1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:02,480 Well, good morning guys. My name is Mike. 2 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:05,800 I'm one of the the pastors here at Redemption as well. 3 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:09,760 And welcome to Redemption Church North Ogden. 4 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:14,000 We really are glad that you guys joined us for this Resurrection 5 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,800 Day service. It's one of I think mine and 6 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:19,800 probably many of you is probably your favorite services of the of 7 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:23,160 the year because of of just you know what that entails. 8 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:28,480 But if this is something new to you, this whole last week has 9 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:33,120 commemorated the last week of Jesus life and ministry. 10 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:41,400 So on the Sunday previous to the first resurrection day, Jesus 11 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:46,320 entered Jerusalem to A to to huge crowds that were they were 12 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,440 throwing their cloaks and their garments and palm branches down 13 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,600 on on the road as he as he rode in. 14 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,160 And they were calling out Hosanna, recognizing him as 15 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:01,280 their saviour and calling him king of Israel. 16 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:06,480 And then only days later, those same people stirred up by the 17 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:10,640 Pharisees would demand that Jesus be crucified on the cross, 18 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,840 though he'd never broken a single law or committed a single 19 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,560 sin. And finally, three days later, 20 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:21,920 Jesus would rise from the dead, defeating sin and death once and 21 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,720 for all. Now a point that is very 22 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,560 important, but we're not going to focus on here today, is that 23 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:33,920 This is why we meet together on on Sunday, the 1st day of the 24 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:36,480 week. It is a recognition of 25 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:40,320 Resurrection Day rather than continuing to observe the end of 26 00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:43,840 week day of rest as given in the Old Testament. 27 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,680 The Sabbath day was was instituted by God for the nation 28 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:53,880 of Israel to commemorate his deliverance of them from Egypt. 29 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:58,320 But the the New Testament church observed the the Lord's Day as 30 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:01,920 an opportunity to come together to celebrate his victory over 31 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:06,600 sin and death. So today let's look a bit closer 32 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:13,200 at the events that started off that first Resurrection Day 2000 33 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:15,640 years ago. And that's our first point here. 34 00:02:15,640 --> 00:02:20,440 Today is a dark beginning that we, we read through this 35 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:25,040 passage, just we read through the whole thing. 36 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:30,240 But those first 2 verses, verses one and two and John 20, it says 37 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,280 now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the 38 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,360 tomb early while it was still dark and saw that the stone had 39 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:40,400 been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to get Simon 40 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:43,600 Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved and 41 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:47,320 said to them, they have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we 42 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:50,320 do not know where they have laid him. 43 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,560 So that the text says that Mary left very early on Sunday 44 00:02:55,560 --> 00:03:00,280 morning to complete the the the burial preparations. 45 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:04,640 The other gospels explained that there was at least five women 46 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:09,880 going together to the tomb. But in our text this morning 47 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:15,400 there is a a beautiful devotion demonstrated here right away. 48 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:18,640 Each of the gospels makes it clear that these women were up 49 00:03:18,640 --> 00:03:23,680 and and and about this task very early, not at like a a normal 50 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:26,760 time to rise on you know, on Sunday or whatever. 51 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,960 This was an obvious priority to them. 52 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,560 These ladies were devoted to the physical preservation of Jesus 53 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:40,360 body in the tomb, and so we can't escape an obvious 54 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:44,760 connection here as well. Throughout the entire New 55 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:49,560 Testament we see a metaphor often in it describing the 56 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:54,480 believers, the disciples of Jesus as the body of Christ. 57 00:03:56,320 --> 00:04:02,160 So we should also have a devotion to the preservation of 58 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:06,800 the body of Christ that we are here Gathering together should 59 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:11,800 be our priority. But beside that devotion that we 60 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:16,880 see in this passage, we have to understand that that these these 61 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:23,440 women must have been still just reeling from the events of of 62 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:27,160 Friday. So besides occurring just before 63 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:31,520 dawn, there really was a, a, a darkness, a heaviness about this 64 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:37,600 day along with the unfathomable violence that they witnessed. 