Our sermon text today is John 20, from verse 1 to verse 18.
As I read this, remember this is God's inspired, inerrant, infallible, clear, and sufficient word.
It's God's very own word for you, His people.
John 20, 1 through 18.
Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark,
and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them,
They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.
So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb,
both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.
Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb, and he saw the linen cloths lying there,
and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths,
but folded up in a place by itself.
Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed.
For as yet they did not understand the scripture, that He must rise from the dead.
Then the disciples went back to their homes.
Verse 11,
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb,
and she saw two angels in white sitting there, where the body of Jesus had lain,
one at the head and one at the feet.
They said to her,
Woman, why are you weeping?
She said to them,
They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.
Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing,
but she did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her,
Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you seeking?
Supposing Him to be the gardener,
she said to Him,
Sir, if you had carried Him away,
tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.
Jesus said to her,
Mary,
Mary?
She turned and said to Him in Aramaic,
Rabboni,
which means teacher.
Jesus said to her,
Do not cling to me,
for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and say to them,
I am ascending to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
I have seen the Lord,
and that He had said these things to her.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
You may be seated.
The grass withers,
the flower fades,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.
Let's pray.
Amen.
O good shepherd,
please call your sheep by name today,
and may we not go home the same.
Amen.
Maybe you're sitting here this morning
with a deep desire in your soul
that you can't quite describe.
If you're like me,
this desire,
it's stronger sometimes than others.
C.S. Lewis had the same desire.
He wrote,
There is a desire in the human soul
that this old creation can not satisfy.
And if you have that,
he wrote,
The most probable explanation
is that we were made for another world,
a new creation.
My prayer preparing for this special service
has simply been that together
we can behold Jesus.
We can turn our eyes upon Jesus today together.
Paul wrote to the church
in 2 Corinthians 5.17
that the old has already passed away.
Behold, the new has come.
To behold means to fix your eye upon.
To behold is to see with attention.
To behold is to observe with care.
So let's behold together
God the Son
and His new creation.
Behold, the new has come.
The first observation is because
God the Son
transformed a place of death
into a place of life
for you
and for me.
Would you look at verse 1 with me?
We read that on the first day of the week
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early
while it was still dark
and she saw
that the stone
had been removed
from the tomb.
Well, where is this tomb?
And who put the stone there?
In John chapter 19 verse 41
you can look
it's probably on the same page
in your Bible.
John 19.41 says
there was a garden
in the place
where Jesus was crucified
and a new tomb
was in the garden.
Graves are a place of death
but gardens
are a place of life.
Think of the first woman
Eve
she walked away
from the Lord's garden
in grief
and now
our Lord Jesus
turns
that place of grief
into a place
of life.
Mary Magdalene
walks to the Lord's garden
to grieve
but she runs away
from there rejoicing
and declaring
the good news.
we're told here
that the stone
that covered the tomb
in which Jesus was buried
it had been set there
by Nicodemus
and Joseph
of Arimathea.
It had been sealed
and was being watched
by two sets
of Roman guards
alternating their shifts.
That stone
John simply says
was gone.
We read that
Mary went to the tomb
when it was still
dark.
It was so early
in the day
and the stone
was already gone.
So think of it
from their perspective
as Mary
and these women
are walking
in the dark
to grieve
at the tomb
of the Lord.
The sun
was rising.
Andrew Peterson
poet
and musician
has wonderful lyrics
every time you hear me
say
his heart beats
it's Andrew Peterson.
He reflected
on this moment
as the sun
was rising
and he wrote
his heart beats
his blood
begins to flow
waking up
what was dead
a moment ago
and his heart beats
now everything
is changed
because the blood
that brought us
peace with God
is racing
through his veins
and his heart beats
and that's because
God the sun
transformed
this place
of death
into
a place
of life
for you
and for me.
