INTRODUCTION
• PC VIDEO
• REWIND SLIDE
• SLIDE #1
• What an exciting day! Today as we come together to worship our great God, we also celebrate the event that changed EVERYTHING!
• As our clip reminds us that the resurrection changes everything.
• The resurrection of Jesus changed my life. Had Jesus not been raised from the dead then there would be no transformative power in giving your life to Him!
• Jesus could change my life because Jesus lives, the tomb is empty!
• We are not here today to remember a death but rather to celebrate a resurrection!
• The resurrection of Jesus is part of the foundation of Christianity. If the resurrection did not happen then we all are in trouble.
• SLIDE #2
• 1 Corinthians 15:13–16 (ESV) But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.
• When you examine the religions of the world, they involve a person who is dead, in some cases people make pilgrimages to visit the tomb of their fallen hero, but in the case of Christ, the tomb IS empty!
• The resurrection was an incredible event in history and there are many who are skeptical as to the reality of the event.
• SLIDE #3
• Today we are going to begin a new series entitled REWIND. Over the next few weeks we invite you to join us as we look at the events of the last week of Jesus’ life.
• Today in John 20 we begin our rewind by looking at reaction to the resurrection by some of Jesus key followers.
• As we examine the various reactions to the resurrection by those who loved Jesus the most we can see a high level of believability that gives us even more evidence to help us to believe in this incredible event.
• Let us begin our journey by first examining…
• SLIDE #4
SERMON
I. The reaction to the empty tomb.
• This had been a traumatic couple of days for the disciples and the other followers of Jesus.
• Just about a week before Jesus entered Jerusalem being hailed as a victorious King, now just a couple of days ago he was crucified, He was now dead.
• The execution of Jesus was done in public for all to see, there was no doubt that He was now dead.
• The crucifixion and burial took place on Friday evening. It is now Sunday morning.
• Mary Magdalene headed for the tomb with some other disciples to add some more spices to the body of Jesus.
• SLIDE #5
• Mark 16:1 (ESV) When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.
• From Mark we see that the folks did not go to the tomb expecting to find an empty tomb. They expected to find a dead body that was in need of spices to help preserve it.
• When I first started reading the Bible, this fact really had an impression on me because if one were making up a story, this would not be the way it would be written.
• Now open your bible with me and let us look at John 20:1
• SLIDE #6
• John 20:1 (ESV) Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
• Mary is the first to reach the tomb; she sees the stone had been moved away from the entrance. What did she do? If you are writing a STORY most would say that she would have dropped to her knees and worshipped God for raising Jesus.
• IS that what we see?
• Let us look at verses 2-10 now
• SLIDE #7
• John 20:2–10 (ESV) 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
• Mary runs back to Peter and John (the disciple Jesus loved) and she tells them SOMEONE had taken the LORD out of the tomb. WE (those who were with Mary listed on Mark 16) do not know where they laid Him.
• There is nothing here about a resurrection even though Jesus told His disciples many times He would be raised on the 3rd day.
• Now with this information, how do Peter and John react? They say nothing about a resurrection, they take off running.
• When they get to the tomb they look in and see it is void of Jesus body.
• What do they find? He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.
• At this point we read that John NOW believed, even though he still did not understand what was happening concerning the resurrection.
• So we see the reaction of those at the empty tomb was one of surprise, they did not expect to find anything but a dead body.
• Look at what verse 10 says they did. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
• Now that we have looked at what John has told us about the reaction to the empty tomb, let examine the reaction various people have toward Jesus!
• SLIDE #8
II. The reaction of Mary toward Jesus.
• Mary is back at the tomb, she is distraught because she just wants to know where they put Jesus. She still has no expectation of finding Jesus alive again.
• There are two angels in the tomb sitting where Jesus had been laid.
• They ask her a question.
• SLIDE #9
• John 20:13 (ESV) They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”
• She still thinks He has been taken.
• Now Jesus appears to her, let’s see her reaction.
• SLIDE #10
• John 20:14–18 (ESV) 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
• Mary is a bit hard headed. She thinks Jesus is the gardener and is still on the WHERE IS JESUS’ BODY mindset.
• Finally she recognizes this person to be Jesus! She sees this man and it does not occur to her that it could even be Jesus because she saw Him die.
• Well now she is excited and she leaves to spread the word.
• Next let us look at…
• SLIDE #11
III. The reaction of the disciples toward Jesus.
• Now it is evening, probably around 8 pm. Let’s see what is happening.
• Verse 19 tells us the doors were locked because the disciples were fearful of the Jews.
• Now does this sound like a group of people who thought Jesus was going to rise? If they believed that at this point they would have not had to doors locked nor would they have been afraid. We see this fearless attitude a bit later in the book of Acts.
• They have heard the report of Mary, Peter and John by this time. They had gathered together, I bet there was some excitement mixed in with the fear this group had.
• Jesus appears to the group and they are glad!
• SLIDE #12
• John 20:19–20 (ESV) On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
• Jesus goes on to tell them He has a mission for them.
• SLIDE #13
• John 20:21–23 (ESV) Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
• The reaction of the disciples was one of joy; they are seeing Jesus alive again! But there was one person missing.
• SLIDE #14
IV. The reaction of Thomas toward Jesus.
• Here we go, doubting Thomas. The disciples tell Thomas the exciting news, so how does he react?
• SLIDE #15
• John 20:25 (ESV) So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
• Ok, let me ask you this, how many of us would have reacted like Thomas did? Thomas gets a bad rap at times because can you really blame him at this point? He saw what the Romans did to Jesus.
• You do not come back from that!
• Now let us fast forward to eight days later.
• Jesus now comes to Thomas
• SLIDE #16
• John 20:26–27 (ESV) Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
• As Jesus sees Thomas He goes right up to him. Jesus knows what Thomas needs in order to believe. Jesus does not beat Thomas up or verbal abuse him over his doubt.
• Jesus gives Thomas what he needed. Jesus is not afraid of your doubts and questions. Jesus will not abuse you for asking questions.
• Now how did Thomas react to Jesus?
• In verse 28 he responded in faith, MY LORD MY GOD!
• Now for us today, Jesus has something to say.
• SLIDE #17
• John 20:29 (ESV) Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
CONCLUSION
• What about you? How are you going to react to the resurrected Jesus?
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• ARE YOU READY TO EXPERIENCE THE GIFT OF SALVATION? ARE YOU READY TO ACCEPT THE GIFT THAT JESUS DIED AND ROSE FROM THE DEAD FOR YOU TO HAVE?
