WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:05.200 We're going to be in chapter 20, reading verses 1 through 10 this morning. 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:12.880 On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early while it was still dark. 00:00:13.039 --> 00:00:27.199 She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb, so she went running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, They've taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they've put him. 00:00:27.600 --> 00:00:32.399 At that, Peter and the other disciple went out heading for the tomb. 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:39.359 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:46.479 Stooping down, he saw the linen clothes lying there, but he did not go in. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:49.520 Then, following him, Simon Peter also came. 00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:52.880 He entered the tomb and saw the linen clothes lying there. 00:00:53.119 --> 00:01:01.679 The wrapping that had been on his head was not lying with the linen clothes, but was folded up in a separate place by itself. 00:01:01.920 --> 00:01:08.400 The other disciple who had reached the tomb first, then also went in, saw, and believed. 00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:13.200 For they did not yet understand the scripture that he must rise from the dead. 00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:16.959 Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying. 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:18.000 Let's pray. 00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:24.719 We thank you, Lord, for the empty tomb. 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:33.920 We thank you so much for all that this week resembles all that we celebrate in this week about you. 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:38.879 For the sacrifice, Jesus, that you made for mankind. 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:50.959 For the brutal death that you died for us on the cross, for the three days in the tomb, Lord, and for the resurrection on the third day. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:02:05.760 We thank you so much that we get to see this story and that here almost 2,000 years later, we get to remember it, we get to celebrate it, and we most importantly get to be saved. 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:13.520 Lord, that we get to be called your sons and your daughters, that we are called your friend, friends of God, friends of Jesus. 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:19.199 And we thank you so much for the privilege that it is to be called your followers, your disciples. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:29.280 Lord, I pray for this message this morning that you would be honored and glorified, and that your spirit would do a work inside of each and every one of us. 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:31.360 We pray these things in Jesus' name. 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:32.080 Amen. 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:33.919 You may be seated. 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:38.000 So, first I want to address this passage as a whole. 00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:49.439 You know, if you read through all four Gospels, you'll see that John leaves out a lot of detail in his account, but he also fills in a lot compared to what we see in the other three Gospels. 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:57.439 And it was obviously the Holy Spirit that inspired him to do that for us, so that we can be sitting here all these years later. 00:02:57.599 --> 00:03:00.240 Sorry, I feel like I have a frog in my throat this morning. 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:06.639 So we can be sitting here all these years later and reading his specific account of the gospel. 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:17.520 But we're coming across a few things here today that I want to address because it's a few things that people will point to and say the gospel accounts have contradictions. 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:26.080 You know, John here tells us that Mary Magdalene came to the tomb, but the other gospels mention that there were other women with her. 00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:30.639 And we just have to notice that John didn't say that Mary's alone here. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:33.439 He is just telling the story of Mary. 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:37.680 And we're going to see that this week and next week, specifically the story of Mary. 00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:43.199 He's including the details that are pertinent to the purpose of his writing. 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:54.960 So some people try to point to a contradiction here because John will mention that there were two angels in the tomb, but Mark only mentions one angel being in the tomb. 00:03:55.199 --> 00:03:59.039 Well, again, Mark doesn't say there was only one angel in the tomb. 00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:04.719 He just simply mentions that the one angel that was doing the talking to the women. 00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:06.719 So there aren't contradictions. 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:12.719 Both Gospels are simply mentioning different details for the purposes of their writings. 00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:21.759 You know, the intent of the Holy Spirit through these four authors of the Gospels was not to tell the complete chronological story of Jesus Christ. 