They Did Not Understand.....He Must Rise From the Dead
From Gethsemane to the Grave - The Johannine View • Sermon • Submitted
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Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed 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.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who 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 returned to their homes.
Here we come together on this Resurrection Sunday … the first time we have assembled at 201 Wayne Street to worship together in over a year ....since our nation and the world has had to do things a little different while we faced this pandemic......
We have all had to do things this past year …social distancing....wearing masks.....sanitizing our hands....…and we may not understand why....but I believe that there was a reason for it.
I praise the Lord that we can assemble and worship together again on this Resurrection Sunday in 2021.
As we continue in our Sermon Series.....From Gethsemane to the Grave - The Johannine View of Jesus.....we come to the last sermon of that series....we learned about the Surrendering Savior....No Case Against the King.....
From this passage of text this morning....I’d like to use the subject.....
He Must Rise from the Dead....
One of the most interesting things about our text this morning.....is that we see Mary Magdalene finds that the tomb where Jesus was buried....and the stone had been removed from the entrance.....so she immediately runs to Simon Peter and the other disciple....the one whom Jesus loved, also known as John…the author of this gospel......
She alerts them that the body of Jesus is no longer in the tomb......that someone has taken him ....and we do not know where they have laid him.....
And without haste.....Peter and John begin a foot race........
The bible tells us that the two were running together....
But apparently John was faster then Peter.....because he begins to out run Peter......
And gets to the tomb first......
But John doesn’t go into the tomb to investigate what Mary had reported..........he glances in....but doesn’t go all the way in.....and sees that the linen wrappings ....
And after Peter goes in and sees that the linen wrapping were lying there.....
but the body of Jesus is no where to be found.....
John then decides to go all the way into the tomb....to do his full investigation....and when he saw that there was no body....but only the linen cloth......the Bible tells us.....that John.....saw and believed......
But then we get to verse 9....which tells us.....for as yet the did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead........
FBC....here we have the first hand witnesses of Jesus our Savior.....that saw Jesus turn water into Wine....... Healing of an Official’s son.......heard the authority of Jesus....in Jn 5....when
Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished. Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes.
The disciples see Jesus.....walk on water.....
He heals a man born blind....and restores his sight...
As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Tells His disciples that He is the Good Shepherd....
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
Jesus has intimate conversations.....and teachings to his disciples throughout the Gospel according to John....
But here in this 20th Chapter.....we see that even though ....Peter and John....two of the leaders of Jesus’ disciples...... who were told first hand by Jesus.....that He would be betrayed.....that He would would be killed.....and raised up.....
Still they did not understand…that He must rise from the dead....
And then we see Peter and John do something that is astounding ....but can also be understood in some sense.....
verse 10 tell us that the disciples returned to their homes....
The bible does not tell us if they ran back home.....like they ran with urgency to the tomb.....
John the author of this Gospel had the opportunity to clear up what they talked about on the way back home.....by including it in this gospel.....
The problem here is that Peter and John are dealing with nothing but head thinking, nothing but head evidence. They see the empty tomb, they look at the discarded clothes, it seems they even believed that Jesus had somehow been raised from the dead. But it doesn't transform them.
It doesn't get down deep.
It doesn't really make any difference.
They see and hear and even accept the facts of the case, but something is still missing.
But I can imagine .....
And if you could use your sanctified imaginations with me....
That as they returned home.....that they were walking back.....
and as they walked back they began to have a conversation about what they had just witnessed....
Why wasn’t Jesus’ body in the tomb......
Did someone steal His body......
I can imagine that they were distraught and their hearts were heavy because it may be possible that someone stole the body....
But if someone stole His body.....why would they remove the linen cloth from him?
And I can imagine that they talked about the missing body with one another....as they walked back home....
Talking with one another.....trying to figure out what happened....
John tells us that when he went into the tomb to do his full investigation....that he saw and believed....but whatever he believed.....we don’t know if he shared it with Peter on there walk back to their home...
But one of the things that I don’t understand…is that they left Mary Magdalene standing their at the tomb weeping.....
There isn't even anything to offer to a weeping woman waiting for some word of hope.
Were they not sad......were they not crying?
Peter and John had the information, they knew the facts, but they had not yet encountered Jesus, risen, themselves.
And so they went back home and left Mary alone in the garden. They needed a personal encounter if they were going to live effectively.
What we do know my brothers and sisters is that Mary had personal encounter with Jesus ...and He gave her instructions to....
Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because 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.’ ”
and the bible tells us....
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
It wasn’t until Jesus had a personal encounter with the other disciples.....that they understood......that He rose from the dead.....
The Bible tells us
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
This morning many of you may have a lot of thought running through your mind like Peter and John did. There may be a thousand things going on in your life.....
But I want to urge you: today, today, settle the issue. Do you have a relationship, an ongoing encounter, with the risen Christ? Do you know Jesus personally? Do you know him as more than an idea, more than a good man done in by bad people? Do you know him?
Because if you do not, you will leave from here like Peter and John did. Of course they didn’t drive home.....they walked...
But you will go back home …or if you’re watching via FB Live.....you may settle in for an afternoon nap ....be like Peter and John ....not understanding because you don’t have that relationship with Christ.
But I tell you, if this morning you will open your mind and your heart to a God who lives, a Jesus who will call you by name as he called Mary – if you will receive Christ whom you can truly call Master and Lord – then I tell you your life won’t be the same again.....
You will have something that no one in this world can give you
…that there is hope.
Hope in this world where people are giving up on a daily basis....
Jesus the Christ gives us HOPE!
How do you know we have this hope preacher?
He gives us this hope because:
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 5:24 says, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”
John 14: 2-3 says, “In my Father’s house are many rooms (mansions); if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
1 John 5:11-12 says, “And this is the testimony, God has given us eternal life and this life is in His son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Yes my Brothers and Sisters....
I’m about to close.....but before I do....
There may be a lot of things we do not understand......Just like Peter and John didn’t understand .....until they had an encounter with Risen Christ......
It’s time to celebrate our Risen Savior.... We can have a celebration for the Risen Lord......
But there will be some today...that won’t celebrate....because they do not understand.....that He rose.....from the Grave...
Some folks can’t celebrate because they can’t explain the why.
How can you say that preacher?
I can say that because no one can explain the mystery that took place from Calvary to the tomb.
Some of you may be saying......Pastor Neal.... what are you talking about?
Scientists with all their knowledge cannot explain how Jesus got up from the grave.
Science with all its formulas cannot formulate how Jesus got up from the grave.
The President of this United States with all of his cabinet members cannot explain how Jesus got up from the grave.
Theologians with all their theology cannot explain how Jesus got up from the grave.
Fortune Tellers with all of their tarot cards and charms cannot explain how Jesus got up from the grave.
Einstein with all of his calculations for relativity could not explain how Jesus got up from the grave.
All I know is that the Bible said He got up on the third day and that’s good enough for me.
I don’t know how He did it..... but I’m so glad that He did.
They thought that the old rugged cross, which hung on Cavalry better known as the Hill of the skull was the end, but they were highly mistaken.
They did not understand..... He must Rise From the Dead....
And because He rose from the dead.....
I don’t know about you ....but I have a reason to celebrate.....
I have Hope.....that no one can give....
I have joy......that the world can’t give.....and the world can’t take away....
I have peace..........that surpasses all understanding.....
But most of all..... my sin debt is paid........
I’m saved by His grace.....
And I have the promise of Eternal life.......