It's such a great reminder of the life that we have in Christ.
And I know we have a lot of visitors with us, so no matter what brought you today,
whether it was to check a religious box like Christmas, or maybe you were drug here by your family or your friends,
and you'd rather be somewhere else,
maybe just start going through the motions of,
I'm just here on Sunday, and this is just what we do, but your heart's really kind of cold
and just needs to be revived. I pray that God's Word would do that for you this morning.
And it's really interesting, when you read the Gospels,
a lot of the people that Jesus encounters, a lot of people that Jesus changes,
are people who seemingly run into Him by accident.
That wasn't a plan, it just sort of happened.
And Jesus changed them forever.
So no matter why you came today or why you're here,
perhaps there's more that lies in store for you than expected this Easter.
But I want to read over the story of the resurrection here in John
with the hope that it will have a great bearing on your soul today.
That as we read it, the Holy Spirit would use the Word of God
to convict you, to challenge you,
to awaken you to your need for a risen Savior in your life,
to remind those of us who do belong to Christ
that it's not just a Jesus of the past that we worship,
but one that's living, active, and who is returning one day.
But particularly, why is resurrection so important?
I kind of want to bring it to your attention
by confronting our greatest fear.
And that fear would be death.
The modern mood is to live life as if death was not waiting for us at the end.
We do all we can to ignore the thought of death, to avoid it.
A lot of us, like I said, we eat healthy, we exercise,
we try to sleep well, take medication, whatever it may be.
But not only can we not defeat death,
we just can't seem to escape it.
Everything around us, we live in a world that's just decaying before our eyes,
and we with it.
We can't really outrun death.
Death makes us uncomfortable because it makes us feel weak, vulnerable, and unable.
It confronts how small and how little our strength is.
But we are not very powerful at all.
So death is the enemy that wins at every turn.
No matter who we are, it catches us.
And some of us have been able to avoid it a lot of our lives.
As a young boy, I began being acquainted with the idea of death
as I've watched two of my great-grandparents die,
three of my grandparents, my uncle,
and then a couple years ago, my own father.
I'm thankful to say that all six of these people were believers in Christ.
That's why the hope we have of resurrection.
And so, as we confront the idea of death,
as we find ourselves running from it, avoiding it, ignoring it,
the Bible, unlike us, confronts it head-on.
It doesn't try to get around the issue at all.
If you read the earlier chapters of the book of Genesis,
right in the beginning of the Bible,
right after chapter 3, after the fall,
you'll see all these references, this phrase is just repeated,
and he died, and he died, and he died,
which was not a part of the original plan, right, of mankind.
But we, myself, and you, we have sinned and rebelled against God.
But have you ever stopped and thought about the question,
why death?
Like, why is death the answer or the consequence?
Don Carson, a guy I respect and appreciate a lot,
a pastor up in Canada, he wrote,
But why death?
And he said,
Death is God's limit on creatures whose sin is they want to be gods.
By death, we learn that we are mortal,
that we are not God at all.
Death is God's determination to set a limit
on the arrogance of man.
We think and live as if we were God.
Like, I will declare what's right.
I will live the way that I want to live,
regardless of what God says.
And in our own day, even just insane things,
where people think that they are God,
they can, like, declare
what's right from wrong,
declare what gender they are,
declare all sorts of manner of things
that just say that,
hey, I am omnipotent,
and I can decide what I want to do.
But death declares otherwise.
It says that we are not invincible.
We are mortal,
and we will taste death
because of sin.
We live our lives, right,
just thinking that we can somehow avoid it.
But death is something that man,
you and I included,
we have freely bought on ourselves.
You and I, right,
by our sin and rebellion against God.
And the Scripture speaks of physical death,
which we all will face, probably,
as well as, more importantly,
spiritual death.
Sin brought about spiritual death in us.
That's Ephesians chapter 2.
And so, this is why I want to confront
the idea of death today.
This is why resurrection is so important
to the life of the follower of Jesus.
And we're going to look at John's account.
All right?
But John was a disciple of Christ,
but he wasn't just an eyewitness.
He was a very close observer
of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
And he wrote in chapter 19, verse 35,
he says,
He who saw it has bore witness.
His testimony is true.
And he knows that he is telling the truth
that you may believe.
And earlier on,
if we want to just connect the dots here,
in chapter 19,
verses 1 through 37,
it speaks of the crucifixion of Jesus.
