Between the Cross and the Crown

The Empty Tomb and Mary Magdalene’s Witness

Please turn in your Bibles now and to John chapter 20 Gospel according to John and chapter 20. This is God's holy and Infallible Word. Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early While it was still dark and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

That 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. We do not know where they have laid him. Peter therefore went out and the other disciple and were going to the tomb so they both ran together and the other disciple out ran.

Peter and came to the tomb first and He's stooping down and looking in saw the linen cloths lying there yet. He did not go in. Then Simon Peter came following him and went into the tomb and he saw the linen cloths lying there and The handkerchief that had been around his head not lying with the linen cloths But folded together in a place by itself.

Then the other disciple who came to the tomb first went in also and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the scripture That he must rise again from the dead. And the disciples went away to their own homes.

But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping and she stood and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain.

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. Now when she had said this she turned around and saw Jesus standing there and did not know that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to her woman. Why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? She supposing him to be the gardener said to him sir If you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him and I will take him away.

She's Jesus said to her Mary. She turned and said to him Rabboni, which is to say teacher Jesus said or do not cling to me for I have not yet ascended to my father. But go to my brethren and say to them I am ascending to my father and your father and to my God and your God.

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord. And that he had spoken these things to her. In the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut. Where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them peace Be with you.

We had said this he showed them his hands and his side and the disciples were glad When they saw the Lord. Brethren Christ our Lord is risen today. Amen, let's pray together. Lord we thank you for This incredible time in history recorded here in the pages of Scripture.

The day of your resurrection your triumph over sin and death and Satan on the cross. Oh Lord, I pray that this resurrection spirit would be in us as was prayed earlier on every Day of the week on every Sunday, but today O Lord we with greater focus and energy give ourselves to this great Reality of the risen Christ pray O Lord that This will bless your people and we ask all this in Jesus name.

Amen, please be seated For those of you who need some guidance and organizing your thoughts. I Have three Areas that we'll discuss today. The first is and probably one of the shorter because it's familiarity to us the doctrine of the resurrection of Christ the doctrine of the resurrection of Christ.

The second and this is going to require some effort on our part The drama of the resurrection of Christ. The drama and third The disciples and the resurrection of Christ. So in your mind doctrine drama disciples doctrine drama disciples.

Brethren, the world has been Irrevocably changed. The world Has been transfigured. We often make much of the difference between the Antediluvian world the pre-flood world and the world after the flood.

It seems to me the greatest transformation and transfiguration of the world occurred During the redemptive events of Christ's sacrificial death on the cross for sinners his death his experiencing whatever the fullness of death is he Tasted it and experienced it and now the capstone achievement of history the resurrection.

Now we see a world of redemption and renewal ushered in by Christ. I fear in our Logical minds we we love to think of continuity in the covenants. And we need to esteem that and treasure that and value that.

But the world was changed on that Sunday morning. For the first time ever there was a real and true sacrifice for sins. The types in the shadows are now gone in the light of Christ. The promise of peace with God is now a reality.

The Anticipation of the incarnation of Christ in his birth was a promise of peace and and now peace has come. The world Has been changed. The world has been transfigured By the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

John Calvin said and we're under now the doctrine of the resurrection of Christ. Calvin says we divide the substance of our salvation between Christ's death and resurrection as follows. Through the death of Christ Sin was wiped out and death extinguished.

Through his Resurrection righteousness was restored and life raised up so that Thanks to his resurrection his death Manifested its power and efficacy. In us I Titled the message today between the cross and the crown and If there was a secondary Thesis statement would be this.

What happens between the cross and the crown vindicates the life and ministry of Christ in his humble estate prior to the cross and Necessitates his ascension and eternal reign. The resurrection says all of the claims about Christ are true.

Christ in his humiliation goes to the cross in humility. He's raised and triumph and now he is reigning and ruling as the ascended reigning and ruling Lord King our King Christ. If you're able turn with me to 1st Corinthians chapter 15 again under this heading of the doctrine of Christ.

As I reflected upon this I was again astounded with the simplicity of Paul's message and The depth and breadth of The doctrine herein contained. Think about the simplicity of the statement parents. Teach your children and have them memorize verses 3 4 of chapter 15.

Every Christian should know these verses. I'll begin reading in verse 1. Again, we're trying to get exposed again to the doctrine of the resurrection. Moreover brethren I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you.

Which also you received and in which you stand. By which also you are saved. If you hold fast that word which I preached to you. Unless you believed in vain so there to stand fast and hold forth the word and the message that Paul preached in Verses 3 4 is a summary statement of Paul's apostolic doctrine.