Beloved congregation
of Jesus Christ
if you are in
Jesus
you are
a new creation
Paul wrote
2 Corinthians 5
17
the old
has passed away
behold
the new
has come
amen
the second reason
why the new
has already come
is because
God the sun
broke the old
curse
and he did this
on the first day
of his new creation
God the sun
broke the old curse
on the first day
of his new creation
still on verse 1
look at those
first few words
we read it was
the first day
of the week
in the original
literally this would
be translated
it is the first
of sabbaths
the first of sabbaths
not just
any sabbath
this is the sabbath
of the passover
it's the day
of great
deliverance
it's the day
where the bondage
to slavery
is broken
and think of that
pattern of new
creation
our creator
God
he finished
his work
on the sixth
day
and he rested
on the seventh
day
the sabbath
now our savior
lord
he finished
his work
on the sixth
day
we read in
first corinthians
15 3
that christ
died for our
sins
according to
the scriptures
and he was
buried
and as he's
buried
on that sabbath
he rested
on the seventh
day
the last day
of the old
creation
now we read
it was
the first
day
of the
week
it was
the first
of new
sabbaths
it was
the eighth
day
you could
say
and in
biblical
theology
the eighth
day
it marks
a clean
new
beginning
let me give you
just a couple
examples
though there are
many more
leviticus 12
2
it tells a
ceremonial law
that if a
woman
became pregnant
and gave birth
to a son
not a daughter
but a son
carrying the
curse of Adam
they would be
ceremonially
unclean
for seven
days
then on the
eighth day
after that
son
that seed
of the
woman
is circumcised
the mother
as well
would be
clean
so a
promised
seed
on the
eighth
day
bringing
cleaning
for the
woman
as well
a second
example is
Leviticus
14 10
a leper
a person
who had
something
far worse
than bed
bugs
their skin
is falling
off
their nerves
are degenerating
their fingers
and toes
are falling
off
their body
is rotting
on their
bones
if a leper
thought they
were getting
clean and
they presented
themselves to
a priest
they then
had to count
seven days
of ceremonial
cleansing
and at the
end of those
days
on the
seventh day
they had to
wash their
clothes
and bathe
themselves
with fresh
water
they had
to be
baptized
you could
say
because then
on the
eighth day
the priest
would declare
you are
clean
you leper
full of
disease
that's going
to be
contagious
for this
whole
city
you are
a new
man
on the
eighth
day
and so
it was
the first
of sabbath
it was
the first
day of
the week
the first
day of
the new
creation
that God
the son
broke
the old
curse
and the
new
creation
has
begun
his heart
beats
he breathes
in
his living
lungs
expand
the heavy
air
surrounding
death
turns to
breath
again
he breathes
out
he is
word and
flesh
once more
the lamb
of God
slain for
us
is a lion
ready to
roar
and his
heart
beats
amen
if you
are in
Christ
the living
lion
lamb
of God
you are
a new
creation
the old
has passed
away
behold
the new
has come
you can
behold
the new
in Christ
because
the only
ministry
that can
transform
weeping
into joy
is the
ministry
of the
risen
God
the ministry
of God
the son
alive
he alone
can transform
your weeping
into joy
maybe you're
weeping this
morning
there's a
grief
Jesus invites
you
bring it
to him
he alone
can transform
it
in verses
two and
three
Mary
runs back
and doesn't
have good
news yet
she thinks
it's bad
news
she tells
John and
Peter
the stone
is rode
away
where's
his body
so then
they go
with her
now look
with me
at verse
four
they both
ran
together
the other
disciple