This is where,
it's more than just an innocent man
dying on a cross.
There is more than meets the eye.
In the spiritual realms,
Jesus is bearing the wrath of God,
standing in our place,
taking our punishment that we deserve,
and bearing the just wrath of God
on our behalf,
though he was innocent.
And so,
Jesus was fulfilling on the cross
a substitutionary work
that was foretold by the prophet Isaiah.
But he was wounded
for our transgressions.
He was crushed for our iniquities.
And upon him was the chastisement
that brought us peace.
And by his stripes,
we are healed.
Spoken 700 years before that event,
Christ is fulfilling that prophecy,
the punishment of our sins.
And John uses the phrase,
the king,
referring to Jesus
almost 13 times in his gospel.
And isn't it such a fitting description?
Jesus walks through this gospel
in the most royal
and dignified manner
amidst the unimaginable,
unjust suffering,
torture,
ridicule,
and persecution.
He handles it just like a king.
And so,
he appears to us
on the outside,
weak and vulnerable
and dying.
In reality,
he is God's king.
And all throughout
these last few chapters of John,
it's undeniable
that Jesus is in control.
Even if it seems like
he's not on the outside.
He told Pilate,
Pilate told him,
I have the power
to release you.
I have the power
to set you free
or to not execute you.
And Jesus basically told him,
you have no power
whatsoever
except what's been granted
to you
from above.
Jesus was totally in control
of his life,
his death,
and now his resurrection.
So,
he is the king.
So,
that's where we're going to get
some of our points from today.
But before we get into our text,
it is important for us to remember,
I'm just going to make a note of this,
but you'll understand why.
The resurrection is so important.
If Jesus had just remained in the tomb,
if he had simply just died on the cross,
the work of salvation
would be in vain.
All that he said,
all that he promised,
all that he did would be in vain.
He would just be another dead Messiah.
But Jesus had to be vindicated.
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15,
if Christ has not been raised,
your faith is futile,
and you are still dead in your sins.
It's a very scary thought.
So,
we can't,
isn't it amazing
that so much of
what we talk about
in the church
and in the Christian life
is just,
just alone on the cross,
which is vital and important,
but it wasn't really so
in the early church.
They spoke of the resurrection
just as much
as they spoke about the cross.
So,
it challenged us today
to speak of the resurrection
in everyday life
and how different
it would impact us.
So,
as we look at
the resurrection of Christ
here in chapter 19
and end of 20 of John,
we'll just kind of do it
scene by scene.
But we'll start
in chapter 19,
verse 38,
and this is point number one.
There's just three points.
Point number one,
the king is buried.
The king is buried.
19,
verse 38,
After these things,
Joseph of Arimathea,
who was a disciple of Jesus,
but secretly for fear
of the Jews,
asked Pilate
that he might take away
the body of Jesus.
And Pilate gave him permission.
So,
he came and took away
his body.
Nicodemus also,
who earlier had come
to Jesus by night,
came bringing a mixture
of myrrh and aloes,
about 75 pounds in weight.
So,
they took the body of Jesus
and bound it in linen cloths
with the spices,
as is the burial custom
of the Jews.
Now,
in the place
where he was crucified,
there was a garden.
And in the garden,
a new tomb,
in which no one
had yet been laid.
So,
because of the Jewish
day of preparation,
since the tomb
was close at hand,
they laid Jesus there.
So,
let's stop
and make some observations.
So,
first,
it mentions these two men,
Joseph of Arimathea
and Nicodemus.
Joseph was a wealthy member
of the Jewish ruling council,
according to Matthew 27.
And he humbly asked Pilate
for the body,
for Jesus' body.
And it says in Luke,
chapter 23,
it says about Joseph,
he was a member
of the council,
a good and righteous man
who had consented
to the decision
and action.
And he was looking
for the kingdom of God.
This man went to Pilate
and asked for the body
of Jesus.
So,
it implies here
that Joseph
was indeed
a believer.
In fact,
he's called
as much
a rich man
from Arimathea
named Joseph
who also
was a disciple
of Jesus.
And then secondly,
Nicodemus,
the reluctant
but believing
Pharisee,
a member
of the Sanhedrin.
He was the one
who spoke to Jesus
in John chapter 3.
And later
in the Gospel of John,
he confronted
the Pharisees
unjust,
seeking to trap
Jesus.
