Jesus, the God-man: Gospel of John
“A Chain of Witnesses”
John 20:11-18
Introduction: “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” A game show even used that concept as contestants competed to discover “The Weakest Link”. In a group of people the one that performs his or her role the least is considered a weak link.
After Peter and John discover the empty tomb and John determines that Jesus is alive they return home but the drama continues at the tomb. Other events begin to take place which sets in motion the need for the spread of the gospel as we begin the creation of “a chain of witnesses”.
1. The angels testified of the resurrection.
(vv. 11-13)
Peter and John run home leaving Mary alone crying.
That which caused her to weep should have been a cause for rejoicing. The tomb is empty because Jesus is alive and not because His body has been stolen!
She glances into the tomb by stooping over like John did.
She is looking in the wrong direction. She is looking down!
Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens.
Psalm 123:1
I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2
She glances into the tomb and sees two angels seated where Jesus’ body and laid –one at the head and one at the foot. This is a picture the Ark of the Covenant covering! Two is also the number of witnesses required by the law. They are seated signifying rest and peace.
Why did Peter and John not see these angels? They were invisible.
v. 13 – “Why are you weeping?” They know the reason but for what cause? This is not a time to weep!
Good question for us to consider. What causes you to weep or be downcast? What causes you pain? That can all be changed by recognition of the resurrection!
Illustration: Martin Luther once spent three days in a black depression over something that had gone wrong. On the third day his wife came downstairs dressed in mourning clothes. "Who's dead?" he asked her. "God," she replied. Luther rebuked her, saying, "What do you mean, God is dead? God cannot die." "Well," she replied, "the way you've been acting I was sure He had!"
Where is your focus? Mary’s is still on grave robbers!
This next part I think is comical:
Angel: “Woman, why are you crying?”
Mary: “Grave robbers!” and not, “WOW! ANGELS! I’ve never seen angels before!”
Her encounter with the supernatural is clouded by her grief and unbelief!
The very absence of the body which made her weep was a token for good, and a cause of joy for herself and all mankind. –J.C. Ryle (1816-1900), Expository Thoughts on John
The psalmist when in a difficult time had asked Himself the same question and arrived at a similar answer as this:
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God. Psalm 43:5
The angels testified of the resurrection without a word. Their simple presence speaks volumes!
2. Jesus testified of His lordship. (vv. 14-17)
She responds to the angels and turns around. Jesus is there, but she does not recognize Him. He asks the same question as the angels, but then adds, “Whom are you seeking?”
Here’s another good question for us. In the midst of your pain and despair do you recognize that Jesus is there?
She thinks He is the gardener. She is still looking for grave robbers, not the Savior. Her focus is on death and not life.
Her answer reflects that. “Sir, if you took Him away please show me where and I will go pick Him up and bring Him back.”
Grief can cloud your judgment, reasoning, and even the presence of God in your life. She is not capable of picking up a dead body wrapped with one hundred pounds of spices and carry it back to the tomb! But her love and devotion makes her willing to try!
v. 16 - Her attention is drawn once again to the tomb, but a single word changes everything! “Mary” or “Miriam” in Aramaic. The lights come on! He knows her name!
But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. Isaiah 43:1
To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10:3
She turns away from the tomb of death and to Jesus: “Rabboni!” She does not say “rabbi”, but the more personal “Rabboni” which means “my Teacher”!
And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. John 10:4
When you know Jesus you too will turn your back on death to follow the Giver of Life!
v. 17 – She apparently grabs Him in an embrace or falls and grasps His feet because He quickly says, “Do not cling to Me.” Some translations say “touch” but cling is a better word because shortly He will welcome their touch and encourage them to touch Him. This demonstrates that He is a real person and not a ghost or spirit.
“Don’t hold on to Me because I am not staying here much longer. I am returning to heaven.” She was focused too much on His humanity and not enough on His deity. She was acting as if His bodily presence was what was necessary when the reverse is true.
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63
Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 2 Corinthians 5:16
Instead He tells her, “Be a witness. Go tell My brethren what you have experienced. Tell them I am back.”
Oh, don’t miss these sweet words of relationship. He does not say “My disciples”, “the eleven”, or “those sorry dogs that abandoned Me”. NO! He uses words He never used before regarding them.
“My brethren” – Because of the resurrection they (and we) can be called His brothers! We are related by His shed blood and resurrection!
When you fail Him, He does not write you off either!
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1
As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.
Psalm 103:13-14
“My Father and My God” – We share in that relationship with Him but He is still Lord and is preeminent.
3. Mary testified of what she had seen and heard.
(v. 18)
The race is on! She runs back to find the disciples!
We are not simply to linger about the shrine of the resurrection, but are to go declaring the fact of it! Mary was changed from a mourner to a missionary when she met the living Lord. –Brian Bell, Pastor, Calvary Chapel, Murrietta, CA
“I HAVE SEEN THE LORD!”
John had seen empty grave clothes and was convinced but Mary had seen the Lord!
It was in a garden to a woman that death first entered the world and now it is in a garden to another woman that the Word of Life is revealed!
“I have seen Jesus and talked to Him!”
That is the literal definition of a witness – one who tells what they have seen and heard.
She met Jesus, talked to Him and her life is changed forever. She can’t help but tell others about it!
Their response?
And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. Luke 24:11
And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. Mark 16:11
We are not responsible for how people respond to our message but we are to tell it!
Have you met Jesus? Has He changed you? Who have you told recently?
Conclusion: There is a great chain of witnesses before us in this passage – angels, Jesus, and Mary. Later the disciples will take up the message and carry it to the world. It stretches through time and now reaches to me and you.
Will you be the weakest link or will you continue to share the good news? How strong is the “chain of witnesses” today?