65 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:42,120 There was a large earthquake that happened on Friday that 66 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:46,400 scripture says split rocks. Imagine how how big an 67 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:48,160 earthquake that must be that splits rocks. 68 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:52,400 And then another great quake scripture says on Sunday morning 69 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:55,920 that was so scary that people fainted in fear. 70 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:02,320 And these ladies are are headed to deal with a guard of Roman 71 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:05,040 soldiers, most likely at least a four man unit. 72 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,720 But these are the same kind of soldiers that were responsible 73 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:15,080 for beating and torturing Jesus. And we're now tasked with 74 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:19,600 keeping people from messing with his body or the tomb that 75 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:22,480 they're headed to. So I can only imagine how 76 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:25,160 overwhelming this would have been. 77 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:32,360 But besides all of those things, Jesus, whom they they followed 78 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:35,360 and believed was their savior and Messiah was killed. 79 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:39,920 He was gone. They had been expecting him to 80 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,720 reign on a throne, but he'd been killed. 81 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:46,200 And, and scripture tells us that that Mary, when she runs back, 82 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:51,280 she says they have taken him. We don't know where they laid 83 00:05:51,280 --> 00:05:54,160 him. See her initial belief is that 84 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:59,240 Jesus is still dead and has simply been moved or his body 85 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:02,040 stolen. Someone else in her opinion is 86 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,840 responsible for Jesus body missing. 87 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:10,880 She certainly had to have waken up scared and and and 88 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:14,800 disappointed. But now she's on she's unsure. 89 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,640 Luke 24 says that they were perplexed. 90 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:22,600 It just doesn't make sense. The huge stone is is rolled away 91 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:26,240 that the guards are knocked unconscious and Jesus body is 92 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:32,760 nowhere to be found. As I've I've felt some of this 93 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:37,720 in my own life where where life seemed the dark, the world was 94 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:42,560 chaotic and uncertain and I felt like I was continuously running 95 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:47,320 up against enemies or or or people who stood in the way of 96 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:50,680 getting anywhere. Even where I was wondering, 97 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:57,320 where the heck is Jesus? As scary as the world was when 98 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:02,640 she left to go to the tomb for a few moments, it's it's now even 99 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,880 scarier. It's, it's still not fully 100 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:09,480 understood what's going on. So she contemplates the world 101 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:12,600 that she finds herself in. Mark 16 says that she was 102 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:17,800 trembling with fear. So just like you and me, she has 103 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:20,800 real questions and real concerns. 104 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:26,720 We can, we can relate to that. We live in a world that has been 105 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:30,040 plagued with unrest, right? If you were to scroll through 106 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:34,280 your your news feed on your on your phone to like a news 107 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:37,560 website to bring up headlines like, you know, potential 108 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:41,960 nuclear attacks or or violent protests or rampant fraud 109 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:45,520 perpetuated by our own government or local officials 110 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:48,640 that have been arrested and charged with felonies and 111 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:53,000 continue perpetual hatred of one group by another group. 112 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:59,480 So maybe today, maybe you got up early, gathered your things and 113 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:04,520 made your way here to the body of Christ, not knowing what 114 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:06,840 you'd find here. Maybe you were a bit nervous. 115 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:09,880 Maybe you were a bit apprehensive. 116 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,560 After finding the stone rolled way and the and the tomb empty. 117 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:20,160 Mary turned to other believers to help her gain some 118 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:24,480 understanding and, and, and as believers, many of us can relate 119 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:28,200 to having someone come to us with their fears, their 120 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:31,640 misunderstandings about Jesus. So the second point that I want 121 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:39,320 to make today is to look at how they handled that by starting 122 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:44,440 with examining the evidence. And then our next couple of 123 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:50,760 verses here it says it says. So Peter went out with the other 124 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:53,200 disciple and they were going toward the tomb. 125 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:55,680 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple 126 00:08:55,680 --> 00:08:59,560 outran Peter and reached the tomb 1st and stooping to look 127 00:08:59,560 --> 00:09:03,480 in, he saw the linen clothes lying there, but he did not go 128 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,240 in. Then Simon Peter came following 129 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:10,240 him and went into the tomb. He saw the linen clothes lying 130 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:14,360 there and the face cloth which had been on Jesus head, not 131 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:18,920 lying with the linen cloth, but folded up in a place by itself. 