The Son of God's Triumph

The Resurrection as the Center of the Gospel

I'd like to speak to you this Lord's Day. The Son of God's triumph. The Son of God's triumph, and the text I'm going to use will be from the Gospel of John chapter 20. We're going to look at the first 18 verses.

This is not the first I've preached this message. But again, I went down into it, and for my own soul, to feed my own soul. And as it's been said, you know, as we go through this, we'll see that the interpretation never changes.

There is only one true interpretation. It's like the old hymn says, tell me the old, old story of Jesus and His love. That story will never change, it is the same. And it's the great story of the good news of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it would not be complete without the resurrection.

The resurrection is the completion of everything that Jesus has done. So we're going to look at that, at that glorious story of the empty tomb and the risen Lord Jesus. First of all, let's bow in prayer as we go to the Lord and seek His face during this hour of worship.

Our Father and our great God, Lord, we come, we do give thanks, for You alone are worthy to receive, as it says in Revelation, as all the saints would sing, the church that's glorified, and its glorified state, and we sing it just the same, and say it the same to You, O Lord, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, honor and power and might belong to You.

Salvation belongs to You, O Lord, who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. Lord, I pray this morning, help us by Your Spirit, Lord, to behold the Lamb of God who has taken away the sins of the world. The one who You raised from the dead, the one You have highly exalted above all rulers and above all principalities, and today that He who reigns with You, Lord, at Your right hand of power is our great high priest, and majesty and glory forever make an intercession for all saints.

And Lord, as we sung last Lord's Day, reminds us once again, a hymn writer that penned it years ago, let me like Mary through the gloom come with a gift to Thee, show me now the empty tomb,.

Lead me to Calvary.

Lord, help us, I pray, help us to see this, Your glory, Your victory, over death, hell, Satan, the grave, and we will be careful to give You all the glory and the praise, in Jesus' name I pray, Amen. First of all, I'd like to say the Apostle Paul, we'll pick up a little bit from where Brother Jordan read from scripture reading today, to bring this great truth that has already been spoken of, to help us get the focus of what is being said from the Apostle John chapter 20, but the Apostle Paul said if Christ was not raised from the dead, the believer's faith is useless, it's in vain.

I want you to think about that. Preaching would be vain. We'll be false witnesses. Those also who have fallen asleep, meaning dead in Christ, are lost. In other words, no hope. And if only for this life we have hope in Christ, we're of all people most to be pitied.

But verse 20 is really a turning point, and this is not the text today, but I'd like to start an introduction with this. The Apostle Paul says, but, very serious transition, but, the open door opens with a great revelation here, Christ has indeed been raised from the dead and the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Verse 21, for since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. As one commentator said it so wonderfully, the resurrection was the Father's amen to the sons,.

It is finished.

The resurrection was and is the exclamation point of the Father's joy and celebration for all that Jesus did for us in His dying. Therefore, without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son's death would have been in vain, but we know better.

He is risen from the dead. Not because we felt it or experienced it, but because the Scriptures has proclaimed it. That's where our faith is. That's where our faith is established. That's where our faith lies.

Beloved, this is the very reason why the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest of all miracles. Everything hinges on that resurrection.

Everything.

Everything that we believe from Genesis to Revelation hinges on the great historical fact, the great truth that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. Now, in the Gospel of John chapter 20, to the end of the book, is all about the risen Lord Jesus Christ.

We're not going to have time to go through all of it, of course. That's a lot of territory. It's absolutely important and critical for us to understand that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is just not another feature, so to speak, in Christianity.

But it is the main event. It is the main event. It is central to the Christian faith. The incarnation, how our Lord entered into the world, became flesh, to His point of humiliation, all the way to the death of the cross and His crucifixion, were absolutely necessary events and critical for Christ's mission to fulfill and to obey the will of God in this one command that Jesus received.

And He did. He did fulfill that command all the way to the very end. But the resurrection is the keystone, I would say, of Jesus' ministry. And again, Christ's resurrection is the greatest event in redemptive history and all of history.

There are four major events described to us here in chapter 20 of John's Gospel. First of all, and this is what we're going to look at today, I just have two points. The first is Mary Magdalene discovered the empty tomb and Peter and John confirmed her finding.

