5.2.4d 9.4.2022 John 20 Risen (2)

Sermon

Entice: John had a plan by which he remembered, recorded, ordered, and told the story of Jesus. He wants us to

believe

that Jesus is the Christ, and to have abundant, eternal life in His name. It is a story for everyone. It is a story for anyone. It is a story for someone. It is a story for you. A story for me.

Engage: Today we arrive at the life-changing reality by which Jesus claims our absolute allegiance, loyalty, and faith. Are you ready to hear? Are you ready to respond? Every time we open scripture the lid can literally be blown off our reality. And this is the most explosive story of all.

Expand: It begins with a discovery in the darkness…

John 20:1–2 ESV

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 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.”

Can you imagine standing there with Mary, shivering with the morning chill, her heart beating with affection and excitement, trying to both accept and embrace her fear. Only to find that someone had thought the unthinkable or done the undoable. And, not for the last time in this text we hear running feet. So Mary becomes the very first in a now unbroken chain of messengers telling the tale of the Risen Lord to a world wearied by its own fallenness.

Excite: John’s story of resurrection day also reminds us that not everyone comes to faith in exactly the same way. That is one of the central lessons of that Easter which still resonates on this Easter. Some of us ease into it. Others ask questions and struggle with the answers. For some it is like a quest for others a game. Many of us have known people of faith for whom every step was dramatic and fraught with uncertainty, and others for whom faith was as easy as breathing.

Faith is a most human drama because we are all different.

Whatever your path I share John’s purpose, to point you to Jesus and recommend life-changing faith.

Explore:

The reality of easter is resurrection, the reason is that you may believe and have life in Jesus.

Explain: This morning we will join several individuals who followed different paths to arrive at believing faith. Perhaps one of these paths is yours?

Body of Sermon: First we see that for John and Peter the path to faith was…

1 An Exploration

John 20:3–10 ESV

3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.

1.1 Explorers react to rumors of the remarkable.

1.2 Explorers hasten into the unknown.

1.3 Explorers accept the evidence of the extraordinary.

Next consider the inconsolable Mary. For her faith came in a multi-sensory fashion…

2 An Embrace.

Think of someone you dearly love. Your mother for example. A hug is more than just a squeeze. You remember her look, her perfume, her breathing, her characteristic expressions. An embrace is the ultimate multi-sensory human experience.

John 20:11–18 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.” 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). 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.

2.1 Search for meaning.

2.2 Security in relationship.

2.3 Satisfaction in witness.

To “the 12” His chosen witnesses Jesus brought them to faith through the path of…

3 An Explanation.

John 20:19–23 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. 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.”

3.1 Peace

3.2 Purpose

3.3 Promise

› Thomas. Thomas the empiricist. Thomas of who needed evidence and explanations. Because of his absence Thomas, famous doubting Thomas, leads us down a final path as Jesus offers His risen body for…

4 An Experiment.

John 20:24–29 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.” 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!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

4.1 Love the Questions.

4.2 Learn the right lesson.

Thomas asked the right questions and then did what we all must do if we want to know the truth…learning means

Listening.

And learning means

Looking.

4.3 (Submit to His) Lordship.

My Lord and My God!

4.4 Leverage the opportunity.

Shut Down:

You gotta have faith

John 20:30–31 ESV

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

What else, really, is there to say?

When the lights are going down, when the credits roll, when eternity dawns in one way or another we need to hear Him call our name. Can you hear Him calling yours right now?