASLEEP.  THAT SAME NIGHT, ANOTHER MAN WAS TAKING THE SAME SHORTCUT THROUGH THE CEMETERY AND HE TOO FELL INTO THE SAME GRAVE.  HE TOO TRIED TO CLIMB OUT BUT WAS UNABLE, SO HE BEGAN TO SCREAM FOR HELP WHICH WOKE THE FIRST MAN UP.  SEEING THE SECOND MAN TRYING TO CLIMB THE WALLS THE FIRST MAN SAID IN A VERY DEEP AND RASPY VOICE, "YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF HERE, I'VE TRIED."  BUT AFTER HEARING THE VOICE, THE SECOND MAN DID GET OUT OF THE GRAVE.

IN THE SAME WAY THAT THIS MAN CAME UP OUT OF THIS GRAVE, JESUS ALSO CAME OUT OF THE TOMB HE WAS BURIED IN AND LIVES TODAY.

SOME OF YOU THIS MORNING MIGHT BE ASKING YOURSELF, "HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD?"

THE REASON WHY I KNOW IS BECAUSE OF THE PROOF OF THE RESURRECTION.

THIS MORNING OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN 1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-8 AND THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, "HOW TO PROVE THE RESURRECTION IS TRUE."

AS WE LOOK AT WHAT OUR TEXT SAYS I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER THREE WAYS I CAN PROVE JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD.