What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when I say the word "Easter"? Outside of a Christian group you’d probably say "The Easter Bunny," or "Easter eggs." Fluffy white bunnies and eggs have become so much a part of secular Easter that it wouldn’t surprise me if little kids thought that the Easter Bunny let Jesus out of the tomb so He could hunt eggs with the disciples!
Seriously - when a Christian thinks of Easter, or perhaps more appropriately Resurrection Sunday - what comes to mind? The empty tomb, the risen Savior, sins washed away and the joy of salvation.
Today I want to strip away both secular and sacred ideas of Easter. I want us to look at this event with the fresh eyes of people who experienced it without the benefit of chocolate bunnies and pictures of the Garden Tomb. Far from a day to ring bells, for the people we will meet today - the day wrought great sorrow, confusion, doubt, remorse and fear - and that’s after they knew that Jesus was alive. Rather than embracing the joy of the resurrection, these held back.
Jesus met four people or groups of people after He rose from the dead - each one with a different need and a different reason for hesitation. These represent for us, four of the main reasons why we hesitate to come to Jesus ourselves.
John 20:1-10 This part of the story we are familiar with. But let’s look more closely at what happens next.
John 20:11-18 Mary Magdalene - grief (looking down)
Mary was the first to come to the tomb on that Sunday. She was the first to see the empty tomb and ran to tell Peter and John. Clearly Mary had put her every hope in Jesus - and when He died and then disappeared, that hope died and disappeared as well. After Peter and John left Mary was paralyzed with grief and stood sobbing outside the tomb.
She stops, perhaps through tear stained eyes looking back and seeing not an empty tomb, but two men sitting where Jesus’ lay. Notice that she isn’t struck with fear at the sight of the angels. Sometimes grief does that to you. I also notice that after the resurrection, Jesus’ tomb was good only for a park bench for two angels.
So how does Jesus combat her grief?
He wants her to look up - to the ascended Lord, taker of sin and cleanser of souls. He says "Don’t cling to me, I haven’t yet ascended." Mary can’t hang on to the Jesus she walked with for three years. She still saw Him as a man - a man she can help. She offered to go get the body herself and carry it away. But she, like everyone else, has to look to the work He did in dieing, and the work He does in every heart that looks to Him. It’s not about Mary doing anything - it’s about Jesus doing everything.
When we grieve, we often yearn just to turn the clock back a little bit - to go back to the way things were. If we could just have delayed going out by a few minutes then that car crash wouldn’t have happened. If we had gone to the doctor a little earlier then maybe the sickness could have been healed.
Jesus said:
John 12:23-26 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ESV
Mary looked down without hope when she needed to look up.
John 20:19-23 The disciples - fear (looking around)
John tells us that the disciples were hidden away in a locked room. I wonder why it didn’t dawn on them that if Jesus were now alive that He would protect them. But they knew so little. They didn’t yet understand that this wasn’t just resuscitation but resurrection. Perhaps they even feared that when the Jews found out that Jesus was gone they might just come looking at the most likely suspects - the disciples.
How does Jesus overcome the disciples fear?
The disciples looked around at what threatened them, Jesus wants them to focus on Him as the Risen Savior - Master and Lord of all - and the bringer of peace. Fear is the irrational expectation of harm. The disciples were only aware of the physical universe around them - laws, rulers, soldiers, swords, crosses - death.
By coming through the walls Jesus declares that He transcends the universe as we know it - has command over it - and is here to save, and protect us - and the sends us out as the ambassadors of His kingdom - bulletproof until He calls us home.
John 16:32-33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." ESV
The disciples looked around in fear, Jesus wanted them to look on Him in peace.
John 20:24-29 Thomas - unbelief (looking away)
Thomas, of course, wins the award for the "statement most often regretted afterwards."
How does Jesus address Thomas’ unbelief?
Thomas looked away, Jesus wants him to look at the evidence - consider it, ponder it, experience it. Thomas, which means "twin" had two natures fighting inside of him. Part of him wanted desperately to believe - but his "rational" self had to have proof first. To the honest seeker, Jesus will answer - but note that although Jesus grants his wish - He tells Thomas that seeing with physical eyes is not the way to true blessing - the eyes of faith are actually far more powerful.