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:29.279 It's when we read the four Gospels in their entirety that we get the details that God wants us to have. 00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:49.040 You know, John even ends his gospel, we'll see this in a couple weeks, in chapter 21, verse 25, by saying, and there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself can contain the books that would be written. 00:04:49.519 --> 00:04:57.120 You know, admitting that he's only skimming the surface of this biography of Jesus Christ that he's writing. 00:04:57.279 --> 00:05:03.120 You know, Warren Wearsby points something out here as we are jumping into chapter 20. 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:13.439 He points out that if this was a normal biography of a normal human person, it would end at the end of chapter 19 with verse 42. 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:15.279 They place Jesus in the tomb. 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:19.040 End of biography, because usually that's where biographies end, right? 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:23.120 When the person passes away, there's not much more to write about them. 00:05:23.439 --> 00:05:27.839 But not when the biography is about the Son of God. 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:33.519 We still have two more chapters to go when we see this biography of Jesus. 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:37.199 So with that, let's jump into chapter 20, verse 1. 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:46.800 It says, On the day of the week, on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early while it was still dark. 00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:52.639 Mary Magdalene had not been mentioned in John until chapter 19. 00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:59.040 And it was just kind of in passing almost that she was present there at Jesus' crucifixion. 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:00.319 And that was it. 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:06.240 But in Luke, we find that this is the Mary that Jesus cast demons out of. 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:08.399 Seven demons to be exact. 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:13.680 And she was part of this group of women that supported Jesus and his twelve disciples. 00:06:13.839 --> 00:06:18.639 It says that they actually supported him from their very own possessions. 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:24.240 So not only was she a follower of Jesus, but helped take care of him as well. 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:31.360 And as we'll see, even after his death, she is still taking care of Jesus. 00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:40.079 You know, we really get a glimpse of just how much through this passage, how much Mary loves Jesus. 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:44.480 And we see that really a lot in John's account. 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:56.560 You know, Mary is first mentioned in the beginning of Luke, and it's right after Jesus talks about the one that is forgiven the most will love him the most. 00:06:57.120 --> 00:07:00.720 And then right after we see Mary. 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:09.040 Imagine being possessed by seven demons and the darkness and the sin and everything that that would entail. 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:12.160 Mary knew the depravity of sin. 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:17.439 She knew what spiritual darkness was, I think as much as anybody. 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:22.720 And Jesus lifted her from that and cleansed her from that. 00:07:23.680 --> 00:07:32.000 And her love for him is expressed so evidently in this passage this morning and next week. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:37.839 Even in his death, we'll notice twice, she's gonna still call him Lord. 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:41.920 And she's still doing everything that she can to try and help take care of him. 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:45.839 So we see that she comes early in the morning to the tomb. 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:56.240 There's other women with her, we see in other accounts, and they brought some very expensive embalming materials with them to properly take care of the body of Jesus. 00:07:56.480 --> 00:08:14.399 Now, either Joseph and Nicodemus, who did this first attempt of prepping Jesus' body, they were either in a real big hurry to get this done, or they maybe just didn't know how to take care of the body like women would, you know, the right way. 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:17.839 And so the women come as soon as they can. 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:28.560 It's been the Sabbath, so they come as soon as they can on uh on Sunday morning with the idea of properly taking care of Jesus' body. 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:38.639 And I wonder what was going through her mind, all the women, but specifically since we're looking at Mary, what was probably going through her head in this moment? 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:51.360 You know, they couldn't do anything on Saturday, so they had Friday night, they had all day Saturday, they had Sunday morning to just think about all that had transpired. 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:54.879 The Messiah died. 00:08:56.240 --> 00:09:00.720 And she was coming to the tomb still expecting him to be dead. 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:06.639 We know that Mary and these women were weeping on the way to the tomb this Sunday morning. 00:09:06.879 --> 00:09:16.720 There's probably just a ton of emotion, confusion, all mingled with the grief and the mourning that's taking place, but she still sees him. 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:20.559 In the midst of all that, she still sees him as Lord. 