Jesus Christ Taught Even in His Glorified Body

Jesus Taught in His Glorified Body

Book of John Chapter 21

As we close out our study of the Book of John. we will get another view of the "glorified body" of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ appeared to the disciples the third time on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

John uses the term Tiberius because of politics. The name this sea had been changed by the time John wrote this book.

Peter had invited the disciples to go fishing and at least 6 of them had gone with Peter.

As the day had dawned the Lord Jesus appeared on the shoreline, while these disciples were several yards off shore at least a hundred yards.

So let's allow our Savior to speak:

*****Joh 21:1 After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.

Joh 21:2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.

Joh 21:3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

After what things?

1) After Jesus had met with Mary Magdalene.

2) After Jesus had met with the other women who had come to the tomb but had left leaving Mary Magdalene behind

3) After Jesus had met the two disciples on the Emmaus rode.

4) After Jesus had met with Peter.

5) After Jesus had met with the disciples without Thomas.

6) After Jesus had met with the disciples with Thomas.

It is after these things that Jesus met with the seven disciples at the Sea of Galilee.

What did Jesus prove to these disciples on this occasion?

Jesus Christ proved that the disciples could do nothing without Him.

This something we all need to know! Without the Lord Jesus Christ we are nothing.

Joh_15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

The men in typology were fishermen but they had labored all night and caught nothing.

When they knew that Jesus was on the shore and told them to throw the net on the other side of the boat which should have no difference at all but with the Word of the Lord, they became true fishermen!

Joh 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Joh 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

It is the same when we witness for the Lord! If we do not have the Words of Jesus, the Gospel of Jesus Christ we will never bear any fruit!

If we cannot be true to the Word of God, we are useless to Him!

The Lord Jesus resurrected from that death to prove He is God and that we must depend upon His strength!

Jesus continued to show Himself for as long as it took to make sure their faith was solid.

Jesus does the same thing today when He test our "Faith".

The body of Jesus was the same body that had died upon the cross, but it was a glorified body!

What is the promise to each of us that believe?

Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

We should be able to see that there will be some differences in our body after physical death. Our Spiritual body will be made perfect while our earthly body cannot be perfect.

*****Joh 21:4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

It should be obvious that even though these disciples could not tell if this body was Jesus, they could still tell that He appeared to be a human being and not a something that was not a man. They were too far out in the sea, to see clearly.

It was just breaking dawn. Jesus walked over to the shore line but still they could not tell until He began speaking loudly.

When Jesus speaks, we will know Him!

*****Joh 21:5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

Joh 21:6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

We should be able to tell by the words, of Jesus that He was expecting "a no" answer. Normally one side of these boats would make no difference in fishing, but the Lord knew exactly where the fish were because He directed them to be there.

These disciples had to be on the right side, and we are always to be on the right side of the Word of God.

If these disciples did not have enough faith to pull the net in and place it on the other side of the boat, they would have never caught those fish!

John knew as soon as he heard these words that it was the Lord Jesus standing on that shoreline!

We should understand that there is always a reward for being obedient to the Word of God.

Being on the right side of the Word of God is to be "justified"!

The reward for being obedient to the Lord, was not just the amount of fish that were caught, but the Lord had prepared them a meal on the shoreline.

In typology, the ship they were in represents the Church. The right side, points to those who have chosen the Lord, the elect.

Jesus is the first of the elect:

Isa 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

The Church is the true, choosing the "Grace of God" over the laws of man.

Rom 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Rom 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

The casting to the net represents the preaching of the Gospel.

The promise of finding the fish, is the assurance Christ gives of the success of His Word, the Gospel.

Isa_55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

It is Jesus Christ that has blessed the Word of God and carries with it the promises of God!

The Church is to obey the Word of God for the Church to gather the fish.

What's that old saying? "I catch them, but God cleans them", is still the truth!

But, Simon Peter could not wait to see the Lord again.

*****Joh 21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

Joh 21:8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.

Joh 21:9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

Joh 21:10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.

Each of us who are genuine will experience the super natural care of the Lord.

Jesus showed to these disciples the reality of His surroundings, so they could believe that He was certainly the "Risen Savior".

