See and Believe

Introduction

Our text for this Resurrection Sunday is taken from the lectionary reading for today. It is John 20:1-10. It recounts the finding of the empty tomb by Mary Magdalene and Peter and John. This chapter ends with Jesus appearing to first Mary, then to the Apostles without Thomas, and then to the Apostles with Thomas. Then it says:

John 20:30–31 LSB

Therefore many other signs Jesus also did in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

The title of this message is See and Believe.

In Peter Leithart’s survey of the Gospels, he points out that throughout the book of John, many people seek Jesus for various reasons: The Jews seek Jesus to kill Him. Many seek Jesus because of His miracles. In our text today, we will find Mary seeking Jesus because she wants to know where His body is.

And Jesus proves to be elusive. He is not found by the Jews until the proper time, and then when they find Him, they fall to the ground. And Mary does not even recognize Him when she finds Him. Why is this? What does it mean?

Jeremiah 29:13–14 LSB

‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. ‘I will be found by you,’ declares Yahweh, ‘and I will return your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have banished you,’ declares Yahweh, ‘and I will cause you to return to the place from where I sent you into exile.’

Jesus is found by those who truly seek Him. In the Song of Solomon, the bride loses her beloved and seeks him. And some believe that Jesus alludes to this passage when He says “I stand at the door and knock.” Similarly, it is when the bride fails to open the door to her beloved who is knocking, that she loses him. She then diligently searches for him until he is found. Many have seen Song of Solomon as an allegory for Christ and His church, and so some believe that Mary Magdalene, searching for Jesus, also pictures this: It is a picture of the believer searching for His Lord.

But Jesus allows Himself to be missed by those who are looking for Him for the wrong reasons. Why was He speaking in parables? So that in hearing they would not understand. He is presenting people with excuses to not see and believe. If you want to persist in your unbelief, you may. And you will probably find some good reasons to do so.

But, if you truly desire to see Jesus, He will be found by you. If you truly desire to see Jesus, then I believe that you are already on the right path.

And lest we think that we have the ability to find Jesus of our own free will, look to the example of Mary Magdalene. It was not when she saw Jesus that she believed, but only when He called her by name. Jesus says, “my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me.” So, it seems that those who seek Jesus, will be found by Him.

Do you know the voice of Jesus? Will you see Him? Will you believe? These are the questions I want us to ponder as we consider this text. My outline is simple. We will focus our attention on the visible evidences that Jesus left for His seekers so that they would know He had arisen from the dead.

Outline:

No stone (v. 1-2)

Linen wrappings (v. 3-5)

Facecloth (v. 6-7)

Belief (v. 8-10)

Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to illumine our hearts and minds as we hear God’s Word read.

Pray. Read the text.

No Stone (v. 1-2)

John 20:1–2 LSB

Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. So 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.”

“...first day of the week...”

This is Sunday.

“...Mary Magdalene...”

One of the most prominent followers of Jesus throughout His entire ministry.

Luke 8:2 tells us that she had seven demons cast out of her by Jesus.

John 19:25 tells us that she was present during the crucifixion.

Matthew 27:61 tells us that she was present during the burial.

And now, she is not only one of the first people to see the empty tomb, but He appears to her first in the very next verses. She is the first person to see the risen Lord.

“...saw the stone already taken away from the tomb...”

But before she actually sees Jesus, we should note the progressive nature of this text. Each person sees something more indicative of the resurrection than the last person. Mary simply sees the rolled away stone. What did she see? She saw an empty tomb, but she did not yet believe. The emphasis is on seeing and not believing. She saw the empty tomb and she only saw an empty tomb, she did not see a risen Lord.

Later on, Jesus will say “blessed are those who believed without seeing.” I think this means, “blessed are those who do not need to see me in the flesh in order to believe that I have risen from the dead.” And that is what is being communicated here: she saw, but she did not believe.

Linen wrappings (v. 3-5)

John 20:3–5 LSB

So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. And the two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in.

“...he saw the linen wrappings lying there...”

Mary saw the rolled away stone, John now sees the linen wrappings. The used grave clothes. He sees more but does not yet believe. There is an empty tomb, and body-less grave clothes, but they still do not see the resurrected Lord.

“...the two were running together...”

