Seeking for the help of the Lord, I direct your prayer for attention to the Acts of the Apostles, chapter one. We'll read for our text, verse three. To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Acts chapter 1 and verse 3, specifically that which is said, he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs. that first day of the week when the Lord arose that began first with great sorrow and ended with great joy there was through the day much you might say confusion Reports first of the empty tomb, then of angels, then of the Lord appearing to Mary. Reports of those that had seen the Lord and really wondering what was happening. Was the Lord risen or not? At first the reports were told clearly the disciples, they did not believe. And yet as the day went on, more and more, Proofs were given through that day until we read in Acts 24 verse 34, the disciples gathered together and they said, the Lord is risen indeed. And then it culminated with the Lord himself coming to them, meeting with them in that upper room.

But here in the Acts, they're able to look back look back and over that day over the 40 days over his ascension into heaven and the day of Pentecost and so they can see much more clearer very often it is and we need to remember that when we're in something It is hard to see. It's like being in a wood. We can't see the wood for the trees. It's like perhaps looking at one text or one part of a book of the Bible, and you might not really be able to see the whole picture. You need to come out and, as it were, a summary first of the whole of the book, the whole of the teaching rather than just a small part. And here, Luke, who's the author of Acts, in the inspired word of God, they look back, and able to make this statement, he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs.

He mentions of the 40 days. And of course, the 14th scripture is a time of testing. In Noah's flood, the rain rained for 40 days and 40 nights. The water was on the earth a lot longer than that over here. But it was a time of testing. It's hard for us to imagine rain pouring down day and night for 40 days. We think then of the 40 years in the wilderness. Thou shalt remember all the way the Lord has led thee these 40 years in the wilderness to try thee to prove thee to know what was in thine heart. It's a time of testing.

We have the time as well when Goliath was challenging Israel and for 40 days he came out and challenged them to provide one to fight with him. and laid down the conditions that if that one prevailed against him, then the Philistines would have dominion, or the Israelites would have dominion over the Philistines. But if he prevailed, then the Philistines would have dominion over Israel.

And it had to be proved first that there was no saviour in Israel, not even the king. And then David comes, and he comes in the name of the Lord. And so it was a testing first, that there was no salvation in any other. And he's looking to David's greatest son, who singularly, like David did on that occasion, defeated the adversaries of the Lord and gained for his people freedom. and deliverance. It's a wonderful type in David and Goliath. We have it with Nineveh as well, Jonah's message.

In 40 days, the city was to be destroyed. And in that time, where there is time given, because if you look at Jonah's message, there's nothing that gives hope in that except the 40 days. If God was determined to destroy them, he would destroy them straight away. He wouldn't give them 40 days.

What's the use of that? And the 40 days gave them rise to who can tell. Wherever there is time, wherever is life, there is hope. And really, with Adam and Eve, God did not destroy them straight away. He let them live. He let them reproduce. And so, of course, God's people are born into the world, then they're born again, they're converted. Whenever the Lord gives time, where there is life, there is hope. Never give up hope where there is life.

And so we go on from that to think of our Lord's temptations in the wilderness. He was tempted of the devil 40 days and 40 nights. We only read of the end of that temptation and the three specific temptations if they aren't the son of God. But again, a reminder is this time of testing. So here, from the time of our Lord rising from the dead to his ascension into heaven, a time of testing. Is it really the Lord risen? A time when the proofs are really shown. The evidence is there over that period of time. We are drawn to that here in the inspired word, being seen of them 40 days. Another thing to note is during these 40 days, it was always the Lord that instigated a vision. He told them where he would meet with them, and he met with them sovereignly. and it was not them going to him, it was not them finding him, it was him finding them.

It's good for us to remember as we're seeking the blessing of the Lord. It's not our finding the Lord, it's the Lord finding us. We go where he said he will meet with us in his word and under the preaching of the word, but it's the Lord that sovereignly comes. They're the disciples, they're in the upper room, and the Lord sovereignly come. He told them he would meet them in Galilee, they went to Galilee, and he came sovereignly to them there. And so we need to remember this for our encouragement and to just stop us thinking, well, we've got to exhort all our diligence to be able to find the Lord. We are exhorted to seek him, seek ye the Lord while he is to be found, call upon him while he is near.