This is what Paul preaches. For I Delivered to you first of all that which I also received that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and That he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

Children memorize those verses. Know them inside and out. You could write an endless supply of volumes of systematic and biblical theology on those two verses. Though those very basic ideas are so deep and so profound in the resurrection the doctrine of the resurrection is most assuredly Essential Christian doctrine.

You have to believe in the resurrection of Christ. If you don't believe it, you don't have Christ. You don't have salvation. You don't have the forgiveness of sins. Between the cross and the crown the hinge of the resurrection informs everything that happens before the cross in everything that will happen after.

The resurrection is the place is the epicenter of God's Redemptive purposes in Christ. If he's not risen Paul will say we're still in our sin. Skip down to verse 9. Paul says for I am the least of the Apostles.

I'm not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the Church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace toward me was not in vain and I Labored more abundantly than they all but yet not I the grace of God which was with me.

Therefore whether it was I or they so we preach and so you believed. Now if Christ is preached that he has been raised from the dead. How do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead.

I Want to pause here. We have to remember this this is all so familiar to us. This has never happened before. We say well wasn't Lazarus even in our context in John. Lazarus was raised from the dead. Yeah, but Lazarus would die again.

This has never been seen before Christ dies. He's risen. He appears to his disciples and they can behold his hands and his feet and reach into his side. It is the real Christ and he's risen and death no longer has a hold of on him.

He could never die again. The apostolic preaching we'll touch on this a little bit later centers on the resurrection. I think our witnessing in our proclamation of the gospel maybe needs to center more on the resurrection because This is really the crux of the matter.

He's either risen or he's not. If he's risen you better own him as your Savior because there could be no salvation in any other. And if he's not risen, we're all going to hell. There is no forgiveness of sins.

It all hinges here on the resurrection. Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ? It's life or death heaven or hell. Verse 17 says if Christ is not risen your faith is futile. You are still in your sins.

Paul's conversion we have to acknowledge this. He's a great persecutor of the church. Paul is Easily converted in my view. Because he is confronted with the risen Christ. He had a heart of stone. No question.

But now he knew the history. He knew that Christ had died on the cross. He knew that there was this little sect of Jews who said that Christ had been risen. He didn't believe it. But now on the road to Damascus He would be confronted with not an empty tomb, but a living Christ.

The disciples prior to the resurrection are cowards. Peter denies Christ. The disciples run and hide and lock themselves behind doors prior to the resurrection. They're very different after. They knew who Christ was they were witnesses to his crucifixion and death and Their eyewitnesses to him and his risen state.

The world was irrevocably changed on that Sunday. There are three landmark events if you think about it in All of history. Two of them have already happened. The creation of the world. The redemption purchased by Christ and the last day.

The world the hinge of the world it all changed and turned at the resurrection after the crucifixion. Leading on to the ascension Christ even now is reigning and ruling as the risen Christ. I don't believe he would do it, but he could walk Into this church service.

And we could behold his hands and his feet. And his side. Christ is not an idea in the ether. He is a living breathing person who happens to be God. Paul's Argument here is not he's not entertaining the idea that there is no resurrection.

He has seen the risen Christ. This is the reality of faith. He says in verse 20 now Christ is risen from the dead. And has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen Asleep. Do you realize how much the world changed on this day?

Sins were really atoned for the Chasm. The gulf between heaven and earth has been compressed. The God-man freely moves from heaven to earth. In time and in space and in history at a defined moment at a precise occasion in history the world is irrevocably changed.

There's forgiveness of sins. There is the hope of a resurrection. The world is a completely different place now. Since Christ Has come. Continuing the doctrine this has implications for us. Get verse 42.

I'm skipping over important things, but I know this is familiar to you. Just re-exposing us to this idea again. So also is the resurrection of the dead. Verse 42. The body is sown in corruption. It is raised in incorruption.

It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness is raised in Power is sown a natural body. It's it's raised a spiritual body. There's a natural body and there is a spiritual body.

And so it is written the first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. Now what's so interesting about this when we think about the creation account God forming Adam from the dust of the ground and you remember I said that the breath of God into Adam's nostrils animates and makes the clay sculpture alive and and That Adam and that frailty he sinned.

But but now the last Adam has come as a life-giving spirit he comes in and is clothed in the flesh of humanity and and yet he does this and he performs this life of Faithfulness and obedience without any sin.

Therefore he is the only qualified one to have the sins of us all laid upon him. That we might have forgiveness. Children in the Passover rights of Our spiritual parents in Israel. They would have a young spotless lamb and what's forgotten about this is That they would raise this lamb and spend time with the lamb.