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:26.399 And the last thing regarding Mary women in this day were not treated well. 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:28.720 Like in any culture. 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:35.759 And Jesus was a changing force to write that, to put an end to that. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:40.320 Women in this day were not allowed to be disciples of rabbis. 00:09:40.879 --> 00:09:45.360 In verse 16, we see that she calls him a rabbi. 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:51.919 Jesus is allowing this group of women to be the first that discover the empty tomb. 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:57.919 The first to give testimony to the disciples of the stone being rolled away. 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:01.759 A woman's testimony in this day was not allowed. 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:04.879 It was not trusted, it wasn't even permitted in the court of law. 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:15.840 And these women were the first to encounter the resurrected Jesus Christ, and the first to give a testimony to the others that they saw the risen Savior. 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:17.600 But I'm getting ahead of myself. 00:10:17.679 --> 00:10:20.000 So look at the second half of verse 1. 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:24.080 It says, She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:37.360 So in Matthew 28, he tells us that an angel came down, there was a violent earthquake, and the angel rolled the stone away, and the guards became, it says, like dead men. 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:39.279 You know, I guess so. 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:59.360 If Jesus could simply say, if you remember back in the Garden of Gethsemane, if he could simply say, I am, and knock over a couple hundred Roman soldiers, think of what this earthquake, the angel rolling away the stone, and then the resurrected Son of God would do to a handful of Roman soldiers at this time. 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:12.159 You know, and as a reminder, there would be rumors that were spread that Jesus' disciples had stolen the body, and that Jesus never really resurrected. 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:18.480 So I want to read this passage from Matthew and how this would actually be impossible. 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:19.679 And we're going somewhere with this. 00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:41.679 But it says in Matthew 27, starting at verse 62, it says, The next day, which followed the preparation day, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, Sir, we remember that while this deceiver, so they're talking about Jesus, was still alive, he said, After three days, I will rise again. 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:42.480 Think about this. 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:45.759 Jesus' enemies remembered that he said this? 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:48.720 And his own disciples don't even remember that he said this. 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:55.919 Verse 64 says, So give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day. 00:11:56.080 --> 00:12:06.399 Otherwise, his disciples may come, steal him, and tell the people he has been raised from the dead, and the last deception will be worse than the first. 00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:09.200 You have a guard of soldiers, Pilate told him. 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:12.240 Go and make it as secure as you know how. 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:17.679 They went and secured the tomb by setting a seal on the stone and placing the guards. 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:21.200 The guards who then became like dead men. 00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:27.120 You know, logically, Jesus' body being stolen is crazy. 00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:28.799 Because who would have done it? 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:37.039 You know, his disciples obviously were not expecting Jesus' resurrection from everything that we see in all of the Gospels. 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:40.240 Everything actually points to the opposite. 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:42.240 These guys were at a loss. 00:12:42.480 --> 00:12:43.440 They were scared. 00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:46.639 They scattered in the Garden of Gethsemane, or if you remember. 00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:53.759 They're not about to go take on some Roman soldiers and start this conspiracy that they would eventually die for. 00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:58.879 Like they they were not in any place to steal the body and start all of this. 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:04.559 The last thing that Jesus' enemies wanted was for his body to be stolen. 00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:11.120 You know, they're trying to make sure nobody actually does so that nobody starts to believe that Jesus was raised on the third day. 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:14.879 So who would have, logically, who would have stolen this body? 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:17.840 Who would have had motive to steal this body? 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:29.360 You know, and I want to remind us of this because some of the details to come, I think, are John refuting these rumors that were floating around in his day. 00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:31.759 Remember, he was the last to write his gospel. 