132 00:09:19,680 --> 00:09:24,280 Now several commentaries explain that the Jewish burial rituals 133 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:28,000 would have the body and and limbs wrapped with strips of 134 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:32,600 linen linen up to around the the the top of the shoulders here. 135 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:37,320 And then the head and face would have a a different cloth wrapped 136 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:39,640 around it. So you can, you can, you could 137 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:44,760 picture two different separate items of, of cloth or items of 138 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:48,960 clothing. And the two disciples mentioned 139 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:53,920 here are Peter and John. OK, John is, is very humble, so 140 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:58,160 he takes effort not to name himself in his gospel. 141 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:02,560 But we know that he is the one Jesus loved as he's referenced 142 00:10:02,560 --> 00:10:07,040 in our passage. And yet, Despite that humility, 143 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:12,680 he takes the time to point out three times in these next few 144 00:10:12,680 --> 00:10:14,880 verses that he was faster than Peter. 145 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:21,440 Now, often, you know, we read this and, and, and maybe we see 146 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:25,320 a sense of, of humanity in these disciples, right? 147 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:29,600 Just a couple of ordinary guys competing with each other, you 148 00:10:29,680 --> 00:10:33,120 know, every chance they get. And, and also taking the 149 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:36,640 opportunity to to brag and make sure everyone knows who the 150 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:40,800 winner is, right. Well, I've read this passage 151 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:45,120 countless times and I've always thought that it was funny that 152 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:49,040 John would include this, this unimportant detail in the middle 153 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:54,600 of a very sad part of Scripture. And as, as I was studying this, 154 00:10:55,720 --> 00:11:00,280 I was, I was reminded of a, of a time years ago, as I was, you 155 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:05,520 know, coming along in my faith. And, and, and as many of you 156 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:11,200 could probably relate, I was I was seeking counsel about my 157 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:16,600 family and I wanted to go to 3 or 4 Bible studies every week. 158 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:21,000 And cuz I was just voraciously trying to eat it up and I was 159 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:26,600 sprinting at more knowledge, but my family was chewing it up at a 160 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:30,200 rate that was easier for them to digest. 161 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:35,960 And so I, I remember Eric sharing with me one time this, 162 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:39,240 this, this mental image of being on the freeway and you have a 163 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:42,360 fast lane and you have a slow lane, but they're, they're 164 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:44,520 headed in the right direction. There's something beautiful 165 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:46,840 about doing that about. And maybe you can relate to 166 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:48,840 that. Maybe you are the, the one who 167 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:53,480 you know is, is maybe farther along in your, in your spiritual 168 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:57,040 walk and you have family that's on the same route with you, same 169 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:59,440 path, but maybe not quite at the same speed. 170 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,440 And that is a beautiful and wonderful thing. 171 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:06,000 And we see that kind of dynamic here with with John and Peter. 172 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:09,400 Now, Peter's quite a bit older. John's probably a teenager at 173 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:11,160 this point. So physically it was a little 174 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:14,080 unfair. But but they were both headed to 175 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,160 to the tomb with exuberance, right. 176 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:22,000 But as the writer of this portion of Scripture, it's it's, 177 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:27,160 it's not just who was faster that John wants to share, but 178 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:31,600 it's it seems that he's gone out of his way to make us understand 179 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:35,240 the urgency with which he and Peter ran to the tomb. 180 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:47,720 Psalm 63, Oops, there we go. Psalm 63 verses one and two 181 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:54,400 says, Oh God, you are my God. Earnestly I seek you, my soul 182 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:59,560 thirsts for you my my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and 183 00:12:59,560 --> 00:13:01,400 weary land where there is no water. 184 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:06,680 Now when I read that, I can vividly imagine John sprinting 185 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:12,600 to the tomb, earnestly seeking right thirsting for the the 186 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:16,320 living water and hungry for the bread of life that he had come 187 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:19,360 to know. And then that that Psalm 188 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:22,520 continues and it says, so I have looked upon you in the 189 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:26,160 sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. 