The Resurrection: "An Empty Tomb"

John 20:1–18 ESV

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.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 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.

Sermon Primer

“The Missing Body”

Imagine waking up before sunrise to go visit the grave of someone you deeply love who has been brutally murdered beyond recognition.

The world is quiet. The sky is still dark. Everything feels heavy.

You’re not going there for answers—you’re going there because love won’t let you stay away. Love compels you to go.

Now imagine you arrive… and the grave is disturbed.

The stone is moved. The grave is opened.

And suddenly your grief turns into panic.

Your mind races:

“Who would do this?”

“Why would they take him?”

“Where is he?”

You run to tell others who are waiting back in Jerusalem. They come and look.

They see the evidence… but no one understands it.

And then—everyone leaves.

But you stay. You linger behind.

Because when love is real, it lingers—even when hope feels gone and darkness covers your soul.

This is the scene we find at the tomb in John’s gospel.

The only way we can interpret the events and understand the appearance of Christ after His crucifixion is to accept that the resurrection actually took place as recorded in the Gospel of John. 

The Gospel of John possibly has one of the most detailed accounts of the resurrection among the four gospel accounts. It is commonly believed that his stories are more theological than historical and that they are the furthest removed from the events themselves. 

However, I would assert that John’s account is possibly one of the most historically driven accounts of the resurrection.

John addresses the age-old problem the world faces today: the problem of FAITH. 

BIG IDEA: We Don’t Live for the Seen But the Unseen

There is a familiar saying that we popularized by the 1994 film, The Santa Clause; seeing is believing.

In the Movie The Polar Express, the conductor gives a similar quote but He turns it on it’s head when he say’s. “Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things that we cannot see.

What did Jesus followers expect to see when they went to the tomb?

You have all heard the people say, “show me a miracle and I’ll believe.” But even if they saw a genuine miracle, they would still doubt it or look for a naturalistic explanation and find other ways to continue in their unbelief. In fact we read in Romans 1:18-20 that all people have been given adequate evidence for belief.

In fact if any miracle would have made people fall on their face in belief it would have been the raising of Lazarus.

However, not long after the raising of Lazarus they sent Jesus to the cross.

Birth and death are common human experiences, they are unavoidable. The short time of human life between the womb and the tomb is described by God as a vapor. (Ps. 39:5)

Your life lasts no longer than the steam in your morning shower.

We’re like the grass in our backyards: green, lush, and healthy one day, withered and dying the next. This is Mary’s mind-set when Jesus dies. She goes looking for his body, the part of him that’s left when his life is extinguished.

Prior to the resurrection, every one of us walked around with an executioners blade above our throats. Living not quiet sure when the fatal blow would be rendered.

Jesus disarmed death and showed what awaits those who are His once they pass from death into life.

The writer of Hebrews said that through his death, Jesus destroyed the one who has the power of death, the devil, and delivered all those “who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death” (Heb 2:15). The fear of death causes us to try to minimize the effects of aging. We’re told, “Be younger, eat healthier, color your hair, and remove wrinkles.” We don’t want to face the truth. We’re aging, and every day we live brings us closer to the grave.

vs. 1-10

1. The Empty Tomb Leaves us Searching

Evidence Without Understanding Leads to Confusion

Are You Standing at the Tomb or in the Garden?

The Empty Tomb Leaves Confusion in the Darkness

Note: notice that John is the only one who mentions the darkness. This could refer to both physical and spiritual darkness that existed in the world.

DELIMA OF THE MISSING BODY

So, Mary came to the tomb while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had already been rolled away from the tomb. She did not look in the tomb to verify the body but immediately ran to Peter and the other disciple and said to them they took the body of Jesus but, I do not know where they took Him.

I think it is interesting that Mary had assumed Jesus was gone, even though she had not verified that the body was taken.

Peter and the disciples immediately take off for the tomb, you would have thought Peter would have been leading the pack but for some reason it seems he is holding back.