who is
John
outran
Peter
and got
to the
tomb
first
the last
time we
heard about
Peter
is when
he had
denied
Jesus
three
times
the sorrow
and darkness
that Peter
had felt
now
must have
been
compounded
even his
body is
gone
we're told
that John
believed
but Peter
had not
seen in the
scriptures
how this
was fulfilling
what Christ
promised all
along
one commentator
pointed out
how hard
it must have
been for
Peter to
run
weighed
down by
the guilt
of his
denial
maybe
you're
feeling
heavy
and it's
hard for
you to
run
to Christ
we read
in verse
nine that
Peter and
John
did not
understand
that Jesus
must die
be buried
and then rise
from the dead
as the scripture
said
so in
verse 10
we're told
simply that
these disciples
returned
to the place
where they
were staying
Peter and
John did
not get
to meet
Jesus
that early
morning
so they
go home
the same
the good
news
is that
Peter and
John do
believe
eventually
they do
see in the
scriptures
for themselves
how Christ
fulfilled all
of the promises
of God
they all
find their
yes and
amen
in him
so my
invitation
to you
today
don't go
home
the same
make sure
you meet
Jesus
this morning
see for
yourself
in the
scriptures
how he
fulfills
all of
God's
promises
for you
we're told
in verse
11 that
Mary
stood
outside
the tomb
crying
and as
she wept
she stooped
in to
look
inside
the tomb
no wonder
Mary
wept
without
Jesus
there's
no
peace
without
Jesus
there is
no
forgiveness
without
Jesus
she could
not know
the love
of God
do you
understand
Mary's
tears
without
Jesus
there is
no joy
in verse
12
Mary
saw
two
angels
in white
sitting
where
Jesus
body
had
been
lying
one
at
the
head
the
other
at
the
feet
in
verses
13
and
14
she
talks
with
these
angels
they
talk
back
to
her
she
responds
back
to
them
these
messengers
from
heaven
and
Mary
is
in
such
shock
that
that's
not
even
something
she
thinks
is a
big
deal
she
continues
to
weep
without
Jesus
Christ
the
glory
of
heaven
the
presence
of
angels
from
the
throne
of
God
mean
nothing
to
Mary
she
does
not
want
heaven
without
her
Lord
Jesus
Christ
heaven
is a
place
of
singing
worship
glory
but
that's
only
if
Jesus
Christ
is
on
the
throne
heaven
itself
is
not
good
news
for
you
and
for
me
without
Jesus
Christ
but
the
Lord
Jesus
does
not
leave
Mary
weeping
longing
for
the
new
creation
God
always
meets
you
and
me
in
our
place
of
need
the
presence
and
the
company
of
Jesus
Christ
is
better
than
anything
that
this
world
or
the
next
can
offer
us
and
Mary
knew
once
you
have
communed
with
God
through
Jesus
you
will
never
settle
for
anything
less
that's
because
the
only
ministry
of
God
the
Son
that's
the
only
thing
that
can
transform
our
weeping
into
joy
and
if
you
are
in
Christ
you
can
know
this
joy
the
joy
of
the
new
creation
because
the
old
has
passed
away
and
behold
the
new
has
come
the
fourth
reason
we can
behold
the
new
creation
in
Christ
is
because
God
the
Son
he
turns
sinners
like you
and like
me
from
the grave
to
the
garden
God
the
Son
turns
sinners
from
the
grave
to
the
garden
that's
what
he
does
look
at
verse
14
Mary
turned
around
and
she
saw
Jesus
standing
there
but
she
did
not
know
it
was
Jesus
in
verse
15
Jesus
said
to
her
why
are
you
crying
and
she
supposed
that
he
was
the
gardener
she
was
right
the
verb
in
verse
14
is
in
the
passive
reflective
a
better
translation
would
be
that
Mary
was
turned
to
the
back
when
we
hear
this
turning
we
should
pay
attention
do
you
remember
how
God
turned
the
whole
empire
of
Assyria
and
the
capital
Nineveh
he
turned
them
as
the
word
of
the
Lord
was
preached
it
was
the
Lord
who
turned
Mary
from
the
grave