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:34.080 He lived to be an old man. 00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:43.440 So he gives his eyewitness account, and I think the purpose of that was to try and squash down some of these rumors that have been floating around. 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:45.279 Let's look at verse 2. 00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:53.519 So she, that's Mary, went running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:55.759 There's an interesting tidbit here. 00:13:56.080 --> 00:14:03.519 John always used the agape form of love in the gospel when referring to himself. 00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:05.679 The disciple Jesus loved. 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:09.440 The disciple Jesus agape, basically. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:16.159 That's the godly, sacrificial, unconditional kind of love that we see in the Greek agape. 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:20.720 Here, John uses the phileo form of love. 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:27.519 The brotherly, the being fond of somebody type of love here. 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:31.519 This was the disciple Jesus was fond of. 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:40.879 And it's the only time in John's gospel that he uses this form when referring to himself as the disciple Jesus loved. 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:45.279 Do you know why he did that in this context? 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:48.320 Because if you do, could you tell me afterwards? 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:52.000 Because I've been racking my brain all week and I can't figure it out. 00:14:52.320 --> 00:15:01.600 No, really, I point this out because I just like that John doesn't look at Jesus like, well, he has to love me. 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:02.720 He's God. 00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:05.120 You know, he agape us. 00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:06.799 It's sacrificial. 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:08.960 He kind of has to, you know. 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:11.039 No, it doesn't end there. 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:14.559 Jesus is fond of this disciple. 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:17.519 Jesus is fond of you. 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:21.679 Jesus calls us his disciples, friends. 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:29.840 You know, in some ways, I think that's harder for me to wrap my head around than the agape love that he has for us. 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:34.000 That he has phileo love for us as well. 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:35.679 That he is fond of us. 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:39.200 He desires to be in a friendship with us. 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:43.360 I think honestly, that's a little harder for me to wrap my head around. 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:52.080 So Mary comes to Peter, the disciple Jesus, and the disciple Jesus was fond of, and says, look at the second half of verse 2. 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:58.080 They've taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they've put him. 00:15:58.559 --> 00:16:04.159 So she and the other women that were with her at the tomb, they think the body's taken. 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:10.639 They looked in, they could tell the body was not in there anymore, and they assume that he's taken. 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:13.039 But notice Mary here. 00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:15.840 She still calls him Lord. 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:20.799 And this word Lord, it means to whom a person belongs. 00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:26.559 She is still identifying as belonging to Jesus even after his death. 00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:30.480 In verse 13, she'll actually say, My Lord. 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:39.120 Even in the midst of the confusion that's going on, she still had faith in Jesus as her Lord. 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:42.960 I think that is just very commendable of her. 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:44.720 Look at verse 3. 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:50.799 At that, Peter and the other disciple went out heading for the tomb. 00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:57.440 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. 00:16:57.759 --> 00:17:04.720 I think this is hilarious that the Holy Spirit allowed John to write verses 3 and 4 right here. 00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:12.559 And even though John won't use his own name in this gospel, he will mention that he beat Peter in a foot race. 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:23.839 And I've been thinking about this, but I don't think I'm looking too far into this, but I think it shows really the camaraderie that Jesus and his disciples had. 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:28.079 These guys were brothers, even though not biologically. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:36.079 They traveled together, they shared campfires together, they had life-threatening situations, trials, victories, celebrations. 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:40.799 They experienced a lot of life together in the three years of ministry that they had. 00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:45.359 And I have no doubt, as true brothers do, that they made fun of each other. 