RACE TO THE TOMB

The other disciples reached the tomb first, looked in, saw the grave clothes lying there, but did not go in. 

Peter arrived at the tomb and also looked inside, confirming the same thing; however, he went in. He saw the wrapping lying there and the face cloth. It is noted that the face cloth wrapped around the head was lying separately from the other grave clothes and was neatly folded to the side. 

Now the other disciples went into the tomb to verify what Peter was seeing, and it says that they “saw and believed.” 

*We can come to a belief apart from Understanding

Many people assume that they must have all the answers before they can come to faith in Christ. Remember that seeing is not necessarily believing.

The question is, what does it mean that they saw and believed? We read that they saw and believed without understanding the Resurrection.

THE ENTRY INTO THE TOMB

Archaeological excavation affords us a distinct impression of the kind of tomb used for Jesus. As well as being quarried from rock, expensive tombs like Joseph’s would have been sealed with a disc-like stone which was rolled down a sloping groove across the door. Thus, while relatively easy to close, it would require several strong men to open it.

Apologetic of arriving at the tomb.

The beloved disciple is reluctant to enter the tomb but knee’s down because the opening would have been about three feet high, looking in he saw the expensive Lenin wrappings lying beside where Jesus body had been. What robber when stealing a body takes the time to neatly unwrap the linen and fold the face cloth before they escape? Understanding begins to dawn on him.

Peter arrives second but does not hesitate, but goes right into the tomb. Peter also verifies the clothes. Specifically, the strips of linen and face cloth. This also is leading to the same conclusion that grave robbers did not take the body but Jesus must have purposefully and carefully taken the grave clothes off laying them aside to be seen.

This graphic first presents the point to eyewitnesses and then to the theological significance within the details.

Bodies were typically bound tightly to hold the spices placed on them; therefore, they would be difficult to remove. Suggesting that Jesus must have passed through the garments and then neatly laid them aside. 

It is becoming fairly common to label this the seventh sign-miracle of John’s Gospel, with two official witnesses (Deut 19:15) along with the women whom God was also labeling witnesses of the resurrection

What does John Believe when he enters the tomb?

He believes Jesus rose from the dead (20:8–10). He doesn’t completely understand it—all of the puzzle pieces won’t fit together until later—but he believes. The appearance of angels confirms what John believes (vv. 11–13). Jesus’s missing body is not due to grave robbers but to the all-powerful hands of God. I wonder if the angels’ question to Mary isn’t a slight rebuke. At this point she still hasn’t considered the possibility Jesus is alive. All she can think about is where his body is, not where he is.

*There is a Difference Between Seeing and Believing

Remember that John enters the tomb and saw, now he is trying process what he does not see.

Honestly, this is at the core of our forensic science today. It is all about looking beyond what your eyes see to the greater story you are not seeing. 

Important Note: John, upon entering the tomb, not only saw but also believed, even though he did not fully understand what this meant. This is simply more than what Mary initially told them. Most historians today do not dispute that the body is not in the tomb. But this shows the process by which Jesus' body actually rose.

John’s seeing is based on the evidence he saw in the tomb, leading to His belief, even though he did not fully understand. This is a hang-up for many people; they can believe based on the evidence they see, however, saving faith comes from what they do not see. 

C.S. Lewis Professing Atheist

The writer C.S. Lewis spent the majority of his life as a professing atheist. Lewis found faith through Tolkien's influence while at Oxford University. 

However, at the moment of his greatest searching and agony he threw down his pen in frustration and said ok God I believe based on the facts that I cannot refute in my own mind but, I still struggle with my heart.

Remember the man in scripture who fell to his knees and Jesus feet weeping, and said, “I believe; help my unbelief”. (Mark 9:24)

I think most people can identify with this man at one point in time or another. It is the acknowledgment of our inadequacy that allows God to work in our lives. This is true at the point of our salvation.

Misinterpretation of the Resurrection

We have an innate desire to hold onto the body. Even Mary was looking for the body among the dead. The fear of death chains our hopes and dreams to the earthly realm.