But it is the Lord that comes and finds his people and visits with them and shows himself to them. And I trust, I can say in looking back over the years, many such times that the Lord has come in that way and suddenly felt the softening of heart, drawing to him, the blessing on the word, the love of God in my heart, and sometimes very, very quickly, very suddenly in the study, sometimes in the house of God, sometimes even when preaching the word, and the Lord is sovereign. when he comes, how he comes, but the effects is always the same. And it will be the same for each one of God's people in their own individual way, not the same one of another, but in a way that they recognize the Lord's visits and recognize what he's done for them. And so we have this summary here. this statement that he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs.

Infallible, what does that mean? Absolutely trustworthy, reliable, conclusive, incapable of being wrong, an overwhelming evidence. not something that you could say, well, it could mean this, it could mean that, it could be interpreted some other way. These are chosen out by God, and this here is God's inspired word that says these proofs are infallible.

We read in our reading that John says that there are many other signs, truly Jesus in the presence of his disciples, did in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. So there are many other signs in those 40 days, but these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through his name. But proofs, of course, proofs is the evidence, it's the facts, the indisputable facts establishing the truth. Now this is what the Lord did, not just for the disciples, but for the disciples to record and to be handed down so that those that have not seen the Lord in the flesh, they also will believe and do believe that the Lord is risen indeed. So I want to look this morning with the Lord's help, firstly, at the many infallible proofs of the resurrection of Jesus. I want to look at some of those proofs that the Holy Spirit has included in the Word of God. And then secondly, things that the resurrection of Jesus itself is proof of.

So once you've established beyond doubt the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, then there are other things that that event is also proof of. And then lastly, the question, are we part of the proof, living witnesses? The Lord said, because I live. ye shall live also." Are we spiritually alive? Are we part of those living witnesses? But firstly, the many infallible proofs. I want to just bring it under several heads and obviously not go into every particular but those things of which the Holy Ghost has really set the seal on, that the Lord was risen indeed.

The first one is the empty tomb. This was the first thing that the disciples were aware of. The women, as they were going to the tomb, their thought was, who shall roll this away, the stone? Now, of course, we know when our Lord appeared to the disciples in the upper room, the shut door didn't stop him. The stone would not have stopped the Lord from ascending and rising again. He didn't need the stone rolled away. But the stone needed to be rolled away so that the disciples could see and that the world could see that the tomb was empty.

And where were the guards? Where was the seal that was put upon the stone? All of those were gone. All of those were broken. And the tomb was empty, and yet the grave clothes were there, folded neatly, and then Later with Mary, as we read, she sees the angels, one at the head, one at the foot, and their testimony that he had risen. For not just the disciples, but for the world, for the Romans, for the Jews, they could not get round that. Where was the body of the Lord? We know that the Roman soldiers were bribed to hold their peace and to say that his disciples, they came and stole him away. But they knew that was wrong. And there was that very clear witness given by God that that tomb was empty. He is not here. He is risen. So that is the first infallible proof.

If that was not so, why did they not produce his body? Why could they not explain that away any other than through bribing the soldiers? And really, with what we know from when Peter was miraculously delivered from prison, from when Paul and Silas intervened lest, if all the prisoners had escaped, those Roman soldiers would have been killed. If a Roman soldier was found not doing his duty and letting go his prisoners, they would have been killed. Why were they not, when our Lord was raised? We know the scriptures tell us, because Money had been paid and the governor had been secured. An infallible proof. The second one is the many times the Lord appeared. His physical appearances.

We read of that to Mary. We read of that to the disciples. One of the most concise and beautiful summaries is that given by the Apostle in writing to the Corinthians, his first letter in chapter 15, where he says in verse 3, for I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen of Cephas, that is Peter, then of the twelve. After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some have fallen asleep, some have died. After that, he was seen of James, then of all the apostles. And last of all, he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time." Paul writes this epistle to refute the error that some were teaching in that church. that there was no resurrection of the dead. We'll refer to this chapter a bit later on. But these are the evidences, the infallible proofs that the apostle brings before the Corinthian church.

We know, of course, that those who will not believe will never believe, however clearly, however openly you might bring the truth they will not believe just because we might go into the courts of our land and you might have a lawyer that brings up proves very very clearly but there may be some of the jury that don't believe him and those that completely go against what is brought forth with the clear evidence, you know, you can think of in our day that there are those that deny the Holocaust, and you think, how can they? When the proofs, the evidence is so great, and yet there are people that do. And so just because some people don't receive it doesn't mean to say that they are not infallible proofs. We need to hold fast to the Word of God in that what God has chosen to record as those proofs. And as we may speak to family members or those round about us, not be ashamed or not think that we cannot bring these things because they are not good enough proof.

