JOHN 20:1-10
WHAT NOW, DISCIPLES?
I. THE DARKNESS: *
A. Doubts.
B. Demoralization.
C. Denials.
Ii. THE DELIGHTS: **
A. Discovery.
B. Defensible.
C. Dedication.
III. THE DIRECTIONS: ***
A. Declarations.
B. Dying.
C. Dinning.
If we could somehow go back in time and ask the disciples what were their thoughts on that Easter morning, one would no doubt have jumbled answers to the question. There were just too many emotions felt by these followers of Jesus to adequately explain all of the thoughts that must have swirled in their minds that morning and that day. After all, it had been a week of roller-coaster rides for all of them.
There was the Triumphal Entry into the Holy City when the people cried out, “Hosannas” to Jesus, and the disciples must have thought that the tide had at last turned to His favor. Then there was the cleansing of the Temple one day and then the Passover Supper in the Upper Room shortly after that.
This meal was enough to make them stop and contemplate that something was amiss, because Jesus changed the meal in mid stream and then talked to them about going away and they could not follow Him. There was that walk from the Upper Room to the Garden of Gethsemane, and then the dam broke and Jesus was arrested, tried and crucified. Besides the death of Jesus, there were rumors that Judas-one of their own, the financial whiz of the group-had hung himself. Their hopes which soared earlier in the week were dashed as they all fled and realized that He was gone. What a week! What raw emotions! What twists of fate and life! What changes within a few short days! What now? The outlook was not very rosy indeed for the lot.
Now, on that Easter Sunday, some ladies went to the tomb and found it empty. They knew that He was buried there. They knew that He was inside that new sepulcher and now this first day of the week, there was a violent earthquake, probably an after shock of the earthquake that hit on Friday when the earth moved, the sun became dark and the Curtain in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom-most unusual. (How could that heavy curtain split from the top down? To tear anything in two, the beginning has to be within reach, but the tear was started from the top down-out of the reach of any person in the Temple.)
These things were just too much to digest all at once and it took a while for the disciples and everyone else in Jerusalem and beyond to carefully, with much mental dexterity, to organize and categorize the events of that week, so long ago. But if we could have asked the followers of Jesus that day, that week, and later, “What now?” One wonders what the responses would have been. If we could clarify the question into three specific areas for them, what would they have told us?
These three questions would be answered in time by them, but what would they have answered then. “What now, disciples to THE DARKNESS that was upon you? What now, disciples to THE DELIGHT that you felt that day and later? And, what now, disciples to THE DIRECTION your lives will take from this day forward?” These would be just a few of the many questions that I would have liked to asked them on the first Easter and later. Their answers may not have been clear at that time, but they became clear as time passed.
* THE DARKNESS: Certainly one would have to agree that what the disciples had endured for a few days was DARKNESS of the worse kind. They experienced the physical DARKNESS which engulfed them at the time that Jesus hung on the cross. Then there was the emotional blackness that gripped them when Jesus was arrested, tried and crucified. The former gloom dissipated but the latter shadows hung on to them, indeed, it clung to them, it possessed them and they must have thought that the components of that DARKNESS would never leave them. One of these entities of the night of gloom was the Doubts that held them fast to their fears.
There were the Doubts of following Jesus when He was not the Deliver that they thought He was going to be. They believed that He would do something outstanding and perhaps send Rome packing, but He was not the one to bring a national revival of independence. How could they have been so wrong? What now were they going to do?
There were the Doubts of His divinity and now He was gone; how could they have believed that He was the Son of God? They saw Him do the miracles; they heard Him preach; they heard Him give stinging rebukes to the hypocritical religious leaders of His day and they really held Him to be someone special, but now, He was gone. How would they ever dispel these Doubts and end this terrible DARKNESS that was clinging to them?
If these questions could not and would not be put to rest, what about the Demoralization they were feeling? How could life go on? What were they to do? They had spent a good three years with Him; they became accustomed to His likes and dislikes; they heard Him pray, laugh, cry, sigh, yawn, burp, cough and sneeze; they recognized the particular aroma of His clothes; they felt His firm handshake; they grew accustomed to His sense of humor, His practical jokes, His fondness for certain types of sweets, food, beverage; and, now He was gone. They were content to spend the rest of their lives with Him-they left all to follow Him, and now He was gone, what were they to do? The Demoralization they felt over the loss of the Light of their lives compounded the severe DARKNESS that swallowed them in one gulp. What now? Indeed, “What Now?” What were they to do? How would they ever get on with their lives?
