Christ is Raised

Good evening everyone. I Invite you to turn with me to the gospel of John chapter 20. John chapter 20 and we will focus this evening on verses 1 through 18. If you would please stand when you get there for the reading of God's Word.

The Empty Tomb and the Discovery of the Resurrection

John chapter 20 verses 1 through 18. Let us hear the Word of God 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.

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. So Peter went out with the other disciple and they were going toward the tomb.

Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first and Stooping to look in he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came following him and went into the tomb.

He saw the linen cloths lying there and the face cloth which had been on Jesus's head. Not lying with the linen cloths, but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in and he saw and believed.

For as yet they did not understand the scripture that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes but Mary stood weeping outside the tomb and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb and She saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain one at the head and one at the feet.

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. Having said this she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.

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.

Jesus said to her Mary. She turned and said to him in Aramaic Rabboni which means teacher. 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. Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples. I have seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her. Amen, please be seated.

Let's unite our hearts and let's pray together Father as we Now bookend our Lord's Day with another time in your word. We pray for your Holy Spirit to be our help. That he would awaken our spiritual interest that we would hunger and thirst for the righteousness that is contained in your word.

The glory that is in Christ Jesus himself our Lord Who gave himself for our sins according to the scripture was buried and who rose on the third day according to the scripture? We ask father strengthen the faith of your people.

We live in a world that mocks and jests Towards your people and towards you at the idea that Christ has raised from the dead. But father we know these things because your word and your spirit have revealed them to us.

You have given us innumerable proofs and so we pray let us live boldly in light of the resurrection that Christ lives Forevermore never to die again. Let us live in him. Let him be seen in us by others.

Let us be light to the world. Let us be salt in the world. Let us be a city set on the hill for his glory for the sake of being witnesses to his kingdom. We pray father be merciful to draw in sinners of every tribe tongue people and nation.

To bow the knee to the one who died and rose from the dead. He is king of kings and lord of lords. Bless us now be with us by your Holy Spirit to teach us To change us from one degree of glory into the next we ask in Jesus name.

Amen. Amen. No gospel out of all four Gospels actually records the actual event of the resurrection happening. God in his providence saw it to be Saw it fit that the cross of Christ should be done in broad broad daylight Seen by everyone a public spectacle.

But that the resurrection of Christ happened on an early morning in a quiet garden. But every gospel records their discovery of the empty tomb and Each of them in their own way. John gives the most detail To resurrection Sunday and he focuses in on Mary Magdalene.

Mary Magdalene’s Devotion at the Empty Tomb

Mary Magdalene was a woman From whom the Lord had cast out seven demons. She was a woman who had been forgiven much and therefore she loved much. Luke chapter 8 verse 2 tells us that she Would she cared for the Lord during his earthly ministry out of her own purse?

She was one of the women who was last with our Lord in his sufferings and now here again She shows her love for the Lord in being the first on sight at the empty tomb and even Notice before before the Sun is even up the Sabbath has ended and before the Sun has even Risen she a woman is on her way down the dark paths to this garden to be near her Lord.

She has no idea. She's going to find what she finds, but she wants to be near him and and she's an example for us in that. Even in a sense to the shame of the Apostles, where are the men on this early resurrection morning?

And so she goes and it's dark when she leaves but as she approaches the tomb the Sun has begun to come up and She can see the stone has been rolled away. This is the first discovery that the Lord has been raised from the dead though.

She does not Comprehend it yet. And so she sees the tomb open and she immediately runs back to find Peter and John. John is this other unnamed disciple and What does Mary think has happened does she putting the pieces together?

The Lord has raised as he had as he had said. Now he finds she finds Peter and John and she tells them They have taken away the Lord and I do not know where they have laid him. Though Mary is commended for her faith.

It is still a weak faith and she is not understanding. And this is quite interesting turn to Matthew 16 21. Mary should have and could have known better, but especially the disciples themselves should have known better.

Matthew 16 21. Matthew writes from that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him saying far be it from you Lord.

This should never happen to you. So Four times at least in the Gospels Jesus spoke that Plainly to the disciples about what was going to happen when he goes to Jerusalem but they and she are not yet understanding and yet There is still a measure of hopefulness and vigor in Peter and John.

