Go and Tell (Commission)

Introduction

Welcome, everyone, to our Easter Celebration here at Reliant. We join in with believers and non-believers alike to celebrate the risen Christ.

I wanted to give a shout-out to all the volunteers for an amazing Easter Egg hunt yesterday.

We had “grizzys grilling” and the egg shoot for the kids. And everyone had a great time.

Picture with me a morning like this one. While it was still dark, Mary Magdalene, in all her sadness, got up, prepared the things for a proper burial, and headed out in the fog to the borrowed tomb where Jesus was laid.

As her eyes adjusted, she could see soldiers lying on the ground. Seeing the tomb, she noticed the massive stone was rolled away, and she knew something wasn’t right.

So, she runs back and wakes up Peter and John, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him.

John is faster than Peter and gets to the tomb first, but Peter runs right in. Mary’s right! the body is gone. The burial clothes are there; the face cloth is folded by itself. But Jesus is nowhere to be found.

As they return to their homes to tell the others, I’m sure their minds are racing.

Was He stolen?

Did they move Him?

Did He rise again just as He said he would?

These are some of the same questions people are asking today. It’s so hard to believe because it defies every law of nature. People don’t rise from the dead! Well, except in the movies and possibly the zombie apocalypse.

But this is not the end of the story I’m telling you from John 20. Jesus doesn’t leave the world guessing what happened to him. I love a good mystery. One of my favorite shows is Dateline, which is pretty morbid. But, I love a good “who done it.” But a mystery is only a mystery until the truth is revealed. Once you know the truth, it’s better to deal with the facts, no matter how crazy the story might be.

Jesus doesn’t want people to try and figure out what happened, so He is personally going to appear to them.

In the passage that follows, Jesus appears to 4 types of people. I believe it is the same four types of people in this room this morning.

He appeared to:

The Seeker

The Saints

The Sceptic

The Stoic

Each of these individuals must decide as they learn the truth about Jesus. And so it will be this morning.

1. The Seeker

The seeker’s not looking for Sign

John 20:11–13 ESV

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

The stone had been rolled away

The tomb was empty

2 angels were sitting in the tomb

The seeker is looking for the Savior

John 20:14–16 ESV

14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she 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 Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

Sometimes Jesus is standing right in front of you and you don’t recognize him.

But then he calls your name and it all comes clear.

The seeker shares what they have found

John 20:17–18 ESV

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.

2. The Saints

The saints rejoice in the Lord

John 20:19–20 ESV

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, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

The saints receive the Holy Spirit given by the Lord.

John 20:21–23 ESV

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

They were given peace through the Spirit.

They were given power through the Spirit.

3. The Sceptic

The sceptic demands the proof.

John 20:24–25 ESV

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

The experience of others will not do.

You must experience the Savior for yourself.

The Savior delivers the proof in person.

John 20:26–28 ESV

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

The proof demands a verdict.

John 20:29 ESV

29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

You don’t have to be an eye witness to believe the truth.

Our faith is based on the facts not fiction.

4. The Stoic

The stoic is indifferent to the resurrected Christ.

John 21:3 ESV

3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Seven disciples went back to their old lives after seeing the resurrected Christ.

The old life has no meaning after experiencing the resurrection.

The resurrection of Christ is not an experience to have but a life to be lived.

The stoic is confronted by the resurrected Christ.

John 21:1 ESV

1 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way.

John 21:15–17 ESV

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Old things have past the new has come.

They were no longer fisherman but shepherds.

Jesus places a new calling on your life when you experience the resurrection.

What should we do when we experience the Resurrection.

To the Seeker: Keep seeking the Lord until you find him.

Jesus is right in front of you and is calling your name.

To the Saint: Rejoice in the Lord and walk in the power of the Spirit.

Live in the power of the Spirit that has resurrected you.

To the Sceptic: Place your faith in the fact of the resurrected Christ.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

To the Stoic: Let the resurrection change your perspective on life.

Walk worthy of the calling by which you were called.