If these two parts of their gloom were not enough, they had to question why they denied Him. What about those Denials of theirs? The sun/Son were hiding the bright rays of happiness for them. They stumbled on in their blackened world, minds throbbing, hearts aching and questions never being answered, gnawed at them. “What now, Disciples?” What about your vows of standing with Him? What about your pledge to be by His side when He needed you? What were you to do with these Denials of yours in the face of His love? What now?
These staggering preponderances were robbing them of sleep, a sound mind, and a purpose to live. Just what were they to do? Which way would they go? What now, indeed? All came to a screeching halt when they realized that He was gone and would not come back-so they thought. Just what were they to do?
All changed for them in one morning. All THE DARKNESS evaporated instantly when the news was brought by the ladies telling Peter and then the others that the grave was empty. This news was followed and strengthened by other reports that began to filter into this group and that group of the followers of Christ of sightings of the One and only Jesus. These reports brought nothing but good news.
** THE DELIGHTS: “What now, disciples about these turn of events?” From the shadows of despair to the heights of happiness, the roller-coaster ride began again. Only this time, the ride continued on a new plateau that never dipped nor dropped. The turn around was never ending in spite of what lay ahead of these men and even the ladies that claimed Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
The first part of THE DELIGHTS that filled the disciples at Easter was the Discovery that He was alive. Alive!!! How could it be? Death had laid its foul fingers on the Son of God, but now He was alive, “What now, disciples?” Just what will you do with this Discovery that He is alive and walking about the very places that He once walked? What will you do with this news, followers of Jesus? What do you do now with this explosive information? The answer was soon forth coming-they spread the news as quickly as they could. “What now, disciples about your latest find?” Will your joys ever be contained? The answer was a solid, “No.” THE DELIGHTS of that first Easter was partly explained by the new Discoveries that were made by the ones who loved Him the most.
“What now, disciples?” What about your ability to refute the naysayer? Another of the big DELIGHTS that greeted the disciples that first Easter and beyond was the ability to defend their position. The Master had told them that He would die and then come back to life after three days and the disbelievers rejected it out of hand. But at long last, a great joy began unfolding before the disciples’ eyes and that was that they had a Defensible position after all. No longer did they have to run from their opposition, but could now stand and declare that Christ was alive and well. “What now, disciples?” What will your offensive positions be from now and on into the future? At long last, they could take the battle to the other side and proudly declare that He was alive. “What now, disciples?” Will you take on all comers? Will you engage the enemy where he is resting? Will your attacks pull down the strongholds of Satan? “What now, disciples?” Will this continue to be a major portion of your DELIGHT as the gloom of the past is lifted and the new day dawns?
Again, thinking of the exuberance the disciples must have felt that first Easter and following days was a new sense of Dedication to Christ. “What now, disciples?” What about your former, nefarious cowardice? Will the new found joy of having Christ alive change your Dedication to Him? What will you do with this new conviction you have just gained from His resurrection? What now? What will be your answer? Will you return to your tax table, Matthew? Will you, Peter, James and John return to your nets and boats? Will the rest of you simply fade into the background and cherish the memories of yesteryear and be content that He did come back from the grave and that was that? “What now, disciples?” What will you do? It did not take too long a time for the answer to be forthcoming when the Scriptures began to record a new boldness among the disciples as they took to the streets, marched into the Temple, held public meetings and defied the powers that were by boldly declaring that Jesus was alive. A new joy overcame them and their Dedication to Him and to His cause is noted in the Bible. They answered the question, “What now?” with fervor and a new zeal-something they did not have before this time.
The terrible DARKNESS had now been displaced by new found DELIGHTS and the disciples were able to attack the strong holds of Satan in ways that never happened before. Yet, with all of their joy and determination just what were they to do with their loyalty to Jesus? Again, the answers were forthcoming in a rapid style that took them and the Roman world by storm: the disciples had a new purpose and charted a new DIRECTION in their life.
