When Jesus Calls Your Name

He is risen!

Response: He is risen indeed!

Two thousand years of history, and nothing has changed the world more than what happened in that garden on a Sunday morning.

Every single thing we believe — our hope, our forgiveness, our future — stands or falls on whether that tomb is empty.

If you have your copy of God’s Word, go ahead and turn with me to John chapter 20.

Today, we are remembering and celebrating the most significant event in all of human history—the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Aren’t you thankful for the resurrection of Jesus?

It is because of the resurrection that we have real hope. It is because of the resurrection that our sins are truly forgiven. It is because of the resurrection that death does not get the final word.

Everything we believe rises and falls on the empty tomb.

The Apostle Paul makes the case in 1 Corinthians 15 that without the resurrection of Christ, we have no hope for resurrection. In addition to that, we are still in our sin, and our faith is useless.

He writes in 1 Corinthians 15:17,

“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.”

But church, that’s not our reality this morning.

Christ has been raised.

The tomb is empty.

And because of that—everything changes.

But when we come to John 20…

we have to understand something: the people in this passage don’t know that yet.

In that moment—between the crucifixion and the resurrection— the disciples had no hope.

Those who had followed Him… trusted Him… built their lives around Him… now believed it was all over.

To them, all hope died with Jesus.

Can you imagine what that must have been like?

For three years, they had followed Him.

They had seen lives changed. They had heard His teaching. They believed He was the one who would change everything…

and now—He was gone.

This is where we find ourselves in John chapter 20.

This is the moment when the followers of Jesus first discover the empty tomb…

and begin to encounter the risen Christ.

And this morning, I want us to see not only the truth of the resurrection but the impact that the resurrection has on us—both individually and as a people.

This will be our big idea out of John 20:

"The resurrection is not just something to believe—it's something to experience personally and live out together."

So first, let’s look at this together… and this will be the first point in your notes:

The Resurrection Proven — The Empty Tomb (vv. 1–10)

Before we get to the empty tomb in chapter 20… we need to remember what just happened in chapter 19.

John 19 shows us that Jesus was handed over by the religious leaders and the crowds to the Roman authorities to be put to death.

And His death was not quick… and it was not clean.

It was brutal.

He was beaten and flogged. A crown of thorns was pressed onto His head. He was mocked… ridiculed… humiliated.

And then He was led outside the city—

and crucified for all to see.

And after he finally died, after hours of torture, he was taken off of the cross and placed in a garden tomb.

Imagine the devastation that those closest to Jesus must have felt.

They were convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, the Holy One of Israel.

They had built their lives around him and just like that he was gone.

Just a few days earlier, the crowds were singing His praises

as He entered into the city… but those same crowds now cried out for His death.

Because He was not the kind of King they were expecting.

And now the disciples are laying low they are hiding because they don’t want to suffer the same fate.

Jesus was crucified on Friday.

Saturday—the Passover—comes and goes.

Now it is Sunday.

This is where we are in chapter 20.

Let’s begin reading together in verse 1,

John 20:1 “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.”

Before the sun even rises on Sunday morning…

Mary is on her way to the tomb.

She’s going there to care for the body of Jesus.

She loved Him deeply… and she wants to make sure His body is properly cared for.

And as she arrives at the tomb… she notices something is not right.

The stone… has been rolled away.

This wasn’t a small stone.

It likely weighed somewhere between 1,500 and 3,000 pounds.

And we’re not told whether Mary had thought through the logistics of how she would move it…

but it doesn’t matter— because when she arrives it is already gone.

Look at how Mary reacts.

Verse 2,

John 20:2 “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.””

Mary thinks that someone had taken Jesus’ body and she is freaking out.

Verse 3,

John 20:3 “So Peter went out with the other disciple (that is the Apostle John), and they were going toward the tomb.”

John 20:4 “Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.”

I’ve always loved that John includes that detail.

He’s basically saying,

“We both ran to the tomb…

but I got there first.”

Verse 5,

John 20:5 “And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.”

John 20:6 “Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there,”

John 20:7 “and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.”

John 20:8 “Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;”

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

So, Peter and John make it to the empty tomb to investigate what was going on.

And what do they see?

They saw the linen cloths that the body of Jesus was wrapped in. They saw the cloth that would go over his face neatly folded and placed by itself—like someone intentionally put it there.

And in verse 8, John tells us that he saw… and believed.