He said to them
in Jesus' defense,
does our law
judge a man
without first
giving him a hearing
and learning
what he does?
So,
we see that eventually,
more than likely,
Nicodemus came
full circle
and became
a true believer
of Christ.
And then we see
there's preparation
for the body
in these verses.
The final burial
preparations,
the final ones,
were left undone
due to the Jewish
day of preparation,
which was
beginning of
the Sabbath,
when all work
had to cease,
especially dealing
with a burial.
Right?
So,
they did minimal
preparation
on the body
and they rushed
it into the tomb.
About 75 pounds
of spices
they used.
Myrth,
which is like
this gummy
resin that they
would grind down
to powder
and sort of
throw it over
the body
to kind of
stifle
the smell.
linen cloth
that were just
wrapped around
the body.
And then it says
the tomb,
which is more
than likely
either rock-hewn
or some sort
of natural
cave that
existed that
made it like
a vault
where a big
heavy stone
would be rolled
over the entrance.
And all of this,
believe it or not,
happened that the
scripture would be
fulfilled.
The Old Testament
scripture of
Isaiah 53
foretelling of
the burial
of the Messiah.
It says,
they made his
grave with the
wicked and
with the rich
man in his
death.
Although the
suffering servant
mentioned in
Isaiah was
condemned as a
criminal,
there's the
with the wicked
part,
he was buried
in the expensive
tomb belonging
to that rich
man,
Joseph.
So amazingly,
right,
we see these
things being
fulfilled before
our eyes.
This gets us
to point number
two,
which we start
in chapter 20.
Point number
two,
the empty
tomb of
the king.
The empty
tomb of
the king.
This is
verses 1
through 18.
We'll start
with just a
piece of it.
It says,
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 running
together.
But the
other disciple
outran Peter
and reached
the tomb
first.
And stooping
in,
he saw
linen cloths
lying there,
but he did
not go in.
Then Simon
Peter came
following him
and went
into the
tomb.
He saw
linen cloths
lying there,
and the
face cloth
which had
been on
Jesus'
head,
not lying
with the
linen cloths,
but folded
up in its
place by
itself.
Then the
other
disciple,
who reached
the tomb
first,
also went
in.
He saw
and believed.
For as
yet he did
not understand
the scripture,
that he
must rise
from death.
And the
disciples went
back to
their homes.
So we
see that
Mary Magdalene
reports on
the empty
tomb.
It was the
first day of
the week,
which we
would call
Sunday,
but the
Jews didn't
name their
days,
they numbered
their days.
This is why
it's the
first day of
the week,
which we
would call
Sunday.
Mary Magdalene
is the one
that Jesus
healed of
demonic
possession,
and she
just followed
Jesus out
of joy
and gratitude
for what
he had
done,
even followed
him to
the foot
of the
cross.
When a
lot of
the other
disciples
were hiding,
she actually
went to
the foot
of the
cross,
and that's
seen in
Matthew 28.
John also
implies,
right here,
that she
got there
while it
was still
dark.
So low
visibility,
but explains
that this
large stone
had been
rolled back,
right,
by the
angel of
the Lord,
which
revealed that
the soldiers
that had
been there
had already
gone.
They had
fled the
scene.
So she's
seeing the
aftermath of
the resurrection.
Have you
ever thought
about this?
The stone
being rolled
away,
that wasn't
so that
Jesus could
get out.
That was
for us
to say
that he
actually has
been risen.
As we'll
see in a
little while,
Jesus appears
to his
disciples when
they were
behind locked
doors.
So Jesus
and his
resurrection
body didn't
need the
stone removed,
but the
fact that it
would be
there for
our faith
that he
is gone,
he's no
longer here.
So they
fled,
the soldiers
fled to
save their
own skin
and conspired
with the
chief priest
to cover it
up.
That's in
Matthew 28
verses 11
through 15.
So Mary
runs and
tells the
other
disciples.
So just
imagine what's
going through
her mind
right now.
But the
thought of
resurrection
is not
on her
mind.
She thinks
that just
something has
happened.
She thinks
that someone
has taken
his body.
So what
is going
on?
Could be
what she
is thinking.
But she
tells Peter
and John,
says they
ran to the
tomb right
away to
explore what
Mary had
said.
I think
it's really
funny that
John mentions
that he
outran Peter
twice.
So either
his brotherly
way of just
saying he
was faster
than Peter
or he
was just
immensely
eager.
