Jesus’ Resurrection is what convinced His 1st century followers that Jesus was who He claimed to be. Anybody can make outrageous claims, but when Jesus rose from the dead it convinced His closest followers...who had all run away by that time...that He was who He claimed to be. And His resurrection has been convincing people ever since. The story of Jesus likely wouldn’t even have been told apart from the resurrection. Apart from the resurrection no one likely would have documented the life of Jesus. Apart from the resurrection He was just another promise maker who couldn’t keep His promises, apart from the resurrection He was just another wannabe rabbi who went off the rails. The reason we even know His name, the reason His name is proclaimed throughout the world today is not because of what He said and not because of what He taught, but because He rose from the dead. And His resurrection punctuated everything He taught and claimed about Himself.