The Greek word used here for “saw” isn’t the more common word βλέπω, which would simply mean to see something with your eyes.

Instead, John uses a form of the word ὁράω.

This word carries the idea not just of seeing… but of perceiving… of understanding what you’re looking at.

In other words—

John uses a word that means more than just seeing with your eyes — it means perceiving, understanding. John didn't just see an empty tomb. He got it.

And because he got it… he believed.

John becomes the first of the disciples to believe that Christ had risen.

And verse 9 helps explain why the others were still confused…

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

The reason they were mourning… the reason they were confused…

is because they had not yet fully understood the Scriptures.

They didn’t yet see that the death and resurrection of the Messiah was God’s plan all along.

But when John saw the empty tomb… he understood—

and he believed.

And then verse 10 tells us,

John 20:10 “Then the disciples went back to their homes.”

Do you see what’s happening here?

They are confronted with the evidence of the resurrection…

and at least for John— it leads to belief.

But not all of them fully understand yet.

Church, this is what we need to see—

The resurrection is not presented here as a myth or a legend or just a blind leap of faith.

It is presented as an actual historical event.

There really is an empty tomb. There really are eye-witnesses. There really is evidence.

And that really means something for us.

It means that if the tomb is empty then Jesus rose from the dead. And if He rose from the dead that means that He is who He said He was.

then the only right response… is belief.

Listen to how R. Kent Hughes puts it:

“He is alive — and a living Christ is an all-powerful Christ, a present Christ, a Christ who gives us life now and life in eternity."Church, that's what's at stake today. Not just an empty tomb — but a living Savior.”

Church—that’s what’s at stake here.

This is not just about an empty tomb… this is about a living Christ.

Consider the evidence and believe.

That’s what this Sunday is about— and really, that’s what every Sunday is about.

But here’s the reality…

You can see the evidence… and still not fully understand.

You can examine the evidence and still not encounter the risen Christ. That's exactly where Mary was.

She’s seen the evidence but she is still looking for a dead Jesus.

This will be the second point in your notes this morning,

The Resurrection Experienced — Jesus Calls Mary by Name (vv.11–18)

Verse 18,

John 20:11 “But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb.”

Peter and John saw the evidence…

they believed… and then they went home.

But Mary stays.

She stands outside the tomb… weeping.

The evidence wasn’t enough for her.

She still doesn’t know what happened to the body of her Lord.

And the word used here for “weeping”

is not quiet crying.

This is loud… deep… gut-level grief.

In fact, it’s the same word used when Jesus weeps over Jerusalem in Gospel of Luke 19.

The kind of weeping that comes from seeing what’s lost… from feeling devastation deep in your soul.

She is wailing. She is mourning. She is broken.

And as she weeps…

she looks into the tomb.

And what does she see?

Verse 12,

John 20:12 “And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.”

She sees where the body of Jesus had been… and on either side— two angels.

One at the head… and one at the feet.

John loves Old Testament imagery in his writings.

And this imagery echoes the Ark of the Covenant… where two cherubim sat on either side of the mercy seat— the place where atonement was made.

Jesus is the perfect atoning sacrifice.

The sacrifice that only needed to be made once.

In other words—

the place where His body had been… now stands as a testimony that the work of atonement is finished fully and finally.

Sin has been paid for.

But look at what these angels say to Mary,

Verse 13,

John 20:13 “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.””

She still doesn’t see. She still thinks Jesus is still dead.

Verse 14,

John 20:14 “Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.”

For the first time—

Jesus Himself is standing right in front of Mary… and she doesn’t recognize Him.

Verse 15,

John 20:15 “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.””

You can already sense the tenderness of Jesus.

And when she still doesn’t recognize him,

He doesn’t rebuke her. He doesn’t correct her. He meets her gently…

right in the middle of her grief.

And even though she still doesn’t recognize Him…

He continues to draw her in.

Verse 16,

“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’”

Everything changes… with one word.

“Mary.”

He calls her by name.

“She turned and said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher).”

In that moment— she sees.

In that moment— she understands.

In that moment— her grief turns to joy.

The one she thought was dead… is standing right in front of her.

And it’s clear from what follows…

she reaches out to Him— overwhelmed with joy… holding on to the risen Christ.

Why Mary?

Isn’t it amazing that the first person Jesus appears to is Mary?

Have you ever thought about that?

Do you remember who Mary was before she met Jesus?