Something should be said about the footrace. Calvin argues that the slowness of Peter may reflect his slower faith. Some say that John’s youth led to his faster running.

I wonder, let me emphasize wonder, about whether or not this was added as an allusion to the only other footrace recorded in Scripture: 2 Samuel 18:19-33. I did not find any commentators who mention this so please take it with a grain of salt.

After Joab kills Absalom, he purposes to send the Cushite to tell David. However, Ahimaaz, in his zeal, requests to be the one sent.

Joab declines the offer and sends the Cushite. Ahimaaz is persistent, so Joab relents and allows him to go. He passes the Cushite and gives the news first to David regarding the victory. But he does not tell David of the death of Absalom.

The Cushite arrives shortly after and tells David of the death of Absalom.

This is speculative, however, in both cases, the zeal of John for Jesus, and the zeal of Ahimaaz for David result in faster running. Yet, it is the second person in both cases who have more revealed. Peter sees the folded facecloth, and the Cushite tells David the truth he was longing to know.

Facecloth (v. 6-7)

John 20:6–7 LSB

And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but folded up in a place by itself.

Peter also sees the linen wrappings, but he then sees the face-cloth, or napkin. And it is not discarded in a hurried manner, but neatly folded in a place by itself. This emphasizes the ordered manner in which it was laid aside as no longer necessary. Very strong proof that the body was not moved, because they would have needed both the napkin and the grave clothes. But even more than that, the folding of this napkin seems to imply that it was laid aside. Like when you get up from sleeping and you take off your pajamas, fold them, and lay them aside. It is a strong implication that Jesus laid aside this garment because He woke up.

Belief (v. 8-10)

John 20:8–10 LSB

So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again to where they were staying.

There is some disagreement about what exactly John believed. Some say it was Mary’s report: now that he had seen the empty tomb, the grave cloths, and the folded napkin, now he could believe the report of a mere woman. Calvin is not of this opinion:

John, therefore, accuses himself, when he acknowledges that the first time that he believed was, when he beheld the proofs of Christ’s resurrection. Besides, he represents more strongly his own guilt and that of his brethren, by adding, that they not only had forgotten the words of Christ, but that they did not believe the Scriptures; for to this ignorance he ascribes the deficiency of their faith. Hence, too, we may draw a useful instruction, that we ought to ascribe it to our carelessness, when we are ignorant of what we ought to know about Christ, because we have not profited as we ought to have done by the Scriptures, which clearly reveal the excellence of Christ.

(John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on the Gospel according to John, vol. 2 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 252.)

So it seems at this point in John’s Gospel is when he believed that Jesus had risen from the dead. That Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God. After having spent three years with Jesus in the flesh, witnessing miracles, demons cast out, storms calmed, the blind receiving sight, the lame walking, it was only after seeing the stone rolled away, the empty grave clothes, and the folded face cloth, that John finally believed.

See and believe

A harmony of the Gospels is here warranted:

Mary Magdalene with a group of other women set out on a two-mile trek to the tomb with spices to anoint Christ’s body, while it is still dark.

Along the way, they wonder who will move the stone for them.

When they arrive, they see the stone is already rolled away and that the tomb is empty.

Mary Magdalene immediately leaves and tells Peter and John.

They come running to see for themselves and then go back to where they were staying.

After they leave, the women who have remained, see the angles.

Then Mary Magdalene comes back and weeps next to the tomb.

She also then sees the angels and then ultimately is the first to see Jesus.

The Christian Sabbath

It is noteworthy that Jesus rose on the first day of the week. Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon on the perpetuity, or continuation, of the 4th commandment (remember the sabbath) makes the point that one of the groundings for sabbath observance in Deuteronomy 5:14-15 is that they were delivered from Egypt by the mighty hand of God. Edwards says that since the substance has appeared, namely, Christ’s deliverance of His people from the bondage of sin and death, that now, this freedom in Christ is the grounding for our sabbath observance.

Bondage in Egypt represented, or was a type of, mankind’s bondage in sin. Moses, as a type of Christ, delivered them from Egypt. Then they were to observe the Sabbath to remember their deliverance. Now, the very substance that those types and shadows represented has come: Jesus has rescued His people from sin and death. Now, this serves as our ground for the observance of the Christian sabbath.