Second, we will look at Mary encountered the risen Lord Jesus. We'll look at those two. But if you read on in your devotional time in John chapter 20, you also see, third, Jesus appeared to the disciples when Thomas was absent.

And fourth, you will see that Jesus appeared a week later to the disciples with Thomas present. But today, we're only going to look at and gaze at the first two points I mentioned to you which are major events in this wonderful chapter of John chapter 20.

As we look at John chapter 20 verses 1 through 18, two major points will be this. First of all, the event is the great discovery of the empty tomb. That is found in verse 1 through 10. The great discovery of the empty tomb.

Second,.

We will observe that the second event is the great recognition. The great recognition that Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene which is found in verses 11.

Through 18.

So in saying that, let's hear what the scripture says on the first point. The great discovery. The great discovery. And what is that great discovery? It was the empty tomb. The tomb is empty. The tomb was empty.

Mary Magdalene's unquestionable discovery of the empty tomb. It was unsealed. This is found in verse 1 and 2. Now on the first day of the week, the scripture says, Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb while it was still dark and saw the stone already had taken away from the tomb.

Verse 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.

There are several.

Important facts that we need to see here in her discovery, this great discovery that the tomb is empty. The first one is very critical that Jesus arose on the first day of the week which would be our Sunday which is called the Lord's Day.

And we're going to prove this through scripture why it is the Lord's Day. Gospel of Matthew actually says in Matthew 28 .1 the end of the Sabbath. The end of the Sabbath meaning between 3 to 6 a .m.

Mark.

Says it was very early and the sun had risen. Luke says it is early dawn and Matthew again says it began to dawn while John says while it was still dark. Here we see pure honesty.

Beloved.

And don't you love this? There is no editor that is saying well this is a little bit different here so we might want to harmonize all these together some way. No, the integrity.

Of scripture.

Is maintained in the honesty of those statements I've just read to you. Clearly all of the gospel writers placed the arrival at the same time and I want you to see this. It's daybreak and when it's daybreak it's very early and when it's daybreak as Mark says the sun has risen and as Luke says it is early dawn and Matthew says it began to dawn and John says there's still a dusk darkness that's happening.

You see this? There's no contradiction whatsoever.

So beautiful.

Simple credibility and the pure scriptures that is given to us of the account from all gospel writers that's untampered with pure, clear perspectives by each of the four gospel writers that we have. This tells the same story from their perspective but it's still they still say the same thing.

John tells us it was still.

Dark.

So when Mary Magdalene came to this tomb.

So.

Why is this so important? Why is this fact so important? I'm going to tell you why it is important. Because as the text says Mary Magdalene was the first one to arrive.

At the empty tomb.

She's the first one to arrive.

Dawn.

Happens rapidly but when she came to the tomb. Beginning.

The.

Beginning the first one it was still on the dark side of dawn. So now according to Matthew's account Mary Magdalene didn't start out alone. But according to chapter 27 of Matthew.

Another Mary.

And Mary the mother of James and Joses was with her so she wasn't alone. You have to read that in context as was being said here in John but we know that she got there first. She was the first one to arrive.

So.

Important to note here that there were women at the foot of the cross and the same women who were at the foot of the cross were there on Friday when Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus who were basically burying the body and preparing the body of Jesus.

For burial.

And you see this in John chapter 19. Let me read a few verses previously. In John chapter 19 look at verse 38 to 42. After this Joseph of Arimathea being a disciple of Jesus but secretly for the fear of the Jews asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus and Pilate gave him permission.

So he came and took the body of Jesus and Nicodemus and we know by now see Nicodemus is.

A believer.

In John chapter 3 he had a lot of questions.

Now he's a believer.

He's with Joseph of Arimathea and then Nicodemus who at first came to Jesus by night, John refers to that also came bringing a mixture of myrrh, aloes about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus and bound it in strips of linen.

With spices.

As the custom of the Jews is to bury now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet laid. So there and there they laid Jesus because of the Jews preparation day for the tomb was nearby so we see here and now.

Let me read Luke. Luke chapter 23 verse 55 says. Now the women who had come with him out of Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid, verse 26 I'm sorry, 56 when they returned and prepared the spices and perfumes and on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment, now according to this text they have seen, they have Jesus' body placed in the tomb before sunset.

Why?