190 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:33,360 And as I read that, it all ties together, John stopping on the 191 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:38,280 outside to look inside this resting place, this sort of 192 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:42,640 sanctuary, if you will. He sees the empty tomb and the 193 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:48,200 empty clothes and suddenly beholds the power of God that 194 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:52,000 Jesus had defeated death once and for all. 195 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:58,120 Now, as I mentioned a minute ago, Mary had brought her 196 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:03,040 concerns and fears to, to, to sort of dump on the, on the 197 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:05,560 disciples. And I wouldn't be surprised if, 198 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:09,160 you know, for a few moments at least if, if Peter and John 199 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:13,080 weren't like, oh, I just don't have the, the mental or, or 200 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:16,760 emotional capacity get involved in Mary's messy life. 201 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:20,280 Not today, not with, not with everything that's been happening 202 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:23,080 lately, right. That's something I know I have 203 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:29,480 done in my own life. But the disciples reaction, 204 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:34,680 their response is to go straight to Jesus for the answer. 205 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:37,840 They, they don't go ask the Roman prefect or they, they 206 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:40,680 don't get on the the Jerusalem community Facebook page. 207 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:45,000 They, they don't just sit around wondering and gossiping. 208 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:50,720 They Sprint straight to the tomb to find out more about Jesus. 209 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:55,520 They go straight to Jesus now, just like me. 210 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:59,720 Despite having read this passage before and and understanding one 211 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:03,280 perspective of it, this time when I studied it, something 212 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:09,520 else finally clicked. When John gets there, the text 213 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:12,200 says that he didn't. He didn't go inside immediately. 214 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:16,440 For some reason, he stopped outside and and cautiously 215 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:21,000 peered inside. Now let me just say, many of us 216 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:26,360 have may have heard an Internet story about the a Jewish custom 217 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,600 of a folded dinner napkin meaning someone coming back to 218 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:33,760 the table while a napkin tossed haphazardly means that they 219 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:36,920 aren't coming back. And the inference in that in 220 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:41,720 that made-up story is that we can trust that Jesus is 221 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:44,840 returning because the face cloth, sometimes called a napkin 222 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:50,120 is is folded neatly. Unfortunately we can't trust 223 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:53,360 that story because it seems to have no drowning in truth. 224 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:58,200 And still we are given that bit of information about the face 225 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:04,120 cloth. For some reason in the ESV it it 226 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:11,000 says folded, but the Greek word is actually closer to wrap or 227 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:15,040 entwine. What it tells us is that the 228 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:20,680 face or the head cloth is applied to a body in a specific, 229 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:26,720 specific and intentional way. And when John sees these items, 230 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:30,840 he observes that the head and face cloth is still folded or or 231 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:35,360 rolled like it's supposed to be and it is separate from the 232 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:40,600 linens for the body. Now again, many commentaries and 233 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,560 and theologians have explained some varying but often similar 234 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:49,160 explanations. The Jesus body seems to have 235 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:52,000 simply stopped being in those linens. 236 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:57,120 But the the linens remained exactly where they had been 237 00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:03,480 placed and in the same manner. So you can imagine that if you 238 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:06,040 if you were quickly getting out of your clothes, you might just 239 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:11,440 kind of drop them in a heat. But these seem to still be where 240 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,599 they've been placed but without the body. 241 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:22,920 In John 19 it told us that that Joseph of Arimathea and 242 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:28,840 Nicodemus wrapped Jesus body with 75 lbs of spices when he 243 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:31,960 was put in the tomb. But there's no mention here in 244 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:35,480 in this gospel or in any of the gospels of the spilled out 245 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:39,280 spices that I would imagine would have gone all over the 246 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:41,840 place as the body was was unwrapped. 247 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:48,520 But truthfully, though, I honestly don't know what that 248 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:52,960 means. What I believe we can know from 249 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:58,400 this situation with the burial clothes is that no one trying to 250 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:02,000 hide the body from another group of people would take the time to 251 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:06,840 carefully remove those clothes. They, they certainly wouldn't 252 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:10,440 have gone to the effort of, of putting them back in order, 253 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,760 folding them and, and, and sort of laying them out flat. 254 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:17,880 They would be very quick about it, right? 255 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:22,400 As they were all very well aware of the brutality they could rain 256 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:26,440 down on them by Pilot and the Roman soldiers he'd stationed 257 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:29,480 just outside this tomb for that exact purpose. 258 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:37,520 And John, well, when when we compare it to a story of another 259 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:41,320 man being resurrected, we see something interesting in my 260 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:43,560 opinion. And in John 11, it's the story 261 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:47,640 of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. 