They are, because the Holy Spirit has said they are. And they are certain things that have happened. The next one is where the Lord showed his physical body. To us we would think only a spirit could go through a shut door and no doubt with the disciples they thought that first because they were terrified and affrighted and they thought that they had seen a spirit. But the Lord said, a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have. He showed them his hands and his feet. He says, handle me and see, a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have.

He also ate before them and proved that it was the same Jesus, the same body that hung upon the cross that was risen again. We feel the need of this in the gospel standard articles to reaffirm this point, that it is the same flesh and bones that hung upon the cross that is now glorified in heaven. They are nowhere else. This same Jesus that rose from the dead after he was crucified was then taken up in their sign, like Elijah was in the sight of Elisha, up into heaven. And we affirm that in our articles. because it reaffirms the real resurrection, bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The next infallible proof is the amazing transformation of the disciples themselves. This must surely have been noticed by all at Jerusalem, a people that were in distress when the Lord had been taken from them. The Lord had said, ye therefore have sorrow. And they did. But I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man shall take from you. To see the disciples like Peter, who was first ashamed of the Lord, denied his Lord, fearful of man.

And to see them when the Lord rose and it appeared to them, then they were glad, then they were joyful. Even when the Lord ascended up into heaven, as recorded just after where our text is, They were joyful, they were glad, they were in the temple constantly rejoicing and praising God. And then as time went on with the Pentecost, the Holy Spirit given, the miraculous speaking in languages without learning them, but could be clearly understood by the visitors from other nations that were there at Jerusalem at that time. And then the disciples boldly preaching in the name of Jesus and working the miracles that the Lord did, raising the dead, healing the sick, and greater miracles than that. Thousands were being converted, 3,000 at Pentecost, 5,000 or so when the lame man was healed.

We referred to Elijah and Elisha before. Because when Elisha had asked for a double portion of Elijah's spirit, the sign that he would be given was that he saw him when he was taken from him. And Elisha did see Elijah taken up. The Lord said of his disciples, and greater things shall ye do, because I go to my father.

The disciples saw the Lord when he was taken up from them. And as Elisha performed twice as many miracles as Elijah did, so the disciples, they performed miracles and things that the Lord never did in converting men. Men and women brought out of nature's darkness and into his marvelous light in the numbers that were when the Holy Spirit was given. And so the difference in those disciples, their boldness, their whole attitude, the miracles that they performed, the strength that they had. All of that is such an abundant, infallible proof of the resurrection of our Lord. We mentioned one of the effects on the disciples was they preached and the blessing on that preaching. But it is especially a proof when you get those like the Lord's own brethren.

We were told that even his brethren did not believe on him. And we were told his brethren of James, Joseph, Judas, his sisters, those that were his brethren after the flesh, that they didn't receive him. And yet James was brought to believe. James who, the Lord's brother, wrote the Epistle of James.

If the Lord hadn't really risen from the dead, those that were sceptical like him, they would have remained dead. They would not have been changed. What had changed them? What had made them believe and realise that the Lord truly was who he said because he said, I have power to lay down my life. I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received from my father. And so when he took it again, when he rose from the dead, then that was proved.

And the effect on James, the effect on Paul, saw that he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, his hatred to the Lord Jesus Christ and to those that called on his name. But when a risen Saviour appeared to him, and this is where Paul mentions this when he writes to the Corinthians, that he says, last of all, he was seen of me also as of one born out of due time, the Lord appearing on the Damascus road. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest.

And what a transformation, Saul becoming Paul the Apostle and immediately preaching that Jesus is the Christ. Another proof that we might add, and not of course confined to the 40 days, indeed as with the Apostle Paul as well, but is the establishing of the Church of God, the whole faith of the Church of God.

Our Lord rose on the first day of the week, and we now meet on the first day of the week. The significance throughout the world of change from the Jewish Sabbath to the Christian Sabbath, what had made that? What had performed that? We know that with the creation, that it was marked by a hallowed the seventh day, the Sabbath of the Old Testament. But with the greater work of redemption, and it is a greater work of redemption, that is marked by the time the day the Lord rose from the dead on the first day of the week.

And that is when the church gathered together, that is when the Lord first appeared to the disciples. Thomas wasn't there. But the Lord waited the full eight days to the next first day before he appeared to Thomas. And we have the pattern through the New Testament and that which is a testimony to what had been done on that day.