John 21:1-19 Peter - guilt (looking back)
Peter had denied Jesus. After the Lord called him on it, Peter went out and wept bitterly (Matthew 26:75). He is strangely silent during the meetings with the disciples, and afterwards simply states - "I’m going fishing."
It is clear that Peter no longer feels worthy to be called a disciple of Jesus through the guilt of his sin.
What does Jesus do with Peter’s guilt?
Peter looked back at his past failures, Jesus wants him to look forward to what He will do through Peter. Jesus question for Peter was "do you love me?" If you love the Lord then it doesn’t matter how much you’ve failed. If you love the Lord it doesn’t matter how much you’ve done! It’s really just about loving Him, and serving Him.
Peter was so caught up in his own regret that he stopped serving - but went back to what he was comfortable with. Jesus brings him back to the basics. Peter’s gaze was stuck on the past, Jesus wanted Him to see the present (the presence and forgiveness and love of Jesus) and the future (feed my sheep).
How About You?
What state is your soul in today?
Are you like Mary - grief stricken about the condition of your soul, yet paralyzed and without hope for the future? Look through your tear streaked eyes into the empty tomb. The angels told Mary "why look for the living among the dead."
It’s good that you feel the sting of sin and the effects of the curse on your life. But don’t get stuck there - turn around and see that Jesus has risen - not just as a man you can cling to, but as a risen Savior who can cleanse you and will hold on to you! You don’t know the hope that He holds out to you of eternal life and purpose.
Perhaps you are like the disciples who quaked with fear, hidden away in their inner room, afraid of their own shadow. You don’t know the power He has over your situation. Life may be scary, but needn’t be so if Jesus is in your midst.
Maybe you are more like Thomas who refused to believe the witness of others. Thomas himself was among the very few who actually had the opportunity to touch the wounds. Scripture doesn’t record that he did it - only that when presented with the evidence he fell on his knees and said "My Lord and my God."
Have you considered the evidence? There is plenty of it.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. ESV
That word "conviction" means "to be certain" by "evidence convincing people of the truth." A jury must decide based on the preponderance of the evidence - or beyond a reasonable doubt. We have eyewitness testimony from both inside and outside the Bible of who Jesus is. Have you seriously considered that evidence with an open mind?
Or like Peter you may be stuck in the past - guilt has so weighed you down about what you’ve done and said that you think God could never like you, much less except you into His kingdom.
All that matters is that you love Him. There is no sin to grievous that the wounds of Jesus cannot heal. There is no betrayal too great that a repentant heart cannot overcome. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus too - but he did not repent of who he was (only that it didn’t have the outcome he wanted).
Jesus was telling Peter that if He was filled with God’s love by having a relationship with Him - that feeding the lambs, doing God’s work, was not only possible - it was commanded.
So on this Easter - there is actually great joy - but it’s not a pasted on happiness - but one that comes through our tears, our fears, our doubts, and our failures. If Jesus can overcome all of that - then we truly have something to by joyful about!
What happens if we refuse to respond?
What would have happened if Mary had refused to give up on her grief - if the disciples had run like scared rabbits when Jesus appeared, if Thomas had claimed Jesus’ wounds were a good parlor trick, and if Peter had just kept on fishing?
That was a choice they had - and a choice all of us have. Even misery is comforting in a way because it is known. Letting go of our beliefs and attitudes and letting the reality of Jesus invade our lives is difficult. We might feel shame at how we’ve acted, fear that if we turn ourselves over to Him we will be hurt or disappointed, feeling tentative because we just don’t understand it all.
Let me encourage you - try it. You may not understand and it may be difficult but Jesus will meet you if you turn to Him in honesty.
God says "Come let us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet they shall be whiter than snow."
Reach out - you will find that the joy and relief you find makes your former suffering seem like nothing more than a bad dream.
For more Bible studies, plus an audio version of this message, please visit our website at: www.CalvaryChapelNewberg.org.