to
the
garden
Mary
is
passive
she's
reflecting
she's
simply
responding
to
the
voice
of
Christ
he
turns
her
from
the
place
where
he
once
laid
to
the
place
where
he
now
stands
we're
left
with the
impression
that
Jesus
was
standing
in
this
garden
near
the
tomb
all
along
just
as
Adam
was
standing
in
the
garden
silent
but now
Jesus
Christ
is
standing
in
this
garden
as
the
gardener
and
he's
calling
her
by
name
look at
verse 16
Jesus
said to
her
Mary
in
John
10
Jesus
had
preached
that
the
shepherd
calls
his
sheep
by
name
and
then
in
verse
16
we
have
that
passive
reflective
verse
again
being
turned
she
said
to
him
in
Aramaic
Rabboni
which
means
teacher
in
John
10
Jesus
said
his
sheep
will
know
his
voice
and
they
will
follow
him
you
see
Christ
fulfilling
the
very
word
that
he
preached
Jesus
turned
Mary
to
him
because
Jesus
was
right
there
all
along
that's
where
Jesus
wants
to
be
it's
by
the
side
of
sinners
she
calls
him
Rabboni
or
teacher
what
a
great
teacher
he
is
he's
going
to
preach
to
her
a
simple
and
clear
message
of
good
news
that
only
gets
better
Jesus
Christ
is
the
first
preacher
on
the
first
Lord's
day
of
the
new
creation
and
he
has
never
stopped
preaching
since
then
in
verse
17
he
says
I
am
ascending
to
my
father
who
is
your
father
to
my
God
who
is
your
God
his
work
as
mediator
is
in
effect
he
calls
God
the
father
creator
of
all
your
father
God
the
holy
triune
God
father
son
and
holy
spirit
is
yours
he
calls
you
by
name
because
he
is
the
great
friend
of
sinners
think
of
all
rabboni
taught
Mary
in
that
short
exchange
Jesus
Christ
taught
Mary
forgiveness
Jesus
Christ
taught
Mary
what
it
means
to
be
delivered
Jesus
Christ
taught
Mary
what
it
means
to
be
unconditionally
loved
Jesus
Christ
taught
Mary
his
work
is
what
makes
her
righteous
and
he
taught
Mary
and he
wants
to
teach
you
and
me
that
there
is
even
more
good
yet
to
come
it
only
gets
better
as
you
follow
Christ
his
work
as
mediator
is
ongoing
and
glorious
and
builds
that's
because
he
rises
glorified
in
flesh
clothed
in
immortality
the
firstborn
from
the
dead
and
he
is
alive
today
and
he
is
here
to
meet
you
in
your
darkness
he
is
here
to
turn
you
he
is
here
to
turn
your
weeping
into
joy
to
take
your
eyes
off
the
tomb
off
the
grave
and
onto
himself
the
risen
lord
your
teacher
your
good
shepherd
if
you
are
in
christ
you
are
a
new
creation
the
old
has
passed
away
behold
the
new
has
come
the
fifth
way
in which
i
invite
you
to
behold
the
new
creation
of
christ
is
this
god
the
son
makes
old
slaves
to
death
into
messengers
of
new
life
god
the
son
makes
old
slaves
to
death
into
messengers
of
new
life
in
verse
17
jesus
says
don't
cling
to
me
mary
evidently
mary
when she
recognized
jesus
and he
spoke
to her
she
is
holding
on
to
his
ankles
she
loved
him
so
much
she
couldn't
bear
the
thought
of
losing
him
again
but
jesus
says
i
have
not
yet
ascended
to
the
father
there
is
more
far
greater
still
to
come
mary
a
pastor
named
brian
voss
pointed
out
jesus
is
teaching
mary
that
her
salvation
does
not
depend
on
her
hold
on
christ
but
on
his
hold
of
her
yes
cling
to
christ
but
be
assured
that
from
heaven
he
is
clinging
on
to
you
he
will
get
all
the
glory
in
your
preservation
and
in
your
sanctification
until
you
breathe
your
last
breath
your
salvation
depends
on
his
hold
on
you
and
then
jesus
tells
mary
just
like
the
angels
had
told
the
shepherds
go
declare
this
stand
on
the
rooftops
tell
the
good
news
go
tell
the
brothers
what
i
have
revealed
to
you
and
in
verse
18
mary
went
off
and
she
announced
to
the
disciples
i
have
seen
the
lord
and
she
told
them
what
he
