3 Keys To Sharing The Gospel From The Resurrection

What events could cause a man to go to his death willingly, not just willingly buy joyfully. It is the events of the Gospel that can change a person to do this. It is the power of the Gospel that changes people inside and out. Such is the story of Ignatius.

Ignatius was condemned to death because he professed Christ. At the time, he was living in Antioch, next in line as bishop after Peter. As he made the trip from Syria to Rome, he preached under heavy guard; he preached to the churches he passed and asked the church in Rome not to try to save him. Condemned to be thrown to the lions, Ignatius replied, “I am the wheat of Christ: I am going to be ground with the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread.”

Historical/Cultural Context -

The Gospel of John was written between 90 AD and 100 AD. Scholars also believe that John wrote the three Epistles and the book of Revelation around the same time-frame as he wrote this Gospel. The Gospel of John was written after Matthew, Mark, & Luke had been written and circulated. John has been dubbed by most scholars as “The Spiritual Gospel.”

Biblical Text -

John 19:38–20:18 NKJV

After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby. Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - When Sharing The Gospel Preparation Is Important, It’s All About Him & We Must Do Things His Way.

Life Point- Preparation Is Important

Exegetical -

John 19:38–42 NKJV

After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.

Homiletical -

After Jesus’s body is taken off the cross Joseph of Arimathea who is a disciple of Jesus, but is secretly a disciple because he feared the Jewish leadership goes to Pilate and asks for the body, which Pilate grants.

Nicodemus who is a disciple of Christ but first came by night comes also and he brings a mixture of myrrh and aloes for the body.

Jesus is buried according to Jewish custom whereby strips of linen and spices are applied to the body for burial.

Now this was a big deal for both Joseph and Nicodemus. Jesus was a controversial and political figure. Asking for this body could wreck Joseph’s business and destroy Nicodemus’s religious standing in the Jewish community.

But do you know what happened? They saw what Jesus did for them on that cross and they couldn’t idly stand by and watch His body be put on a trash heap. That, by the way, is where His body was headed. That is what they did with victims of crucifixion.

But these men showed compassion and reverence, even if they didn’t know the resurrection was coming yet.

Jesus is laid in a new tomb where no one had been laid before and a stone was placed in front of it.

This was not some flimsy stone it was big, round, and heavy. You needed strong men to move this thing.

Also, this wasn’t a cheap proposition, this was a tomb of a rich man, the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. But this is where they laid Him.

You see they prepared the body of Christ, whether they knew it or not, for something that was about to take place. The preparation was important and so it is with us when God calls us to do something, the preparation for what God has called us to do is important.

Now, in this room we know that Jesus will rise from the grave in three days, but what is the significance of that event?

“In Leviticus 16, it is prescribed that on one day each year—Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement—the high priest was to trade his beautiful priestly robes for the simple linen robes worn by his fellow priests. And what did the high priest do on the Day of Atonement? He went through the veil into the Holy of Holies to sprinkle blood on the lid, or mercy seat, of the ark of the covenant—the two- foot-by-three foot box that held the Ten Commandments. If he were defiled, he would stay in that place as a dead man and would later have to be pulled out with a rope. But if he wasn’t defiled, he would walk out into the courtyard of the temple to the jubilant cries of the people who knew they were forgiven for another year.”

Jesus is our once for all sacrifice for our sins and this kind of offering is no longer needed. He is our great High Priest inside the tomb. He will emerge which shows us that we are free from the bondage of sin and death and have been translated into the kingdom of the Lord.

Colossians 1:13–18 NKJV

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Life Point - Saving Faith Is What It’s All About

Exegetical -

John 20:1–11 NKJV

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.

Homiletical -

You ever wonder why we worship on the first day of the week? It is because Jesus was raised on the first day of the week.

Here Mary goes to continue to take care of the body of Christ which is in accordance with Jewish tradition, only this day when she visits the heavy stone is already rolled away.

She is a bit freaked out, she has no idea what happened so she assumes someone has taken His body and she runs to tell Peter and John. They run to see it. John gets there before Peter but doesn’t go in, he just stoops down and looks into the place.

Peter goes in, because he is Peter and He always runs into places where others fear to go, and what do they find?

They find the strips of cloth laying in a heap and the head covering folded and put neatly in another place.

Now these guys don’t know the Scripture that says He must rise again, so you know they are perplexed and each of them go to their own homes. Probably to try and figure out what it all means.

These guys are in shock. You know how I know this? Because they left poor May outside the tomb weeping. So she is weeping and looking into the tomb.

Notice the process here:

1) John came to the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.

2) Then Peter comes and He studies the linen cloths and the head covering more closely

3) Then they get the idea that something tremendous has happened.

The same is true for us as we study the scriptures and as our faith progresses. We are first shown a piece of information, by a teacher or read in the Bible. Then you give that information more thought down the road. Finally a moment comes when you really get that information, not just a head knowledge but a faith knowledge a heart knowledge. It becomes apart of who you are and what you are about. This is the progression of saving faith.

Life Point - We Must Do God’s Will, His Way

Exegetical -

John 20:11–19 NKJV

But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her. 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, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Homiletical -

So the men had already left bewildered and when Mary looks in she see two angles. One at the head and one at the foot of where Jesus laid. They asked why she is crying and she responds that someone has taken Jesus’s body and she doesn’t know where.

She is so distraught she doesn’t recognize Jesus standing there, maybe it was too much for her to comprehend at that moment but she thought he was gardener.

Jesus calls her name and she turns and recognizes Him finally. Yet Jesus says “Don’t cling to me for I have not yet ascended to My Father” Then He gives her a task to do and that is to tell the others that Jesus is risen and is ascending The Father.

Jesus always gives us a task to do once we recognize His sacrifice and resurrection. Once we have surrendered ourselves to Him and become a believer, He gives us a task. Go and tell others about Him. If you haven’t been doing that task, then you are actually in sin. He commanded that we go and tell others. Will you do that? It ain’t optional, it is a command.

Then what happens? Well then Mary tells the disciples and they do what good Baptists do today and they have a meeting about it. But they are still afraid of the Jewish leadership and what they might do to them and they meet in a room with no A/C and close all the doors. I can only imagine how hot it must have been in there.

Then what happens? The same thing that happens when God wants to mess up our meetings today, He shows up. Right in there midst.

Ever heard the phrase, “Man plans and God laughs.” Yeah there is some truth to that, if your plans don’t match up with God’s plans He likes to come in and mess them all up.

He takes our plans and says, I don’t think so. Do It my way.

Proverbs 14:12 NLT

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

Life Principle– When Sharing The Gospel Preparation Is Important, It’s All About Him & We Must Do Things His Way.

Call to Action – altar call….