Because the Sabbath has began they were not able to finish preparing the body. Now this is very important because Mark 16 .1 says which says they purchased more spices when the Sabbath was over so after sundown on Saturday then they returned Sunday morning with the spices Luke 24 .1 says but on the first day of the week at early dawn they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared, verse 2 and they found the stone rolled from the tomb verse 3 but when they entered they did not find.

The body of the Lord Jesus.

They did not at that moment have a clue where he had gone where his body had gone so here according to the fact it was recorded to see here is another reason the.

Sabbath is over.

So this basically gives us another very important fact recorded in scripture that would. What would be that? That would be for the reason Jesus arose before dawn. Stay with me before the sun arose on that Sunday resurrection.

Morning.

And again there's very grave importance for this. Because the early believers broke away from the common division of the week which began with the Sabbath or their Saturday they began to count their days beginning with their Sunday.

So the.

Day of the resurrection of the Lord that's why it's called the Lord's.

Day.

Because of this central fact that happened in history it's the Lord's Day and we call it the Lord's Day because of his resurrection. That's why we Christians believers call it that and as I read earlier at the opening when John now he was exiled on Isle of Patmos.

And you know.

Alone he was in the spirit on the Lord's Day that's significant. And here is no longer see the transition has been made. This is a very interesting transition. So these women actually awakened on the morning of the first day of the week Sunday and the first thing we were thinking about that they were thinking about was getting back to the tomb.

So the Sabbath was over.

They have on their mind to go back and pour more spices on the body of Jesus. Now in that scene as we come to verse 1 John chapter 20 the important fact is that Jesus arose the first day of the week on the Sunday and this means that he had been in the tomb just as he said for three days just as he said.

And you go through these accounts and these gospel records it's all accurate.

I mean.

The witnesses and we're going to talk about these witnesses in a minute. How important this is.

So his.

Being arising from the dead was a triumph it was a conquest over death for death has lost its sting aren't you glad.

Death.

Doesn't have a stinger to it. No more. Jesus took the stinger out. We all have to face death but the pain of that stinger is taken away. That's why as a believer dies in Jesus Christ this will be his or her greatest.

Moment.

To transport from this side of eternity to eternity eternal bliss with the Lord because he is the first fruits of that resurrection. Because of his resurrection beloved there's going to be another great resurrection he's going to raise because he is the resurrection in life.

All he has to do is speak the word and all will come out of the grave. Someone said when he spoke when he was at the tomb of Lazarus he said Lazarus come forth. If he didn't speak Lazarus name everybody would have came forth and that's the truth.

And that's what's going to happen at the great resurrection day.

In the future.

Well it's glorious because this is. Without this we have no hope. We have no future hope but Jesus.

Has secured this for us.

And we can believe and rest in that. Another important fact is about the resurrection of Jesus. As he rose from the first day of the week Sunday morning he was in the grave on the Sabbath. But the Sabbath was being over.

It was over. Well what does that tell us. Well the fact tells us that they could not observe the laws of governing the great season of the Passover and the Sabbath. Jesus has fulfilled that. Jesus fulfilled it all.

Jesus Christ completely fulfilled the law of God in his life. He now in his death which is once and for all we identify with him as believers. We become dead to the laws of the observance of the Jewish ceremony law.

So we don't have to observe that. No more beloved Jesus has fulfilled that.

Now.

I didn't say we didn't have to observe the ten commandments but Jesus has obeyed the ten commandments fully. Have you seen these bumper stickers that says keep the ten commandments. I dare anyone to try to keep the ten commandments just in one day.

People say well hold on pastor I do my very best in doing that. But how many times in your mind.

Have you thought thoughts.

Against your neighbor against someone else and as Spurgeon says your thoughts are as words before God and immediately your heart.

Convicts you.

Have you thought a bad thought against someone else within the day or have you had a lustful thought against someone else in that day somewhere along the line within them ten commandments we have broken beloved and this is the point I'm trying to say.

Jesus has fulfilled and kept those laws of God his holiness his character which that's what it is to its to every detail. So in keeping the ten commandments sure we should love the law of God it's our delight.

But only.

Christ can keep it and fulfill it.

Not a one of us here can honestly say I have loved the Lord our God with all of our heart soul mind and strength even though that is the first and great commandment. So isn't it wonderful. Jesus has fulfilled the law.