said
to
her
god
the
son
makes
old
slaves
to
death
into
messengers
of
new
life
what
was
god's
purpose
in
using
mary
of
magdalene
of
all
of
his
hundreds
of
followers
and
his
twelve
disciples
it
was
mary
why
command
her
to
go
give
this
good
news
in
the
ancient
world
women
could
not
be
a
legal
witness
in
a
court
of
law
but
yet
john
describes
mary
as
a
legal
eyewitness
she
saw
that
the
stone
had
been
taken
away
from
the
tomb
what
do
we
know
about
this
mary
she
was
from
a
city
called
magdala
it
was
a
fishing
town
on
the
western
shore
of
the
sea
of
galilee
in
luke
8
we're
told
that
she
had
been
possessed
by
seven
demons
mary
was
a
slave
to
darkness
our
lord
freed
mary
from
that
demon
possession
and
she
followed
him
if
you
are
in
christ
you
are
a
new
creation
the
old
has
passed
away
the
new
has
come
you
see
why
mary
is
the
one
god
chose
our
lord
jesus
is
undoing
the
curse
after
eating
the
fruit
in
the
garden
what
did
mary
do
she
gave
it
to
her
husband
mary
is
undoing
the
sin
of
eve
as
part
of
the
new
creation
eve
became
a
messenger
of
death
to
adam
our
gracious
lord
makes
mary
a
messenger
of
life
to
his
disciples
all
is
being
undone
behold
the
new
has
come
he
rises
his
work
is
already
done
and
he's
resting
as
he
rises
to
reclaim
the
bride
he
won
and
his
heart
beats
colossians
3
10
says
if
you
are
in
christ
you
are
being
renewed
in
the
knowledge
of
god
according
to
the
image
of
your
creator
so
my
heart
beats
with
the
rhythm
of
the
saints
as
I
look
for
the
seeds
the
king
has
sown
to
burst
up
from
their
graves
we
have
hope
in
life
and
in
death
because
jesus
christ
lives
we
have
in
front
of
us
here
a
black
cloth
and
we
have
the
visible
word
of
the
work
of
christ
and
we
have
flowers
representing
a
garden
we
can
go
to
the
grave
of
a
loved
one
who
is
in
christ
and
we
can
put
flowers
at
their
grave
and
that's
because
jesus
christ
has
made
the
grave
into
a
garden
god
put
adam
in
a
garden
to
be
the
first
gardener
and
adam
with
his
sin
he
turned
that
garden
into
dust
thorns
and
weeds
but
jesus
christ
he
put
himself
in
the
dust
of
the
grave
he
turns
adam's
thorns
into
a
crown
and
he
turns
the
weeds
into
a
garden
adam
made
the
garden
a
grave
but
our
lord
jesus
christ
he
makes
that
same
grave
into
his
garden
he
redeems
us
from
the
curse
by
becoming
a
curse
for
us
galatians
3
13
our
lord
jesus
christ
he
first
hung
from
the
tree
of
death
and
he
did
that
to
become
the
giver
of
life
he
rested
in
his
grave
and
now
he
rises
and
he
rules
as
king
over
all
from
the
right
hand
of
god
the
father
and
he
will
come
to
judge
the
living
and
the
dead
so
don't
go
home
the
same
today
behold
the
new
has
come
behold
the
new
creation
by
the
finished
work
of
jesus
christ
and
obey
him
follow
the
voice
of
your
good
shepherd
if
you
are
in
christ
you
are
a
new
creation
behold
the
new
has
come
let's
pray
giving
thanks
and
responding
to
the
gospel
that
you've
heard
today
lord
you
declared
in
isaiah
65
17
i
will
create
new
heavens
and
a
new
earth
this
world
will
not
be
remembered
and
in
revelation
21
you
gave
this
same
apostle
john
a
vision
of
a
new
heaven
and
a
new
earth
because
the
first
heaven
and
the
first
earth
had
passed
away
lord
we
praise
you
that
your
kingdom
has
come
we
can
have
new
life
in
you
because
jesus
christ
lives
so
we
crown
you
the
lord
of
life
who
triumphed
over
the
grave
you
rose
victorious
in
the
strife
for
those
you
came
to
save
your
glories
now
we
sing
who
died
and
rose
on
high
you
died
eternal
life
to
bring
and
you
live
that
death
may
die
help
us
to
know
the
glorious
truth
of your
rule
today
in
our
lives
we
ask
amen
you