When The Disciples Saw The Resurrected Lord

John 20:18–20 NASB95

Mary Magdalene *came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her. So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, “Peace be with you.” And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Introduction:

Today, we are here in a church building, as THE Church of our living savior.… Ephesians 2:20 “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,”

2000 years ago THIS Church began because there was a man who lived and died and was RAISED, and taught His sheep the inerrant truth that we have preserved before us in our Bibles. That man shaped and changed the physical and spiritual lives of countless people. And it’s because of Him that I stand here today.

Every Sunday we celebrate resurrection Sunday so this one is no different… however we would be ignorant to belittle a great day such as this. A day that changed history. A day that opened an eternal door to salvation for all who believe on His name.

This morning I want us to look at 3 verses in the book of John, that paint a grandiose picture of when the disciples saw Jesus for the FIRST time post-resurrection.

Context:

Jesus had been buried days before, but early Sunday morning Mary Magdalene came to the tomb.

It was open

She told Peter and John

They ran to the tomb, saw the cloth and linen wrappings, but didn't perceive the scripture that He must be raised (verse 9)

Mary, as she’s weeping at the tomb, sees 2 angels in white, and looks behind her seeing someone she thought to be a gardener! But no, it was Jesus.

He told her He must ascend to the Father, and to tell these things to His disciples

They Heard (18)

Verse:

Mary ANNOUNCED… “I have seen the Lord!”

Mary SHARED… “the things that He had said”

No greater news!

Not the birth of a child

Not overcoming cancer

Not finally finishing your taxes!

NO news, No message could EVER compare! I HAVE seen the Lord! He is ALIVE and the TOMB is empty!

Application:

The empty tomb is a historical fact that can’t be erased from the history books.

Romans 10:17 “17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

They Saw (19)

Verse:

“When it was EVENING”

ALL DAY they waited!

“Could it possibly be TRUE that our Lord is alive? … We SAW him die, We saw him buried, We mourned for 3 days!!”

“Jesus stood in their midst”

If there was any doubt in the minds of the disciples about the claims of Jesus, they were all put to rest. For they saw the risen Lord, and heard the Prince of PEACE… say “Peace be with you.”

“Hands and Side”

There is no denying it, this is He who died upon the Roman cross.

John 1:14 “14 … And we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Application:

For the one who sees Jesus for who He truly is… there is only ONE response… to rejoice.

They Rejoiced (20)

Verse:

Means: ‘A willful expression of joy’

John 16:22 “22 “Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.”

Application:

Philippians 3:1 “1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.”

Conclusion:

“Have you seen Jesus my Lord? He’s here in plain view.

Take a look, open your eyes, He’ll show it to you.”

You have HEARD the capitulating news

You have SEEN the testimony of John, an eye-witness

You may REJOICE because Jesus defeated death, for you.

Thomas, one of the disciples, was away when Jesus appeared to them. John 20:25

John 20:25 NASB95

So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

8 days later, Jesus appeared to them again with Thomas there too. And after feeling the pierced hands and side for himself he cried out: “My Lord and my God!”

In the fullness of time, the Father executed His eternal plan for mankind.

Sent the 2nd person of the Godhead, downnnn from heaven, and put Him in the womb of a virgin named Mary.

And that baby was born in a little dirt town called Bethlehem that had a bad reputation. In a manure ridden stable! And laid in a cow trough

And He grew in wisdom / favor / stature with God and man, until His earthy ministry began.

But right before it did, the Devil came at Him, remember? Just like the Devil has come to all of us… LURING us to disobey the moral law of God.

And how successful was the devil in getting us to disobey the moral law of God? Partially successful? 50% successful? NO 100% successful with one, thank God COLOSSAL exception, and His name is Jesus.

Jesus was tempted in all parts as we are, Yet… Without… Sin

Jesus did not fight the Devil on the battlefield of POWER, that would be ridiculous. He could’ve BARELY glanced at him and he’d be burnt to a crisp!

No, it wasn’t on the battlefield of POWER… it was on the battlefield of God’s moral law.

Thats where Jesus won our salvation, by perfectly obeying God’s moral law

And as a PERFECT SACRIFICE, He went and climbed up voluntarily on a piece of cedar, on a cross… hung there after enduring a Roman scourging, for 6 agonizing hours

If we think about the physical suffering He endured, it was terrible. But nothing to be compared, with what caused the blood to come from the pores of His skin in the Garden and on the cross… to be the sin bearer of all the people who had ever sinned, who sinned in His day, and that would ever sin in the history of the world

His holy soul had never known what it felt like to even have one sin against Him.

And when the Father looked at Him, the Father would be delighted, always delighted, “This is my Beloved Son in whom I am WELL pleased”

And suddenly, Jesus was made to be sin for us… who KNEW no SIN! That we might be made the righteousness of God in Him

So if there’s anyone here today who thinks that in ANY way you can save yourself by your own power… Paul tells you how you could do it, draws it up for you.

You’d have to first figure out what the prophets couldn’t figure out… Devil… Angels. Once you figure out what NO ONE ELSE figured out in the history of the world that you need a sacrifice, a perfect sacrifice

You’d have to reach with this weak ARM INTO heaven to bring Christ down! And after living a perfect life and dying on the cross… you’d have to reach with this weak ARM, reach into the tomb, and bring Him back from the dead.

Thats what it would take for me to save myself. Because that’s what it took for GOD to save us!

No wonder the apostle Paul said, I glory ONLY in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Today we glory in that man upon that cross, because His perfect blood is able and capable of cleansing all my sin.

Have YOUR sins been nailed to the cross?

There’s only one way you can be in fellowship with a holy God who cannot tolerate even ONE sin under the moral law… You cant have any sin in your life.

There’s only been ONE thing in the history of the world that can cleanse sin!

Not law keeping Acts 13:38-39.

Not the blood of bulls and goats Hebrews 10:4.

Not good works Rom 3:19-20.

Only ONE thing can cleanse sin in the HISTORY of the world, and you fill in the blank what was it? The blood of Jesus

He who BELIEVES… and is BAPTIZED… will be saved Mark 16:16.

Have you been baptized into the death burial and resurrection of Jesus?

Behold, today is the day of salvation

Don’t wait another second. Don’t wait another second. Come to Christ today, as we stand and sing