THEN CAME JESUS
TEXT: JOHN 20: 11--20
INTRODUCTION: HE IS RISEN, HE IS ALIVE FOREVERMORE.
THINK OF THE EXCITEMENT AT THE EMPTY TOMB.
1. MARY SAID: ”HE IS GONE! AND I DON’T KNOW WHERE THEY HAVE TAKEN HIM.
2. THEN JESUS REVEALS HIMSELF TO HER AND SHE RUNS ALL THE WAY BACK TO TOWN CRYING OUT “HE’S ALIVE, HE’S ALIVE.”
3. SOME WERE SKEPTICAL** SOME WERE CURIOUS** MANY WERE EXCITED BUT WONDERED WHERE JESUS COULD BE**
V. 19: “THEN CAME JESUS.” THE SAME DAY, AT EVENING.
4. THE DISCIPLES WERE MEETING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS**
5. NO DOUBT, WITH MIXED EMOTIONS; FEAR, CONFUSION, EXCITEMENT, ANXIETY. WAS IT TRUTH OR TRICKERY.***
NOTICE THOSE THREE WORDS: “THEN CAME JESUS”
LET ME SHARE WITH YOU THREE MORE WORDS OF QUESTION.
WHEN? HOW? WHERE?
I. WHEN DID THE RISEN SAVIOR COME?
1. CERTAINLY AS SCRIPTURE DECLARES IT WAS EVENING.
2. WHERE HAD HE BEEN? WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED?
FROM THE RESURRECTION UNTIL THE EVENING?
3. FEAR AND FRUSTRATION GRIPPED THEIR HEARTS.
4. FEELINGS OF TROUBLE TOWARD THE FUTURE,
THEN CAME JESUS, AND THEIR DOUBTS TURNED TO FAITH, THEIR DEFEATS TURNED TO VICTORY, THEIR DISCOURAGEMENT TURNED TO JOY.
(A) HE CAME, AFTER SIN HAD BEEN ATONED FOR.
1. HE WHO KNEW NO SIN, WAS MADE SIN FOR US.
1 PETER 2:24: HE BORE OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BODY.
Bore the punishment due to our sins.
That we, being dead to sins. That we, being freed from sin-delivered out of its power, and from under its tyranny.
[Should live unto righteousness
(from Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1996, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
(B) HE PLACED HIS BLOOD WITHIN THE HOLY PLACE.
Heb 9:12- He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.
(C ) HE CAME AFTER DEATH HAD BEEN DEFEATED
DEATH COULD NOT HOLD HIM
THE GRAVE COULD NOT HOLD HIM
HE ROSE VICTORIOUSLY OVER DEATH, HELL AND THE GRAVE WITH THE KEYS OF DEATH HELL AND THE GRAVE.
Rev 1:18
8 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and hell.
(D) HE CAME AFTER THE DEVIL HAD BEEN DEFEATED.
SATAN IS HAVING A FIELD DAY TODAY, SIN IS RAMPANT.
HE KNOWS HIS DAYS ARE NUMBERED, HE KNOWS HE IS DEFEATED, HE IS TAKING DOWN AS MANY AS HE CAN BEFORE THE LORD RAPTURES HIS CHURCH AND THE DAYS OF TRIBULATION COME UPON THIS EARTH.
SATAN IS THE DEFEATED ENEMY. HIS HEAD IS CRUSHED
Gen 3:15
And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head
and you will strike his heel."
SATAN LOST THE BATTLE AT CALVARY’S CROSS.
(E) HE CAME AFTER THE WORK ON CALVARY WAS COMPLETE
Heb 10:12-14
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
II. HOW DID THE RISEN SAVIOR COME?
THERE IS A DEEP MYSTERY IN JOHN 20: 19, AS WELL AS A DIVINE MIRACLE.
(A) THE DOORS WERE LOCKED, YET JESUS STOOD IN THEIR PRESENCE.
1. LIVING PROOF OF HIS RESURRECTION.
(B) HE HAD OVERCOME DEATH, HELL AND THE GRAVE,
SPANNED ETERNITY, ASCENDED TO HEAVEN, PLACED HIS BLOOD WITHIN THE HOLY PLACE AND RETURNED.
CERTAINLY A LOCKED DOOR WAS NO OBSTACLE
(C ) HE ENTERED AS A WELCOME GUEST. LET ME SHARE THREE REASONS WHY JESUS COULD DO THIS.
1. TO A CHILD OF GOD, THE PRESENCE OF JESUS IS NOT AN INTRUSION, BUT AN INSPIRATION.
2. TO A CHILD OF GOD, THE PERSON OF JESUS IS NOT AN INTRUSION, BUT AN EXPERIENCE OF JOY.
3. TO THE CHILD OF GOD, THE PREACHING AND POWER OF JESUS IS NOT AN INTRUSION, BUT A WELCOMED EXPECTATION.
(D) JESUS HAD A MESSAGE FOR THE DISCIPLES THAT NIGHT
“AS THE FATHER HAS SENT ME, SO I SEND YOU”.
1. PROOF OF HIS RESURRECTION
2. PROOF OF HIS POWER
III. WHY DID THE RISEN SAVIOR COME?
HE CAME TO BESTOW UPON US THREE GREAT GIFTS.
(A) HE CAME TO GIVE US HIS PARDON
1. HIS WOUNDS WERE PROOF OF HIS PARDONING LOVE FOR MANKIND.
2. HIS WOUNDED SIDE WHICH FLOWED BOTH BLOOD AND WATER, WAS NOW HEALED.
OUR SINS ARE NOW HEALED BY THE BLOOD AND THE CLEANSING THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD.
Rom 8:2
therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
(B) HE CAME TO GIVE US HIS PEACE.
1. PEACE IN THE TIME OF STORMS ( HE IS OUR REFUGE)
2. PEACE IN THE TRIALS OF SORROW ( HE IS OUR COMFORT)
3. PEACE OVER THE TEMPTATIONS OF SATAN. (HE IS OUR STRENGTH)
(C ) HE CAME TO GIVE US HIS POWER.
1. HIS POWER IS OURS TO USE TODAY, OVER SATAN, OVER SIN.
2. HIS POWER HAS SECURED US.
3. HIS POWER HAS SEALED US.
CONCLUSION:
VERSE 20: “THEY WERE GLAD (REJOICED) TO STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD.
IF JESUS CAME TODAY, WOULD YOU BE GLAD? OR WOULD YOU BE SAD?
COULD YOU REJOICE, OR WOULD YOU BE ASHAMED TO STAND IN HIS PRESENCE?
HE’S COMING BACK ONE DAY, ARE YOU PREPARED TO MEET HIM?
