The Final Proof – A Matchless Sign For All Of Time
By George J. Matranga

 

He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs…speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” Acts 1:3 Christ’s resurrection, the Easter miracle, is the heart of the Christian faith. It sets Christianity apart from all other world religions. It’s a fact that Buddha, Confucius, Mohammed nor any other religious leaders ever rose from the grave. They are still in their tombs, but not Jesus. His tomb is empty. He rose from the dead and presented Himself alive: the final proof that He is God in the flesh.
The resurrection is: our assurance that we can safely put our trust in Him to save us, and a guarantee that life continues after death. The resurrection is also a guarantee that judgment will come upon the wicked. Since God proved Himself to us, He requires every one of us to turn from our way to His way. “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31

The importance of Christ’s resurrection is that it verifies the truth of scripture and it proves He is the Son of God.

In Bible times, the religious leaders asked Jesus to perform a miracle to prove His claim of divine authority. Jesus answered that instead of performing signs of proof, He would demonstrate the ultimate sign – His own death, burial, and resurrection! Matt. 12:38-40 It is the final proof to all ages; it has never been duplicated nor will it ever be. Christ’s resurrection from the grave is the ultimate miracle…a matchless sign for all of time.
In an old Hollywood Movie Classic, the plot was to determine if a certain woman was the genuine Russian Princess. Supposedly the real Princess may have died in a Russian revolution. Many impostors had come forward claiming to be the heiress. So the possibility of a ‘miracle’ of the genuine Russian Princess returning from the grave was not enough proof to substantiate her true identity.

Christ’s resurrection from the grave is the ultimate miracle – the final proof – a matchless sign for all of time.

Addressing a crowd of selected examiners, the lead character said he was not a believer in miracles or resurrections. He went on to say that to determine whether she was real or fake, lied in what the people believed after examining her. The whole scenario revolved around if whether she could convince the crowd that she was true. Much exhausting preparation was taken to convince them, by her testimony, that she was who she said she was!
The premise of the lead character was that it didn’t matter if she was real or not, but whether people believed. Yet, the ultimate decision and the final analysis would be if Her Majesty, the Queen, could be convinced or not. In other words, the final reality would be in the word of the Queen. The “buck” stopped with the Sovereign authority.
In truth, the final reality would be if the woman in question was indeed the true Princess, not in merely what people concluded to believe about her. That would be delusion! Hence, it is not in what we want to believe that determines the truth but what agrees with “final reality.” God bore witness of the truth by sending us His Son…the ultimate reality! The Lord Jesus Christ is the final reality sealed by the Sovereign authority of heaven. When we believe in Him, we agree with God and bear witness to the truth. “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.” I John 5:9-10
The resurrection of the Son of God was the one grand event that validated Jesus Christ as the one true God. It sets the Christian God above all others. Neither the traditions of men nor the philosophies of great minds can nullify this actuality. It is upon the acceptance of this reality that Christians base their faith…He is who He says He is!
The incredible sign of Christ’s resurrection was the central stumbling stone throughout the history of the early church. Yet, this miraculous fact is the very beam upon which Christianity hinges. “Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?” Acts 26:8

The ascension of Christ is the final proof that He is the true Messiah, the Redeemer of all mankind. He is who He claimed to be, both Lord and Savior.

It is the nature of man to reject the incredulous and settle for the philosophy of men. Philosophy is rational and appeals to the natural mind. “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked…” Acts 17:32 Look back at the history of humanity. Think about the pain and misery caused by human philosophy and by dead men’s theories. Think about the carnage left behind by men like Stalin and Hitler. They were saviors to those who followed. But, those who put their faith in the risen Savior and follow Him find true life.
Jesus Christ’s coming back to life again from the grave proved His divine power and authority. It was revealed in Scripture and manifested in His life – no further proof will be given to mankind. It’s up to the seeker to believe upon His word. It is no longer a matter of producing further evidence, it is then a matter of surrender…believing God. “Only an evil, faithless nation would ask for further proof; and none will be given except what happened to Jonah the prophet!” Matt. 12:39 LB
The final proof lies not only in objective (external) historical evidence but in subjective (internal) experience. Believers who encounter the risen Lord and are transformed by His resurrection power become living evidence of the Easter miracle. The answer has been given. The question is, who will we believe, God or man?