The fish upon the fire represents all those who will be tried by the Lord to see if they are true to the Lord.

1Co_3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

Peter dove in the water and swam to shore eager to see Jesus. The other disciples stayed in the ship (the Church) to make sure the fish made it to shore safely.

The message of the Church must always contain the truth of Jesus Christ!

Act 3:13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

Act 3:14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

Act 3:15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

Act 3:16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Then Simon Peter helped to bring in the fish:

*****Joh 21:11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

Joh 21:12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

Joh 21:13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.

Joh 21:14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

Peter drew in the fish and noticed not one was lost. The Lord will not lose any of the fish caught by His disciples!

Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.

We can find the Gospel in everything that Jesus did when He walked among us!

There are many great thoughts on the number 153 fish. One theory is that the Lord blessed 153 persons during His time upon this earth.

By talking, hearing and eating the Lord Jesus Christ proved He was in a living body of flesh but was a glorified body.

Remember a glorified body is a body of perfection and we do not have any clue of what a perfect body would look like!

A glorified body is real, and it is a perfect body and as believers we will each have one, one day soon.

After worship, and joy, and the peace we get from knowing Jesus Christ, the next great thing we get from the Church is fellowship.

Jesus had prepared a meal, not from the fish that these had caught, but with fish and bread He had gotten Himself.

The Lord is always giving us gifts that we do not deserve!

Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Jesus Christ is everything we need, and He is the only one who knows what we need!!!!!

These disciples began to understand that they knew what Jesus wanted them to know. Not like a brain washing but the truth!

When we understand the Lord, we understand the truth of life!!!!!

John lets us be aware that this was the third time that the resurrected Christ had appeared to His chosen disciples.

We must clearly understand that the success in catching fish or men, comes from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus just wants us to be busy about the Masters, work.

If souls are not coming to the Lord, it is not because there are no fish.

Joh_4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

The facts are that the Church has far too many men ready to put the brakes on the progress of the Church!

Just as the Lord does not relieve us from labor in this world, (he that does not work does not eat), Jesus also will not relieve us the labor for souls until the day we die. Remember it is the Lord that will call us home "when he is ready"!!!!!

We must remember why the Apostle John was writing this epistle!

Joh 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Not till after they had dined did Jesus show us what it is to be a disciple!

*****Joh 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

Joh 21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Joh 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

There are many things we feel in our doings from day to day, but it is the feelings of love that move us the most!

Peter was a natural born leader so in the presence of the other 6 Jesus went straight to Peter. Not so much because he had denied the Lord but to insure Peter clearly understood his mission.

We are never to take worldly objects and love them more than we love the Lord Jesus Christ!!!!!

We are never to have idols we cherish more than the Lord!!!!!

We all have close friends and family and most have spouses, of which I no longer have, but we are to never love them more than we love the Lord.

In fact we will never love them properly until we put the Lord Jesus Christ first in our lives!!!!!

The truth is Jesus loves all of us more than we can ever understand so He is our example to learn what love is all about!

We must always remember the length of suffering the Lord has done to show us what true love is all about.

Jesus Christ gave us the gift of His love while we were mired in sin, showing Him nothing but hatred.

If we are observant as we look out over the world of today, we see more hatred than we ever have, and hatred is the absence of love!!!!!

The leadership of Peter needed to be reinforced publicly before those that gone fishing with him.

We know when the Lord Jesus called Peter by his full name the conversation was very important!

The most important trait we must have as Christians is the love we have for our Lord and our God, Jesus the Messiah!

We must understand that we are nothing and can accomplish nothing without Christ Jesus!

1) The first question Jesus had to Peter was "did he love the Lord more than he loved these other men".

Jesus could have also been talking about the family of Peter.

One more thing is that Jesus was talking about Peter's love of fishing and his business.

Remember Peter was a business man along with James and John as partners who were also amongst these other men.

Our love for the Lord must be true and must be sincere!

Every true Pastor has loved Jesus more than their family and their career. As disciples we are to be no different!

Jesus ask for "agape" love, but Peter did not respond with agape love but "phileo" love.

You need to look these things up yourself so you will know the difference. We are all to know the difference!