262 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:51,440 And it says when he had said these things, he cried out with 263 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:55,760 a loud voice, Lazarus come out, the man who had died came out, 264 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:59,320 his hands and feet bound with linen strips and his face 265 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:02,960 wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, unbind him 266 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:08,320 and let him go. Lazarus did not raise himself 267 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:11,160 from the dead. He needed someone else to do 268 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:14,720 that for him. And we see here that he even 269 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:18,120 needed someone else to remove the burial cloth and the face 270 00:19:18,120 --> 00:19:21,880 cloth. Now, there's about 10 specific 271 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:25,920 instances in the Bible where a dead person is resurrected and 272 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:30,520 only Jesus does it of his own power. 273 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:35,120 And John himself is the one who tells us about this event with 274 00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:39,440 Lazarus, so this detail would not have slipped past him. 275 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:47,320 John sprinted to the tomb to see what was up with Jesus going 276 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:49,280 missing. And when he gets there, he pulls 277 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:52,720 up and he stops outside, looking in at these barrier clothes 278 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:58,080 placed the way that they were, and knowing that no one else but 279 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:01,760 Jesus is responsible for this Jesus. 280 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:06,960 Had raised himself from the dead now in John's mind, this was 281 00:20:07,120 --> 00:20:13,320 absolute proof of Jesus deity that that he is God in the flesh 282 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,640 as Eric mentioned in in his prayer earlier. 283 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:19,840 And I think it's, I think it's fair to say though, that that 284 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:23,560 that he didn't fully know what to do with this information yet 285 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:29,960 John didn't. It wasn't as though he had full 286 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,560 enlightenment. The disciples wouldn't know 287 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:37,440 fully what Jesus wanted them to do for for several more weeks. 288 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:43,720 But it was at this precise moment, though, that something 289 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:47,680 clicked for John. And as we continue on in our in 290 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:52,760 our passage today, we come to our Third Point, which is an 291 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:57,480 emerging understanding. And it says then the other 292 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:01,800 disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he 293 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:05,360 saw and believed, for as yet they did not understand the 294 00:21:05,360 --> 00:21:08,000 scripture that he must rise from the dead. 295 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:11,120 Then the disciples went back to their homes. 296 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:16,800 So upon seeing the burial cloth lying in such a manner, John 297 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,400 knew that Jesus body had not been stolen or moved. 298 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:22,400 He knew that Jesus had resurrected. 299 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:26,680 And it says it until this point they hadn't understood that 300 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:31,680 Jesus must rise from the dead. See, ever since Adam and Eve 301 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:35,880 first sinned in the garden, Satan had maintained power over 302 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:39,120 the the world. Satan claimed and and believed 303 00:21:39,120 --> 00:21:46,400 that he was able to defeat God. We see in Scripture that that 304 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:50,320 Adam sinned and passed a a sin nature through the bloodstream 305 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:56,720 to every single one of us here today in Psalm 51, David wrote, 306 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:01,240 I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin did my mother 307 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:05,840 conceive. The consequence of that sin 308 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:10,520 nature is that death came to all of us from one man. 309 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:16,520 So why is it important that Jesus must rise from the dead as 310 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:21,240 that as that passage said? Well, the reason is that if 311 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:25,680 Jesus could not conquer death, then sin and death would have 312 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:29,160 been victorious and Satan would have been king. 313 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:34,760 In First Corinthians 15 verse 20 and 21 it says But in fact 314 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:39,160 Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those 315 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:44,080 who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came, death by a 316 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:49,320 man has also has come also the resurrection of the dead from 317 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:53,720 Adam the man sin affected the whole world and through Jesus 318 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:59,400 the God man that same world has an opportunity for redemption. 319 00:23:00,120 --> 00:23:05,760 Romans one verse 4 tells us the resurrection means that that 320 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:10,760 Jesus was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the 321 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:15,200 spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead. 322 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:22,960 This is this is profound news because up to this point Satan 323 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:28,320 had held the power of death and and wielded it against us. 324 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:32,720 But as Christians we don't have to fear death anymore. 