Jesus: Creator, Savior, Lord and King #59 Jesus and The Resurrection Story John 20

 

Jesus and The Resurrection Story

John 20

 Introduction

Jesus' resurrection is the great confirmation of the Christian faith. The resurrection is what Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost to the Jews. The resurrection is what Paul preached on Mars Hill to the Athenian Gentiles. The resurrection is what make Christianity different from all the world's false religions. The resurrection is one of the strongest proofs of the veracity of Word of God and the guaroneee that same Jesus who come up from the grave will also one day come down from heaven.

The resurrection proved that Jesus is the Son of God and very God of very God. It verifies the truth of Scripture. It is the proof of a future judgment. It is the basis for Christ’s heavenly priesthood, by which He is able to save us “to the uttermost” It empowers our life and God’s children today. The resurrection assures our heavenly home and our future heritage in that city of gold.

Today we will be in John the 20th chapter to listen as John recalls the resurrection of His Lord, savior and friend, Jesus. H A Ironside had this to say about John’s account. “ Out of the different accounts which we have in the Gospels of the events connected with the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, this is one of the most graphic, one of the most interesting and one of the most compelling. When rightly understood, I do not see how anyone desiring to know the truth can meditate on this passage without being brought to saving faith in the risen Christ. – H A Ironside

John’s account of the first Resurrection Sunday takes place in the lives and through the eyes and words of Jesus closest friends and disciples. It starts with Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, then sweeps into a locked room where the disciples are hiding and then comes home to the heart of Thomas who was the last to have his doubts turned into worship.

Mary’s Story – John 20:1-18

 Mary, John and Peter Miss The Risen Lord 1-10

1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, ‘They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him’. 3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. 4 So they ran both together, and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 7 and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. 9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

Mary comes to the tomb. The Bible says it is still dark, but already the first day of the week. John centers his account on Mary, probably because it was Mary who first saw Jesus and come to the Peter and John, but there were other women there either with Mary or shortly before. Matthew tells us that Mary and Mary the mother of James went to the tomb, Mark also names Salome and Luke tells us that Joanna and other women were also there. When Mary tells Peter and John the tomb is empty she says, “John 20:2 They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.”

Peter and that other disciple, who we know is John, take off running and whether John is younger or just the better athlete, he outruns Peter arriving at the tomb first and stooping down because the door was only about 3 to 4 feet tall, he looks inside and sees the linen clothes lying. But he doesn’t go in.

Peter doesn’t hesitate at the door of the tomb. Peter is Peter, the rock and he has never been timid or hesitate, he is bold enough to walk on water, be the first to answer Jesus’ questions and now again the first to step into the sepulchre. And in that boldness, he sees more than John. He sees the grave clothes lying but also the napkin that was wrapped about his face is not with the graveclothes but wrapped or folded up by itself in another place. So, he knows and we know that this is not the work of grave robbers. What grave robber would take the time to unwrap the body, fold the face cloth and then with Roman guards outside steal the body?

May I also point out that this description of the empty tomb and the grave clothes completely eradicates the idea that the Shroud of Turin is anything but a fake. Jesus was not folded into a single sheet from the feet and enclosing his head. How do I know this? Because I read my Bible. Two separate pieces of cloth. Maybe if the guy who fake the Shroud of Turn back in the 1500’s had read the Bible he would have made a better fake. He didn’t and it isn’t. You don’t need DNA testing, radio carbon testing or any other test, you just need to read the Bible.

John now also enters the tomb, sees what Peter sees and he also believes that Jesus is risen from the dead. What else could all these things mean? We don’t know if Mary told them of the angels that rolled away the stone, or the Roman guards who passed out from fright, Matthew and Mark give us those details. But we do know that what they saw now was all they needed to believe, Jesus was alive.

John adds the insight that though they believed they still didn’t fully know or understand all that the Old Testament scriptures had prophesied about Jesus. They would come to know, just read Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost. But at this time, they just don’t have the full scriptural picture.

Peter and John go to their home, probably the home of John or John’s relative there in Jerusalem and probably the same place where they had the listened to the Lord’s last teachings in the upper room and even possibly where Jesus had told Nicodemus you must be born again. Now that is a house I would love to see if LeeOra and I ever get to go to Jerusalem. Mary however, doesn’t leave.

