One of the earliest and most essential teachings of Christianity is that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, dead, and buried  under Pontius Pilate and rose from the dead on the third day.

It is hard to conceive of any form of Christianity surviving the first century without the Resurrection of Jesus. Messianic movements by the hundreds had come and gone in Judea and disappeared in the sands of time when their ‘Messiah’ died or was killed. In fact, for one to die on the cross was considered to be ‘a curse’ to the Jewish folk of Jesus’ day.

One of the earliest and most authoritative references to the resurrection was made by Paul in I Corinthians 15. In fact, the Apostle Paul claims that over 500 folks had seen Jesus after his resurrection. In short, no resurrection—no Christianity.

Islam teaches that Jesus was only a prophet and did not die on the cross so had no need to be Resurrected. He only appeared to die and later was taken directly into Heaven by God:

That they said  (in boast), “we killed Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah,” but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not. -Sura 4:157

Most Muslims believe that someone else died in the place of Jesus and that he never suffered crucifixion. Since he never died –than the resurrection never happened. In fact according to Islamic teaching, Jesus never died period. God took Jesus directly to Paradise alive like he had done with Enoch and Elijah:

But Allah took him unto Himself –Sura 4:158

Response: Again, it is hard to conceive of Christianity surviving the first century except for the resurrection. Again one of the greatest disparities between Christianity and Islam revolves around Jesus—who he is, what he did, and what he is going to do.

If the prophet Muhammad is to be believed than the Apostles and the 500 or so followers of Jesus who saw the Resurrected Lord are all liars and suffered persecution and many times horrible deaths to preserve a lie. This doesn’t make sense at all. No, the very lives, actions, testimonies, and martyrdom of the Apostles stand against Islam and the ‘prophet’ Muhammad.            *Top

Links to previous posts in this series:

Comparing Islam and Christianity #6 -The Divinity of Jesus

Comparing Islam and Christianity #5 -Miracles and Spiritual Gifts

Comparing Islam and Christianity #4 -The Holy Spirit

Comparing: Islam and Christianity #3 -The Virgin Birth of Jesus

Comparing: Islam and Christianity #2 -The Righteousness and Justice of God

Comparing: Islam and Christianity #1 -God’s Love?

Related Posts?:

1. -Dueling Jesuses: Isa of Islam Vs. The Son of God of Christianity
2. -The Resurrection of Jesus

He looks at the facts concerning the resurrection of Jesus–a timely pursuit for the Easter season. This is the best and most concise article that I have found on this issue.            *Top

Related Posts?:

1. -On The Resurrection of Jesus
2. -Resurrection of Christ: Wright On!

“It’s Friday and the Devil and his demons are celebrating…it’s Friday but Sunday’s a comin’…

It’s Friday and the forces that enslave and hold folks down are having a party but that’s Friday…Sunday’s a comin’”

A Quote from my all time favorite Good Friday message: “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming” by Dr. Tony Campolo.

<<Read the rest from our archives>>

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1. -Pastor: The ‘Prosperity Gospel’ is Hindering Revival

Listen to this! New Testament scholar N.T. Wright is right on in this short video on the Resurrection (2:23)

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1. -“Jesus, The Final Days”

Resurrection: An Interview with Dr. William Lane Craig @ UC Santa Barbara 1998 (49:13)

A Timely offering for the season. Here’s the same interview in MP3 Audio here

Related Posts?:

1. -The Resurrection of Jesus
2. -Comparing Islam and Christianity #7: The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus

He looks at the facts concerning the resurrection of Jesus–a timely pursuit for the Easter season:

“To answer the question of Jesus’ resurrection from a historical standpoint, we must first determine what facts concerning the fate of Jesus of Nazareth can be credibly established on the basis of the evidence and second consider what the best explanation of those facts is. At least four facts about the fate of the historical Jesus are widely accepted by New Testament historians today.”

<Read the Whole Article>           *Top

Related Posts?:

1. -The Resurrection of Jesus
2. -“Jesus, The Final Days”

The whole tape is great but the best part is at the end when Tony Campolo recalls one Sunday when he had a little preaching competition with the head pastor at the church where he attends.