325 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:39,160 Revelation one verse 17 and 18 it says fear not, I am the 1st 326 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:43,280 and the last and the living one. I died and behold, I am alive 327 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:47,200 forever more and I have the keys of death in Hades. 328 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:52,800 To hold the keys to something means that you are in in control 329 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:57,680 of it. To do this of his own power 330 00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:00,920 means that that Jesus conquered death. 331 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:05,840 During his sermon in Acts 2 verse 24, Peter proclaims God 332 00:24:06,120 --> 00:24:09,800 raised him up losing the pangs of death because it was not 333 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:12,080 possible for him to be held by it. 334 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:19,760 This enlightenment, this epiphany, is what it's all 335 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:23,120 about. Satan hadn't conquered Jesus, 336 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:28,880 Pilate never had the authority to make Jesus die, and the Roman 337 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:34,400 soldiers with their whips and scourges weren't the ones 338 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:38,680 wielding power that day. Jesus power and authority was 339 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:44,040 plainly visible in the scene that John stood taking in. 340 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:53,640 This is where our hope lies in. In John 10 verse 18, Jesus makes 341 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:58,680 it clear that He gave his life. He said no one takes it from me, 342 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:00,800 but I lay it down of my own accord. 343 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:05,040 I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it 344 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:07,880 up again. This charge I have received from 345 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:11,960 my Father looking into that empty tomb. 346 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:16,440 John knew that Jesus has resurrected himself. 347 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:23,320 Now knowing the fact of the resurrection is an important 348 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:28,040 start but not enough. In James two it says that even 349 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:33,600 the the demons believe. We need to let the Bible tell us 350 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:38,000 the meaning and the importance of Jesus direction and then what 351 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:43,000 that entails for us. John 316, probably one of the 352 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,800 probably the most famous verse you know, out of out of all of 353 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:51,920 Scripture says for God so loved the world that he gave his only 354 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:56,600 son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have 355 00:25:56,600 --> 00:26:00,960 eternal life. But what does that mean to have 356 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:09,640 eternal life? Death is the is is the bill 357 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:12,080 stamped payment due at our birth. 358 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:16,640 That's what having a sin nature means, right The moment that 359 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:18,800 that you're born, even you before you get any of the 360 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:23,320 paperwork about your baby, that baby has a a bill that is due 361 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:26,360 with with his his own death one day. 362 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:41,080 See, it was God's will that we would have another chance though 363 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:44,800 at reconciliation. It's great that Jesus has 364 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:48,640 defeated sin and death, but what does that mean for us exactly? 365 00:26:49,120 --> 00:26:53,160 Well, Hebrews 10/10 says, and by that will we have been 366 00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:58,920 sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once 367 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:03,880 and for all. Now sanctified means to be set 368 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:08,240 apart from the things of the world, set apart from the, from 369 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:12,600 the, the, the, the dirtiness of the world, the the, the 370 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,840 wickedness, the tainted things of the world. 371 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:21,200 Jesus gave up his life at the cross, paying our bill. 372 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:26,320 But when he walked out of that tomb, he wasn't just freeing us 373 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:31,760 from hell, He was offering resurrection to us as well, 374 00:27:32,120 --> 00:27:36,080 eternal life with him in paradise. 375 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:40,640 Enduring Word commentary said this really well. 376 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:45,920 I it said the death of Jesus on the cross was the payment, but 377 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:50,120 the resurrection was the receipt showing that the payment was 378 00:27:50,120 --> 00:27:53,080 perfect in the sight of God the Father. 379 00:27:56,240 --> 00:27:59,680 So since death was was due when we were born. 380 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:03,560 Jesus worked on the cross and his resurrection then stamped 381 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:08,840 our sentence as paid in full for those of us who believed the 382 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:13,840 last thing that Jesus said on the cross was it is finished the 383 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:16,800 Greek word to tell us. I think I saw people, a couple 384 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:19,600 people with that written on their shirts today, which is a a 385 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:26,000 good thing to to wear this this weekend, but that that phrase it 386 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:29,000 is finished. It's a it's a legal term that 387 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:31,640 that means that it has been paid in full. 388 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:33,840 The deal is done. It is complete. 