Maybe even name the lamb and they would scratch under his chin and rub his ears and pat him on his side and they would love the lamb and and then Passover would come and his throat would get slashed and he'd bleed everywhere and He would let out a howl if you've ever heard this the screeching howl of the lamb being slaughtered.

It's it's a sound like no other. And the proper instruction of the children by the parents would be to say Put your hand on the head of that lamb. You should die for your sins. But this lamb is going to die in your place.

And so they put their hand on the head of the lamb. The lamb that they loved began to become very fond of and that lamb would die for them to to see the seriousness the weightiness of their sin. And what's happened for us is we too have placed our hand on the head of the Lamb of God and When we've said in faith, we've said my sin for your righteousness.

When we put our hands on Jesus and say Oh Christ take away my sins. One of the things that we forget in communion and I'll try to periodically remind us. Is there there's a an irony a paradox of sorts.

Is I Reason because of my sin that Christ has to go to the cross. The lamb dies because of my sin and Jesus and his love for his people says I joyfully take on your sin. I will die for you. Spectacular the greatest story reality drama in the world.

Turn back to our text in the interest of time. Westminster standards are Wonderful. And the larger catechism question 36 Asked the question who is the mediator of the covenant of grace? The only mediator of the covenant of grace.

The answer is Is the Lord Jesus Christ Who being the eternal Son of God of One substance and equal with the Father. Think about that incredible statement. Only Christ could be the mediator because he's the only one who is of one substance and equal with the Father and also one with man in the fullness of time all those prophecies that the waiting became man and so was and continues to be God and man and two distinct natures and one person forever.

Jesus is still and he looks like Jesus of Nazareth because he's not shed that humanity. It's a glorified humanity. It's a resurrected humanity. It's a humanity that you and I too will share our frail bodies which are dying are going to be transformed and glorified because Christ Is the first fruits.

Question 50 of the larger catechism says wherein consists Christ's humiliation after his death. Christ's humiliation after his death consisted in his being buried and continuing in the state of the dead and under the power of death.

Till the third day the day that we celebrate today and you're gonna love this which hath been otherwise Expressed in the words he descended into hell we sang it. In the liturgy the Apostles Creed how essential is the doctrine of the resurrection of Christ?

Central. Essential doctrine. Question 52 to end our discussion of the doctrine of the resurrection. How was Christ exalted in his? Resurrection. Christ was exalted in his resurrection in that not having seen corruption and death.

I Love this parenthetical phrase of which it was not possible for him to be held. Death cannot hold him and having the very same body in which he suffered with the essential properties thereof but without mortality and other common infirmities belonging to this life.

Really united to his soul. He rose again from the dead the third day by his own power. I thought I'd maybe stop there for just a moment we often think of Some force or something else. Acting upon Jesus to raise him from the dead.

He's raised under his own power. That's a amazing Lazarus comes forth because Jesus does something. Jesus is risen by his own power. He lays his life down and he takes it up again all himself willingly obviously in submission to the father and in this the catechism continues whereby he declared himself to be the Son of God to have satisfied divine justice to have vanquished death and Him that had the power of it.

Referring to the enemy Satan and to be Lord of the quick and the dead. All of which he did as a public person the head of his church for their justification. Quickening and grace support. Against enemies and to assure them of their resurrection from the dead at the last day my friends the doctrine of the resurrection has transformed everything in Fact it has transfigured the world.

The Drama of the Resurrection and the Empty Tomb

Well, let's consider the second point. Let's look again at John chapter 20. There's a key verse here that I'd like us to think of and I'm going to point that out to you now in the interest of time it's.

For as yet, they did not know the scripture. That he must rise again from the dead. The beauty of this week is last week. We considered the triumphal entry and you'll remember that I I said that it doesn't really go according to plan.

Jesus doesn't instruct the Jews to take up arms and to throw out the Romans doesn't happen. The disciples they they witness all of these marvelous events. They participate in the first Lord's Supper and you think about all that has happened in this one week it's essentially the doctrine and the Whole idea of the church and the identity of the church is now formed by the time of the resurrection.

It's gonna be crystallized in just a few days with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and His ascension just prior to that. It's all this is happening in this very short and compressed sense space of time.

But they didn't understand. And what I find compelling about this in this drama. And I don't have an answer. I have speculation. Why does Mary Want to go to the tomb early. There's some other evidence that suggests she's going there to prepare the body, but it seems that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus have already done that in our context if you read verse 9 chapter 19, you would see that Mary and her grief goes and she just wants to be near him.

She wants to be near his dead body. She had high expectations. We need to participate in the drama that unfolds when we read these passages. They don't fully understand what's going to happen. They don't understand it after it happens.