And of course, there are many other things, but these things in the scriptures are set forth very clearly as these infallible proofs of the Lord's resurrection from the dead. I want to look then secondly at things that the resurrection of Jesus is the proof of. And we might say if the Lord hadn't risen from the dead, none of these things would be so. This is why the apostle was so insistent in writing to the Corinthians that there is a resurrection of the dead and that Christ had rose from the dead.

The first one is that Jesus is the Christ. In our reading in John 20, the last verse records, but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name. So the resurrection of our Lord is the proof, the proof that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, is who he said he was.

This is why when Philip joined himself to the eunuch's chariot and began at the same scripture in Isaiah 53, where he was reading, where he's taken as a lamb before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth, led as the lamb to the slaughter. He began at that same scripture and preached unto him Jesus. At the end of that sermon, he knew who Jesus was. He wanted to be baptized.

And the test that Philip put to him was, if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest, And his testimony was, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And this is what John especially in his gospel is setting forth, that Jesus is the Son of God.

Statement made some 85 times throughout him. The second thing that it is a proof of is the defeat of death. Satan's head is bruised. We have this spoken of in Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 14. For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same. that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. Our Lord, the first one, by his own power, by God's power, raised from the dead to never return to the dead again, the power of an endless life, the fulfilment of that first promise, of the seeds of the woman to bruise the serpent's head. In the writing of our Lord, there is a proof that this sacrifice was accepted.

He says, I lay down my life for the sheep. He's bearing the sin of his people. He is enduring the wrath of God in their place. But he is not consumed, he is not destroyed, he rises again from it. And thereby showing that that sacrifice was accepted, the payment was paid in full, there's no wrath left to be poured out upon those for whom he died.

And that is very important for us. God hath given assurance unto all men. in that he has raised him from the dead. It is also a proof of our own resurrection. Again, in Paul writing to the Corinthians in the 15th chapter, he is giving all the implications if the dead do not rise, and one of those is that if there is no resurrection of the dead or if Christ is not risen then those who have died they've perished and that we also shall not rise again. But he says but now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that's left. Here's the firstfruits. The Jews were used to this. The firstfruits were brought into the temple. They were brought as Thanksgiving. But it wasn't that that was just going to be the only fruits. They were the firstfruits.

There was to be all of the harvest that was to follow. And so that follows with our Lord as well. And dear Job, he saw it in his day. Though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom shall I see for myself and not another, though my reins be consumed within me. It was going to be Job that rose, not someone else. It was going to be a new body, and with his own eyes he would see the Lord. And so our Lord's rising. Because I live, ye shall live also.

The resurrection of the dead is preached, is assured, that the dead in Christ shall rise first, and then those out of Christ to everlasting contempt, everlasting punishment in a body, what a solemn thing. But what a blessed thing to have a part in Christ's resurrection. And the first resurrection is Christ's resurrection. And the Bible speaks of the first resurrection. And some would say, and I have said before, the first resurrection is when we are born again, when we are quickened into life from being dead in trespasses and sins, and we're made alive. But the reason why we are born again, the reason why we're made alive is because we have a part in Christ's first resurrection. That is what's set forth in baptism, buried with him by baptism into death, risen again in newness of life, and is identified with Christ.

When Christ rose from the dead, he assured the rising from spiritual death of all of his people, each in their time quickened into divine life, Because the Lord lives, he has power then to sovereignly quicken them, pass by them, and bid them live. I give unto them eternal life. They shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of mine hand. And he can do that because he has risen himself from the dead.

It is also a proof of the Christian faith in the same passage to the Corinthians, the apostle says in verse 17, and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins. The whole Christian faith hangs upon Christ rising from the dead. There would be no Christian religion, there would be no Christian faith at all if the Lord was dead. The Lord is alive, the Lord is in heaven, his people upon earth, and all that is taught, all that is set forth in the word of God is alive from the dead. The apostle says, if in this life only we have hope in Christ with all men, most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead.

So with the rising of our Lord Jesus Christ, there's so many things bound up with that. Not only are there the infallible proofs of his rising, yet with his rising, it is a proof of all of these other things that shall take place, that can take place, that are taking place, because the Lord is alive.

On to come to our last point. Our text says, To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Kingdom of God and being part of Him.

You know, it's one thing to look at what we have looked at. It's another thing to realize, how does this affect us? Where do we come into this? And I hope each time that we hear the Word of God preached and set forth, that we're considering our own souls. and what these things mean to us, and what we know of them personally. There are those that will spend a lifetime sometimes enthusing over the things of God, over fulfilled prophecies, over the things that are set forth in the word, but never, never changes their own heart.

