The Three Faiths of Easter
John 20:1-18
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Have you ever noticed how much running there is in the Bible? There’s so much that sometimes it leaves me breathless and unable to catch my breath.
Most of the running refers to how we’re to approach our lives as believers. The Bible often likens our spiritual lives to a race that we’re told to run with endurance so we can cross the finish line at the end, which is heaven. (1 Corinthians 9:24; Hebrews 12:1-2; Isaiah 40:31; Galatians 5:7; Habakkuk 2:2; Psalm 119:32).
But there are various places where the Bible records people literally running as well.
Like when the young man wanted to run with the news that Absalom had been defeated. But he didn’t have all the information, and so he gave an incomplete report to King David (2 Samuel 18:19-33).
The story reveals that we are to run with a purpose, or God’s Kingdom business, which mostly involves running with the full message of Jesus Christ, that is, the gospel message of God’s grace and mercy through what Jesus did for us upon the cross, as He took our place and died the death we all deserve, and on the third day He rose from the dead.
And so, we need to run with this message of hope 6’and comfort and not one that is unsure bringing a partial or incomplete message.
And in our story of Jesus’s resurrection, there’s a lot of running going on as well.
Read John 20:1-18
Today, people always seem to be running. They’re running to work, the grocery store, to pick up the kids and take them to this or that event. And there’s also a lot of running that’s not getting anyone anywhere. I’m talking about people running on treadmills or around the block to get healthy or lose a little weight
And while the three people in our story are running with a purpose, they’re also running through a graveyard. Normally you walk through cemeteries out of reverence, never run. But these three had somewhere to go, and something to see and check out.
And my prayer is that all of us will likewise run, not right now, nor out of the church, but when we hear the good news of what Easter, or Resurrection Sunday is all about, my prayer is that we’ll run to the Lord to receive His grace and mercy for our lives and then bring the world the complete message of the good news of Jesus Christ.
And so, it was on this morning these three began their Easter morning run, and what we see is each of them represents three types of faith that are present in a lot of us when we come to the empty tomb.
A Simple Faith
The first faith present on Easter morning is the simple faith of the Apostle John. He’s called the disciple Jesus loved. What a great nickname to have. And like Peter, he’s very close to Jesus, in fact, he’s one of the inner three.
When Jesus had something special to do, he took Peter, James and John with Him. Like when He went up to the Mount of Transfiguration, or when He went further in at the Garden of Gethsemane.
This closeness can be seen in the Last Supper as John, who is the youngest of the twelve, sat right next to Jesus. And when Jesus was crucified John was the only disciple who witnessed it, and it was to John that Jesus gave instructions upon the cross to care for His mother.
“When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother!’ And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.” (John 19:26-27 NKJV)
When Mary Magdalene brought news that the tomb had been opened and was empty, both Peter and John took off running to see it for themselves. And while John got there first, he never went inside. He saw it was empty except for the grave clothes and the cloth that was around Jesus’s head folded neatly to the side. And after Peter went in, John went in as well, and it says he believed.
“Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.” (John 20:8-9 NKJV)
John wasn’t skeptical like doubting Thomas that had to see and touch Jesus for Himself, instead John simply believed, without any sort of “proof.” The tomb was empty and that’s all He needed. He sort of embodies the promise Jesus makes to Thomas saying, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29b NKJV)
It’s this sort of simple faith that we really need. While it’s not wrong to be skeptical or to be desirous to know the truth, sometimes man’s ways and truths get in the way of simple faith.
I love the bumper sticker I saw years ago that said, “God said it, I believe it, that settles it.” That’s simple faith.
It’s this simple faith that sees the earth and universe, and then looks around at nature and says, “No way this evolved from some primordial ooze. This can only happen through a Creator.” And while evidence is overwhelming as to the existence of God and that this universe was created, they don’t need all of this. They simply believe.
Now, this doesn’t mean that people with simple faith are simpletons. They’re not naïve, nor are they ignorant. They simply have the gift of faith, and an extra measure to boot. It’s a faith that simply trust our heavenly Father.
Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3 NKJV)
That’s simple faith, it’s childlike faith.
The second type of faith that is seen in the Apostle Peter. It’s a faith that struggles.
A Struggling Faith
The second faith present on this Easter morning is a faith that struggles, which describes Peter to a tee. While he always seemed to have faith, he constantly struggled with it.
We see his struggle play out as he followed Jesus as one of his disciples. On one occasion Jesus asked His disciples who they thought He was. And while the other disciples said that other people were calling Him, John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets, Peter spoke and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16 NKJV)
Jesus then told Peter that he received this special insight from the Father Himself, and it would be upon this belief that the church would be built. And then Jesus told them of how He must go to Jerusalem where He would be handed over to the religious authorities and be killed, but on the third day He would rise.