There are even some who have made up their own Christ and not the Christ as described in the Scriptures.

Jesus Christ is the God of the Bible and we had better understand that!

2) The next question Jesus asked Peter was "did he love with God's love".

We are not only to love Jesus more than anyone else in our life, but we are to love everyone else with the same love that God has shown to us.

Our example is still John 3:16 but let’s look at some other passages also.

1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

1Jn 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

1Jn 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

1Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

1Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

It takes time to learn this love and show it to others, but this is what the Lord was asking Peter and the same love Jesus ask of every disciple.

3) The third question Jesus asked Peter was "do you really love Me as your brother".

Jesus now asked with "phileo" love. It takes time to learn the love of God but until then we must be loyal not only to the Lord but also to our brothers and sisters in Christ!

We must be loyal not only to Jesus Christ but also to the entire Word of God.

There is no modern interpretation of the Scriptures. The Scriptures have said what they have always say and God's Word is just as vital today, just as it was in the time of Peter and this was something Peter needed to lock into his heart.

Words are wonderful but if those words do not originate from a heart dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ, then they are meaningless words!

Without the love of God as described here, Peter could never have done the things the Lord has asked him to do.

We owe a lot to Peter today because we know he learned the love that Jesus was insisting on this day on the shore of Galilee.

Peter could now feed the sheep of the Lord!

Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Some of the flock will be one way:

1Pe 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

1Pe 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

1Pe 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Some of the flock will have progressed:

2Ti 2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Then there is the special ministry of the Pastor:

1Pe 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

1Pe 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Then the Lord got up close and truly personal with Peter.

*****Joh 21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

Joh 21:19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

We need to understand as Christians, the Lord requires a total commitment in following the leadership of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who is that "another".

What do we know about the Apostle Peter?

Peter lived for about 36 more years after this day with Jesus and he was tied to a cross upside down (because he insisted) and when the nails were driven in, he was carried by another to the place he was crucified.

Before Peter was saved, he, more or less did what he pleased, and this is the thing we must give up. We must follow the lead of the Holy Spirit!

If we cannot give the Lord Jesus full control of our bodies, then we are "foolish Christians"

Eph 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Eph 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Tradition says that the wife of Peter served with him in his ministry and she to, was martyred the same day as Peter, right in front of him so the last thing he saw was his dead wife.

Peter was to die the death of a martyr, but not John!

On seeing his wife's death before his own eyes, it is said that Peter rejoiced because he knew she would be waiting on him in Heaven when he got there.

We must understand that the call of Christ will bring some persecution.

We are to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in everything we do, until the day we go home to be with the Lord!

This was the life that Jesus told Peter he would have, and Peter stood true all his days.

We will all die unless we are among the few will go home at the time of the Rapture.

2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

2Co 5:9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

2Co 5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

2Co 5:12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

2Co 5:13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.

Jesus said to pick up your own cross and follow Him and this is what Peter did.

Peter turned to see John following and Peter asked Jesus what would John be doing in his ministry.

And Jesus firmly said:

*****Joh 21:20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

Joh 21:21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

Joh 21:22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

Peter may have thought all the Apostles would minister together as a group, but Jesus told Peter that this was not going to happen.

Peter had gone into business with John and his brother James and they were very close for many years.

Peter wanted to know what lay ahead for John.

We know that for some reason, John was spared from a martyr's death and lived a long life.

I believe that since John was to take care of Mary the mother of Jesus, that he did not suffer as much persecution as did Peter and we know the James the brother of John was the first to die a martyr's death when he was beheaded.

We should understand that when Jesus said these things to Peter, it was not a revelation of the will of God for John as some believed.

Jesus was dealing only with Peter as Peter would remain the head of the Apostles till, he died.

If and when we called of God to do anything, then we need to concentrate on that calling and not on what is happening elsewhere or with other ministries.

Not that we are not to help when called upon, but that we are not to allow our own calling suffer for helping others!

We are to focus our energy and our efforts on fulfilling the will of God for our own lives.

We must also understand our motivation to serve must remain our love for God, and not our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are to do the same.

We are certainly to love one another, but Jesus Christ is the one who is to the first in our love.