When even when Jesus is there, they don't fully grasp what has occurred. And then there's disciples who have a foot race to the tomb. John gets there first and he he just looks in. Peter climbs in the hole and looks around inside there and they see the linen cloths lying there.

This is a a funny aside, but children. I think you should make your bed. Because the risen Christ folds up his handkerchief when he leaves. Can you get into the drama of this all? Their hopes are penned on Christ and then he's crucified and and the disciples are scattered.

They think he's the Messiah, but but now can he be the Messiah? He's died on the cross. Now they're hiding behind locked doors because the Jews are gonna come after them and maybe put them on a cross.

And I don't understand this. Verse 10 says the disciples went away again to their own homes. He's not there now. The empty tomb is very important to us, but it's not enough. You said what do you mean?

The grave robbing theory could be true if he's just not in there anymore. Then then the grave robbers could have taken him the resurrection. Requires that Jesus appear to Mary and the women and his disciples and even to 500 of the brethren at once.

Can you get a sense of the drama. We thought this was the one who is going to save Israel. Oh he is. But but he's crucified on that cross a Roman cross. Yes, and there he is accomplished redemption for his people.

But he he lays in the grave. He's died like every other man. Yes, he dies like every man, but but death cannot hold him on the third day Christ is Risen for they did not know the scripture that he must rise again from the dead and then the appearance of Mary.

To to Mary the angel she's outside the tomb weeping. She's just concerned where have they taken the Lord's body. It's like a family who doesn't know where their departed loved one's body is. They're grieving.

They're weeping. They just want to bury their loved one. The angels appear to her. Why are you weeping? Because they have taken away my lord, and I do not know where they have laid him and then Jesus.

The risen Christ not just an empty tomb. But a risen Christ appears to her and asks her why she's weeping. Oh the drama of it all. You could spin a beautiful biblical theology. Out of the words look at the second half of verse 15 she's supposing him to be the gardener.

We pass over that don't we? He's the capital G gardener. You could build a whole thing on that. We don't have time to consider it, but There's something there more than just a descriptor. The master gardener is there then she sees him.

He says to her Mary and something in the the inflection of his voice. She she her eyes are blind to the risen Christ until she hears his voice. His sheep hear his voice, and he cries out to her Mary. Then she responds.

Jesus even tells her and apparently She lays hold of him and grabs her arms and wraps them around him in some way. He says do not cling to me. For I have not yet ascended to my father. But go to the brethren and say to them I am ascending to my father and to your father and to my God and to your God.

And it continues into Sunday night verse 19. The same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut. Where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them peace be with you.

We sing at Christmas peace on earth. And mercy mild. God and sinners reconciled that hopeful expectation for the first time tangibly in history. After the fall, it's all that stuff that happens is anticipatory waiting for this.

There is peace with God. Jesus could say my peace shalom be with you. And as I mentioned in Sunday school today as The father sent me I also send you. Jesus now is very much taking The disciples them and pointing them in the direction of the work that they are to do.

The church the New Covenant Church is being established and the disciples are being sent out to tell Everyone in the world about the good news that God and sinners are reconciled. What a dramatic time.

The Disciples, Apostolic Boldness, and the Resurrection

Well the last thing I like us to consider is The disciples as I mentioned when you read the synoptics and you read John. You get the sense that the disciples they shrink back in This moment just prior to the resurrection they they don't have a lot of courage but something happens and that something is the resurrection and his appearance to them and.

And Peter in his brashness, which was unwise before he becomes as bold as a lion. Paul is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ why he's seen the risen Christ. Everything that Christ said about himself has been proven to be true.

And now he wears a crown and he reigns in rules. I fear nothing he could say. Should be true for us. Christ is risen. We should be very bold. I'm gonna have you not turn in the interest of time. I'm gonna read a couple of quick passages from the preaching of the Apostles the end of the sermon at Pentecost.

Peter says men and brethren, let me speak to you freely of the patriarch David. Just see how the resurrection children is woven into this David one of the top five guys of all time. He is both dead and buried and his tomb is with us to this day.

Some archaeologists someday will probably find the place where David's bones are. They can't do that with Jesus there are no bones to find. They're in a living body still. Therefore being a prophet referring to David and knowing that God had sworn with an oath To him that the fruit of his body according to the flesh.

He would raise up the Christ to sitting to sit on his throne. He foreseeing this Spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ. That his soul was not left in Hades nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up of which we are all witnesses.

Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit. He poured out this which you now see and hear. The resurrection is the central Doctrinal piece of apostolic preaching it seems that Paul starts with the resurrection and he can go in any direction after that.

