Resurrection
Chapter 20
1-2 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.”
3-10 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. The disciples then went back home.
John 20:6-7 The linen wrappings were left as if Jesus’ body had simply vacated them.
The cloth that covered Jesus’ head was still rolled up in the shape of a head, and it was at about the right distance from the wrappings that had enveloped Jesus’ body.
A grave robber couldn’t possibly have had off with Jesus’ body and left the linens as if they were still shaped around it.
John 20:9 As further proof that the disciples did not fabricate this story, we find that Peter and John were surprised that Jesus was not in the tomb.
When John saw the linen wrappings looking like an empty cocoon form which Jesus had emerged, he believed that Jesus had risen.
It wasn’t until after they had seen the empty tomb that they remembered what the Scriptures and Jesus had said – He would die, but He would also rise again!
11-13 But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus’ body had been laid. They said to her, “Woman, why do you weep?”
13-14 “They took my Master,” she said, “and I don’t know where they put him.” After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn’t recognize him.
15 Jesus spoke to her, “Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?”
She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, “Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him.”
16 Jesus said, “Mary.”
Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” meaning “Teacher!
John 14-16 Mary didn’t recognize Jesus at first.
Her grief had blinded her; she couldn’t see Him because she didn’t expect to see him.
Then He spoke her name, and immediately she recognized Him.
Imagine the love that flooded her heart when she heard her Savior saying her name.
Jesus is near you, and He is calling your name.
Can you, like Mary, regard Him as your Lord?
17 Jesus said, “Don’t cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: “I saw the Master!” And she told them everything he said to her.
John 20:17 Mary did not want to lose Jesus again.
She had not yet understood the Resurrection.
Perhaps she thought this was His promised second coming (John 14:3).
But Jesus did not want to be detained at the tomb. If He did not ascend to heaven, the Holy Spirit could not come.
Both He and Mary had important work to do.
John 20:18 Mary did not meet the risen Christ until she had discovered the empty tomb.
She responded with joy and obedience by going to tell the disciples.
We cannot meet Christ until we discover that He is indeed alive!
At the same time a group of religious leaders was plotting how to cover up the Resurrection.
Today there is still a great stir over the Resurrection, and there are still only two choices:
1) To believe that Jesus rose from the dead, or…
2) To be closed to the truth – denying it, ignoring it, or trying to explain it away.
The choice is yours… which one do you choose in your life?