They run they race to the tomb, okay, and John being the younger disciple he gets there first. He stoops in he doesn't he doesn't go in but he looks in and he sees the grave clothes lying there. Peter the older apostle a bit slower arrives secondly.

And he is the more bold of the Apostles and he just goes right in the tomb. Matthew Henry says John could outrun Peter. But Peter could outdare John. Some disciples are quick and they are useful to quicken those who are slow.

Others are bold and they are useful to embolden those who are timid. Diversity of gifts but one spirit. But Peter upon going into the tomb is the one who gets the better view. He looks in and he sees not only the grave clothes lying there.

But he sees also separate from the grave clothes the handkerchief that was upon the Lord's head. Carefully folded up and put in its own place. What does that say? What that says is that this was not grave robbers.

Grave robbers would have stolen the clothes and left the body. This was not the Jews Stealing the body away who in their right mind would rather move a naked dead body. This is proof that something unique has happened here and Brothers and sisters think for a minute.

Why did Christ leave the grave clothes behind? What's the significance of that? There's at least four things. Number one he left the grave clothes behind because he rose from the dead never to die again.

And he will never have need of them. Unlike Lazarus in chapter 11 who came forth still wrapped in his grave clothes because he would need them a second time. Christ is done with death. Secondly he is this is speaking to the fact that he is now clothed in glory.

He is clothed in his resurrection glory. Thirdly Leaving behind the grave clothes speaks to the fact that we also in Christ when we die and we rise again we must also put off all corruption and be raised incorruptible and.

Lastly fourthly perhaps with a bit more sanctified imagination Matthew Henry says that Christ left behind the grave clothes so that if and when the saint finds the grave to be his bed. He can be assured assured that Christ has already sheeted that bed for him and made it ready and so After Peter goes in and sees this John goes in and it says he sees and he believes.

Things are clicking for John and he even says for they had not yet understood the scripture that he must rise from the dead. He is being self-critical Here of himself and Yet, even though things are clicking something still is not right.

Peter and John did it does not say they run and they begin telling everyone Christ is risen from the dead. It says they both went home each to his own home. It seems that there's still. Though there's faith there's also this mixture of doubt and unbelief.

Is this too good to be true? And so Mary the story shifts back and focuses on her. She stays at the tomb. She doesn't understand what has happened, but she's more devoted and she stays there and as she is weeping at the tomb she also for whatever reason decides to stoop in and to look in and She sees two angels sitting at either end of the bed where the Lord had had laid.

Why two angels? Because on the testimony of two or three witnesses it shall be established. The angels are here to bear testimony for the comfort of God's people. He is not here why do you seek the living among the dead and Either she is blinded through her tears and so she doesn't Recognize them as angels or perhaps she's so overcome with grief that even the sight of angels is not enough to make it click for her.

She says to them the same thing they have taken away my lord, and I do not know where they have laid him and just then. And we're not told exactly what happens here. Whether Mary hears a noise from behind her or sees a shadow or maybe the angels look over her shoulder.

Mary turns around and it's the Lord though she doesn't recognize him and Again, I don't know if she's blinded by tears. I don't know if she just took a quick glance maybe her eyes like Luke 24 are temporarily closed from seeing his identity and The Lord says to him woman, why are you weeping and whom are you seeking?

Why are you weeping? What kind of a Messiah are you looking for? Are you looking for the kind? That would be filled with this world's pomp and glory. Do you think that the Messiah dying? For the sins of his people and rising again does not fit with the Old Testament's prophecies.

What who are you seeking and she assumes this must be the gardener? This must be Joseph of Arimathea's gardener who else would be here this early in the morning and She says the same thing to the Lord sir if you have carried him away show me where you have laid him and I will take him and Jesus says to her Mary and Immediately she knows that voice John 10 27 my sheep hear my voice.

I know them by name. She knows that is the voice of the one who cast the seven demons out of me. That is my master who taught me and Discipled me whom I loved and served in his earthly ministry and she sure her eyes are open and she cries out Rabboni great teacher and It seems John doesn't record this but we put this together.