Or perhaps
Peter was
just a
bigger guy
and not
as nimble
as John.
Who knows?
But just
the detail
of the
account.
But upon
arriving at
the tomb,
John went
in and
Peter
saw it.
And the
Greek actually
means they
peeped in.
And at
first it was
Peter.
Peter saw
it.
And when
he saw
it, he
was confused.
He was
bewildered.
He was just
like, what
is going
on?
John stayed
there and
looked a
little closer
and first
observed that
he said he
saw the
linen cloths
lying there.
The Greek
seems to
suggest that
the garments
had not been
just thrown
around all
over the
place.
And if
you were
like taking
off clothes
and you
just threw
the linen
cloths
everywhere,
strewned
out, but
they were
laying exactly
where the
body had
Jesus had
been laid.
It's almost
as if the
body just
withdrew
itself from
the wrappings
and it
just collapsed
where it
was.
That's like
what it's
implying.
That's just
crazy.
Crazy.
And also
it's all
the head
cloth,
right?
Just rolled
up and
sitting over
by itself
somewhere
else.
Right?
Nice and
neat.
And again,
the body
just seemed
to have
withdrawn
itself.
So secondly,
the face
cloth put
over by
its own
in a
different
place.
And it
says that
John,
seeing this
astounding
sight,
saw and
believed.
It was
like sufficient
for him to
at least
believe that
Jesus had
risen from
the dead.
But then it
says that they
still did not
understand the
scripture,
so it must
imply that he
at least
believed that
Christ had
risen,
even though he
didn't fully
know what
that implied.
and it
says that
they didn't
know the
scriptures,
the Old
Testament
scriptures that
spoke of
the Messiah
and how he
would rise
from death.
Right?
So just a
quick thing
for us to
think about,
will you be
found faithful
or will you
be found in
unbelief when
God fulfills
his word?
Are you
surprised or
caught off guard
when God
actually fulfills
one of his
promises?
Do you
patiently wait
in faith for
God to
deliver on
his promises?
This is a
lesson for us.
It says they
didn't know the
scriptures.
They didn't
believe the
scripture.
Right?
And now this
is being fulfilled
right in front
of them.
But see,
this is very
important.
The resurrection,
this could go
on forever,
I'll just make
it really brief,
but the
resurrection is
needed because
it vindicated
Jesus.
It showed,
it proved,
it declared
Jesus to be
true and
right.
Right?
That he was
indeed the
son of God
and all the
claims that
he made.
Again,
he would just
be another
dead Messiah.
It says in
Romans 1,
verse 3,
Jesus was
declared to be
the son of
God in
power,
according to
the spirit of
holiness by
his resurrection
from the
dead,
Jesus Christ,
our Lord.
Lord.
So Jesus
didn't become
the son of
God at
the resurrection.
The resurrection
was the
powerful demonstration
that he was
indeed,
eternally,
the son of
God.
And so
after this
account,
all the other
disciples went
home,
but Mary
lingered.
We don't
know why
exactly,
maybe to
grieve,
or maybe
because she
was exhausted,
because I
just think
about the
back and
forth.
So she's
just sitting
there,
same thing
they're thinking,
what is going
on?
Look at
verse 11.
It says,
Mary stood
weeping outside
the tomb,
and as she
wept,
she stopped
to look into
the tomb,
and she
saw two
angels in
white,
sitting 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.
So,
we see
Mary here,
brokenhearted,
confused,
didn't leave
the tomb
until she
found out
what happened
to Jesus'
body.
And they
asked her,
why are
you weeping
when she
encounters
these majestic
beings?
And Mary
answers again
that they
did not
understand
the scriptures.
So the
appearance of
the angels
throughout the
life of
Christ,
at his
temptation,
at his
birth,
now at his
resurrection,
they were
even with
him in
the garden
of
Gethsemane.
So it's
just consistent
with the
ministry of
Jesus.
But imagine,
try to,
being in
her place,
heart pumping,
shock,
adrenaline running
through your
body,
and asking,
is this
really happening?
Did Jesus
actually do
what he was
going to say
he did?
And then
immediately,
verse 14,
having said
this,
right away,
she turned
around and
saw Jesus
standing,
but she
did not
know that
it was
Jesus.
And 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
have carried
him away,
tell me
where you
have laid
him,
and I
will take
him away.
And Jesus
said to
her,
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.