 Mary Meets The Risen Lord 11-18

11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12 and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 And they say unto her, ‘Woman, why weepest thou?’ She saith unto them, ‘Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him’. 14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus saith unto her, ‘Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?’ She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away’. 16 Jesus saith unto her, ‘Mary’. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni’, which is to say, Master’. 17 Jesus saith unto her, ‘Touch me not: for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God’. 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

Mary stays in the garden, standing outside the tomb and just weeps. She then in her sorrow and desperation, looks inside and sees a lot more than Peter and John. She looks into the tomb and she sees angels, the messengers of God and what a message they shared that day. “Woman, why are you weeping.” Her answer is filled with the despair of someone who has lost the most precious thing in life. “They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him.” Mary is still caught up in the confusion and uncertainty of all the events that have taken place in the last few days. From the incredible joy of the Triumphal entry to the horror of the crucifixion and now the theft of Jesus’ body.

She turns away and another voice asks her the same question, “Woman, why weepest thou?” Mary thinks this is the gardener, the caretaker for the cemetery, so with tears in her eyes, grief in her heart and still looking around the garden for any clue where they have taken her Lord’s body, she asks him, “Sir, if you have taken him from here, tell me where you have laid him and I will take him away.”  My, but didn’t she love Jesus? Willing even to risk confronting the tomb robbers, just to reclaim His body.

Then with just one word, everything changes. Jesus says, “Mary.” He may have said it in the language Jesus used with his disciples. He may have spoken in Aramaic, her name, “Mariam.” Then, she knew that voice, that tone, that calling of her to Himself. For Mary of the city of Magdala had been delivered by Jesus from the torment of seven demons. Jesus had called then and she had heard his voice and was delivered, she was saved from the suffering of hell’s demons and now again she hears her name from the lips of Jesus and is delivered from the suffering of hell’s despair.

She responds in Aramaic, “Rabboni” this the highest title she could utter. She had found her beloved teacher, her master, her savior, her Lord.

What Jesus says next in the AV is “Touch me now for I have not yet ascended to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” Some believe Jesus was saying don’t touch me or you will defile me but remember he invites Thomas later on to touch his hands and feel the wounds in his side. No, the phrase here in this context means “Don’t cling to me, don’t become attached to me because I am not going to stay on earth. I am going to our Heavenly Father.”

Mary then goes and tells the disciples what she saw but what they had missed. But only that would only be for a short while.

The Disciple’s Story – John 20:19-25

The Disciples Meet The Risen Lord 26-25

19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, ‘Peace be unto you’. 20 And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21 Then said Jesus to them again, ‘Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you’. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, ‘Receive ye the Holy Ghost. 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.’ 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, ‘We have seen the Lord’. But he said unto them, ‘Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe’.

Mary, the other women and Peter and John were at the tomb just as the day broke. Now it is evening but the same day, Sunday. There are five appearances of Jesus on Sunday and five more before the day of Pentecost. If note the day of the week or the days given from the resurrection. we would find that every appearance was on the first day of the week as was also the Day of Pentecost.

“The Sabbath stands for rest after works and belongs to the dispensation of law. Sunday is the Lord’s Day, the first day of the week, and speaks of life and rest before works.” - Warren W. Wiersbe

Does it matter what day of the week we meet to worship the Lord? If it mattered so much to the Lord that he only appeared on Sunday and sent the Holy Spirit on Sunday and every time we read about the early church meeting its on Sunday, then it would seem it matters a great deal. Sunday is the Lord’s Day because the Lord rose from the grave on Sunday. If like the seventh day Adventist or the Messianic Jews still meet on the Sabbath day then in a very real sense they are denying or at least ignoring the resurrection of the Savior. You can and should worship the Lord at anytime and on every day the spirit moves you but you better make sure you come together on Sunday the Lord’s day if you truly want to honor Him and recognize His victory of sin and death on Sunday.

The disciple and others, Luke tells us, are together at evening they have heard the report from Mary and all the other women. Luke 24:9–11 9 and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

As a group they are still doubtful and unsure of exactly what has happened. John’s account stays with the disciples. They are afraid of the Jewish authorities and have locked themselves in the upper room. They sit down to eat and Jesus invites himself to their supper. Luke tells us just how dramatic this appearance of Jesus was, Luke 24:36-37 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

Jesus calms them down shows them His hands and his side where the terrible nails had been driven through his hands and the spear thrust into his side until it punctured His heart and the water and the blood flowed out.

