I Have Seen the Lord

The Burial of Jesus

We know of his death on the Cross. Jesus had some secret disciples who followed him in secret because of their fear of the Jewish leaders.

The gospel writer records:

John 19:38–42 NLT

38 Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. 39 With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. 40 Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth. 41 The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. 42 And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

Joseph of Arimathea becomes Bold in Christ’s death

Joseph in Mark’s gospel is waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.

Mark 15:43 NLT

43 Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.)

All the gospels record Joseph of Arimathea to request the body of Jesus from Pilate. (Mark 15:43, 45; Matt 27:57, 59; Luke 23:50–51; John 19:38).

John’s gospel also records Nicodemus accompanying Joseph to ask Pilate permission to take Jesus’ body. Nicodemus brought about 75 pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes.

We are bold because of Jesus’s death

Here they look to honor Jesus in burial.

We should look to honor Jesus in remembering our burial.

We are dead to sin and alive in Christ.

We are to remember we our old self has been crucified with Christ.

Nicodemus follows Jesus

We come to know Nicodemus because because of his coming to seek Jesus at night and learning that, “You must be born again.” But also Jesus says if I am lifted up above the earth, I will draw all men unto me”. The crucifixion now happening has impacted Nicodemus as he too is with Joseph in following Jesus to the cross.

We too need to trust Jesus and follow him to the cross.

We must deny our self and pick up our cross and follow Christ.

Lost without Jesus.

Mary and the eleven where already heart broken from the death of Christ. They look to see the boy of Christ and they find an empty tomb.

Jesus’s empty Tomb is message of hope

John 20:5–8 NLT

5 He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. 6 Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, 7 while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. 8 Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed—

The linens that Jesus was wrapped in are folded in the tomb.

Peter is in awe of this sight and it now come to them the meaning of Jesus rising again.

The tomb being empty symbolizes the removal of our sins.

Jesus took our death, shame and penalty for sin.

He washed our sins away at the cross.

His death took our place.

His resurrection gives us life.

How has the resurrection of Jesus change you?

Encounters in Jesus change our countenance, our direction.

In our text we see how Mary rejoices in seeing the resurrected savior, Jesus Christ.

John 20:11–18 NLT

11 Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. 12 She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. 15 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” 16 “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”). 17 “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.

Mary was weeping outside the tomb

The others have left and Mary is found now at the tomb sadden because the body of Christ is not in the tomb. However she sees two white-robed angels sitting in the tomb. They ask:

John 20:13 NLT

13 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

In defeat she looks to leave.

Jesus shows up always at the right moment.

John 20:14–16 NLT

14 She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. 15 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” 16 “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).

Jesus’s voice sounds familiar and Mary recognizes her Teacher. After he encourages her he then gives her instructions to give to his disciples:

John 20:17–18 NLT

17 “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.

Tell my brothers (Jesus love for his disciples he calls brothers/friends).

Tell them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”

Jesus speaks of the unity we have with the Father through the Son!

We are not family by our faith in the son.

Jesus shows how to be submissive to the will of God.

To know God is to serve God!

God’s love for us is what should motivate us to do his good and perfect will.

Changed because He Lives

The resurrection of Christ defeats death the penalty of sin and rewards all who call on the name of the Lord with eternal life. Jesus being the resurrection and the Life shows us that he is able to give us life and we will not know death.

See how the Lord can turn our mourning into dancing.

Turn our sadness into gladness.

Psalm 30:11–12 NLT

11 You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, 12 that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!