The Gospel writers tell us that Mary Magdalene had seven demons.

She was broken. She was oppressed. She was a woman with a past.

And on top of all of that, Mary was a woman in a culture a woman’s testimony was often not considered reliable.

And yet—

she is the one Jesus chooses to reveal Himself to first.

That right there is evidence to the truthfulness of the Gospel accounts.

We’d have Jesus appear in front of crowds… in public… with everyone watching.

Kind of like when Superman saves the day and there’s a whole stadium full of people there to see it.

But that's not how Jesus operates. He doesn't perform for crowds. He pursues people. He goes looking for the one — the broken one, the grieving one, the one everyone else has overlooked. And He finds her alone in a garden, and He calls her name.

That tells you everything about the kind of Savior He is."

Jesus just appears to Mary. Alone in a garden.

And I think there are several reasons for that…

But here’s the one we need to see this morning:

Jesus didn’t just rise from the dead—

He reveals Himself personally.

He meets Mary… right where she is.

In her grief. In her confusion. In her brokenness.

And that’s what the resurrection means for us.

The resurrection is not just something to examine… it’s something to experience.

Because the same Jesus who stood in that garden with Mary… still meets people personally today.

You can believe the facts of the resurrection in your head… and still miss the reality of a relationship with Him.

Because the resurrection is not just something to know about. It about knowing the one who resurrected.

And it is Jesus who reveals himself to individuals.

Just like Mary— she didn’t recognize Him until He called her name.

And if you have truly believed the gospel… you have heard Him call your name.

Jesus said in Gospel of John 10:27,

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

And just like he called Mary, He can call anyone.

It doesn’t matter you background. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or where you come from.

That is the good news of the gospel.

Anyone who believes can be made new.

Look at what Jesus says to her next.

Verse 17,

John 20:17 “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.’ ””

Immediately after revealing himself to Mary, he sends her to tell others the good news of the Resurrection.

And in the same way, after we hear him call our names, we are sent to tell others.

What are we telling them?

We are telling that the good news of the Resurrection and how they too can experience new creation.

And just like Mary, we must respond in obedience.

Verse 18,

John 20:18 “Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.”

Isn’t that amazing?

The first person to proclaim that they had seen the risen Christ… was Mary.

And just like Mary announced

what she had seen… what she had experienced…

we too— having encountered the risen Christ— are called to proclaim Him.

Mary encounters the risen Christ… and He sends her on mission.

And in the same way,

every one of us has been called to proclaim the resurrection.

This is a personal call.

But it’s not only personal— it is also corporate.

Because the Resurrection is not just saving individuals… Its forming a people.

And that leads us to the third point this morning:

The Resurrection Applied — A New People Sent on Mission (vv. 19–23)

Look at what happens next.

verse 19,

John 20:19 “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews,

The disciples are hiding.

They are afraid.

They think they might suffer the same fate as Jesus.

The doors are locked… because fear has taken over.

And remember— they have already heard Mary’s testimony.

She told them, “I have seen the Lord.”

And yet… they are still afraid.

Why?

Not because there’s no evidence… but because fear is louder than their faith.

They want to believe… but they’re struggling to do so.

And in that moment— they are being driven by fear.

Look back at verse 19,

Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.””

Jesus just appears among them.

He comes to them in the middle of their fear… and He says,

“Peace be with you.”

Be at peace.

Not because everything around them has changed… but because He is standing in their midst.

Do you believe that Jesus is in our midst?

That is what makes the church an unique gathering.

Because when we gather, Jesus is in our midst.

Jesus said in Matthew 18,

Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.””

This means that we don’t have to be in fear. This means that we can be bold in our gospel witness in this community. This means that we can try hard things for the kingdom.

Because Jesus is in our midst.

Verse 20,

John 20:20 “When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.”

But look what Jesus says next in verse 21,

John 20:21 “Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.””

John 20:22 “And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

John 20:23 “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.””

This doesn’t mean we have the power to forgive sins on our own—

it means we have the authority

to declare the forgiveness

that comes through the gospel.

In other words — we don't have the power to forgive sins the way God does.

Only God can do that. But we have been given the privilege of carrying the message that makes forgiveness possible.

When we proclaim the gospel and someone believes — forgiveness happens.

When the gospel is rejected — it isn't. We are messengers of the most important news in the world.

Jesus doesn’t just calm their fears… He sends them on mission.