We might as well spend all our energy eating and drinking, and being merry for tomorrow we might die. The reality is that Jesus conquered death so that we might live for the resurrection. So that we might live for Eternal Life.

We are all participants in Jesus resurrection so we must live our lives accordingly. Colossians 3:1-2

Colossians 3:1–2 ESV

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Problem with materialism in our Age

Here is why Materialism and Christianity cannot co-exist in this age together. Materialism is all about pursuing happiness by accumulating stuff in this life. The boy with the most toy’s dies a happy man. Christianity is all about giving up stuff to find greater joy and happiness in Jesus Christ alone.

Materialism is the binding agent that death uses to tie us to this world. We try to insulate ourselves from eternity by amassing more and more treasures around us.

We’re like children building a pillow fort of cars and cash, hoping it will stop death’s progress. It’s a silly and sad way to live. For us as Christians, the resurrection of Jesus brings a revolutionary change in our perspective. We don’t live for the seen but the unseen. Because Jesus conquered death and lives forevermore, death no longer has a claim on us, and we’re free to live for what lasts.

This gives us the ability to live with open hands, giving up everything in this life, because we are guaranteed another, greater life with Jesus.

Now the scene shifts as the disciples leave.....

vs. 11-16

2. The Risen Christ Meets us Personally

Jesus Reveals Himself by Calling us By Name

Are You Trying to Understand Jesus Without Listening to His Voice?

Christianity emphasizes over and over again having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, but what do we really mean when we repeat this statement? Let’s look at Mary’s encounter with Jesus. 

Notice that, in verse 11, the disciples have now departed for their homes, leaving Mary weeping outside the tomb. For some reason, she lingers behind. Perhaps her deep love for Jesus compels her not to leave. 

*Lingering with the Grave Clothes Keeps us from Experiencing the Resurrection?

Have you ever noticed how some people linger around the grave after the funeral service? Perhaps part of this is our human longing to cling to the living in hopes that the person is not really departed from this world.

Now, for some reason, Mary stoops to look back into the tomb. Perhaps she was hoping to find another clue or piece of information that would calm her spirit and give her hope. Now, this time she saw two angels in white, sitting one at the head and the other at the feet, where Jesus' body had once been laid. 

Mark 16:5 Describes a young man dressed in white.

Luke 24:4 Describes two men who stood in dazzling apparel.

Matthew 28:2-3 Describes two men who had the appearance of lighting and wearing garments as white as snow.

John’s point is that this empty tomb and the missing body cannot be explained by appealing to grave robbers, this can be nothing more than the miraculous intervention of God and His power.

The woman is asked twice to explain why she is weeping: first by the angels, then by Jesus himself. Obviously, grief is an expected response when someone dies. Grief was an obvious response at the cross. However, now that it is Sunday morning, the response should obviously have been one of great joy. The funeral service is over, and Christ is now risen. 

“Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?

*Recognizing Jesus is Not Always Immediate

You will notice that in Jesus resurrected state, people were not quick to recognize Him as Jesus. Is it not the same when people today first come in contact with Jesus Christ? Perhaps someone upon their initial introduction to Jesus seems skeptical, or unsure, or needs more information. 

This text provides a bit of tension when in relation to the resurrected body.

We read in the gospel accounts that His followers were able to place their hands in the nail scars in His hands and in the scar left on His side by the spear. They were even able to eat fish with Him on the seashore after the resurrection. On the other hand, Jesus resurrected body apparently rose through the grave clothes; Jesus appears in a locked room. This is possibly the closest we can come, this side of our own resurrection day, to knowing what our new heavenly bodies will look like. 

Now, I’m not saying someone cannot have an immediate, visceral response upon coming into contact with Jesus Christ. However, even those who walked and talked with Jesus struggled at times, fully realizing that He was God in flesh, and now in His resurrection body, it is not immediately clear who He is. People can have all of the evidence right in front of them and fail to recognize Jesus for who He is. 