Our power to serve comes from the Holy Spirit, and we need to pay close attention to Him!

The one more thing we are to understand being a Christian in the full will of God, this will not keep us from growing old or from suffering as we grow old.

We must understand that Paul was a great Apostle only because of that thorn that caused him so much misery.

If we become too rich in material things or physical comforts, we may forget that it is the Lord who will provide.

If we become rich, then those most of those riches are to be used in the ministry or the ministry of the Church.

As Christians we are to live without the favor of this world.

We cannot do without devoted followers.

What would happen to the Apostle John was to be no concern of Peter's.

What was said to Peter about John was misunderstood. Remember it is John who has given us these passages by the Holy Spirit, and we can believe what John is saying.

*****Joh 21:23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

Joh 21:24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

Since John did live the longest of all the 12 Apostles, then he could give the Church the truth of how the early Church withstood the world around it.

The Church is like a ship on course through this world, taking the message of Jesus Christ to all ports of call and the Church will sail boldly as long as the world is not allowed into the ship (Church) that would cause the Church to sink.

We can see that many a ship are sinking, or struggling today because they have allowed the world inside the Church doors!

In truth, as Christians we should forward to death. Not to rush our death in any way, but to know the joy of a job well done and going to the one place that has no part of the world and that is Heaven!

We can understand that the specific form and the manner of our death is predetermined and arranged by God Himself!

The death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ has made a dramatic change to this world we live in.

We can only imagine what this world would look like without the Church or our own nation without the Church.

If we were to understand a miserable future, then the Church would have been useless all these years.

The Lord has promised an eternal life in Heaven. A place where we cannot even imagine the beauty of, where God accepts His adopted family and we will eat as His table for an eternity!

John could not tell us somethings because the Holy Spirit did not require them.

*****Joh 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

Amen

Let's Pray!

Jesus Appeared Many Times After He Had Risen

Jesus Appeared After the Resurrection

Book of John Chapter 20:11-31

When all the disciples were hiding in fear of the Jews, Mary was not. Mary was bold in her devotion to the Lord. A lot of things have been said about Mary Magdalene but she was a woman who was devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ and was willing to the show the world that she was!

We know by the Gospels that Peter and John had left and all the women but this Mary who had stayed behind trying to find her Savior.

*****Joh 20:11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

Joh 20:12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Mary had something that many a church lack today:

1) Mary was devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ.

2) Mary had courage, she was not afraid to show the world her love for Christ Jesus.

3) Mary had patience, she knew her Savior had rose from the dead and she waited on Jesus to show Himself.

No doubt Mary understood the first commandment of the Lord.

Mar_12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Above all other commandments we need to understand what Jesus is saying here!

We must understand that those who love Jesus Christ the most are the same ones who receive the greatest benefit from Him!

We must also understand that those who are conscious of their own guilt and who are convinced that without Christ Jesus they would sink into hell, are the same ones who will cling to the Lord Jesus Christ and His commands.

2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

2Co 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Mary also saw something the others had not seen, two Angels.

We must understand that there exists a spiritual world around us all the time and many times we may have had Angels around us and not recognized them.

Heb_13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

If you do not believe in Angels, you will never see one!

These two Angels could see the misery of Mary and they reacted

*****Joh 20:13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

Mary had done two things that none of the others had done.

1) Mary had lingered at the tomb of Jesus taking it all in and what His death meant.

2) Mary was contemplating what an empty tomb would mean to the world.

Why was this Mary the first to see Jesus? It was because she had the greatest faith on that day!

These two Angels were not sitting around wondering at what was happening. Angels are messengers of God and at this time they had a message for Mary Magdalene.

They were also there to show the enormous power of God!

The fact they were dressed in white, signified the purity of God!

Here again we see this word "woman". This word implies tenderness and courtesy and not disrespect.

The woman may be the weaker vessel in some ways, but a good woman will stand beside her husband such as Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel did.

As far as Mary was concerned these two Angels were nothing compared to her Savior and she spoke to them as if they were only humans also realizing that they may have some answers.

Notice she said "my" Lord and the "I" meant all the other women had gone and she was alone at the tomb.

All these things being true, this Mary was the first to see the resurrected Jesus.