Let me read a few scriptures. Paul says in Romans 8 1 and 2. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus for the law of spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 7 4 says. Very well. Paul says. Therefore my brethren you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ him who has raised from the dead that we should bear fruit unto God. In other words in response by faith alone and believing in Jesus Christ and obeying the Lord Jesus Christ which by the way obedience is the fruit of salvation.

It's not the root the faith is the root. The obedience is the fruit that sanctification. The believing sinner in Christ forever is dead to the condemnation and the penalty of the law because Christ.

Has fulfilled it.

That's basically what happened here when Jesus arose from the dead. Now I will tell you something else I think is very important. The evidence of the resurrection of Jesus is the empty tomb. The empty tomb in reality as I said earlier the stone.

Was it rolled away to let Jesus out. Did you ever think of that. It was rolled away to let the witnesses in.

Isn't that wonderful.

Look at the witnesses.

Look at how many witnesses.

If you.

Read.

Like if you heard very.

Instinctively of what brother Jordan was reading from 1st Corinthians chapter 15 that great resurrection chapter there were many many witnesses there many many witnesses hundreds that saw the Lord Jesus Christ.

And it is according to the scriptures that the scriptures was written. And that's why we believe not on our experience that according to the scriptures the resurrected Jesus doesn't need a stone to be removed.

So as Mary Magdalene arrives she sees the stone taken away from the tomb. This is very strong evidence of the resurrection of Jesus. The stone wasn't rolled back to let Christ out but to let the witnesses in.

Look at verse 2. Mary runs to Peter. So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved that's John and said to them they have taken away the Lord out of the tomb. She thought obviously that someone stole the body.

We do not know where they have laid him.

He's gone.

But a resurrection was the least thing from her mind at this.

Moment.

She just doesn't know where the body of the Lord is. That was a concern.

For her.

In verses 3 -5 the witnesses come to the empty.

Tomb to see the truth.

Look at verse 3. So Peter and the other disciple speaking of John went forth. They were going to the tomb. Verse 4. The two were running together and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter. And probably because John was a little younger than Peter younger guys could not run older guys when it comes to jogging and running.

And here he says it came to the tomb first. So John comes to the tomb first. Verse 5. And stooping looking in he saw the linen wrappings lying there but he did not go in.

That's interesting.

To see the interplay here between Peter and the disciple. But John in verse 4 they were running again like I said the younger that runs Peter verse 5 notice stooping down and looking in. Speaking of John it is very likely that the empty tomb was low.

It was where he could stoop down. Look in. It's obvious there is. The scripture tells us requiring one to stoop to enter and to look in. John saw the linen clothes lying there and then in verse 6 and so Simon Peter also came following him and entered the tomb.

He saw the linen wrappings lying there verse 7 and the face.

Cloth.

I'm sorry which had been on his head not lying with the linen wrappings but it was rolled up in a place by itself.

Now.

There's three important functions that tells us about this in scripture about the grave clothes they serve. Number one is most obvious is that they provide to us a visual evidence.

Of.

Jesus' resurrection the body is gone but the grave clothes remind us that Jesus' body wasn't there.

He's.

Not there.

Second they also.

Provide evidence that Jesus' body was not stolen.

And I'll tell you why.

Grave robbers would not leave behind valuable linen cloth and neither grave robbers nor Jewish authorities would take time to remove clothing from a body delaying their escape and increasing the risk of being caught.

Third.

They serve a theological function here that for example when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead Lazarus emerged from the tomb still wrapped in his burial clothes. He was actually wrapped up like a mummy.

He's almost like a mummy. He came hobbling out he couldn't walk because he was still wrapped up and Jesus had to.

Tell.

Those beside him loose him and let him.

Go Jesus.

Commands bystanders to free him might resume his normal earthly life but we read this in John chapter 11 and you can read that in your devotional time. But however when Jesus emerged from the tomb here in John chapter 20 he did so unencumbered.

You see this unencumbered.

No.

Grave clothes was binding.

Him.

Verse 8 says so. Then the other disciple who came first to the tomb that's John also entered and he saw and the scripture says and he.

Believed.

He believed. John the apostle entered that tomb and saw the orderly arrangement.

Of the linen.