00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:47.440 I really think they did. 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:54.799 I have to believe that there is a hilarious story behind why Jesus started calling James and John Sons of Thunder. 00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:57.279 I really think there's something, I can't wait to hear it. 00:17:57.359 --> 00:18:01.920 There's speculation on why, but I really want to hear that from Jesus' point of view. 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:14.480 You know, I heard a retired baseball player in an interview a few years ago, and the interviewer asked this baseball player, What do you miss most about playing baseball? 00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:18.160 And what he missed the most didn't even have to do with baseball. 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:23.200 He said, I miss the guys giving each other a hard time in the clubhouse the most. 00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:29.359 You know, there's something about brothers where when you're being made fun of, you know that you're loved. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:36.720 And I'm not talking about criticizing, I'm not talking about cutting or degrading, not that kind of thing, but joking with each other. 00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:46.720 You know, if it was me and my biological brother in a foot race, and I won, I would definitely mention it every single time that I told that story. 00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:47.920 Every single time. 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:51.440 And I just imagine, imagine, you know, John's writing this down. 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:56.400 He gets to the end of verse 4 and he's like, you know, and then he just keeps writing. 00:18:56.559 --> 00:18:57.599 That's all in my head. 00:18:57.680 --> 00:18:59.920 Don't you know take that for what it's worth. 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:02.880 But John adds a detail here in verse 5 about himself. 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:03.839 So look at five. 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:10.160 Stooping down, he saw the linen claws lying there, but he did not go in. 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:15.279 Now I think this tells us a little bit of John's personality here. 00:19:15.599 --> 00:19:18.480 You know, maybe he's a little bit more on the cautious side. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:27.119 He's assessing the situation, he's looking in, seeing what's going on, seeing the linen clothes that are lying there. 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:38.559 You know, they're the strips of linen cloth that we saw in chapter 19, verse 40, that were saturated with this ointment and spices and then wrapped around the body. 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:46.480 And over the course of time, you know, that mixed with blood could have set, you know, a pretty hard bond in these things. 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:54.799 Um and the word lying here in verse 5, it suggests order in the Greek. 00:19:55.119 --> 00:20:02.319 So it's not just a pile of linen claws, you know, if you think of unwrapping a mummy or something like that. 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:06.559 But there was some order to how they were lying. 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:09.759 Probably lying in the shape of the body. 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:15.440 Maybe flattened, maybe there's some structure, you know, mixed with ointments and blood and stuff like that. 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:29.759 But it's probably in the shape of the body, as if Jesus' body passed through those clothes, and the clothes, uh, the clothes were were still there in some sort of order, and I'll explain why here in a second. 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:36.079 But what is important is that we understand that there is order in these clothes and the way they're aligned. 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:40.160 It's an interesting eyewitness account that John is providing. 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:45.839 You know, another interesting detail, Mary thinks the body has been taken. 00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:49.359 The reports to Peter and John, what does she say? 00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:51.680 We think the body has been taken. 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:54.799 But the claws are still there. 00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:56.319 And I want us to think about it. 00:20:56.400 --> 00:21:03.440 You know, if it was me or probably if it was you, and you're gonna go steal a body that had been dead for three days, would you unwrap it first? 00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:08.720 I would want as much of a barrier between that body and myself as possible. 00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:11.599 I would bring another blanket maybe to wrap it in or something like that. 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:16.400 I'm not gonna sit there and take the wrappings off if I'm trying to steal it for whatever purpose. 00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:19.119 So keep that in mind as we circle back to it. 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:26.400 So John is observing, he's taking these things in, he's recording them for us as well, and here comes Peter. 00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:27.599 Look at verse 6. 00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:36.480 Then, following him, Simon Peter also came and he entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:46.079 So I just imagine, you know, John he's sitting there and he's kind of just looking in, taking things in, and then Peter's just like, well, he just runs in first. 