Mar 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

Mar 16:10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

Mar 16:11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

*****Joh 20:14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Joh 20:15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Joh 20:16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

Mary failed to see Jesus even with Him so close, which is the story of the Church today. We will never recognize Jesus until He has that permanent place in our heart!

Mary could not recognize Jesus because she was torn apart by His death.

Doubt will not let us get close to the Lord. All the disciples and family and even Mary had doubt that they would ever see Jesus again.

Doubt will cloud our eyes to the truth. None of the disciples of Jesus were prepared for His resurrection!

They could not believe that He could die and gave no thought to His resurrection!

Mary was still seeking a dead Savior as so many are today. Our God is alive!

While Mary was still hopeless, the Lord Jesus was standing right next to her.

Mary may not have recognized Jesus in His resurrected state, but she knew who He was when He mentioned her name.

When Jesus calls our name, we will definitely know it is He who is calling.

We can never miss out on the Rapture of the Church because we will know it is time to go home.

Many times we Christians grieve when we should be rejoicing!

The Lord is always near us when we are going through tough times in fact, He is with us all the time!

We need to serve the Lord while it is still time.

When the Lord returns there will be millions who will want to serve Him, but it will be too late for them.

Isa 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

We must focus on the work of the Lord and focus our eyes upon Him at all times.

Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

*****Joh 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

No doubt that Mary was so excited that she wanted to cling to Jesus but there was still work, to do. Jesus sent Mary to do one thing while He did something else.

Mary had not yet understood the message of the resurrected Savior.

You will never find a time that Jesus is not busy with His Father's business.

He will hold us forever when we get to Heaven!

Mary would have held on to Jesus for days had not Jesus told her that there are things that had to be done.

Jesus would never allow any of us to interfere with the plans of His Father!

Mary needed to be obedient the Words of Her Master, now her God, in His glorified form.

What did Paul write?

2Co 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Notice also the Church had begun. The disciples were no more called disciples, but all believers are in the brotherhood and sisterhood of Christ!

*****Joh 20:18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

Mary Magdalene was the first eyewitness to our resurrected Savior!

Mary was seeking the same relationship she had before the crucified Christ, but this was impossible.

By the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ requires a knew, relationship. A relationship that could not be established until Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit would descend to begin the Church of the Living God and this could not take place until after Jesus ascended back to Heaven.

Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

We still need to study the other Gospels to get the complete story of the things that happened that day.

Another thing we should mention is when Mary the mother of our Lord was given over to the care of the Apostle John, then being the mother of the Lord was not as important as being a believer in her resurrected Son, and the salvation that was offered to be just as it is to "whosoever" will believe in the work of Christ.

Mary the mother of the Lord could not be saved just because she was the Mother, she had to be saved because of her faith. She certainly is not to be worshiped.

It was Mary Magdalene who became the first witness because she had the greatest faith!

*****Joh 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Joh 20:20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

As we see the disciples of the Lord were sealed behind locked doors because they were afraid the show themselves in public.

But no amount of security could stop the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. He just appeared inside the room where these disciples were hiding.

The Lord's appearance first brought fear, but His words brought peace.

You see we must first have that reverent fear of the Lord before we can be at peace with God! After all our God is the sovereign God of everything we can see and of all things we cannot see!

For those who think the Lord only appeared as a spirit should be able to see that even in His glorified state the Lord did have a material body.

There was no blood left in His body. No blood was required in His glorified body. There was no food required but the Lord Jesus could still eat if He so desired. All this being was because He was Jehovah God.

Luk 24:41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

Luk 24:42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

Luk 24:43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

Luk 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Luk 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

Luk 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

Notice the Lord did all He could to assure these unbelievers that He was certainly the resurrected Christ!

These disciples became believers this day, but they would still not understand all things until they received the Holy Spirit.

They could not receive the Holy Spirit until their faith was solid and real and from the heart!

*****Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Joh 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

Joh 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

We should also understand that once Jesus returned to Heaven, it was the job of these Apostles to carry the "Good News", the "Gospel" to all the world.

Some of them had not first believed even when they saw the Lord.

They had not believed the words of the women who had seen the Lord.