He saw and believed. He believed that Jesus was raised from the dead. This means more than just a physical sight. It means that he comprehended. He understood and I really believe by faith. He knew in his heart that Christ.

Rose again from the dead.

In his heart they showed him.

Before.

Him were the evidence of Christ's resurrection they showed him what had happened he believed verse 9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture that he must rise again from the dead.

The scripture says.

Up until now the disciples did not understand the Old Testament scriptures which stated that the Messiah must rise again from the dead. The Lord himself had told them repeatedly time and time again but they did not take it in.

They did not understand it but according to verse 8 the apostle John was the first to believe verse 10. Now the disciples went away again to their own homes. Basically this verse tells us they returned to their own homes speaks of their uncertainty about what they should do next.

They just went home. They didn't know exactly what to do. They were baffled. Now we come to the second point found in verse 11 through 18. I'll do my best to get through this and make application as we go but the great recognition is that Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene.

Mary Magdalene Meets the Risen Lord

Mary Magdalene here.

Verse.

11.

I want to say something here to this wonderful verse. Why would it.

That.

Our Lord.

Would first.

Make his first resurrection appearance to Mary Magdalene. You know this is beautiful this is so beautiful. There was a commentator by the name of.

Gerhardus Voss.

From his commentary from Glory and Grace let me give you his quote here he says this is beautiful. The first appearance of the risen Lord was given to Mary for no other reason than she needed him first and needed him most.

Listen to how warm this is and what more appropriate beginning could have been set forth for his ministry of glory than this very.

Act.

Nothing could better convince us that in his exalted state he retains for us the same tender.

Sympathy.

The same individual affection as he showed during the days of his.

Flesh end quote.

How beautiful that is. Because he sees that Mary.

Needed.

To see him first. Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping the scripture says. And so she wept and she stooped and looked into the tomb verse 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.

This is beautiful.

The first two words are striking but Mary the other two disciples Peter and John went home. But Mary here she is again. We have the deep deep love and the devotion she had for her lord. She's weeping.

And remember she was the one that had forgiven been forgiven much and therefore she loved much.

Scripture says.

But Mary was standing outside the tomb. She was weeping weeping and let me say here the idea of weeping here is not just a tear or two. She's literally.

Pouring.

Rivers of water as the psalmist says in 119. Down her face.

Because she.

Cannot find the body.

Of the lord.

She loved him so much it's a constant unrestrained sobbing that she has that's pouring from her heart overflowing and she's weeping.

She gives full.

Course of her pain and her sorrow and her affection that is helpless at the moment and her love sobs.

Uncontrollably.

Out of control.

She's sobbing.

And it makes me think like Hagar in the wilderness she's a well of water she's there pouring out but yet she's in despair she doesn't know where is the body of the lord.

But she couldn't.

Have had eyes to see it. She expects the worst. I want you to think of this. She's in despair. And Jesus said that he had to cast a devil demons out of her. She thinks someone has stole the body of Jesus.

J .C. Rouse says this two thirds of the things we fear in life never happen. Two thirds of the tears we shed are thrown away in vain.

But her tears.

Are for the tears of a broken heart.

Forlorn.

Frustrated lonely not understanding anything that has happened having lost the object of her pure love. So she looks in 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.

End quote.

That's the story.

After Mary.

Stooped and looked into the tomb. Now she sees two angels in white sitting there. Matthew 16 says the angels. One of the angels was a young man. That's what it says Luke 24 4. So there were two young men as Luke says some details there.

Luke is a physician. He gives details. So these angels who are spirits took on male form. They didn't come in a feminine form. They just chose to come in a male form. And they were always messengers by the way the messengers of God.

And you notice they had a message to give. Mary is sobbing. She's weeping. Her eyes are blurred with tears. It's early in the morning. It's probably in the darkness of the tombs inside. Inside would make things very hard to see.

So she sees what the angels are in human form and doesn't know why they're there. She's thinking. She's probably thinking why are these men here.

John.

Mentions these angels also for a reason to demonstrate that no grave robbers took the body of.

Jesus none.

All this is a result of the mighty power of God that God raised him from the dead. Two angels in white sitting one at the head one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been lying.

This carries.

Us to Exodus 25 doesn't it where the Lord gave instructions to build the holy of holies. In the tabernacle he identified a place called the mercy seat. Beloved that was the place where God met men in mercy.