So
suddenly,
right,
she whips
around and
saw Jesus
standing there,
and she
didn't
recognize
him,
but he
asked the
same
question
that the
angels
asked,
why are
you
weeping?
She
didn't
recognize
Jesus,
maybe because
it was
early dawn,
still outside,
maybe the
tears blurred
her vision,
didn't expect
to run into
Jesus,
but maybe
even his
resurrected
body looked
a little
different,
not for
sure,
we don't
know,
but what
any cause,
Mary didn't
recognize him
at first until
she said
his name,
her name,
said Mary,
and then
he recognized
I've heard
him say
my name
before,
this is
him,
right,
very clear
that when
Jesus calls
us,
he calls
us
personally,
that we
know his
name,
Jesus said
that earlier,
my sheep
know my
voice,
I call
them and
I give
them eternal
life,
and then
he says,
go and
tell them
that I'm
ascending
to the
Father,
right,
Jesus wanted
them to know
that he was
going to go
back,
so he
said,
go and
tell the
others
what you've
seen,
go and
tell them
that I
am indeed
alive,
and so
we keep
going,
we get to
number three
here,
this is the
last point,
the king
appears to
his hiding
disciples,
the king
appears to
his hiding
disciples,
this is in
verse,
sorry,
in verse
18,
Mary Magdalene
went and
announced to
the disciples,
I have
seen the
Lord,
and that he
had said
these things
to her,
on the
evening of
that day,
the first
day of
the week,
the doors
being locked
were the
disciples,
were for
fear of
the Jews,
Jesus came
and stood
among them
and said to
them,
peace be
with you,
and when he
had said
this,
he showed
them his
hands and
his side,
then the
disciples were
glad when
they saw
the Lord,
Jesus said
to them
again,
peace be
with you,
as the
father has
sent me,
even so
I am
sending
you,
and when
he had
said this,
he breathed
on them
and said
to them,
receive the
Holy Spirit,
if you
forgive the
sins of
any,
they are
forgiven,
if you
withhold the
forgiveness
from any,
it will be
withheld,
and so,
let's walk
through this
quickly together,
so these
fearful
disciples,
like they
ran away,
when Jesus
was arrested,
they fled
the scene
and left
Jesus to
be alone,
to face
all of
this alone,
it says
that they
ran and
fled,
they forsook
him in
Matthew chapter
26,
so they
were not
brave,
they were
weak,
their faith
was weak,
let's not
be quick to
judge,
because we
don't know
what we
would have
done,
we hope
that we
would have
stuck with
Christ,
but don't
be too
quick to
judge the
disciples who
ran away
in fear
of their
lives,
but they're
hiding behind
locked doors,
feeling afraid,
confused,
bewildered,
and especially
after hearing
Mary,
like what
is going
on?
So they're
traumatized,
and they're
fearful of
what's
happened,
but Jesus
appears to
them,
I love that,
just sort
of behind
the locked
doors,
he just
sort of
appears,
standing
there,
talking to
them,
and he
says,
peace,
be with
you,
be still,
rest
easy,
all is
well,
because I
mean,
obviously they
would have
been frightened,
they would
have been
scared,
as would
all of
us if
we saw
something so
supernatural,
because it
really is
me,
I'm alive,
touch me,
look,
see my
hands and
my feet,
and he
reminds them
of the
events of
the cross,
that he
was the
crucified
sacrifice,
but now he
is the
risen Lord,
that he
has overcome
the world
and secured
their place
in heaven,
and then he
says to
them,
he breathes
on them,
it says,
receive the
Holy Spirit,
now we
know if we
read the
book of
Acts,
the Holy
Spirit came
on them
at Pentecost,
almost 40
days later,
so this is
best understood
as a kind
of active
parable
pointing
forward
to the
full
endowment
of the
Holy Spirit,
the pledge
of the
Spirit,
and then
lastly,
in this
section,
he commissions
them,
he says,
the Father
sends me,
so I
now am
sending
you to
go out
into this
dark,
dying world
and to
proclaim the
message of
forgiveness
of sins
and reconciliation
with God
through the
Savior.
The message
of the
gospel has
to go
forth to
all ethnos,
all nations,
all peoples,
and so
watch with
great anticipation
in the
years,
to come
to see
how God
is going
to reach
the unreached
of the
world.