It seems that in her excitement and delight she grasps the Lord Holds on to him embraces him and Honestly, how could you blame her? He's risen from the dead and he gives her this caution Do not cling to me.

Not because it was inherently wrong to touch him. He will allow Thomas just further down in this chapter to touch his wounds. But because the way she is clinging to him Indicates that she has a wrong understanding of why he has risen from the dead.

She thinks he has come back from the dead to continue on with us the same way. He always did. When in fact he has risen from the grave to ascend into heaven and to assume his rightful role as king king of heaven and earth and She will have him as he promised the disciples in the upper room discourse he will send the Comforter to his people and By the Spirit the Father and the Son will make their abode with them and with her but she will have Christ by faith Not by sight and touch.

The arrangement is changing. He is going to heaven and he is passing the mantle now on to his church to continue the mission of Preaching the gospel to the ends of the earth and he says to her go to my brethren and Tell them I am ascending to my father and your father and to my God and your God.

This is the first time the Lord calls them his brothers. This is adoption. Realized that I am going to open the way to my father and he is he is just as much now your father and My God and your God and I am going to intercede for you and to pour out from heaven all the blessings Of my finished work upon my church.

To be with you all the days of your earthly mission in my name. Now let's turn to our doctrine and our application. I've put these two together this evening. What do we learn and how do how should we respond to the resurrection of our Lord?

The Historical Truth of Christ’s Bodily Resurrection

I've got several things that I want to press home with you. Number one we are taught the truthfulness and the veracity of Christ's resurrection from the dead. I Christian I want to strengthen your faith to unashamedly Affirm in a world that thinks you are a fool that yes indeed Christ the God-man died for our sins and on the third day according to the scriptures rose bodily from the grave and Unbeliever.

Particularly if you're here this evening and you're an agnostic or you're an atheist I want to challenge your unbelief. Let me speak to you first is it insane that Christians believe Christ raised bodily from the dead.

Are you here and you think that we are childish in our thinking? That we are unscientific unreasonable in our thinking in believing these things and you say to yourself. No one raises from the dead. My answer to you my friend is not usually and That is the whole point.

No one is saying it is normal for people to go into a grave and three days later rise. That is why it is literally the pinnacle event of human history on which your whole calendar is based. And you might say but that's just blind faith.

Just blind faith. Okay, if you're an atheist, I want you to enter into a discussion with me for a second. Let's talk about blind faith. And I'm gonna speak very frankly with you because we don't get anywhere if we're not honest about the weakness of each other's arguments.

You as an atheist Literally have no explanation for why anything exists. You cannot explain how human life came from nothing. Literally, and I do and I don't mean this to be offensive. I do mean this to be shameful because we need to call shameful ideas for what they are literally the prevailing Evolutionary theory is that we human beings share a common ancestor with modern chimpanzees.

Is that really? The idea you want to bring to the table that you think deserves respect as a rational explanation of the origins of the human race. Who who is operating off of blind faith? Who who was there to see that evolutionary process by the way?

No one. And. Yet you will believe that but you will not believe that Christ raised from the dead. Even though there are hundreds of eyewitnesses who said it happened. There is a reason for that and it is not intellectual.

It is moral. The ant the reason is Psalm 14 verse 1 the fool has said in his heart There is no God. And when you reject God from your thinking you will be led to make many foolish conclusions. Is it really the Christian who begins with foolish blind faith.

Is it Unreasonable to think that the God who created the world can do things extraordinary. That he can speak through a donkey and that he can part the Red Sea and that he can cleanse lepers and he can send Angels to blast away the stone and that yes, God can raise himself from the dead.

Christian believe the Scriptures. Believe the authority of the inspired Word of God. We could go to so many. I want you to go to one passage go to acts 1 3 acts 1 3. Luke says He Christ presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs.

Appearing to them during 40 days and speaking about the kingdom of God. Many proofs. He was seen by the women at the tomb. He was seen by the unbelieving guards the angels Mary Magdalene and John chapter 20.

He was seen by the 11 without Thomas and then the 11 with Thomas chapter 20. He was seen by the seven who go fishing and John chapter 21. He was seen by the 11 in Galilee in Matthew 28. Then he's seen by more than 500 brothers at once 1st Corinthians 15 then by James 1st Corinthians 15 7.