Should be true for us. The greatest sermon in terms of effect ever preached is probably this one and the centerpiece of the message is the resurrection of Christ. Chapter 4 of Acts Says now as they spoke to the people the priests the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and Preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead and they laid hands on them and Peter and John would be arrested.

They're forbidden to preach it and and why do these men who are timid and fearful and denying and and faulty? Why are they so strong now? Why will they not be restrained? They're gonna get beaten. They're gonna be in prison.

They will not stop preaching Christ in him crucified. Why? The resurrection they've seen the risen Christ Peter in the same chapter in verse 4. Chapter 4 verse 8 says. Peter filled with the Holy Spirit said to them Rulers of the people and elders of Israel.

If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man by what means he has even made well referring to the healing. Let it be known to you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom you crucified Whom God raised from the dead by him this man stands here before you whole.

This is the stone which was rejected by you builders which has become The chief cornerstone nor is there salvation in any other? For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which We must be saved.

And finally Chapter 4. Multitude of those who believe were of one heart and one soul. Neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own. But they had all things in common and with great power the Apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace Was upon them all.

Chapter 5 really quickly. The Apostles are put on trial once again. The captain went with the officers verse 26 and brought them without violence for they feared the people Lest they should be stoned and when they had brought them they set them before the council.

And the high priest asked them saying did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name and look you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and Intend to bring this man's blood on us. But Peter and the other Apostles answered and said we ought to obey God rather than men.

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to his right hand to be prince and Savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses to these things.

And so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. When they heard this they were furious and Plotted to kill them one last one. I'll touch on to refer to Paul in Acts chapter 17 it says.

And this is the Areopagus the Mars Hill interaction with the philosophers the others. Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews. And with the Gentile worshipers, you should be asking yourself.

What was the content of Paul's preaching. And In the marketplace daily with those who happen to be there. Then Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him and some said what does this babbler want to say?

Others said he seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods. Why? Because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection. Between the cross and the crown the history and the future. And all of the problems and all the questions are resolved.

A couple of words of application here will close. Timid doubtful. Fearful men scattered even according to prophecy when the shepherd was struck. Now after the resurrection become bolder than lions. Let's not forget that these guys mostly came from the area on the north side of the Sea of Galilee.

These are fishermen and all from basically the same region. They are now the ones who would turn the entire world upside down. They will now not flinch in the face of their torturous martyrdoms. How is this possible.

There are eyewitnesses to the resurrection. They counted a privilege to suffer for Christ and. The application for you and for me is that we need to be bold and courageous. Unwavering unflinching in our devotion and our allegiance to Christ.

We must proclaim not only his salvation and his forgiveness. We should proclaim the crown rights of his kingdom. This world belongs to the Christ. We need to take this message to the world second. Your sins are forgiven.

The Righteous One died in your stead. You now walk in faith clothed in his righteousness. Death no longer has dominion over you. You should never be afraid of death again because the resurrection. You died with Christ when you laid your hands in faith when God took your hand and put it on his dear son and laid It on him as a sacrifice.

Not only did you get the forgiveness of sins and the sacrifice you got caught up in resurrection. You become part of the resurrection class of people who died with him. You're now raised with him to walk in newness of life walk in this forgiveness salvation.

And newness of life in Christ. You've been set free from the bondage of sin and death. Walk in it. Savor it delight in it. Enjoy it. Christ has won it for you. Stranglehold of sin has been broken. The dread of death has been lifted.

The ruler of this world that Dragon serpent has been defeated. You've been freed from all of his tyranny. You've been freed from the power and bondage of sin. You have been Freed from the dread of death that would transform a life to live in light of these truths.

Brethren Christ is risen today. And in this we rejoice. Amen. Let's pray together. Oh Lord, we thank you for your mercy and kindness. We ask for your Blessing on the remainder of our day and Oh Lord Jesus.

We take you to be our Savior. We're the reason you go to the cross and you joyfully accept it. We're the reason you die and you accept it and you are raised that we might to have a resurrection life. Lord.

Pray that you would help us to appreciate these things. I ask this in Jesus name. Amen. I made a Error. I want to. I wanted to close with this. I pray that you'll forgive me. This is one of my favorite passages in the first Corinthians.

I was going to come back to it here right at the end. Just take a second. It's from 1st Corinthians 15 47 and it's so beautiful. The first man was of the earth made of dust. The second man is the Lord from heaven.

As Was the man of dust so also are those who are made of dust in Adam? That but listen to this part and As is the heavenly man, so also are those who are heavenly. That's us and As we have borne the image of the man of dust because of the resurrection.

We also shall bear the image of the heavenly man. Hallelujah. Amen.