And He doesn’t send them empty-handed.

He sends them with two things:

His power—the Holy Spirit… and His authority.

What this means for us… is that our boldness is not rooted in an event that happened in the past.

Our boldness is rooted in a Person who is alive today.

It means that we, as a people, can be bold in our proclamation of the gospel— not only because Jesus is in our midst… but because He has given us

His power and His authority.

And that should excite us.

Because yes—Christ has sent us on mission…

To preach the gospel of the resurrected Christ to all the world…

but He has not left us to accomplish it on our own.

He is with us.

And He is actively building His church even today.

Church— the resurrection changes everything.

It changes everything for us individually… and it changes everything for us as a people— as the church.

Because of the resurrection, we have peace with God… and with one another.

Because of the resurrection, we have a mission.

And because of the resurrection, we are empowered by His Holy Spirit to proclaim forgiveness of sins through the gospel.

As we get toward the end of our time together, let me give you a few key takeaways from this text,

Key Takeaways

The resurrection is true—Jesus really is alive.

The resurrection is true—

Jesus really is alive.

The stone has been rolled away. The tomb is empty.

You can believe that this actually happened.

There were witnesses. People saw Him.

Paul writes in First Epistle to the Corinthians 15,

“He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time… then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles.”

This is not a myth. This is not a legend. This is history.

The founders of other religions are still in their graves.

But when it comes to Jesus— the tomb is empty.

And because Jesus is alive, we to can experience new life now and eternal life later with Christ.

But you have to belong to him.

And that leads to the second key takeaway,

The resurrection becomes real when Jesus calls your name.

The resurrection becomes real when Jesus calls your name.

You can believe intellectually that the resurrection happened…

and still miss what it means for you.

But when Jesus calls your name— you begin to see Him for who He truly is.

And your heart is drawn to Him.

You love Him. You follow Him.

Just like Mary did.

It’s not enough to know about the resurrection, you must know the risen Christ.

Are you hearing His voice calling your name this morning?

Do you know Him, not just know about Him?

And once you do hear his voice, you are then invited into the covenant people of God. The Church.

Which leads us to the last key takeaway. And it is this,

The resurrection creates a people who live and speak that truth.

Because of the resurrection,

we have peace…

we have a mission…

and we have the Spirit.

This means that our small church can boldly do great things…

because we serve a risen Savior who is with us

slow

and working through us.

He has made us a people.

Slow

And it is our job to tell the world that Jesus is alive.

Let’s stand and celebrate the Lord’s Table together.

Communion

Today, for our time of response, we are going to celebrate Communion as a people.

And as we come to the Lord’s Table…

we don’t come as individuals only— we come as a people.

A people that Jesus has called by name. A people that He has saved. A people that He has brought together through His death and resurrection.

The resurrection doesn’t just give us life— it gives us a family.

And this table reminds us that we all come the same way…

by grace.

If you have heard Jesus call your name… if you have experienced the new life He brings through the resurrection… this meal is for you.

If you are trusting in Christ and following Him… you are welcome at this table as family.

Communion— or the Lord’s Supper— is about remembering the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus.

But it’s more than just a memorial.

As the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith teaches,

it is a remembrance of the one sacrifice Christ made of Himself on the cross once for all…

and it is also a spiritual offering of praise to God for that sacrifice.

The confession even describes it as spiritual nourishment for believers.

Communion is about unity within the church…

and it is a reminder that we are one body because of Christ’s resurrection.

So as the band begins to play, if you are in Christ, come forward and take the elements back to your seat but don’t partake yet.

We will do that together.

Bread

"Jesus said, 'This is my body, broken for you.' On the night He was betrayed, He took bread, gave thanks, and broke it. This bread represents His body — given completely and willingly on the cross for our sin.

As you take it, remember — His body was broken so that you could be made whole. Let's pray and then take the bread together."

"He didn't just die — He rose. And because He rose, we don't eat this meal in mourning. We eat it in hope. Let's sing that truth together."

Wine

"Jesus said, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, poured out for you.' This cup represents His blood — shed for the forgiveness of your sins.

Every sin. Fully paid.

As you take it, remember — the same Jesus whose blood was poured out is the same Jesus who walked out of that tomb. Let's pray and then take the cup together."

"Church, we just proclaimed the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ together. That is who we are. That is what we live for. He is risen — and we are His."

Let’s sing.