00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:49.359 And I think that's part of Peter's personality. 00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:52.880 He runs in and then he observes the tomb. 00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:56.480 So they have these two different approaches. 00:21:56.640 --> 00:21:59.599 So John looks, he sees, Peter zooms in, he starts. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.559 To observe. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:01.599 Look at verse 7. 00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:03.359 This is what they find in there. 00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:12.480 The wrapping that had been on his head was not lying with the linen cloth, but was folded up in a separate place by itself. 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:22.480 If the body was stolen, was stolen, yeah, what thief would stop and then wrap the headdressing and then fold it, you know, and put it on the side. 00:22:23.519 --> 00:22:30.880 But this is the same word for the head cloth that's used in the story of Lazarus. 00:22:31.119 --> 00:22:35.920 And it's different than the cloths that are wrapped around the body. 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:44.880 In the story of Lazarus, it says the dead man came out bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in cloth. 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:47.839 So that's the same word that we see here for this. 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:56.319 It was a face wrapping that's thought to have helped keep the jaw in place so it wouldn't open at any time in decomposition. 00:22:56.960 --> 00:23:08.240 Could it be that Jesus carefully undid the head wrapping and folded it neatly so everybody could see that his body was no longer in those cloths? 00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:12.880 You know, the Holy Spirit had John include this for a reason. 00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:14.640 Look at verse 8. 00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:20.319 The other disciple who had reached the tomb first, John had to add that, didn't he? 00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:25.599 Then also went in, saw and believed. 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:29.119 He saw and believed. 00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:37.920 You know, from verses five through eight, you'll notice in your Bible that John uses the word saw three different times. 00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:44.960 And each time that we see that word in verses five, six, and eight, he uses a different Greek word. 00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:48.640 So I want to put that up behind me, and we can take a look at it. 00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:51.599 Verse 5, he says saw, and that simply means to see. 00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:53.920 Like you're just you're seeing stuff with your eyes. 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:59.680 Verse 6 means to behold, inspect, consider, perceive. 00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:01.680 It's the word that we get theater from. 00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:04.720 So it's really sitting, watching, taking in. 00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:08.559 Verse 8, the word saw, it means know. 00:24:09.119 --> 00:24:12.000 Know-how, perceive, discern. 00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:15.599 This is an intelligent understanding. 00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:22.240 Not just seeing something with your eyes, that is an intelligent understanding of whatever you're looking at. 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:27.200 So John looks in from the outside and he simply just sees with his eyes. 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:33.119 Peter zooms in, he goes in and he beholds and he considers. 00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:41.680 John goes in after Peter and he perceives and knows with an intelligent understanding what has happened. 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:44.720 He saw and he believed. 00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:56.079 Something about these grave cloths and how they were left made him realize Jesus was not stolen, but was resurrected. 00:24:56.559 --> 00:25:01.119 And it leaves John in this weird middle place of thinking. 00:25:01.440 --> 00:25:08.000 John believes that Jesus is raised from the dead, but doesn't understand the significance of it. 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:18.880 Because, look at verse 9, it says, For they did not yet understand the scripture that he must, that he must rise from the dead. 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:27.519 One of the reasons Jesus must rise from the dead is because of those scriptures that are being considered here. 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:37.440 All of the prophecies about him in the Old Testament would be wrong, and the Bible couldn't be trusted, and our faith would be nothing if he didn't rise from the dead. 00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:40.079 He must rise from the dead. 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:44.000 And he must rise from the dead as proof of payment. 00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:50.480 His resurrection was the receipt of the payment of our debt that we had accrued because of sin. 00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:54.480 And that receipt says paid in full. 00:25:54.880 --> 00:26:03.039 And John and Peter still didn't understand that Jesus must die and must also rise again. 