Calvary Chapel Redmond - John 20:1-18

Posted on July 1, 2012 by Unknown

What does it prove?

That Jesus is the Son of God.
That what God said would happen, did happen. Romans 6:4
That Jesus is the intercessor. Romans 8:4

What happened?

Did the disciples steel the body, or his enemies?
Did they go to the wrong tomb? Mark 16:3
Did Jesus not actually die?

All these criticisms fall flat and false.

Look at the response of his disciples in the book of John. With Mary the emphasis was love, with the disciples the emphasis is hope, with Thomas the emphasis is faith.

The three stages of Mary Magdalene's comprehension of the truth of the Reserrection

1. Faith concealed (John 20:1-2)

Isn't is amazing that the women were the first to see the resurrected Jesus. They were without authority in the law, yet they first carried the gospel, on a greater authority than all the law, the authority of Jesus, the son of God.

2. Faith dawning (John 20:3-10)

This is the foot race between John and Peter. Imagine them running straight to see, possibly into a trap by the leaders. Three different words for seeing here in the Greek. To see, to see carefully, and to see with comprehension. It is a progression. Very cool.

It is faith in the word that God wants to to cultivate. See John 12:16 14:26. Again the authority of Jesus is that proof and authority that we stand on.

Psalm 2:7 16:10 110:1 1 Corinthians 15

In his resurrection, Jesus was not revealed to everyone. He did not return to the Jewish leaders for a second trial, or the Romans for a second cross. Acts 10:40-41My wife finds this point very interesting. I agree.

3. Faith shining (John 20:11-18)

We see Mary remaining in the garden, reminding us of Proverbs 8:17, and Psalm 30:5, yet we have great hope. (1 Peter 1:3)

Jesus here says "Woman, why are you weeping?" Isn't it awesome that Jesus in fact knows and inquires of our sorrows.

In John Jesus followers are first called servants, then his friends (John 15) and finally in this passages, they are called brethren (see Hebrews 2:11)

The word of God is what they are given. This word leads to Jesus, our savior, the living God. 1 Peter 1:33-35.

This faith is not just something our head, this is saving faith, the faith that leads to a life lived in

Christ himself.

Amen.

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