The Gospel According to John: Easter Sunday

Series Introduction:

The theme verse for our series is John 20:31

John 20:31 – “…these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”

The “these” John is referring to are the seven recorded SIGNS/miracles and the seven recoded “I Am” STATEMENTS of Jesus. John focused on those 14 key SIGNS and STATEMENTS in order to show us that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the World because He’s God’s only begotten Son. God had John write these things so that we would believe and put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ so that by the grace of God we would be FREED from the penalty of our sin and given life to the FULL here on earth and life FOREVER in heaven.

[Read Text]:

John 20:1–18 (NASB)

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” 3 So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. 4 The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; 5 and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. 6 And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes. 11 But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 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.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.

The resurrection confirms Christ’s deity.

(v. 5-9) 5 and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. 6 And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

John 1:1 (NASB)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Sign 1: Water into wine (John 2)

Sign 2: Royal officer’s won healed (John 2)

Sing 3: Lame man healed on Sabbath (John 5)

Sign 4: Feeding the 5 thousand (John 6)

Sign 5: Man born blind given sight (John 9)

Sign 6: Lazarus raised from the dead (John 11)

***Sign 7: Jesus rises from the dead (John 20)

Matthew 12:38–40 (NASB)

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” 39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; 40 for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The resurrection completed the purpose of Christ’s death.

(v. 9) 9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (NASB)

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

1 Corinthians 15:20–22 (NASB)

20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

Jesus died at Golgotha as our substitute.

He died our death.

Jesus defeated the grave as our savior.

We get to live His life.

Romans 6:4–11 (NASB)

4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

If we become united with Christ in His death, that is, we die to self by denying ourselves, acknowledging what Jesus did for us and giving ourselves over to Him. our sins are forgiven. And because He lives, we will also be able to live the live He lives because He will live in us and defeat death and the grave in our lives just like He did in His.

And that’s why...

The resurrection changes how we see death.

(v. 15-16) 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.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).

John 11:11 (NASB)

11 This He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.”

13 times in the NT outside the Gospels we see death referred to as sleep. Here are a few examples...

Acts 7:60 (NASB)

60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.

Acts 13:36 (ESV)

36 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption,

1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 (ESV)

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

Because of the resurrection, Scripture refers to death as “sleep” and there are some key truths in that simple but unique terminology.

Sleep is necessary. Everyone has to do it.

Sleep is temporary. You wake up from sleep.

Sleep is relaxing. It is restful, peaceful, restoring and rejuvenating.

In closing...

(v. 18) 18 Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.

Mary told these things to the disciples. How did they respond?

I have told them to you. How are you going to respond?

Just as Jesus sent Mary, He is sending us. You also need to go and tell the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection to others.

He is risen. He is risen indeed!

Memory Verse of the Week:

Discussion Questions: (John 20:1-18)

What does Mary’s first actions on the way to the tomb and her reaction to the empty tomb tell us about her relationship with Jesus? (v. 1-2)

How do Peter and John respond to Mary and what does that say about their state of mind that first Easter morning? (v. 3-4)

What did Peter and John see at the empty tomb? (v. 5-8) How did their reactions differ? How does the news of the empty tomb affect you?

Why do you suppose they didn’t understand the Scripture yet? (v. 9-10) Why don’t we have the same excuse today?

Why do you think the angels asked Mary about her crying? (v. 11-13) What was the reason she gave? How does Mary’s answer better help us understand Peter and John’s reaction to her news in verse two?

In what ways did angels question differ from what Jesus asked? (v. 14-15) What makes that significant?

Why do you think Mary didn’t recognize Jesus until He called her name? (v. 16)

What does Jesus’ response to Mary tell us about His immediate plan and purpose for her? (v. 17-18) What does Mary’s response to Jesus tell us about her understanding? What does this instruction from Jesus and Mary’s application tell us about God’s plan and purpose for us?

What else were you taught about God in this passage?

What else did the text teach you about yourself?

Did anything else in these verses stick out to you?

How do you believe God is leading you to respond to His word?