00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:15.039 They, at this point, they weren't understanding all of the prophecy in the Old Testament of Jesus being the Passover Lamb and being the resurrection from the dead. 00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:28.319 Now at this time they weren't getting the words of Jesus either, that Jesus had told them over and over, like he did in John 2, chapter, or chapter 2, verse 19 through 22. 00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:30.640 Jesus told them this already in the book of John. 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:36.079 He said, Jesus answered, Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days. 00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:43.279 Therefore the Jews said, This temple took 46 years to build, and will you raise it up in three days? 00:26:43.519 --> 00:26:46.720 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 00:26:47.039 --> 00:26:57.599 So when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the statement Jesus had made. 00:26:57.920 --> 00:27:05.920 So at this point, John at least believes that he's resurrected, but seems to have forgotten all that Jesus had said about it. 00:27:06.079 --> 00:27:10.559 This is going to come in a little bit for him before they fully understand it. 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:17.599 So that's why he said he's kind of in this weird middle place of thinking, understanding he's resurrected, but not understanding why. 00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:36.000 In Matthew 16, 21, it flat out says, From then on, Jesus began to point out to his disciples that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed and be raised the third day. 00:27:36.240 --> 00:27:39.279 So Jesus clearly laid it out to his disciples. 00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:45.359 It says, from then on, right there, over and over and over, of what was going to happen to him. 00:27:45.680 --> 00:28:02.160 You would think for his disciples at this point that they would be sitting there at the tomb on Sunday morning with their lawn chairs and with their coffee, unleavened cinnamon rolls, maybe, waiting to see how God was going to do this. 00:28:02.400 --> 00:28:06.960 Just like he said in three days, like, you know, start selling some tickets, guys. 00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:08.559 This is gonna be really good. 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:10.640 They didn't get it. 00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:22.720 And I think they didn't get it because in the very next verse in Matthew 16, 22, after Jesus lays it out so clearly, it says, Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:27.119 Oh no Lord, this will never happen to you. 00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:31.680 The disciples were just refusing to believe Jesus at this point. 00:28:33.039 --> 00:28:41.039 But you would think that after Jesus was crucified, that they would sit there on Saturday and start thinking back, what did Jesus say, you know, about this? 00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:43.279 Didn't he say something about him dying? 00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:44.720 And but apparently not. 00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:46.640 They didn't they didn't get that far. 00:28:46.960 --> 00:28:49.279 You know, this all went over their heads. 00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:59.359 The dots were not connecting for the disciples in this moment, you know, for they did not yet understand the scripture that he must rise from the dead. 00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:05.440 And don't think for a second that we would be any less dense than these disciples are right here. 00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:09.680 You know, they were the first really that Jesus let in on this. 00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:21.200 And they did not have the Holy Spirit living inside of them, dwelling in them yet, to teach them, to counsel them, to help them connect all of these dots of scripture together. 00:29:21.359 --> 00:29:22.880 So look at verse 10. 00:29:23.200 --> 00:29:26.880 Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying. 00:29:27.119 --> 00:29:32.640 So they go back, presumably, more confused than when they came. 00:29:33.119 --> 00:29:41.440 But Mary hangs back at the tomb, which we're gonna take a peek at next week, and that's gonna be our Easter morning message out at the park. 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:47.359 You know, we have the benefit that these disciples uh did not. 00:29:48.319 --> 00:29:53.200 We know the scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead. 00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:59.200 We have the Holy Spirit to help us connect the dots of scripture. 00:29:59.519 --> 00:30:06.480 We know that the tomb being empty is the foundation of our beliefs as Christians. 00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:08.880 It's what this week is about. 00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:12.960 It's the anticipation of the risen Savior. 00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:15.759 Starting here today on Palm Sunday. 00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:25.359 There's a reason that we take this Friday to remember the crucifixion and call it Good Friday. 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:30.079 Like that line from that song that Amy wrote there that we sang a couple weeks ago. 00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:32.079 How could this be good? 00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:37.440 But it is good because of the resurrection. 