Confusion Reigns Series

Message

John 20:1-10

“Confusion Reigns”

A good word which describes the first Easter Long Weekend is

Confusion

There is the confusion of the temple leaders, elders and teachers. They are face to face with the promised Messiah, yet they want him killed.

There is the confusion of the crowd. One moment praising God as Jesus rode into the city. By the end of the week they were shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him.”

There is the confusion of the disciples. They all said they would stand by Jesus no matter what. Yet they all end up running scared.

As the weekend unfolds the confusion only increases.

Let’s read about it in John 20:1-10

That is confusing.

How does a body which has taken so much punishment disappear?

Think about it.

Physically Jesus took a huge amount of punishment.

26 Then (Pilate) released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

(Matthew 27:26)

29 (The soldiers) twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said. 30 They spat on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.

(Matthew 27:29-30)

That is just the beginning of the physical punishment.

The crucifixion was even more brutal.

Emotionally Jesus took a huge amount of punishment

47 While (Jesus) was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus asked him, ‘Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’

(Luke 22:47-48).

One of those closest to Him was the betrayer

60 Peter replied, ‘Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!’ Just as he was speaking, the cock crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter.

(Luke 22:60-61).

The one who was never going to leave and be ready to die with Him was the one couldn’t stand firm in the face of accusations.

12 “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.

13 “Crucify him!” they shouted.

(Mark 15:12-13)

The whole nation has turn against Him.

It just keeps going.

Jesus is constantly abandoned. The emotional punishment this inflicted would have been incredible.

Spiritually Jesus took a huge amount of punishment

45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ (which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’).

(Matthew 27:45-46)

To have the full anger of God against the sin of the whole of world … and to be forsaken … carrying all of that in a moment is a spiritual punishment almost beyond endurance.

Physical punishment. Emotional punishment. Spiritual punishment

No one expects anyone to survive such an ordeal.

Dead and Buried – It is a certainty.

Everyone is sure about what happened.

That is kind of how we like it, don’t we.

We like life to be about that which is sure and certain.

We like to be sure about the marriage partner God brings into our lives. All who are married stand before witnesses and say their vows. They mean these vows … till death do us part. There is certainty and surety about the words.

Then life starts happening.

And bills need to be paid.

And words get said which should never be said.

Actions of regret, shame, sadness, grief.

All of the sudden there is … confusion.

We like to be sure about our career. We study hard, or do a trade. We put in the hours and make ourselves available. We don’t slacken off. We even become good at what we do.

Then there is the GFC.

Or we discover we can’t get a job.

We are not wanted, not needed, not useful.

All of the sudden there is … confusion.

We like to be sure about our health. Sure maybe we don’t look after our bodies as well as we should, but generally we are doing ok. After all we are reasonably fit and we eat healthily.

But cancer doesn’t care how good our diet is.

And not all diseases can be battled with antibiotics.

We can try as we might but our body does give out eventually.

All of the sudden we are sitting beside a hospital bed … or beside a grave … and there is … confusion.

Life is not certain is it.

There is a part of us that wants to feel that we are part of a plan and we have a measure of certainty. But in the middle of it all we realise that there is so much uncertainty about what is happening.