Grave Robber — John 20

John 20:1-29

The Darkness of Night

sabbath and silence of the first garden was a holy hush in this garden…leading to a new creation.

Jesus completed His work on the 6th day. Enter rest on the 7th day (sabbath saturday) and rose on the 1st day of a new week. A new creation was coming.

Jesus really does turn graves into gardens.

John deliberately echoes the language of Genesis 1.

Just as creation began on “the first day,” so now a new creation begins with Jesus’ resurrection.

• The garden setting (v.15) recalls the Garden of Eden—but this time, the Gardener (Christ) is restoring what was lost.

• The empty tomb symbolizes the undoing of sin and death, the reversal of the curse.

• Jesus’ resurrected body is the firstfruits of a renewed humanity (1 Cor. 15:20).

The resurrection is not merely proof of life after death; it is the dawn of new creation life breaking into the old world.

Mary did something brilliant, in the darkness of night, in the sorrow of her soul, and the tears keeping clouding her ability to see…she ran and got someone else.

You need others in times of darkness. You cannot face trials on your own. You need poeple in your corner, before you get backed into a corner. Don’t wait for a crisis to build rich community.

Light comes at dawn. Dawn of your NEW DAY is coming.

“I need more than a cliché, you might say. And that’s true. You need the power of the risen Christ. Yet in the light of Jesus, the darkness is defeated. Resurrection is coming. He’s gone into the trenches and led the way through to the other side. All shall be raised. “As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”[5] Death no longer has the last word on your story; Christ does—he is the Resurrection and the Life. Darkness no longer has the last word; light does—he is the Light of the World. Destruction no longer has the last word; love does—he is the lover of your soul. This means you can hold on when hope is gone. A new day has dawned. Even when you can’t see it yet.”

Inconceivable…until you come to see it.

sometimes we don’t have a grid to see something, until we see it.

parents love for a kid

The Earth orbits the sun (Copernican Revolution, 1500s)

For millennia, nearly everyone assumed the Earth was the fixed center of the universe.

When Copernicus and later Galileo proved otherwise, it overturned centuries of worldview — an idea literally inconceivable in its day.

Human flight (Wright Brothers, 1903)

Experts claimed “heavier-than-air flight” was impossible.\

Just decades later, air travel became commonplace — and by 1969, humans were walking on the moon.

Instant global communication (Internet, 1990s)

in the mid-20th century, the idea of real-time video calls or sharing information instantly across continents sounded like science fiction.

Now it’s ordinary life.

“People will pay money for water in a bottle.”

1970s: inconceivable.

Today: we compare brands of fancy bottled water. (And pay $6 for “glacier essence.”)

“You’ll talk to your house — and it will answer.”

1990s: that’s a haunted mansion.

2020s: “Alexa, turn on the lights.”

“Your car will yell at you for crossing a lane, but can’t stop you from driving into a Taco Bell.”

The future is mostly smart.

Mary couldn’t conceive that it would be Jesus.

Peter saw the cloths but struggled to grasp anything positive.

Thomas heard the report but couldn’t believe without seeing and touching it.

perhaps thomas wasn’t so much doubting their words, just couldn’t conceive why Jesus showed up to them and not Him.

perhaps he couldn’t grasp Jesus’ love without tangible proof.

many poepel need that same proof…which is why we bring faith to life.

Jesus told him to touch the scars in the side and hands.

…Hebrews 11:1 “1 Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.”

…our faith is the embodiment/substance of hope that others get to touch and see Jesus is real.

…Jesus sends us like He was sent…incarnated, indwelt, infused with Kingdom mission

It’s the renewal of the image of God in humanity: a people who represent God to the world.

Hands and side were pierced. Both experience wounding…but now are scars.

Healing brings scaring. Scars are proof of God’s loving mercy in our life.

1 Corinthians 2:9 “9 But as it is written, What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived— God has prepared these things for those who love him.”

Who is it you seek?

two gardens. same question.

The guards and Mary.

What is crushing you? It may reveal what you’ve been seeking, isn’t going to satisfy.

False Seeking: Control, security, predictability. We cling to power, routines, relationships, or financial stability to feel safe.

False Seeking: Romantic fulfillment, approval, likes, attention. We chase relationships or affirmation to fill the ache of being unloved.

False Seeking: Achievement, productivity, ministry success, perfectionism. We try to prove our worth through what we do or how well we perform.

False Seeking: Titles, causes, platforms, influence. We define purpose by impact rather than intimacy with God.

False Seeking: Recognition, being noticed, leaving a legacy. We chase validation — wanting to be seen, heard, and remembered. Crisis Moment: Being overlooked or forgotten feels like annihilation.

What have you been chasing that has crushed you, but cannot resurrect you?

Jesus, in the moments of our crushing:

1. Called by name

Mary heard her master call her name.

Each encounter reflects the personal, restoring love of God — He meets people in their weakness (grief, fear, doubt) and transforms them.

The risen Christ restores relationship — between God and humanity, and within the human heart.

2. Don’t Cling

we have a tendency to cling when we feel crushed.

Yet Jesus doesn’t want us to cling to Him, rather He invites us to commune and be commissioned.

3. Gives Peace

Mentions three times from vs 19-29

over 90x in NT

John is shouting the fullness of Jesus bringing wholeness, full shaloam.

Peace of Jesus is not of this world. It is not found in circumstances, but in our daily communion.

ĕirēnē, (i-ray´-nay)….ĕirō (to join); prosperity:—one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again

Peace (wholeness or union) occurs when we invite the Spirit of God to breathe on the crushed places of our life.

John 20:22 “22 After saying this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Genesis 2:7 “7 Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.”

Ezekiel 37:9 “9 He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man. Say to it: This is what the Lord God says: Breath, come from the four winds and breathe into these slain so that they may live!””

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Talk it Over (being honest & open with friends, a spouse, or your Group)

The message was about Jesus’ resurrection and promised peace. What is one idea from Sunday’s message that impacted you?

Read John 20 as a group. What is the Holy Spirit saying through these verses?

What significance does the empty tomb hold in the context of sin and death, and how does this relate to our understanding of redemption?

In what ways can we support one another during times of darkness and sorrow, similar to how Mary sought out help?

What are some false sources of security that you may be clinging to, and how can you seek fulfillment in Christ instead?

How can we embody the peace of Jesus in our daily lives, especially in moments of turmoil or grief? What are some other verses in the New Testament that come to your mind when peace is needed?