After his ascension he's seen by Stephen and acts. After his ascension acts 755 then Paul after his ascension acts 917 and finally by John on the island of Patmos. God has not left us without proof that Christ indeed rose from the dead.

Resurrection Victory and Christ’s Justification

That brings us to the second thing that I want us to focus on this evening. What does it mean then? Since Christ rose from the dead, what does that mean for us? Jesus says tell my brothers that I am ascending to my father and their father and my God and their God brothers and sisters what it means is victory.

Absolute victory. Never before and never since has there been a more glorious warning morning Than this resurrection morning three days before this. Using the song look look II Saints the site is glorious.

Sinners in derision crowned him mocking thus the Savior's claims saints and angels crowd around him own his title praise his name and Here three days later the king of glory walks again in the garden in the cool of the day and every square inch is his.

All is glorious all is right. All is majestic because Christ has conquered the grave the grave could not hold him and he lives and You can hear the serpent Gasping from his mortal wound. I've got three things.

I want you to see here number one behold Christian the justified one. Turn to first Timothy 316. I'm gonna have you turn to a couple passages first Timothy 316. Great indeed. We confess is the mystery of godliness.

He Christ was manifested in the flesh Vindicated that is the word for justified by the Spirit. Seen by angels proclaimed among the nations believed on in the world taken up in glory turned to Romans 4.

Romans 4 24. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord. Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our? Justification three days the world was held in suspense.

Did he do it. Did he succeed. Is he the victor. We saw the curtain torn we felt the earthquake. But it's been three days and one more and psalm 1610 will not be able to be fulfilled that you will not let your Holy One undergo corruption and it's as though creation holds its breath and early on that third day Romans 1 verse 4 Christ shows himself to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead.

The author of our salvation walks out a free man as to the law. Justified as to the wrath of God it has been satisfied. Death sting taken away and Consequently brothers and sisters all his people walk free with him.

We all in this room. From the youngest of us to the oldest of us. We deserve to hear from the judge of heaven. I find the defendant guilty on all charges and I sentenced him to eternal death. Angels take him away no parole and Instead Christ emerges from the grave with us as it were on his back and he says to us I am bringing you to my God and your God and my father and your father.

Brothers and sisters, how good is the good news of justification by faith? My sin. Oh the bliss of this glorious thought my sin not in part, but the whole Has been nailed to the cross and I bear it no more.

Praise the Lord praise the Lord. Oh my soul. Secondly. Behold the sanctified one. Turn to Romans 6 4 5. Paul writes 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.

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. Turn to Colossians 3 1. Colossians 3 1 he says if then you have been raised with Christ.

Seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Christian. Whatever is true of us, whatever graces we experience we experience because they first reside in Jesus Christ himself.

We are sanctified because Christ sanctified himself for us and When he rose from the dead he left behind What was mortal and corruptible and he put on power and glory and immortality. And the way? The New Testament relates us to the resurrection of Christ is that that very Resurrection power is at work with within us in its first fruits.

Sanctification is the reality of glorification be begun. You are new if you're in Jesus Christ. You're not only forgiven praise God that your slate has been wiped clean by the blood and righteousness of Christ.

But you are new. You you experience that first when you went from being dead in trespasses and sins and a child of wrath and the Spirit of Christ came and he awakened your heart to the preaching or the reading of the Word of God and you Saw the glory of Jesus Christ and his by his spirit you were in a in a moment Made a new creation.

Amen. Have you experienced that in your life. Everything became new. I am NOT the same person. I don't have the same relationship to sin. I used to love sin and I used to be indifferent to God and now I hate sin.

I have guilt over. I want to turn from it and I want to serve the Lord. That's regeneration. That's the beginning of sanctification. But that's that's not the end of our experience of the resurrection power of Christ.

Living as Those Raised With Christ

You now Christian For the rest of your days in this life. You are called by God to live for Jesus Christ by Jesus Christ. View his resurrection as your pattern. Seriously Christian this requires preaching to yourself.

Christ arose early in the morning and Therefore you Christian I mean it. When you wake up and you will rise from your bed remind yourself. I am raised with Jesus Christ. I'm not my own. I've been bought with a price.