389 00:28:35,800 --> 00:28:40,920 First Corinthians 15 verse 14 says, and if Christ has not been 390 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:45,640 raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 391 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:49,960 See, that's that's who we are. We are the people who have 392 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:55,240 recognized and believed only Jesus Christ as the way, the 393 00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:58,760 truth and the life. That's what it all hinges on. 394 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:04,760 Previous to that faith, death was our master and we were its 395 00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:09,640 slaves. In Hebrews 2 verses 14 and 15 it 396 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:13,400 says since therefore the children share in flesh and 397 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:17,120 blood, He himself likewise partook of the same things, that 398 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:20,920 through death He might destroy the one who has the power of 399 00:29:20,920 --> 00:29:25,120 death, that is the devil, and deliver all those who through 400 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:28,960 fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 401 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:34,800 If you are someone that has not put your your full faith in 402 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:38,320 Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins through 403 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:44,080 His torturous death and then His miraculous resurrection, then I 404 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:47,760 pray that you will recognize your sinful nature and 405 00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:52,360 understand that that nature deserves punishment. 406 00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:56,000 A good judge will give an appropriate sentence for 407 00:29:56,040 --> 00:30:00,400 wrongdoing. The Bible calls us to repent and 408 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:04,680 believe and promises us as we read up here just a bit ago. 409 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:09,680 It promises us that Jesus will forgive you if you do that. 410 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:17,960 This passage says that, that Jesus delivers us from death and 411 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:21,720 slavery. Many years ago when I was in the 412 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:25,160 police Academy, I, they, they took us on a tour of the state 413 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:27,040 prison. And one of the things they did 414 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:31,200 is they, they, they took us through what's known as as death 415 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:35,520 row. And Oh my gosh, what a scary and 416 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:41,520 dark place that is such a, a, a, a feeling of, of a just 417 00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:45,240 oppression and, and, and darkness. 418 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:50,000 So as we read this, this is a, this is amazing news for us. 419 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:55,480 My death sentence has been commuted and expunged from my 420 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:59,720 record. And if you have put your faith 421 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:04,640 in Jesus alone, then you've also been released off death row with 422 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:08,360 me. Amen and Amen. 423 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:20,160 So we see that that that John now has this partial 424 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:24,160 enlightenment, this this emerging understanding as as the 425 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:29,280 the Third Point was, but then it says that the disciples left and 426 00:31:29,280 --> 00:31:33,120 went home. Well, that's kind of an anti 427 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:36,040 climactic end of the of the story, right? 428 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:41,360 Well, for the the disciples, they didn't fully understand 429 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:45,560 what they were to do yet. Jesus, Jesus was still with 430 00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:49,320 them, continuing to teach them now for 40 more days until he 431 00:31:49,320 --> 00:31:54,080 ascended to to heaven. But you know, after hearing 432 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:57,760 about this today, you were you're also going to go home, 433 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:02,920 right? Well, we have the benefit of 434 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:06,800 being able to read ahead and see what else is coming in 435 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:08,960 Scripture. And so if this was your first 436 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:16,520 time hearing this story or you know your 40th, we want you to 437 00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:22,320 go from here today with a glad heart, knowing what is next. 438 00:32:22,320 --> 00:32:28,000 At at some point in in those those next 40 days, Jesus met up 439 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:33,000 with his remaining 11 disciples and gave to them what we know as 440 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:38,400 the Great Commission that we find in Matthew 28 verses 18 441 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:42,000 through 20. And it says, and Jesus came and 442 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:45,080 said to them, all authority in heaven and on earth has been 443 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:49,120 given to me. Go therefore and make disciples 444 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:53,480 of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of 445 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:56,880 the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all 446 00:32:56,880 --> 00:33:01,720 that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always 447 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:06,160 to the end of the age. Now as you and I leave here 448 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:12,000 today and and go about our our lives, you know, at at work, at 449 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:19,200 at home or wherever. This is our goal to to make 450 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:24,960 disciples of Jesus everywhere we go, teaching our our our our 451 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:28,500 friends and our our family and our our neighbors and our Co 452 00:33:28,500 --> 00:33:33,120 workers to observe the things that Jesus commanded us to do. 453 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:38,920 And this passage ends with this phrase. 454 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:44,120 Behold, I am with you always to the end of the age. 455 00:33:44,640 --> 00:33:50,400 Now, we we often look at that and we understand it as a as a 456 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:55,480 phrase that would strengthen us in the the intimidating task of 457 00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:58,760 of evangelizing and and sharing our faith. 