GROW IN FAITH: YOUTH – Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?

The Central Claim

Opening Prayer

Lord Jesus,
If You truly rose from the dead,
strengthen my faith.
Help me examine the evidence honestly
and respond with courage to what is true.
Amen.

Part One

Why the Resurrection Matters

The Resurrection is not an optional detail.

St Paul wrote:

“If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.”

If Jesus did not rise bodily from the dead:

The apostles were mistaken or deceived.

The Church was built on falsehood.

The sacraments have no foundation.

Hope in eternal life collapses.

If He did rise:

His claims about Himself are confirmed.

His authority is real.

His Church speaks in His name.

Death is not the end.

The Resurrection is the dividing line.

Pause and Reflect

Have I treated the Resurrection as symbolic?

Do I believe it was an actual historical event?

Why does it matter whether it was bodily or spiritual only?

Part Two

The Empty Tomb

The Gospels report that Jesus’ tomb was found empty.

Even opponents of the early Church did not claim:

“The body is still there.”

Instead, they claimed:

“The disciples stole the body.”

That response admits something important:

The tomb was empty.

If the body of Jesus had remained in the grave,
Christianity could have been stopped immediately.

Jerusalem was not far away.
The authorities could have produced the body.

They did not.

The empty tomb alone does not prove the Resurrection.

But it demands explanation.

Consider

If the disciples stole the body,
why would they endure persecution for a lie?

Would frightened followers invent a deception
and sustain it under threat?

Part Three

The Transformation of the Apostles

Before the Resurrection:

The disciples fled.

Peter denied Jesus.

They hid in fear.

Afterwards:

They publicly proclaimed Him Lord.

They faced imprisonment.

Many were killed for their witness.

Something changed.

Hallucinations do not produce consistent, shared conviction across groups.

Mass hallucinations do not sustain lifelong commitment.

Nor do they produce an organised Church
within a hostile environment.

The Resurrection is the explanation that accounts for:

The empty tomb.

The boldness of the apostles.

The rapid growth of the Church.

Reflect

Would I suffer for something I knew to be false?

What explains the apostles’ courage?

Part Four

Alternative Explanations

Some suggest:

“The Resurrection was symbolic.”

But the earliest preaching insisted on bodily resurrection.

Jewish belief distinguished between spiritual survival and bodily resurrection.

The apostles proclaimed the latter.

Some suggest:

“The disciples were mistaken.”

But the Gospels record multiple appearances:

To individuals.

To groups.

At different times.

Some suggest:

“The story developed later.”

But the earliest creeds of the Church, recorded by St Paul,
date to within years of the crucifixion.

The Resurrection proclamation is not a late legend.

It is original to the faith.

Think Carefully

Which explanation accounts for all the evidence?

Is it more reasonable to believe in deliberate deception,
mass hallucination,
legendary development,
or a real event?

Part Five

What This Means

If Jesus truly rose from the dead,
then His identity is confirmed.

He is not merely a moral teacher.

He is Lord.

That means:

His authority over life and death is real.
His Church does not speak on her own authority.
His sacraments are not symbolic rituals.

It also means:

Death is not final.
Suffering is not meaningless.
History is not directionless.

The Resurrection is not simply about the past.

It shapes the present.

Quiet Reflection

Sit quietly for a moment.

Imagine the empty tomb.

Ask yourself:

Do I believe this happened?

If it did, what must change in my life?

Remain in silence.

This Week

Choose one:

• Read 1 Corinthians 15 carefully.
• Examine one historical argument for the Resurrection.
• Reflect on what courage in the apostles implies.
• Pray simply: “Lord, strengthen my faith in Your Resurrection.”

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus,
If You have conquered death,
strengthen my faith.
Give me confidence in Your victory
and courage to follow You faithfully.
Amen.