*** THE DIRECTION: Nothing is worse than to live a life without direction, no purpose, no goals. Aimlessness of living and existing are a sure sign of trouble and waywardness in one’s life. For a brief three days, the disciples lived within this vacuum. They really felt that all was gone and now they would have to reinvent their lives in order to bring some type of purpose to themselves. But, thanks to the Resurrection these followers of the Master had been given THE DIRECTION for their lives as nothing could ever have done. “What now, disciples?” Which way will you go? Will you bend by the current vain things of this life with the fact that He was now alive? “What now, disciples?” Tell us, where will you cast your lot? Where will your new DIRECTIONS take you? Little did they know that first Easter, just how radical their lives would change for Jesus.
One of these new life altering events would concern itself with their new Declarations. The Scriptures have little to say about their public discourses before the crucifixion, but it has a lot to say about this subject after Jesus came out of the grave. Proudly, boldly, with fervent heat, and conviction, they declared the word of God as was evidenced by Jesus. “What now, disciples will be your manner of speaking?” Why, it will be with authority. It will be, “Thus sayeth the Lord,” said the newly embolden preachers. THE DIRECTION that guided these men was evidenced by their dynamic Declarations. “What now, disciples?” Will your speech be filled with this one says this, or that one says that, or you are certain but it might be thus or so? No, the answer to the burning question of, “What now?” was fulfilled by sermons that caused old Felix and Agrippa to tremble and declare that Paul was mad. The question, “What now will you say disciples?” was answered by Peter as he looked at the Council and defied them by saying they had to judge for themselves but he and the rest were going to speak in the name of Jesus. The answer to the question of, “What now will comprise your declarations?” was answered by Peter as he looked at the impotent man and said, “Brother, we are just poor preachers and we are cash deficient, but what we do have, we will gladly share-get up off of your withered legs and walk,” and the man jumped for joy. “What now, disciples about your direction in your declarations?” The answer was that they had a new sermon for a new time addressing a timeless subject, that Jesus was alive.
The second part of the new DIRECTION that these men would take would be in their Dying for the Master. Previously, they had trouble living for Him, but now, they would gladly die for Him when the time came. “What now, disciples about your fear of death and dying?” The answer comes screaming down the corridors of time, “I have but one life to give for my Master.” After that one Easter morning, there was nothing that frightened these embolden followers of Jesus. History has provided proofs that these disciples died a horrible death, except John the Beloved. Some were tortured, one was hung upside down, another one was thrown form an upper window, one was dragged through the streets, while others met with terrible deeds that brought about their demise, yet they died gallantly and faithfully. “What now, disciples about your living?” They answered this by their willingness to cling to their new found hope and by dying for Him. Such people, the world is not worthy of possessing. But now, they walk the golden streets of Heaven and sing the sweet songs of Zion and praise Him always. Their death only hastened the reunion with their Friend-no wonder they died singing their way into the presence of their true Friend. “What now, disciples?” Their answers lay in their dying.
Lastly, the new DIRECTION in their lives lay not in the past but in the present and into the future. “What now, disciples?” What are you doing since you went home to be with Jesus? The answer reverberates off of the halls of eternity, that they are forever Dinning with the Master. “What now, disciples?” “We are feasting with our Friend-come and join us,” is the answer they are giving. As the ages come and go on this earth, time stands still in Heaven and the marriage supper of the Lamb will be held in the due course of God’s time. There, we will sup with Him and he with us. The feast is for His disciples and we will be a part of that grand host as we set and dine on celestial bread and angelic delights
Easter Sunday number one, was an earth changing event for the disciples and for the world. If we could have asked them these questions, what would they have said then? The answers to our questions back then would have been convoluted and not too clear, yet history has been able to give us the answers to all the questions that we could have asked them.
There yet remains the same basic question that is asked of us on this Easter Sunday, “What now disciples of Jesus in the Twenty-First Century?” What about us? What are we doing for Jesus this time? What are our goals? Are all of our DELIGHTS found in Him? Has He given us new DIRECTIONS by which to live ? If so, are we following them? We can only be happy when we are surrendered to Him like the disciples were on that first Easter Sunday. He is alive, alive, alive. He is the answer to the world’s problems. He is the one true Lord. Yes, He was put into a grave and hell went on a binge of gory glorying, but the party stopped three days later when he came forth holding the keys to Death, Hell and the Judgment. “What now, disciples?” Stay the course; fight the fight of good faith; bear the shield of the Lord; dress in His armor; take His name with you where ever you go; and, when it is time for your crossing and you hear in the distant some Voice asking you, “What now my disciple?” Muster up all the vim and vigor you will posses at that time and answer, “I am coming Home.” and going Home will be sweet for you.