00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:43.440 If this story stopped on Friday after the crucifixion, if that biography ended, it would not be good. 00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:48.240 But because of the resurrection, we can call the crucifixion good. 00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:54.079 It would be the saddest ending you could imagine if we just stopped there at chapter 19. 00:30:55.119 --> 00:31:00.880 Dying on the cross was the payment for a debt that we owed that we could not pay. 00:31:01.119 --> 00:31:04.160 And the resurrection was proof of payment. 00:31:04.400 --> 00:31:06.880 That said paid in full. 00:31:07.279 --> 00:31:14.799 The resurrection is why we're here today, why we're celebrating next week, why we're coming back the week after that, and the week after that. 00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:16.880 It means everything for us. 00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:38.079 So I just want to encourage all of us to take this whole week to remember that, to reflect on scripture, to reflect on God's love, the sacrifice, the resurrection, on the power of God, on what the gospel message is and what it means to us. 00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:43.359 And that's really what these handouts are for that you found on your seats here this morning. 00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:46.160 Pastor Ben made these up for us this week. 00:31:46.240 --> 00:31:51.440 Um, so we would have some extra encouragement to take time this week to reflect. 00:31:51.599 --> 00:31:57.599 And it's just simple it's a scripture and a question for us to reflect on during the week. 00:31:57.759 --> 00:32:01.279 If you have kids, it'd be a great thing to do as a family. 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:04.079 We only put them on every other seat. 00:32:04.160 --> 00:32:05.920 If you need more, there's a pile in the back. 00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:07.839 So help yourself to those if you need. 00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:22.400 But part of the reason that we did this is because it can be so easy to get to the end of next Sunday and realize that we forgot to reflect, that we forgot to be thankful, that we forgot to worship Jesus. 00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:37.279 You know, especially if you're leading a ministry or you're helping out as a volunteer, it's easy to get to the end of Sunday afternoon and realize that we were so busy doing, you know, being a Martha that maybe we forgot to be a Mary for the week. 00:32:37.519 --> 00:32:44.559 To just simply sit at Jesus' feet and to reflect on all that he did and all that that means for us. 00:32:44.799 --> 00:32:59.519 So this is simply an encouragement to worship Jesus, reflect on his love that was so clearly demonstrated for us in this week that we um that we see from Palm Sunday all the way to his resurrection. 00:33:00.079 --> 00:33:04.799 To remember the fact that Jesus is fond of us. 00:33:06.480 --> 00:33:27.920 You know, if you are not his disciple, his follower, and you want to experience the cleansing and the forgiveness that we see in Mary here, and you want to experience the love of Jesus and the reciprocal love that Mary has for Jesus, Jesus couldn't have made it any easier. 00:33:28.240 --> 00:33:30.240 He already paid the debt of sin. 00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:36.160 His resurrection is the receipt, and all you have to do is claim that receipt as your own. 00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:45.359 It's like Jesus sitting there holding it and saying, It's paid for, you just have to accept this as a free gift, and you will be saved. 00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:53.920 Scripture says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 00:33:54.160 --> 00:33:57.279 That's how simple Jesus made it for us. 00:33:57.519 --> 00:34:09.360 It's faith in Jesus that allows us to claim that receipt and to claim it as our own, as paid for because of what he has done for us. 00:34:09.679 --> 00:34:12.159 And you can do that right now in your own seat. 00:34:12.800 --> 00:34:14.000 You can do it after service. 00:34:14.079 --> 00:34:17.119 You want to come up and pray with one of us, whatever it might be. 00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:24.400 But Jesus is handing that receipt, and all you have to do is receive that as a free gift here this morning. 00:34:24.880 --> 00:34:25.679 Let's pray. 00:34:30.480 --> 00:34:31.920 Jesus, thank you. 00:34:32.159 --> 00:34:33.840 Thank you, thank you. 00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:36.719 We can never thank you enough. 00:34:37.280 --> 00:34:52.079 Or we can never completely show uh the gratitude that we have for what you've done, but we pray that that gratitude would grow as we learn more and more about what you have done for us and how much you love us. 00:34:53.280 --> 00:34:57.679 Not just with a sacrificial love, but with the love of a friend as well. 00:34:58.480 --> 00:35:08.639 It's so incredible uh to think how much you desire us to be with you, to follow you, to be with you in all of eternity in paradise. 00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:15.280 So we thank you so much for the free gift that you uh made for us. 00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:21.360 Lord, it it costs you so much to make that sacrifice, but it's free to us. 00:35:21.599 --> 00:35:23.840 And we thank you so much for that. 00:35:24.079 --> 00:35:45.119 Lord, I pray for each and every one of us, myself included, that we would take the time this week to reflect on those things, to reflect on your love, to reflect on your power, to reflect on the sacrifice, the resurrection, all of those things that we would simply sit at your feet and that we would worship you this week. 00:35:46.000 --> 00:35:48.800 Lord, have your way in our hearts. 00:35:49.440 --> 00:35:53.519 Continue to show us the ways that you want us to be more like you. 00:35:54.000 --> 00:35:55.599 Pray these things in Jesus' name. 00:35:55.840 --> 00:35:56.480 Amen.