I AM NOT FINISHED
Jesus' Burial
Have you ever thought of what they all had to do?
John 19:38- 40
Later Joseph from the city of Arimathea asked Pilate to let him remove Jesus' body. (Joseph was a disciple of Jesus but secretly because he was afraid of the Jews). Pilate gave him permission to remove Jesus' body. So Joseph removed it. Nicodemus, the one who had first come to Jesus at night, went with Joseph and brought 75 pounds of a myrrh and aloe mixture. These two men took the body of Jesus and bound it with strips of linen. They laced the strips with spices. This was the Jewish custom for burial.
The first problem was the spikes holding Jesus' hands and feet. Did they pull the nails out or did they gently but firmly pull the hands and feet over the nails?
Turn with me to:
JOHN 20:1-9 (I am reading from the message)
Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone was moved away from the entrance. She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, "They took the Master from the tomb. We don't know where they've put him." Peter and the other disciple left immediately for the tomb. They ran, neck and neck. The other disciple got to the tomb first, outrunning Peter. Stooping to look in, he saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Simon Peter arrived after him, entered the tomb, observed the linen cloths lying there, and the kerchief used to cover his head not lying with the linen cloths but separate, neatly folded by itself. Then the other disciple, the one who had gotten there first, went into the tomb, took one look at the evidence, and believed. No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.
They had to take Him down from the cross, which was not an easy chore. First, they had to rig a ladder, and climb up the side of the cross, and then they had to pull His hands off over the nails. There was no way they could get those spikes out of the wood, not from that angle, not with His hands in-between the wood and the nail head. Once the hands were loosed, they allowed the body of Jesus to sag into a sheet, and would then remove His feet from the nail in the same manner.
Then they prepared Jesus' body for burial. We know they did not have to drain many body fluids, especially since the soldier pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water (John 19:34). They washed His body and wrapped it in an expensive mixture of myrrh and aloes (John 19:39). After this, they wrapped Jesus' body in strips of linen .They folded His arms over His chest. They closed His eyes, kissed His cheek, and placed a napkin or cloth over His face. John tells us they did everything "in accordance with Jewish burial customs" (John 19:40).
Where were the disciples, the people closest to Him during all of this? Why were they not helping? Were disciples were not able to help? Were they too scared, upset, and shocked? In Bible days, when someone died, it was the duty of a family member to close the eyes and kiss the cheek of the dead. Joseph and Nicodemus did not have to do this but did so, why? It was NOT necessary. You see, they were attempting to preserve the crucified body of Christ for all of eternity. (But man's best efforts are nothing compared to what God would do after three days). Man was attempting to preserve a body in death but God would raise the body from the dead.
They walked away from that tomb, in sadness, maybe cannot believing that Jesus is no more. You can imagine that the next 3 days were a party for satan and his demons, the Jewish leaders but then He rose. It says in the bible that Mary was the first one to see the empty tomb, no one believed her and came looking for themselves.
The Gospel of John tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. In verse 7, the Bible tells us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed aside, why is this so important?
In order to understand why the folded napkin is so important, we will have to go back to the Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished. Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, “I’m done”. But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it aside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because the servant knew that the folded napkin meant, “I’m not finished yet.” The folded napkin meant, “I’m coming back!”
Peter and the disciples walked with Christ for 3 years. They had watched as He did miracles. Then they watched Him die, they properly thought that “It’s over, it’s all over!” Maybe during the 3 days they said I’m going back to what I used to do. Did Peter see the folded napkin in that empty tomb? Perhaps God spoke to him and said, “He’s not finished yet, He’s coming back”
This napkin, when it is understood, is a message of hope and joy from Jesus.
We all know that Jesus was crucified on Friday and gloriously transformed early on Sunday morning.
On Friday you would not have known that He was the Son of God, the second person of the triune Godhead. You would have only seen and witnessed the gruesome death of a common criminal on Golgotha. He was not a pretty sight on Good Friday. And, we all know why He suffered and died. Again, as Isaiah put it:
Isaiah 53:4-5
He certainly has taken upon himself our suffering and carried our sorrows, but we thought that God had wounded him, beat him, and punished him. He was wounded for our rebellious acts. He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so that we could have peace, and we received healing from his wounds. (THE MESSAGE - But the fact is, it was our pains he carried, our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him, our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed)
Jesus was sacrificed as the Lamb of God. Not a pretty sight at all! Easter Sunday was completely different. On Easter Sunday we see the heavenly transformation of the Messiah. The body that was so grossly humiliated was now raised and exalted! It wasn't only Jesus who was changed or transformed. His followers were too. Their sorrow was turned into Easter Joy! Despair was turned into hope! Unbelief was changed into faith. In verse 8:- John went in, saw, and believed.
So, what is so important about the napkin? What is Jesus telling us?
Do you hear what the Master is saying? Do you hear the message of Jesus to His disciples? Jesus is saying, "I'm not finished yet!"
Now in John 19, verse 30, upon the cross Jesus said, "It is finished". Do not get confused, Jesus finished His work as the Suffering Servant, as the sacrificial Lamb of God. But that did not mean His work was done.
"I know that my Redeemer lives." That's the message John saw and heard.
Let us look at two facts:
- 1) He’s not finished saving souls!
The folded napkin says that He’s not finished saving souls. The Bible says that Jesus came into this world for one reason: to save sinners.