Dr. Campolo tells how he preached the perfect sermon in every way and had taken the congregation to ‘the heights of glory’. As he sat down beside his pastor, Dr. Tony patted him on the knee and simply said, “Top that.” The older black pastor looked at him and said, “Boy, watch the master.” Then Dr. Campolo recalls for us the very brilliant message which followed.

The following is a short printed version of the 45 minute sermon–the printed version doesn’t really do justice to the original, but you can at least get an idea what the last part is like:

It’s Friday. But Sunday’s coming—

It was a simple sermon, starting softly, building in volume and intensity until the entire congregation was completely involved, repeating the phrases in unison. The sermon went something like this.

It’s Friday. Jesus is arrested in the garden where He was praying. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. The disciples are hiding and Peter’s denying that he knows the Lord. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. Jesus is standing before the high priest of Israel, silent as a lamb before the slaughter. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. Jesus is beaten, mocked, and spit upon. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. Those Roman soldiers are flogging our Lord with a leather scourge that has bits of bones and glass and metal, tearing at his flesh. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. The Son of man stands firm as they press the crown of thorns down into his brow. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. See Him walking to Calvary, the blood dripping from His body. See the cross crashing down on His back as He stumbles beneath the load. It’s Friday; but Sunday’s a coming.

It’s Friday. See those Roman soldiers driving the nails into the feet and hands of my Lord. Hear my Jesus cry, “Father, forgive them.” It’s Friday; but Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, bloody and dying. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. The sky grows dark, the earth begins to tremble, and He who knew no sin became sin for us. Holy God who will not abide with sin pours out His wrath on that perfect sacrificial lamb who cries out, “My God, My God. Why hast thou forsaken me?” What a horrible cry. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. And at the moment of Jesus’ death, the veil of the Temple that separates sinful man from Holy God was torn from the top to the bottom because Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, heaven is weeping and hell is partying. But that’s because it’s Friday, and they don’t know it, but Sunday’s a coming.

And on that horrible day 2000 years ago, Jesus the Christ, the Lord of glory, the only begotten Son of God, the only perfect man died on the cross of Calvary. Satan thought that he had won the victory. Surely he had destroyed the Son of God. Finally he had disproved the prophecy God had uttered in the Garden and the one who was to crush his head had been destroyed. But that was Friday.

Now it’s Sunday. And just about dawn on that first day of the week, there was a great earthquake. But that wasn’t the only thing that was shaking because now it’s Sunday. And the angel of the Lord is coming down out of heaven and rolling the stone away from the door of the tomb. Yes, it’s Sunday, and the angel of the Lord is sitting on that stone and the guards posted at the tomb to keep the body from disappearing were shaking in their boots because it’s Sunday, and the lamb that was silent before the slaughter is now the resurrected lion from the tribe of Judah, for He is not here, the angel says. He is risen indeed.

It’s Sunday, and the crucified and resurrected Christ has defeated death, hell, sin and the grave. It’s Sunday. And now everything has changed. It’s the age of grace, God’s grace poured out on all who would look to that crucified lamb of Calvary. Grace freely given to all who would believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary was buried and rose again. All because it’s Sunday.

At the end of the message the pastor shouts out:

It’s Friiidaaaay!

And the whole congregation responds:

But Sunday’s Coming!

Related Posts?:

1. -“It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming”
2. -Pastor: The ‘Prosperity Gospel’ is Hindering Revival

He looks at the facts concerning the resurrection of Jesus–a timely pursuit for the Easter season:

"To answer the question of Jesus’ resurrection from a historical standpoint, we must first determine what facts concerning the fate of Jesus of Nazareth can be credibly established on the basis of the evidence and second consider what the best explanation of those facts is. At least four facts about the fate of the historical Jesus are widely accepted by New Testament historians today."

<Read the Whole Article>            *Top

Related Posts?:

1. -“Jesus, The Final Days”