458 00:33:59,880 --> 00:34:04,560 But I see it as a further reminder of the promise of 459 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:08,480 finding ourselves in the presence of God Almighty for the 460 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:14,000 rest of eternity. The last summer, my, my family 461 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:16,679 and I, we, we travelled to Alaska on vacation. 462 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:19,280 And at one point we were on a, on a train. 463 00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:24,280 And every few seconds or couple of minutes at the, at the most, 464 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:28,920 we were like continuously, you know, Hey, hey, come look at 465 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:30,639 this, come look at this around every corner. 466 00:34:30,639 --> 00:34:33,120 There was something to take pictures of or whatever. 467 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:38,800 And, and we wanted to do that because the thing that's even 468 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:41,639 better than seeing those beautiful sights is to share 469 00:34:41,639 --> 00:34:44,520 them with, with somebody else. And so we were excitedly like, 470 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:47,600 Hey, come and look and see what I, what I've got here. 471 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:52,239 Well, that's what we get to do with today's message about 472 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:56,120 Jesus, death and resurrection. We get to go from here and we 473 00:34:56,120 --> 00:35:00,000 get to tell our friends and family, Hey, come and look and 474 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:06,440 see what I have found. Invite them to come back here 475 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:11,880 again next week as as we like Mary devote ourselves to the 476 00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:16,880 body of Christ and and run to Jesus for the answers that we 477 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:21,160 seek and the hope of eternity in his presence that that he 478 00:35:21,160 --> 00:35:23,360 offered us. Will you guys pray with me? 479 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:32,480 Oh, Lord, I, I just, I stand in awe, Lord of, of the beauty of 480 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:36,200 this message and how every single time I, I read it, every 481 00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:41,920 time I go through it, there's something amazing more to take 482 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:45,040 from it. And, and Lord, like those 483 00:35:45,040 --> 00:35:49,920 disciples all those years ago, there's times in each of our 484 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:54,680 lives where where we're just afraid and, and no matter how 485 00:35:54,680 --> 00:35:58,600 good things had been going up to this point, something trips us 486 00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:03,320 up and, and we find ourselves in a in a dark way and, and we seek 487 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:08,840 answers and, and, and we want to know what's ahead. 488 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:13,520 We want to know where we stand. And Lord, sometimes we don't 489 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:16,200 even necessarily know to look for you. 490 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:20,840 But Lord, I, I just ask that that we as a body would, would 491 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:26,000 run to each other to, to, to, to help us get back to looking at 492 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:29,120 you, or that we, that we would, if somebody comes to us, that we 493 00:36:29,120 --> 00:36:34,480 would, that we would work to, to go back to your word to, to find 494 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:36,560 the answers to the questions that we have. 495 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:41,520 And, and that through that, like, like John standing outside 496 00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:45,320 of that tomb and, and looking in for your, for your body and not 497 00:36:45,320 --> 00:36:52,200 seeing it, but seeing evidence of really of who you are helping 498 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:56,760 help having that enlightenment or help us to also have that 499 00:36:56,760 --> 00:36:59,160 enlightenment. Help it to, to come clear to us 500 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:03,240 and, and help us to be able to find those answers and, and 501 00:37:03,240 --> 00:37:06,280 continue on and knowing you and having that relationship with 502 00:37:06,280 --> 00:37:11,560 you, knowing more about you that as we leave here today, we just 503 00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:13,680 ask that this wouldn't be something that we would easily 504 00:37:13,680 --> 00:37:16,840 forget that this isn't a story that we would keep to ourselves, 505 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:20,520 Lord, but we would really, truly be anxious to go and share it 506 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:22,520 with the nations that we would share with our neighbors and our 507 00:37:22,520 --> 00:37:24,680 friends. Or that they would know that you 508 00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:30,160 lived a perfect life as God and man and that you were murdered 509 00:37:30,160 --> 00:37:34,400 on that cross from my sins. And, and that only through 510 00:37:34,480 --> 00:37:39,200 through your power, you raised yourself from the dead, 511 00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:45,200 defeating sin and death and, and blessing us with an opportunity 512 00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:48,360 to put our, our faith in you and to be able to enjoy your 513 00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:51,400 presence for eternity. Lord, what an amazing thing that 514 00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:53,400 is. Hope that you are honored in 515 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:56,440 this service today. And in our last song, we say 516 00:37:56,440 --> 00:38:01,560 this in Jesus name, Amen, resurrection of Jesus and what 517 00:38:01,560 --> 00:38:04,400 that means to you and in your life. 518 00:38:04,720 --> 00:38:09,240 Please come and talk to one of us, talk with Eric or John after 519 00:38:09,240 --> 00:38:11,360 the service. And we want to answer those 520 00:38:11,360 --> 00:38:13,360 questions for you. We want to answer them today, 521 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:19,480 but we look forward to seeing you come back next week to, to, 522 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:24,840 to, to be passionate and, and diligent about being with and 523 00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:27,800 taking care of the body of Christ with us being that. 524 00:38:28,040 --> 00:38:30,280 And so we look forward to to seeing you next week. 525 00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:34,520 I hope you have a a blessed, wonderful resurrection day. 526 00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:36,040 We'll see you. God bless.