And though
the initial
establishment of
the church
fell to the
apostles,
I hope that
you feel
that weight
to advance
the name
of Christ,
the kingdom
of Christ,
no matter
where you
are in
your life
to those
who are
around you.
It continues
to this
day.
So then
we'll wrap
it up,
we'll keep
going in
verse 24
and we'll
land the
plane.
Can't leave
this out.
Now Thomas,
one of the
twelve,
called the
twin,
was not
with them
when Jesus
came.
So the
other disciples
told him,
we have
seen the
Lord,
but he
said to
them,
unless I
see his
hands in
the mark
of the
nails,
and place
my finger
into the
mark of
the nails,
and place
my hand
into his
side,
I will
never believe.
That might
be a lot
of us
saying that.
eight
days later,
his
disciples
were
again
inside,
and
Thomas
was
with
them.
Although
the doors
were
locked,
Jesus
came and
stood among
them and
said,
peace be
with you.
And then
he said to
Thomas,
put your
finger here
and see
my hands.
Put out
your hand
and place
it in
my side.
Do not
disbelieve,
but believe.
And
Thomas
answered
him,
my
Lord
and
my
God.
Jesus
said to
him,
have
you
believed
because
you
have
seen
me?
Blessed
are
those
who
have
not
seen
and
yet
have
believed.
Man,
eight
days
later,
right,
Thomas
was like,
I don't
buy it,
guys,
unless I
can see
him and
touch
him,
as
y'all
did.
He
probably
kicked
himself.
Imagine
like an
event you
would not
want to
miss out
on,
like,
I
missed
it.
So
Jesus
appears
to
him,
especially,
right,
and shows
him.
Thomas
had
known to
have been
loyal,
but
sometimes
pessimistic.
And
Jesus
doesn't
rebuke
him.
He
doesn't
like,
you
know,
to
say,
come
on,
Thomas.
He
just
simply,
humbly
shows
him
compassion
and
offers
proof
of
his
resurrection.
And
so
Thomas'
response
is
astounding.
what other
response
could you
have to
someone who
has risen
from the
dead?
He
understood
more.
He's
standing,
God in
flesh,
standing right
in front of
him,
the crucified
Christ,
but now
the risen
Lord.
And his
response is,
my Lord
and my
God,
declares
that Jesus,
the man in
front of him,
is divine,
risen from
the dead.
God.
And so
does a
passage like
this just
give you
chills?
Does it
make you
joyful and
inspire hope?
Does it
terrify you,
fearful?
What
Jesus say
to you
today,
why are
you
crying?
Stop
your
doubting
and
believe.
Because
a lot
of us
live life
in that
sort of
defeat,
as if
Jesus
had just
stayed
in the
tomb.
So
how does
this
impact
us?
We
learn
something
very
important
here
about
the
nature
of
faith.
We've
been
taught
by
society
that
seeing
is
believing.
Very
clearly
Jesus
says
that
it
is
not.
You
don't
have
to
see
Jesus
in
the
flesh
to
believe
in
him.
None
of
us
have.
Jesus
states
that
just
seeing
him
isn't
necessary
for
belief,
but
faith
in
God
doesn't
depend
on
seeing
him,
but
trusting
!
in
this
person
and
his
work
for
our
behalf
by
faith
is
sufficient
for
salvation.
And so
Peter wrote
in 1 Peter 1
verse 8,
so I
imagine that
Peter remembers
this scene
and he's
like using
it as a
reference.
He remembers
what Jesus
told Thomas.
1 Peter
chapter 1
verse 8,
though you
have not
seen
him,
you
love
him.
Though
you
do not
see
him
now,
you
believe
in
him
and
rejoice
with
the
joy
that
is
inexpressible
and
filled
with
glory,
obtaining
the
outcome
of your
faith,
the
salvation
of
your
souls.
So,
blessed
are those
who have
not
seen
me,
Jesus
says,
and yet
will
believe.
In 1
Corinthians
chapter 15,
I'll read
you just
a section
of this,
but Jesus
appeared
to many
people
other than
the disciples,
all according
to the
scriptures,
all according
to the
fulfillment
of what
God had
spoken
hundreds
and hundreds
of years
earlier.