They had not believed Mary Magdalene who was the first witness of our risen Savior.

The disciples had remained in Jerusalem as they were told to do, and they now believed the truth of the Lord.

Even doubting Thomas was now a believer.

These disciples began to go through a great change. They began to understand that all life can come only by the Lord!

The truth of our Lord began to sink in. The Lord Jesus does exactly what He says He will do!

Jesus had said He would give His life so we could be saved, and He did.

Jesus had said He would resurrect from that death to prove He was God, and He did.

Sin and death are now conquered

Jesus Christ is the "Good Shepherd" who gave His life for His sheep!

Jesus Christ did defeat the works of the Devil!

Jesus Christ was lifted up for all the world to see!

Jesus Christ did say that greater love has no man but a man who would lay down His life for His friends!

Jesus Christ did say if I depart, I will send the Comforter to you, who will never leave you!

Jesus Christ did say "my record is true" and it has proven to be true!

Jesus Christ did say, "as the Father has sent Me, I will now send you!

The truth is that until we know the peace of God and reconciled to Him by the works of Jesus Christ, we cannot represent God in this world!

We have a specific mission but many a church has forgotten how specific is the mission that the Lord has given to us, and have taken up many things, many of them being good things but have veered from the mission given to us by the Lord.

Jesus Christ breathed upon this whole group, just as He did to bring the life of Adam into existence symbolizing that the Holy Spirit must dwell in the entire church body for the church to be the "Bride of Christ".

1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

We should understand that verse 23 does not suggest that any man can forgive the sins of another.

If one has accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, we can say their sins are forgiven and if not then we can say that their sins are not forgiven.

Joh 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Only a believer can tell another believer that their sins have been forgiven a non-believer cannot know the truth!

The day Jesus first came unto the disciples Thomas was not with them.

*****Joh 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

Joh 20:25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Joh 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

Thomas refused to accept the Lord Jesus Christ had arisen from the grave unless he could see Him with his own eyes.

Today many are just like Thomas who refuse to believe that Jesus the Messiah died and then arose from the grave.

Thomas would not believe these ten men who he had been with for as much as 2 years.

By forsaking the Lord Thomas became frustrated.

Thomas had missed the proof of Jesus because he was not gathered with them.

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

It is the same today. We do not know what we miss when we do not gather with the Church.

Another thing we see is, when we speak out against the Lord we may have to eat our own words. Everything we say is heard by the Lord and this is true today also!

Thomas acted foolishly but the Lord Jesus acted with mercy and grace!

Eight days later would have been the next Lord's Day, the next Sunday and this time they were all gathered together.

Again Jesus came right in through locked doors and stood in the midst of the 11 disciples.

Again saying "Peace unto you".

We can only wonder what Thomas thought as Jesus recited back to him his exact words!

The world fails to understand that Jesus is much more than some great prophet.

Jesus is much more than some great teacher.

Jesus is much more than some great man.

Jesus is much more than the founder of Christianity.

Jesus is even more than the greatest man that ever lived!

Those that see Jesus as only these things, see only some man who lived and then died.

The non-believing sinner sees Jesus as only some man, because it brings our Savior down to their level.

If Jesus was truly some man, then He could not be perfect and could not be worthy to sacrifice Himself for anyone sins.

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

This was the feelings of most of the world then and we see that most of the world today has gotten worse!

2Ti_3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Jesus said to Thomas come, I will show you the proof you seek after.

*****Joh 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Joh 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

When the Lord returns, He will also show the world the proof they seek.

Jesus knew that Thomas had a momentary loss of faith because Jesus can look into the heart and it was necessary for Thomas to be a true believer in order for all the Apostles to do the work that lay ahead of them.

Today Jesus knows not only our heart, but our doubts, our fears, our despair, our hope, our love and every other thing about us.

God sees everything we do every day, and records them in His books, and these are the things the non-believer will be "judged" by on the "Day of the Lord"!

And the believer on the day of the Rapture, at the judgment seat of Christ.

1Sa 2:3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

The Lord Jesus Christ is our Lord and our God whether we believe it or not!!!!!!!

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

If we have no faith, then we are not a Temple of God!

