Recognizing The Risen Savior Series

Recognizing the Risen Savior

The Gospel of John

John 20:1-18

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - July 25, 2018

(Revised July 2, 2020)

BACKGROUND:

*Tonight, in John 20 we reach the wonderful story of the Lord's resurrection. Let's begin by reading vs. 1-18. And as we read, please think about what can happen to us when we recognize our Risen Savior.

MESSAGE:

*Peggy Key told about driving her family to church one Easter morning. And as they drove along, Peggy was telling her children the Easter story. Mom said, "This is the day we celebrate Jesus coming back to life." When 3-year-old Kevin heard that, he asked, "Will Jesus be in church today?" (1)

*Now that was a great question, and the great answer is yes! By His Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ is here in church with us now!

*Jesus is alive! -- So we can meet with the Risen Savior today. Much like Mary Magdalene did on that first Easter morning, we can recognize the Risen Savior today.

1. AND WHEN WE DO, WE CAN RECEIVE THE LORD'S UNSTOPPABLE LIFE.

*The life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is unstoppable. Death could not keep Jesus in the grave! That's why in vs. 1, the stone had been rolled away from the tomb. That's also why in vs. 2, Mary Magdalene reported that the tomb was empty. And that's why in vs. 5-8, Peter and John saw the grave clothes left behind. Jesus was alive!

*But we need to remember the situation here. Jesus had most certainly died on the cross 3 days before. Think how His followers must have felt on the day Jesus died.

*Keith Linkous said: "We can only try to imagine the sorrow that gripped the Lord's followers that weekend. Their Master had died. The miracle-worker who calmed the storms, gave sight to the blind, and life to the dead was now dead Himself. Their promised Savior lay dead in a cold, dark tomb.

*It shouldn't have surprised them. It's not like Jesus didn't know it was coming. And He took many opportunities to tell them about His sacrificial death.

*But Jesus was also careful to tell them of His Resurrection. He was careful to tell them that, yes, they would see Him betrayed. Yes, they would see Him condemned to die. Yes, they would see Him beaten, bruised, bloodied, and crucified. Jesus often warned them that He would die, and then be in the heart of the earth." (2)

*For example, in Matthew 12:40, Jesus said, "As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Matthew 16:21 also says, "From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day."

*Jesus was most certainly dead, but now He is alive forevermore! The Apostle Peter explained it on the Day of Pentecost. By then Jesus had been risen from the dead for 50 days. And after the Lord went back to Heaven, God sent His Holy Spirit to the first Christians who were waiting in Jerusalem.

*There were about 120 there that morning, but 3,000 more people got saved when Peter preached! And here is part of Peter's sermon from Acts 2:

21. "'And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

22. Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know

23. Him, being delivered by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;

24. WHOM GOD RAISED UP, HAVING LOOSED THE PAINS OF DEATH, BECAUSE IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE THAT HE SHOULD BE HELD BY IT."

*Death could not keep Jesus in the grave! His life is unstoppable. And His unstoppable life becomes our life when we put our trust in Him. Then His unstoppable life gives us unstoppable hope, because if we know Jesus, we know that we will live forever.

2. WHEN WE RECOGNIZE THAT JESUS IS HERE, WE CAN RECEIVE HIS UNSTOPPABLE LIFE, AND WE CAN RELY ON HIS UNLIMITED LOVE.

*In this Scripture, we can see the Lord's love in several great ways.

[1] FIRST, THINK ABOUT JESUS' CARING QUESTION.

*In vs. 15 Jesus asked Mary Magdalene, "Woman, why are you weeping?" Well, don't you think He knew? This question wasn't for the Lord's benefit, but for hers. Jesus asked that question not to get an answer, but so Mary could discover the truth. And Jesus is asking us questions today: "What are you doing with your life. Do you know Me? Do you trust Me? Will you follow Me?"