The Gardner Issues the Call

Mary mistakes Jesus for the gardener. Here is the ironic truth about mistaking Jesus for the gardener. Jesus is the true Adam and caretaker of all His creation.

Mary assumes that the supposed gardener must have seen something. Perhaps the owner of the tomb had second thoughts and decided to remove the body. She was willing to take Him away to prepare Him for a proper burial. Mary has the privilege and honor of being the first person in history that Jesus chooses to reveal Himself to after His resurrection.

*When Jesus Calls us by Name, it is Unmistakable

Salvation is not ultimately the result of us finding Jesus— But Jesus calling us, and we are finally hearing Him.

Whatever the cause of Mary’s inability to recognize Jesus all faded away as soon as Jesus said her name.

Her name was spoken as Jesus had always spoken it and it was enough to remove the cloud of uncertainty and immediately it was unmistakably her Jesus. Anguish and despair are immediately swallowed up in amazement and wonder.

“Mary” → personal, intimate, effectual call

Recognition comes not by sight, but by being known

Immediate response: “Rabboni!”

The effectual call is:

Jesus calls a person in such a way that they truly hear, respond, and come to Him in saving faith.

The effectual call of Jesus refers to the moment when Jesus personally and powerfully calls someone to salvation in a way that actually brings about a real response of faith—not just an invitation, but a call that awakens, transforms, and draws the person to Him.

How often, when you ask someone if they are saved, do they respond, "Well, I think I am"? 

John 10:3–4 ESV

3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

It is: Personal (He calls you)

Powerful (It overcomes Spiritual Blindness)

Effective (It results in Salvation)

WHEN JESUS CALLS EFFECTUALLY

A. Spiritual Blindness is Removed:

People now see Jesus as He truly is.

B. The Heart is Changed:

Not forced but transformed to want Him.

C. Faith is Produced:

You don’t just hear, you believe.

D. You Come to Christ

Freely, willingly, and joyfully.

Why do some hear the gospel and walk away… while others are completely changed?

Because at some point, Jesus doesn’t just speak to them— He speaks into them

Imagine a crowded room where many people hear their name being called—but only one person recognizes the voice and turns.

That’s the difference:

Many hear the sound

Only some hear the Shepherd

That is why we pray ever Sunday Ezekiel 36:26 that God will give people a new heart. That God will turn the heart of stone into a heart of flesh. That God would give us fertile soil for the gospel to take root and grow.

3. The Risen Christ Sends Us Purposefully

From Clinging to Proclaiming

Has Your Encounter with Christ led you to declare, “I have Seen the Lord?”

vs. 17-18

This moment in time changes everything. When Jesus calls us by name.

Mary, now seeing her master in all His resurrected glory, begins to cling to Jesus. Why does Jesus tell Mary to stop clinging to Him? Perhaps she thought He was going to disappear at any moment and she would never see Him again. Jesus' response that He has not yet ascended to the Father might have reassured Mary that she would have more time with Him before He left for the Father. 

This also, possibly emphasizes the change in relationship with His followers from an earthly presence to a spiritual presence. The relationship that Mary previously had with Jesus was one of a physical nature, now she had to let go of the physical so that now the spiritual would come at Pentecost.

Jesus points forward:

Ascension → new mode of relating (by Spirit, not physical presence)

“My Father and your Father” (We now have a new Father)

Resurrection secures adoption (We now are a part of a new Family)

Mary now becomes the first messenger with the Good News of the gospel. From grief to Gospel Proclamation.

“I Have Seen The Lord”

CONCLUSION

The resurrection:

Gives us New Access to God (through the Holy Spirit)

Gives us New Identity (Family)

Gives us New Mission (Witnesses)

“I Have Seen the Lord” and He is Alive

That Moment Changes Everything

That is John 20

And that is what the resurrection does for us today.

1). Where are you standing today - at the tomb in confusion or in the Garden with Christ?

2). Are you trying to understand Jesus without listening for His voice?

3). Has your encounter with Christ led you to declare, “I have seen the Lord?”