This is a solid argument from Jonathan Edwards for the continuance of observing a special day of rest. One day in seven, to be set apart, holy to Yahweh. And it also then makes sense for this Holy day of sabbath to be the same day on which the church gathers to remember our covenant of rest in Christ.

What are you looking at?

What is it that has your focus? Is it wealth? Fame? Skills? Reputation? Is it retaking America? The question that the angels ask the women in Luke is telling, “why do you seek the living among the dead?” I think the same thing could be asked of all of us at various times when we find ourselves distracted by meaningless pursuits. Or allowing ourselves to dwell in sin, or harboring sin in our hearts: Why are we seeking life among dead things?

Colossians 3:5–15 “Therefore, consider the members of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. On account of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, lay them all aside: wrath, anger, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you put off the old man with its evil practices, and have put on the new man who is being renewed to a full knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, and freeman, but Christ is all and in all. So, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and graciously forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, just as…”

These things = death. Put them away. Yet, it seems to us very often that these things are the very meaning of life: I don’t want to give up my wrath and anger. I want to revel in it. I don’t want to forgive, I want to resent. The mere thought of giving up these feelings of resentment and anger seems like it will kill us. And it will. Because if we have been buried into Christ, we have been buried into His death. We must die. Die to ourselves, and live unto Christ. Christ’s commandments ought to be what guides our thoughts and desires now. For to live is Christ, to die is gain.

Seek Jesus

Remember those questions I asked at the beginning? Do you know the voice of Jesus? Will you see Him? Will you believe? What will it take for you? Will it take Jesus standing in the flesh before you? Will it take you putting your finger into his wounds to prove that it is actually Him alive? Or, will it be the empty tomb and the discarded grave clothes?

Or will it be the proclamation of this truth: that Jesus has arisen from the dead and ascended up into heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father. And He has sent His ministers into the World to tell His people that He has saved them from their sin. And He has sent gifts, tokens, signs, for His people to know that the things proclaimed are not only offered to them, but really and truly may be possessed, by them, through faith.

So, will you see Jesus, believe, and live?

I want to end once again with a poem. This is how the poem I read last week ends. It is by William Cowper and titled Truth.

“All joy to the bliever! He can speak -

Trembling yet happy, confident yet meek.

Since the dear hour that brought me to they foot

And cut up all my follies by the root,

I never trusted in an arm but thine,

Nor hoped, but in thy righteousness divine:

My prayers and alms, imperfect and defiled,

Were but the feeble efforts of a child;

Howe’er performed, it was their brightest part,

That they proceeded from a grateful heart:

Cleansed in thine own all-purifying blood,

Forgive their evil and accept their good:

I cast them at they feet - my only plea

Is what it was, dependence upon thee:

While struggling in the vale of tears below,

That never fail’d, nor shall it fail me now.

Angelic gratulations rend the skies,

Pride falls unpitied, never more to rise,

Humility is crown’d, and Faith receives the prize.”

If you seek Yahweh, He will be found by you. Even though our seeking as a feeble child. It is imperfect and defiled, in the words of Cowper. But, Jesus, our Good Shepherd will, despite our efforts, bring us to Himself, by His own means, in His own way, and in His own time. Seek Him. Believe and live.

Let’s Pray

The Lord’s Supper

Hebrews 10:19–23 LSB

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

In the Lord’s Supper, the bread and wine that are offered to you are supposed to represent something. They are supposed to represent the torn flesh and poured out blood of Jesus Christ Himself. The One who gave us access into the Holy place. The One who gave us peace with God.

This text says, “He who promised is faithful.” Do you believe that? Do you believe that the very God who promised that if you have faith in Jesus, you will be saved, do you believe He is telling you the Truth? Do you believe that when you receive these visible signs, that it is the same as if Christ Himself is being offered to you?

When we disbelieve these things, then we are saying that God is not faithful. He has not given us these things for our salvation. He has tricked us. This is a heinous way of thinking that must be repented of.

God is not tricking you. He is not making things difficult to understand. He is offering salvation to you. All that you have to do is accept it by faith.

You know the truth, that Jesus died for you, so draw near to this table of peace with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith. Knowing that He who promised is faithful.

Let’s pray.