Then Jesus gives them the first commission for the New Covenant people of God. John 20:21 Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. Later in Matthew 28 the full commission is given but this was all they was needed now.

Jesus also gives them something else, He gives them the Holy Spirit, this before the day of Pentecost. John 20:22-23 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

There are some who say the church was not born until the Day of Pentecost, that it especially lacked the Holy Spirit. Actually, the church was born early in Jesus ministry. It’s instituted in Luke 6:12 and Mark 3:13-14 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. 14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach.

Jesus was their pastor, their shepherd and they functioned as a church and now in John 20 since Jesus will not be with them as He was before they are given the indwelling and the authority of the Holy Spirit to preach the Gospel.

And it is the power of the Gospel that the apostles, the first church can remit sins or retain sins. They can and will say with all full power and authority, “Repent and believe on the risen Lord, Jesus Christ.”

But someone was missing at this appearance of Jesus, John 20:24-25 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

His voice is now the only echo of uncertainty left. That day Mary saw Jesus in the Garden, the women saw Jesus on the way to tell the disciples, 1 Corinthians 15:5 tells us the Peter saw Jesus sometime that day, 1 Corinthians 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: the disciples on the Emmus road that afternoon saw Jesus, and that evening the apostles and those with them saw Jesus appear in their midst through locked doors. Five appearances on Sunday, then look happens on the next Sunday, 8 days later.

Thomas’ Story – John 20:26-31

26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace be unto you’. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, ‘Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands, and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing’. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, ‘My Lord and my God’. 29 Jesus saith unto him, ‘Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed’.

 Thomas Meets The Risen Lord

I know because of this passage we call Thomas “Doubting Thomas” but I find it hard to fault Him. In Thomas, I see myself more than in all the other disciples when Jesus reappeared in that upper room.

Jesus immediately turns to Thomas, He knows the struggle that had been going on in Thomas’ heart. Jesus saw the doubts and fears, the inability to fully understand what had happened, perhaps even the question of why he of all the apostles had been left out when Jesus come to the others.

John 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Aren’t these the same fears, doubts and uncertainties I often feel in trying to follow and obey Jesus. Isn’t that the same challenge I hear Jesus say today? “Don’t be faithless, just believe. Don’t doubt, believe. Don’t faint, believe!”

Jesus doesn’t just show His scars to Thomas as he did with the other apostles a week ago, but instead he says “Put your finger on the wounds in my hand and thrust your hand into my side.” Here is proof, Thomas. “How much of my pain do you need to see, touch and handle to have faith in my resurrection.”

John may have been thinking of this very day when he wrote his first epistle, 1 John 1:1-2 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

But Thomas on that day, does not need to feel the wounds in Jesus’ hands nor thrust his hand into that precious riven side. Like Mary when she sees and hears Jesus call his name, the only response he can make is to call out in joy, wonder and awe, “My Lord and my God!”

From confusion and faltering fear, Thomas moves to confirmation and unfailing faith. Uttering one of the strongest statements of faith found in the Bible. “Jesus you are my Lord and my God!”

Jesus’ last words recorded by John that second Sunday in the upper room are really about us. John 20:29 Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed.

That is you and that is me. We have not seen the wounds that ran with the blood of Jesus. We were not there to see him die on the cross. Nor were we there to see Him return as the Lord of life and champion over hell and death, but we have believed.

There will come a day when will see the wounds for Revelation 5:6 I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain.”

On that day I will weep with joy because of what Jesus did for me, but like Thomas my faith doesn’t need see those wounds for by faith one day I saw him lifted up, the Holy Spirit drew me and when I read Father Forgive them. I heard my name on those suffering lips. And I was blessed, eternally blessed because that day faith came by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Conclusion: That you might believe!

John gives our conclusion

30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 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.

This was also written by John, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, for us today. These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that believing you may have life through His name.

You’ve read the events from God’s word, put there with the specific purpose of bringing you to faith in Jesus. All that is left if for any who hear to believe.

Or perhaps you, like Thomas are struggling in your faith, that’s okay. This message may have been planned for you to see what Thomas saw and once again come to Jesus and give that some proclamation of praise for your Lord and God, Jesus Christ.