John 3: 17
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Acts 4: 12
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
So we sit here today with two kinds of people. I am not talking about rich/poor, black/white, I am speaking about those that have already been saved / those who need to be saved
Many people have the mistaken idea that good people are saved and only bad people need to be saved. Yes bad people need to be saved but so do “good” people. (May I say as clearly as possible, that no one exists who’s so bad they cannot be saved and no one so good they don’t need to be saved?)
Rom. 3: 23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
The napkin is still folded
- 2) He’s not finished reclaiming backsliders.
If we look at the time before the crucifixion, Jesus informed His disciples that they would all leave Him, when Peter said that he would not, Jesus told him that he would deny Jesus 3 times and that is what happened. In the garden, Jesus restored the guard’s ear. Now we can imagine how Peter felt after all he did deny Jesus. But yet in Mark 16, Verse 7 Jesus told Mary to call the disciples and Peter.
(Mark 16: 7
Go and tell his disciples and Peter that he's going ahead of them to Galilee. There they will see him, just as he told them.")
Can’t you see Peter in a state of denial, in the corner of the room, shocked, saying, what? What did you say?
Yes, he mentioned you by name.
Why did Jesus want to see Peter, to rebuke him? No, he wanted to restore him. (And one of the sweetest scenes you’ll ever see in Scripture is Peter and Jesus, coming together, and Jesus hugging him and saying, Peter, do you love me? Not, “Peter, are you going to sin?) That is the issue today, if you know you are a backslider, let me ask you; was there a time when you were right with Him? You see, the real question is not, are you going drink anymore? / swear anymore? the real question today is “Do you love Him?” Well He loves you.
The napkin is still folded
I heard about a little boy who had done something very naughty. His mother punished him. He was afraid his mother was still angry at him. In the kitchen there was a chalkboard on the wall where they wrote down phone messages. When no one was around, he wrote on that chalkboard, dear mom, if you forgive me, please wipe this out. He went to his room, and about an hour later returned, and to his surprise and joy that chalkboard had been completely erased!
Are you away from God right now? Have you brought your sins to the cross, Jesus will not rub them in, He’ll rub them out. Remember the lost son, what happened when he came home, his father welcomed him home with open arms. Today, Jesus is calling you home, the napkin is still folded. Good person or bad…you need to be saved.
Jesus is not yet finished when it comes to Mary. In John 20:15, He meets her in the garden. He talks to her. Mary goes to the disciples with the good news, "I have seen the Lord". Do you see the change in Mary? She was crying, sad, upset. But now she was filled with great, exciting and joyful news
Jesus is not yet finished. There is still more for Him to do. In John 20:17, He says to Mary, "I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God". We know He is going to heaven where He will exchange a crown of thorns, a purple robe and a bloody cross for a seat at God's right hand. Instead of people bowing before Him in mockery, every knee shall bow before Him in fear. Instead of people poking fun of Him as "king of the Jews," everyone shall acknowledge He is Lord (John 19:1-3).
Jesus is not yet finished. In John 20:20-23, He appears before the disciples and they are "overjoyed". He sends them on a mission to tell others about Christ. Jesus fills them with the Spirit and gives them the authority to declare the forgiveness of sins. Don't forget how scared and discouraged and dispirited and upset they were. But now they are "overjoyed." They were filled with joy. They said "Hallelujah" and "Amen" and "Praise God" and they probably burst forth into song.
Jesus is still not finished. He knows there are doubters and skeptics. In John 20:28, He appears before one of the disciples by the name of Thomas. Thomas sees Jesus and he believes, "My Lord and my God!" he said to Jesus.
Jesus is thinking of future generations of believers. He is thinking of you and me and those who professed their faith this morning. Unlike John, Peter, Mary, Thomas and the other disciples, we do not see Jesus like they did. But by His Word and Spirit Jesus works faith in us. Jesus talks about us in John20, verse 29 when He says, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed".
Jesus wants to work with you and me. He wants to make us in His image. He wants to get rid of the acts of the sinful nature within all of us: Now, in Galatians 5:19-21, lists the effects of the corrupt nature: illicit sex, perversion, promiscuity, idolatry, drug use, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, angry outbursts, selfish ambition, conflict, factions, envy, drunkenness, wild partying, and similar things. I've told you in the past and I'm telling you again that people who do these kinds of things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
There is still more. Jesus not only wants us to get rid of the acts of the sinful nature but in Galatians 5:22, He also wants us to be filled to overflowing with the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Jesus wants us to present all that we have and all that we are to Him as a living sacrifice. He wants us to withhold nothing – not our time, not our money, not our talents, not our family, not our marriage, not our business. He wants our heart's desire to be His praise and honor and glory.
There is still more. Jesus wants the entire world to know about Him, from every tribe and language, people and nation. He wants to do this through you and me and everyone else who believes.
"I'm not finished yet." There is still more. Someday Jesus shall return to resurrect the body , to judge the living and the dead. Someday Jesus shall make a new heaven and a new earth.
In conclusion: I leave you with a poem, and ask you is the napkin folded for you, is God waiting for you?
The Folded Napkin
Now the Jews had a tradition
It sent a message to the slave
A wadded napkin the transition
Of dining cleanup master gave
But when a folded cloth is found
A slave will watch but out of sight
Because his reason to come 'round
Has been relieved of him this night
The risen Jesus left a trace
His garments scattered on the floor
The folded napkin from His face
In itself meant something more
The loyal servant so it seems
Retains composure without lack
Aware the folded napkin means
“Be not concerned, I’m coming back”
John 20:6-7 © a year ago, Earl W. Haskins
