4/20/25

Easter Sunday 2025

John 20:1–18 NIV

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Mary and the disciples were surprised on Easter Sunday.

The unexpected is surprising. Sometimes shocking. Sometimes scary.

Sometimes we are surprised by Jesus too.

Surprise #1

—> Jesus isn’t where we thought he would be.

John 20:1–2 “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.””

John 20:9 “for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.”

—> The disciples are disappointed and sad because Jesus isn’t where they thought he should be.

—> They thought he should be in the tomb.

—> They can’t see/find Jesus because they aren’t looking for him in the right place.

—> Jesus isn’t just in the church, he is everywhere.

—> Jesus isn’t just in the safety of the boat he is out on the stormy sea.

—> He isn’t just teaching in the Temple he is healing the blind, the lame, and the leper.

—> Jesus isn’t who we thought he would be.

John 20:14–18 “Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she 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 in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.”

—> Mary doesn’t recognize Jesus because she isn’t looking for him.

—> Mary doesn’t immediately recognize Jesus because she thinks he is someone else.

— What would happen if we start looking for Jesus in everyone around us?

—> Maybe we aren’t looking for the right Jesus either

—> The disciples and Mary were surprised because they were expecting a dead Jesus.

—> Jesus is alive and active both in John ch. 20 and today.

—> We don’t expect and active Jesus because we’ve never witnessed personally an active Jesus.

—> Ask, try, challenge, see what Jesus is really capable of