But Peter struggled with this. He had just proclaimed Jesus to be the Messiah, the Son of the living God, and now Jesus is going to be killed, and so Peter said to Jesus, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You.” (Matthew 16:22 NKJV)
And Jesus rebuked him saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:23 NKJV)
Peter struggled. It was such a struggle that saw Peter try to defend Jesus from being arrested but then run for his life. And then when Peter had a chance to stand up for Jesus, something he promised saying, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will” (Matthew 26:33 NIV), he still denied Jesus three times.
And while Peter often struggled with His faith, when he entered the tomb and seeing it empty, his faith struggle because he felt guilty believing that he betrayed Jesus a couple of days earlier.
Notice what it says, that while John believed, Peter left struggling with his faith and left without believing what he saw.
“For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.” (John 20:9-10 NKJV)
Peter is consumed with the guilt and brokenness of his actions. Although he ran to the tomb, hopeful, he also knows that when someone’s dead, they’re dead. Notice they didn’t know the Scripture, and while Peter probably remembers what Jesus said about rising from the dead, he’s struggling with the reality.
It’s not until he sees Jesus that day when Jesus shows himself to the disciples that he believes, but still the struggle is going on inside of him, because of the guilt and shame.
What I love about Peter’s story, which is the same story of many today, is that Jesus didn’t rebuke Peter for his struggle, but gently restores him and gives to him his mission and purpose, saying feed and take care of God’s people.
There may be some here that are consumed with their own sense of guilt and shame thinking there’s no way God would forgive or love them. Well, that’s what Easter is all about. It’s about Jesus who rose from the dead, which means that our failures are not final.
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” (John 11:25-26 NKJV)
But there is one more faith that is present on Easter morning, and that is a faith that is grieving,
A Grieving Faith
This last type of faith is found in Mary Magdalene. She was an intimate part of those close to Jesus. She ministered to Him, and she was there while Jesus died upon the cross and placed into the tomb. It was Mary Magdalene that went to the tomb that third day to anoint the body of Jesus, and as she went, she was preparing herself to perform a wake not realizing that Jesus was awake.
Mary went to the tomb to mourn, and so she entered this Easter morning grieving.
Maybe there are some here and this celebration is difficult because like Mary you are mourning and grieving in your heart. Maybe it is because something or someone close has died, maybe a family member or a friend. Maybe it’s the death of a job, career, dream, or maybe health.
And so, there may be some here that are grieving the loss of something or someone, and this grief blurs their vision to the wonder and glory of Easter and Jesus’s resurrection.
Even while angels told Mary that He has risen saying, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!!” (Luke 24:5b-6 NKJV), she still didn’t believe because her grief was clouding her ability to see and believe.
When she ran back to tell the disciples, she said, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” (John 20:2 NKJV)
And when she went back, and after Peter and John left, it says, “But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.” (John 20:11 NKJV)
The angels then met her again and asked why she was weeping, and she said, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” (John 20:13b NKJV)
And then Jesus stood right in front of her, but still in her grief she didn’t recognize Him until He spoke her name.
I love this because of what Jesus said about those who hear His voice. He said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28 NKJV)
Mary comes this Easter morning grieving not even realizing that it’s Jesus she’s talking to, and maybe there are some who feel the same way. They feel far from Christ because of what they’ve been going through, but here’s the really neat part; He’s here.
Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20 NKJV)
Jesus is here and He’s speaking our names if we would just listen.
The cross could not hold Him, the grave could not contain Him, and the grave clothes could no longer bind Him, and because of this He is alive right here and right now.
Conclusion
This is the message of Easter, that Jesus is alive and is here right now, and because the cross is empty our sins can be forgiven, and because the tomb is empty, we can have eternal life with Him, and because the grave cloths are empty means that He desires that personal intimate relationship with us and that He’s coming back.
I want to ask a very important question this morning. Do you know Jesus Christ? I don’t mean; “do you know about him?” Do you truly know Him?
And here’s the great part, you can know Him. You can know His love, His care, His healing, and His forgiveness. He says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20 NKJV)
This morning, if you have never accepted God’s promises for your life, He is waiting, probably wondering, “For heaven’s sake, what’s taking you so long?”
Don’t wait another moment, do it today, and know the joy of and abundant life right now, and eternal life in heaven with Him when this life is over.
Have that simple faith, and quit struggling. And when you do, then, that will turn grief into joy. And He will turn that graveyard into a garden.
