EXECUTION: We have no record of anyone surviving a full Roman crucifixion. And not only that we have five ancient historical sources outside the New Testament that confirm and corroborate the execution of Jesus on the cross.
EARLY ACCOUNTS: Many people have believed that it was a legend that built over time that Jesus rose from the grave. Historically it takes at the least two full generations before a legend will take on any traction as possibly the truth.
However, our earliest creed is in 1 Corinthians 15 starting in verse 3 “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” The first-generation church and their early accounts confirm that Jesus rose from the grave and had within months placed a creed within the church that stated He rose from the grave and was no legend that morphed over time.
EMPTY TOMB: the most convincing fact that Jesus rose from the grave is the empty tomb. None of the critics or skeptics said they saw Jesus dead, they all agree that the tomb was empty but only said that the disciples somehow convinced a Roman garrison to release the body of Jesus even though it would have meant death to them if they did release the body to them. Those kinds of arguments are only concocted to distract from the truth that Jesus rose from the grave.
EYEWITNESSES: In any historical antiquity we are very fortunate to have one or two documents to confirm any fact. But the eyewitnesses that confirm the resurrected Jesus is no less than 9 ancient sources in and out of the New Testament corroborating His appearance after death. When you put all these facts together along with eyewitnesses it is very uncomfortable to place your soul in such jeopardy as to reject the truth, that Jesus raised from the grave. He has risen! He has risen indeed! Pastor Mark