Jesus Christ is truly our risen Savior!

Jesus Christ is certainly the Sovereign majesty of the universe!

Jesus Christ is the One who came to reveal our God to us!

Jesus Christ is the One who we are to worship!

Jesus Christ expects an open and public confession.

Jesus Christ expects the same from us as He did from Thomas even though we have not seen Him in person.

By the Holy Spirit we have all His words of truth!

*****Joh 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

We are to believe even when we do not see the evidence and proof!

We are to believe because of God's love!

Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Through the Scriptures we see the need for us to be Christian because we know the "character" of God!

We are to believe because of the billions of witnesses have gone on before us or how can we believe that our loved ones who knew the Lord are in Heaven.

We are to believe because when the Lord moves in our heart tells us so!

Thomas had chosen his own path until he saw the proof of our Savior and then these things were settled within him, just as they should be in us!

Jesus made sure they all understood the truth!

*****Joh 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Immediately we see that there are many things that these disciples saw that were not written down for us.

So even after He arose Jesus was ministering to the needs of the believers.

The signs that Jesus chose to use brought great results because we can see the evidence of that by the results of the lives of these Apostles afterwards.

His character, His behavior, His preaching, His teaching, His miracles, His control of the environment, and His power proved that the Lord Jesus Christ is truly the Messiah.

We should know that in the life of our Savior upon this earth He did not have a secret He could not openly show!

What we have in the Book of John are the things selected by the Holy Spirit to keep in our remembrance on our Savior!

We will end our study in the Book of John next week knowing that we could not cover everything in this series of lessons!

Amen

Let's pray!

A Risen Savior the Living God

Jesus Was Buried and Rose Again

Book of John Chapter 19:38-20:10

We left off last week at the death of our Savior. The truth is the Lord Jesus Christ, Almighty God came down from Heaven to die in payment for the sin of this entire world from the time He was born of a "virgin" to the end of time.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Lord Jesus came to this earth to fulfill every Scripture that was written about Him in the Old Testament.

Luk_24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

This was the theme behind the preaching of all the Apostles!

1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Let us pick up where we left off last week at Chapter 19 verse 38.

*****Joh 19:38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

We already know that the disciples of Jesus had scattered and not one of them would take the chance of of going to Pilate to take care of the body of Jesus.

So we see a secret Christian by the name of Joseph from Arimathaea. We can see what type of man he was by looking to what is written of him.

We must understand that we are not to be ashamed of claiming the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Joseph was a good person.

Joseph was a believer.

Joseph feared what his friends and the other members of the Sanhedrin would think of Him if He claimed to believe Jesus and to believe the Word of God.

He feared the loss of position.

He feared the loss of prestige.

Others fear their chance at promotion.

Some fear their acceptance.

Some fear popularity.

Some fear losing their friends.

Some fear losing their job, their income or their livelihood.

I fear that many in our world today are going through these things.

I myself was a victim of many of these things, but I am far better because I took a stand.

From Matthew

Mat 27:57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:

Mat 27:58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

Mat 27:59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

Mat 27:60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

From Mark

Mar 15:43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

Mar 15:44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.

Mar 15:45 And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.

From Luke

Luk 23:51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

Luk 23:52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.

Luk 23:53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

Luk 23:54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

From Luke we also see that this was the preparation day. In other words it was the day that the sacrificial lambs were slain in celebration of the Passover.

Joseph was a rich man, who was a secret disciple of the Lord, who himself knew he did not have many days left and had prepared his own tomb which he placed the body of Jesus before 6 PM that day, in honor of the Laws of Moses.

He went boldly to Pilate and demanded the body of Jesus be released unto him. Pilate would not do this until he had verified the death of our Lord with the Centurion in charge of the crucifixion.

It was the cross that finally awoke Joseph to the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ just as it has so many others.

As Joseph desired to finally take care of the body of Christ, we should understand that the Church is the Body of Christ today and it is the disciples of Jesus that is to care for the Church!

Joseph was not alone!

It is only John who tells us of Nicodemus who was no longer ashamed to acknowledge his love for the Savior.

*****Joh 19:39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.

Joh 19:40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

No one could have guessed that these two men were believers they had kept it so much a secret.

