John 19:38-John 20:18

Sermon

Intro

John 19:38-42

38 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. 39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

From the Cross to the grave

when someone was executed for sedition, his body was usually left on the cross, often for days, until the vultures finished it off. Since Jesus was crucified for sedition, His body might have met this fate, but He was spared this indignity.

Enter two prominent, religious men; Joseph and Nicodemus.

Joseph of Arimathea was a man of significant status and wealth, and probably a member of the Sanhedrin. He was a believer in Christ, but he was not vocal about it.

However, his faith compelled him to do something to spare Jesus’ body from more indignities.

From the secret to the unashamed

V.39 - Although Joseph gets press in all four Gospels, Nicodemus is mentioned only by John. (John 3) His seventy pounds of spices would have been wrapped with the sheets around the body.

What was the purpose of the fragrances Nicodemus brought? The Jewish people did not embalm their dead as the Egyptians did, but they did wrap them in a shroud of linen, and they covered the linen with precious ointments and fragrances in the burial process for the simple purpose of disguising the stench of decomposing flesh.

John may be telling us that by this action Nicodemus shows he is stepping out of the darkness and emerging into the light.

Both men believed but were afraid of what it would cost them but could not sit in silence any longer.

These two men compel us to ask am I among the unashamed?

Two truths from our Lord’s Resurrection:

Victory over sin and death

The reality of a forever family

The Resurrection Brings Victory Over Sin And Death (20:1-10)

The Threefold witness testimony: The grave is empty.

Why does John leave out some things and give us things others dont’?

John’s desire is that we might behold the King and believe.

Mary’s confusion and Peters boldness vv.1-7

John’s testimony: I saw and I believed vv-8-10

John testifies that when he saw the empty tomb and the graveclothes, he believed that Jesus was alive again.

He also notes that he and the other disciples did not yet understand the scriptural teaching that the Messiah had to rise from the dead, but he had heard Jesus say that He would come back from the grave, and he now believed that it had happened.

The Resurrection brings us victory in the three “P’

The inseparable work of Christ - His death & Resurrection can never be disconnected.

The Penalty of sin (Raised for our justification)

The fear of death is real

I hate to be the one to tell you, your dying.

The fear of death chains our hopes and dreams to the earthly, transient desires of this life. If Jesus hadn’t conquered death, we might as well spend all of our energy eating, drinking, and being merry, for tomorrow we might die, but because Jesus conquered death, we can live for the next life, the eternal life, not this temporary one.

Rom. 3:9-11; - The wages of sin =death

The victory over death is ours-

Heb 2:14-15

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Col. 2:12-15

12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

The application of victory is by faith alone

Rom 4:25 -25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

How? Rom 5:1 - by Faith

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

What is faith? - Rom. 4:21- fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised

The Power over Sin (Sanctification)

Rom 6:5-7

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

United in his perfect life - United in atoning death - united to victorious Resurrection

The result: enslavement is dead - the newness of life without enslavement

Rom 6:4 - 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Rom. 6:22 -22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

V.9-10 - The reality: The disciples nor Mary was expected the grave to be empty.

They didn’t understand and just went home, But not Mary

Presence of Sin (Glorification) - Jesus transformed body (vv. 14-18)

Well come back to the angels

Jesus first appearance - Mary didnt recognize him

As I mentioned above, when the two disciples traveling to Emmaus encountered Jesus, their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him (Luke 24:16).

Another oft-quoted text is found later in John 20. We are told there that the disciples were huddled in the upper room and that the door was shut (or locked, depending on how the Greek is translated) because of their fear of the Jews. Suddenly, Jesus appeared in their midst

John gives no explanation for why Mary did not recognize Jesus.

Jesus has been transformed (glorified) yet:

On the one hand, Jesus’ resurrection body can be touched and handled (v. 27; Lk. 24:39), bears the marks of the wounds inflicted on Jesus’ pre-death body (Jn. 20:20, 25, 27), and not only cooks fish (21:9) but eats it (Lk. 24:41–43).

On the other hand, Jesus’ resurrection body apparently rose through the grave-clothes (Jn. 20:6–8), appears in a locked room (vv. 19, 26), and is sometimes not (at least initially) recognized.

1 Cor. 15:35;42-44

35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?”

42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

Rev 21:22-27

22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

And if that is not enough to usher us to worship, there’s more.

The Resurrecting Brings The Reality Of A Forever Family. (20:16-17)

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

Jesus changes the disciple’s status; Your father and my brothers.

One word, Open Mary’s eyes; her name

John 10:4

4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

At this point, Mary Magdalene was desperate. She wasn’t seeing or thinking coherently. Her grief had gone to a whole new level.

But Jesus put an end to her grief, her confusion, her entire devastation with one simple word—her name. It seems that when Jesus said her name, “Mary!” that the scales fell from her eyes and she recognized Him.

I am going to my Father and yours, to My God and yours, but not right now, so go tell my brothers.

Because of Jesus’ death/resurrection/exaltation, his disciples come to share in his sonship to the Father.

The unique features of his sonship are of course presupposed (cf. notes on 1:12–13, 18; 5:19–30): the expressions my Father and your Father and my God and your God assume distance between Jesus and his followers, even as they establish links. But the emphasis here is on the shared privileges (cf. Rom. 8:15–16; Heb. 2:11–12, citing Ps. 22:22).

Forever family changes everything

A forever family brings belonging

My God brings forever peace

Rom 5:1 - Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

What would you do to protect your family?

Yet were limited. God has infinite resources and Sovereign power.

My Father brings unconditional love - Jer 31:3

3 the Lord appeared to him from far away.

I have loved you with an everlasting love;

therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

My brother brings acceptance and approval

Mary, Jesus’ mother is now being cared for by a non-biological family member - John

A forever family brings an inheritance -

Jesus inherited a name - Acts 16:33 (Son fulfilled his mediatorial work as prophet, priest & King and has taken his place as King of Kings)

Rom. 8:17 - With a joint-heirs with Christ

What does Christ inherit? Everything! Dan. 7:13-14 - This kingdom is still to come in all its fullness and we are joint-heirs with Christ

So What?

So What is Jesus doing right now?

V.12-13 - The angels sitting one at the head and one at the feet where Jesus had lain.

Jesus and the mercy seat - forever availability (Children know they can call Dad if it hits the fan or just to say hello)

Rom 8:34-39 - No separation - instant access

Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Heb. 2:17-18

17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

So can you see and do you believe? V.8-9