They don't view it as something that affects them. They're like those that would be viewing a race from the sidelines. I was never good at sport, at school. So very often, I wasn't in the race. I was on the sidelines. And I could comment on it. I could say a lot of things. I'd see a lot of things. But I wasn't in it. But what a different thing when you're actually in it.

Paul says, let us run the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus. And so we need to bring it to ourselves. We've spoken of the effect of the apostles, of the effect of a risen saviour upon them, the difference that it made especially the Apostle Paul. You might say, but how can we see the Lord? Do we expect to see the Lord literally as disciples did? Or do we expect to see by vision that the Apostle Paul had?

Paul, he never sets forth that vision as something that others are to look for and to have. Rather, he says, He'd glory in his infirmities that the grace of God might be showing forth in him. And Peter, as well, on the Mount of Transfiguration, he doesn't say everyone must have such a vision of Christ. He says, but we have a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well to take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place.

When we think of those two on the way to Emmaus, the Lord was there, but they did not know him. He was a stranger walking with them. But he began to preach to them. He began to open in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And as he did that, their heart burned within them. They had the effect of seeing Christ in the word, in prophecy. And this is how the Lord reveals and blesses his people today.

They are given faith and they are given the word of God and faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Those things that are written as witnessed and our Lord said to Thomas, because thou hast seen, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. One of the miracles that the Lord did, when one sought that his servant of leave, he wanted him healed, our Lord said, except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. And then he says, thy servant is whole. And the man believed the word and went his way. And he found it was the same hour that Jesus had said that, that his servant began to mend. And that same light, precious faith that does not need pictures.

We would think, well, there's no descriptions in the word of God of the physical appearance of the Lord. You can get Elijah. You get a lot of descriptions of him and what he was like, but not the Lord. And if we try, and many have done, draw pictures of the Lord, to me it pulls him down from his excellency. It goes right against the word of God. That's not how we are brought to love him, be blessed by him, drawn to him.

It is through the word of God. And I believe I proved it. myself, I know the Lord's blessing upon the Word of God that moves my heart like those two on the way to Emmaus. That brings about reverence and fear and love and a drawing and a warmth and a love to the precious truths of God and these things the Lord is risen indeed. To know that He is our life. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, he keeps our souls alive by his visits, through his word, through the washing of water by the word, as we hear the word preached, as we gather together. That is how the Lord appears.

Some precious places. I remember one special time for me in reading the part with Jacob. There wrestled a man with him. to the breaking of the day. And I was just having my morning reading in my own home and just read over that portion and stopped right there.

That was the Lord Jesus Christ. We read, Thou wrestled a man with him, and then Thou hast wrestled with God and with man, and hast prevailed. And Jacob's name was changed to Israel there. There was one of the pre-incarnation appearances of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And I'll never forget the first time that that was shown to me and I saw the Lord there in that verse. I can't bring back the effect, the feeling, the love, the wonder of seeing the Lord there, but I can never forget it. And other places as well. How lovely when we see the Lord, where perhaps we did not expect to see Him, shown to us in the Word of God.

Or when a particular truth, a veil is taken away from our heart for the first time, we see what that means, we see what is in it, and we are drawn. You know, this must have been on the way to Emmaus, the Lord went through Moses and the Psalms and the prophets, in all things concerning Himself, Not just one point, as I've mentioned, but one after another. What a sacred time that must have been. Well, if that happens to us, if it had an effect with the disciples, if it had an effect with Paul, Saul of Tarsus, what effect has it had with us?

Are we new creatures in Christ? Are we now what we once were? The Lord has made a change. We've been brought from darkness to light. We're brought to love those things we once hated, or perhaps treated with indifference, but now they're precious to us.

If those things we've said in our first poems were infallible proofs, And maybe as you've heard them, you've thought, yes, they are. We notice a difference with the apostles as recorded. But have you noticed the difference in your own life? Have you noticed where the Lord has given to you infallible proofs as well? evidences of his work.

This is the Lord's doing and is marvellous in our eyes. The thing proceedeth from the Lord. Or like the apostle says, what I am, I am by the grace of God. It's what is vital for us, that we be born again, that we are new creatures in Christ and we trace that back to the resurrection of our Lord and for what he has done and revealed to his disciples, the effect on them, and we say the effect on us as well. Bless the Lord if that is so. May you be able to trace it. Give the Lord the honour and glory this morning to realise a risen saviour is why my own soul is quickened and made alive, why I can't die, because he lives. May the Lord add his blessing. Amen.