The Triumph of the Resurrection
John 20:1-10
Easter Sunday 2000
Introduction
On one occasion Michelangelo turned to his fellow artists and said with frustration in his voice, "Why do you keep filling gallery after gallery with endless pictures on the one theme of Christ in weakness, Christ on the cross, and most of all, Christ hanging dead?" he asked. "Why do you concentrate on the passing episode as if it were the last work, as if the curtain dropped down there on disaster and defeat? That dreadful scene lasted only a few hours. But to the unending eternity Christ is alive; Christ rules and reigns and triumphs!"
Good Friday was a dark and dreary day but now Sunday has come! The Lord is triumphant over death and He has gained the victory for all people. However, the first Easter morning did not seem like a great triumph. In fact it seemed like a great injustice or misfortune because the body of Jesus was gone and the tomb was empty. Let’s take a few moments to examine the story of that first Easter morning.
READ TEXT
Body
I. Mary focused on the Tragedy
A. Mary’s discovery at the tomb
1. Mary saw the stone removed
This was just before dawn while it was still dark. This would have been the easiest time of day to travel out to the area of the tomb. Mary finds the tomb open. What a shock this must have been to see that the tomb of Jesus was open.
2. The significance of the stone
The tomb was closed: The tomb had a large groove along the base with a large circular stone to close the entrance. The stone was rolled into place and became nearly impossible to remove
The tomb was sealed: The stone was then sealed by either clay or wax to further seal the entrance and make it air tight. The tomb of Jesus was also given the seal of the emperor and made it a capital crime to open the tomb.
The tomb was guarded: Pilate placed a large number of Roman soldiers to guard the tomb. Literally, Pilate was so concerned with the possibility of the resurrection that he had the tomb place under guard.
B. Mary’s reaction to the discovery
1. Mary went to Peter
Mary ran to find Peter and share the news. When Mary sees that the body of Jesus is gone her first instinct is to run and get Peter to tell him what had happened. Was Mary going to share good news with the others? NO! Mary had believed that the body of Jesus had been stolen – verse 2 b: "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!"
From Mary’s point of view this was a crisis on top of the tragedy. It never occurred to her that Jesus had been raised from the dead.
2. Mary was focused on the tragedy of the situation
First, Jesus was dead. This was a severe blow to the disciples because they never understood the fact that Jesus was going to die. So, when Jesus was crucified they could not deal with the situation.
Second, Jesus’ body was missing and presumed stolen. The body of Jesus was simply gone from the tomb and the only logical explanation was that the body was stolen.
Third, no one knew where the body was located and what had been done to the body. This was a great crisis for Mary
3. What kind of tragedies are in your life?
The tragedy of a loved one who has passed away. The tragedy of lost relationships – Divorce, strained family relations. The tragedy of lost opportunities – Time with family, chances to share the gospel
II. Peter focused on the Tomb
A. Peter investigates the tomb
1. When Peter hears the news he runs to investigate the tomb
John arrived at the tomb first and looks in the tomb entrance but does not enter the tomb. Peter arrives and immediately enters the tomb. Peter wastes no time in doing everything he can to get to the bottom of this problem.
2. Peter’s discovery
There was no body – Jesus was gone. There was no disturbance – The linens for the burial were still there and in order and it could easily be seen that the body was not stolen. The burial cloth was folded upon itself. The burial cloth was used to cover the head of Jesus. This is literally impossible unless there was a miraculous removal of the body. This is one of the most striking evidences for the resurrection
B. Peter’s response
1. Peter saw the facts
The evidence that Peter saw was indeed conclusive. Jesus had been raised from the dead. Peter did not process the information. Peter was a lot like Joe Friday from Dragnet – “Just the facts” It could be said that he was looking at just the facts. Peter saw that the body of Jesus was gone and gone in a miraculous way.
2. Peter was focused on the tomb
Peter did not understand what had happened and he was focused on merely answering the question “what happened here?” Peter did not apply his faith to the facts and was unable to come to a conclusion. Peter’s response was to go home clueless
III. John focused on the Triumph
A. John investigates the tomb
1. John sees the exact same things that Peter saw that day
John did not miss anything that Peter saw in the tomb and Peter saw all of things that John saw that day. However, there was a great difference in their personal reaction. John saw the linens, the burial cloth and the empty tomb
2. John saw the tomb first
John got there first because he outran Peter John looked in but did not enter without Peter. Why did John not enter the tomb when he arrived? It seems strange that John would not immediately run into the tomb after looking in and seeing the body of Jesus gone. I believe that John was attempting to process the event and apply what Jesus had taught them
B. John’s response
1. John saw the facts and applied his faith
The facts were not merely enough for John. There is a vast difference between knowing and believing. John applied the facts to his faith. John moved from head knowledge to heart knowledge – Verse 8
Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.
2. John saw the triumph
John saw the triumph of the empty tomb. The body of Jesus was gone and gone in a miraculous way. John believed that Jesus did exactly what he said he would do to defeat death. John saw and believed that Jesus had been raised from the dead.
Conclusion
A man was going down a street when in a store window he saw a very beautiful picture of the crucifixion. As he gazed spellbound at the vividly pictured story, he suddenly became conscious that at his side stood a young boy. The boy, too, was gazing at the picture, and his tense expression made the man know that "The Crucifixion" had really gripped the eager little soul. Touching the boy on the shoulder, the man said, "Sonny, what does it mean?" "Doncha know?" he answered, his face full of the marvel of the man’s ignorance. "That there man is Jesus, an’ them others is Roman soldiers, an’ the woman what’s cryin’ is His mother, an’" he added, "they killed ’im!"
The man did not want to move from in front of that impressive piece of artwork but he had other things he had to do, so he turned and walked away. In a few moments he heard footsteps on the street behind him, and there came rushing up the boy. "Say, mister," he exclaimed breathlessly, "I forgot to tell you, but He rose again!"
Maybe you are like Mary and you have placed your focus in life on the tragedies that have burdened your life. Perhaps there are some of you who are like Peter and you know the facts of the resurrection but never applied that knowledge to your heart. As we have examined things this morning and taken a fresh look at the old, old story; you have been examining your own heart. Don’t you want to be like John on that first Easter morning? Isn’t it time, to move from the facts to find faith? Today is a great day to cheat and death and enter into the triumph of the resurrection.
Jesus is calling to you today an invitation to believe the unbelievable, receive the inconceivable and defeat, not just cheat, the power of death.
Three Questions
1. Does what I have been saying make sense to you?
2. Is there any reason why you would not be willing to receive Christ as your savior?
3. Are you willing to turn from your sins and place your faith in Jesus?
Prayer: Dear Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God, that you died on the cross for me and you were raised to life again on that first Easter morning. I know that I need you in my life and I accept you as my savior and Lord. Forgive me of my sins, cleanse me from within and give me the power to live for you from this moment on. Amen.