I belong to a new kingdom now. The new creation has dawned in my heart. Not only did he arise early He departed from the grave early and thus Christian when you arise from your bed in the morning resolve to depart from sin.

Resolve to live holy lives set apart for the glory of Christ who bought you. Second Timothy 219 let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Thirdly Christ left his grave clothes behind.

Likewise you too Christian leave behind the old man leave behind the old self. Despise even the garment polluted by the flesh and Fourthly and finally Christ walked out of that grave alive never to die again.

And so Christian present yourselves as alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Live For your new King. Live from your new heart. Live from the new power of the Spirit. Depend on the Spirit walk in the Spirit.

For grace to obey the Lord to live as lights in this world to be bold and proclaiming the gospel and the truth of God's Word. Depending on him for grace not to fear man. Put on Christ put on purity. Christ has risen to newness of life and therefore his body Will experience the same it brings us to the last and final thing.

The Resurrection of the Whole Person

I want us want to draw our attention to Behold here the restoration of the whole man. Body and soul. Christ is the first fruits from the dead. His soul his human soul was reunited with his real human body and He is the first fruits and guarantee for all his people all his church that on that great and final day we too our Departed souls that have gone to be with Christ will come and they will be reunited with our same bodies but resurrected in newness of glory and Christian how that should spur us on to live with hope and with boldness.

Let me just say briefly a word about each of those That should give us the hope of all hopes God has been pleased in my church this last year. To bring some of our members through incredibly incredibly difficult and heartbreaking losses and suffering Losing children.

Cancer there is not a Single hope that does more good to the hurting Grieving Christian than to know. Those who die in the Lord die safely and he will raise them up on the last day and I will be raised up on The last day and we shall all be together with the Lord.

This is the resurrection is the completion. It's the final word victory Death That has gotten everyone just about Throughout this long human history and brought pain and grief and loss and suffering and regret and all these things.

Futility it is the final word that death has been crushed and destroyed and it does not have the final word Jesus won he broke the bars off and That's the second thing. I just briefly want to say not only does it give hope it gives boldness To live for the glory of Christ.

All of Mary's sadness immediately turned to joy when she realized the Lord is back from the dead. Christian what if we lived in such a way that we really from the bottom of our hearts believed Christ really is Risen from the dead and we really to no matter what foes assail us no matter whether we're killed for our faith.

I Would that affect your living for Christ. That's assurance there's nothing to fear. There's nothing to fear. What can man do to me? The body they may kill. God's truth abideth still his kingdom is forever and you can live like Paul for me to live as Christ and to die as gain and I'm hard-pressed on which one I want to do.

I would much rather go to be with Christ. But honestly, I know that it's needed more for your sake that I remain with you a little while longer. But if it were up to me, I wish that my days would be up Christian.

Believe the Word of God. Christ is one He won and We will win in him. We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Amen, let's pray. Father we pray. Jesus says that you know these things blessed.

Are you if you do them? We know so much from your word, but we do not always mix it with faith and we are doubting oftentimes like your disciples. Father we pray strength and faith. We believe help our unbelief.

Let us be settled in our hearts. Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus nothing on earth nothing in heaven. Not things present not things to come. He has won the battle and we have won in him and you will bring us to glory.

Let us live bold and Courageous lives for your glory. We think of Paul in first Corinthians 15 who said that if there is no resurrection from the dead. We are of all people most to be pitied. And he questioned if there's no resurrection why why does he willingly embrace suffering like he does.

But he did because he knew that on the other side he will be with Christ. Father help us as your people to believe that help us to strengthen one another all the more as the day draws near. Lord for those who are faint in heart.

Help us to lift them up in the in the truth of your word. Bless your church we pray. Bring many to faith save the nations. We long to see your churches full and all the chosen race brought in. Raise up bold courageous preachers.

Like the Apostles are about to be commissioned to go out into a hostile world father. We pray raise up laborers. To preach this message of the gospel to the ends of the earth and draw in your elect. We pray that you would enable us by your spirit.

By the power that raised Christ from the dead. Let us be empowered to live for your glory We ask these things in Christ's name. Amen.