Paul wrote
in 1
Corinthians
15
verse 3,
For I
delivered
to you
as first
importance
what I
also
received,
that Christ
died
for our
sins
in
accordance
with
the
scriptures,
that he
was
buried
and then
he
was
raised
on
the
third
day
according
to
the
scriptures,
that he
appeared
to Cephas,
then to
the twelve,
then he
appeared to
more than
five hundred
brothers
at one
time,
most of
whom are
still alive,
though some
have fallen
asleep,
then he
appeared to
James,
then to
all the
apostles,
and last
of all,
as to
one untimely
born,
he also
appeared
to
me.
So,
amazingly,
back in
this day,
he says he
appeared to
all these
people,
and a lot
of them
are still
alive,
go ask
them,
they saw
him,
and then
Paul clues
himself at
the very
end,
and then
finally he
appeared to
me on
the Damascus
road,
right?
So,
some quick
application,
and then we'll
wrap it up.
Each one of
these could be
their own
sermon,
but I'll
wrap it up
really
quickly,
but because
Jesus is
alive,
we can be
sure of
our eternal
life.
Every now
and then a
Bible writer
may tell
you why
they wrote
the book.
At the end,
look at
chapter 20,
verse 30.
Now Jesus
did many
other signs
in the
presence of
the disciples,
which are
not written
in this
book,
but these
are written
so that you
may believe
that Jesus
is the
Christ,
the Son
of God,
and that
by believing
you may
have life
in His
name.
So does
the thought
of death
scare you?
Does the
consequences,
the thought
of facing
the consequences
of your
own sin
frighten
you?
You can
know by
believing
and throwing
your life
completely
in the
risen Son
of God
that He
will save
you,
He will
deliver
you.
It says
He will
give you
eternal
life.
If you
believe in
His
crucifixion,
His
paying the
price for
your sin.
So that's
the hope
we have
when we
pass away
that we
will be
raised.
Right?
Jesus
said around
the death
of Lazarus,
I am
the resurrection
and the
life.
Whoever
believes in
Me,
though he
die,
yet shall
he live.
And everyone
who lives
and believes
in Me
shall never
die.
Do you
believe this?
So because
of a living
Savior,
we can
taunt
death.
Saying as
it says in
1 Corinthians
15,
death is
swallowed up
in victory.
Oh death,
where is
your victory?
Oh death,
where is
your sting?
Secondly,
you can be
assured that
Christ will
return.
He has
fulfilled His
word so
far,
every bit
of what He
said.
The entire
New Testament
entirely depends
on the
assumption that
Jesus is
alive,
living,
reigning at the
right hand of
the Father
and that
He one
day will
return.
1 Thessalonians
chapter 4
verse 14
through 17
mentions that
because Jesus
is risen,
He will
return.
And when He
comes back,
He's coming
back to save
those who
have hoped
in Him
and to
judge those
who have
rejected Him.
To judge
and to make
war.
It says that
He will
judge the
world and
righteousness
in Acts
17.
So that
gives us
authority
unlike anyone
else.
Like why?
Why is
Jesus a big
deal?
Because He's
alive,
He's
returning,
and you
will have
to reckon
with Him
one day,
either as
His friend
on His
terms or
enemies on
your terms.
Then lastly,
because He
lives,
because of
the resurrection,
we can
possess as
followers of
Christ the
greatest
motivation for
living.
You don't
have to spend
your days and
years searching
for the right
thing to live
your life for.
All things
are in vain.
All things
will perish
and fail.
But if we
wrap up our
whole life in
following the
living Christ,
we can even
recklessly throw
our lives away
for Christ.
And it will
not be in
vain.
Right?
We can live
for Him,
sharing the
gospel with
the dark
and dying
world around
us,
because we
live for
an unconquerable
immortal.
Savior.
You don't
have to live
your life
filled and
paralyzed with
fear,
anxiety,
depression.
You don't
have to,
because Christ
is alive.
Think about
this.
All the
disciples ran.
They were
afraid of
death.
They were
afraid of
facing punishment.
What happened?
You know,
we all know
how most of
them died.
They all
died martyrs.
What changed
them?
What made
them into
this fearless
band of
followers who
declared Christ
boldly,
almost a
complete 180
in a short
amount of
time.
They knew
that Jesus
was living,
and they
were happy
to live and
die for
Him.
Bold witnesses.
So in
other words,
in one of my
own fathers and
one of my
grandfathers'
favorite old
hymns,
because He
lives, I
can face
tomorrow.
Because He
lives, all
fear is
gone.
Because I
know He
holds the
future.
life is
worth living
just because
He lives.
So, let's
pray together.
Let's go.