They had waited until Jesus had died to show their worship of Him.

But we must also remember all those who had been with Jesus every day for nearly three years had abandoned Him in His time of need.

Then there were the women of Galilee who followed Jesus all the way to the borrowed tomb, who had watch Joseph and Nicodemus do these things and felt they had not done it right because they were rushed by time and planned to return to the tomb after the Passover.

We know that there were others that may have come just to see Jesus buried:

Luk 23:48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

Luk 23:49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

Jesus Christ never owned His own house and now He would also be placed into another man's tomb.

If no one had claimed the body of the Lord, he would have been cast into an open pit with others who had been crucified by the government of Rome.

The prophets would have been wrong making the Word of God to have errors, but it is our Heavenly Father who is in control of this world and He makes things work according to His masterful plan!

That tomb may have received the body of Christ, but that grave could not destroy the Body of Christ. There is nothing in this world or any other world that stop the believing Church!

As we know our hope lies in the promises of God!

Psa 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Psa 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Mat 22:31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,

Mat 22:32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Rom 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

Rom 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

Rom 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

There are some things we need to keep in mind as we get closer to our day in the grave. Not our soul for it will be with the Lord.

1) Our grave will not be dug until it is time:

Job 5:26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.

2) When our body reaches the grave, we should know that even the grave was defeated by Jesus Christ.

1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;

1Co 3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

1Co 3:23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

3) We should know that only Jesus Christ now holds the keys to death.

Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

We also know that the Lord Jesus loved the garden, so He made His bed amongst the lilies.

*****Joh 19:41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.

Joh 19:42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

Preparation day was the day all the lambs were slaughtered, and the Passover Meals were being prepared and Joseph and Nicodemus were required to be at the Temple, but they had chosen the slaughtered Lamb of God, the true Passover to show their worship for Him.

Since these two men had handled the dead body of Christ, they were now considered unclean and it would 7 days before they could be cleansed and return to their duties in the Temple.

A Garden would first see the death of Christ but in three days this garden would be the place of God's glory.

The tomb of the Lord was hewn out of rock and we can be sure there was no other way to enter into this tomb nor could anyone enter into by digging under the ground.

We should feel sorrow for having so much sin it required the death of our Savior!

But we should feel joy because His sufferings are over, and His happiness had begun for providing our means to escape death.

We should have an earnest desire to be where ever the Lord is right now.

All these things will cause us to be better prepared for our own death bed.

The prophet had said:

Psa 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

Again the Prophet said:

Isa 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

In three days things had changed.

*****Joh 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

The first day of the week on the Jewish calendar is Sunday. Some may ask why does the Church meet on Sundays? It is because Sunday is the Lord's Day. The day our Savior walk out of that tomb.

The sepulchers of the rich of that day were hand carved caves into solid rock. In most all cases the sepulchre would be on land that belong to the owner of the sepulchre. In other words the tomb of Jesus belonged to Joseph of Arimathea and was on land that belonged to him.

We can tell something about a sepulchre by listening to this phrase. “He that selleth his neighbour a place of burial, and he that takes of his neighbour a place of burial, let him make the inner parts of the cave four cubits, and six cubits: and let him open within it eight sepulchers.”

In other words a sepulchre would be about 6 feet deep,

into the rock by 8 or 9 feet high and 9 feet broad and the actual burial place would be carved into the walls on both sides enough for an entire family could be buried in the same sepulchre.

One thing we should know about the Holy Spirit, when He gives us details in the Scriptures, He is not trying to convince us of the truth or to prove anything, He is just stating the facts!

John's Gospel was written many years later than those of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. We can still get the full picture when we take into account, all 4 of the Gospels.

A lot of things may be said about Mary Magdalene, but it would be hard not to mention that she was a devoted Christian!

This Mary openly showed her devotion in front of Roman soldiers, the High Priest, and the Pharisees.

She was not afraid to claim her "faith"!

Mat 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

Mar 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

Mar 16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

Luk 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

Luk 24:2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

Luk 24:3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

This Mary did not know what to think about the empty tomb, but she did know where the disciples were hiding.

*****Joh 20:2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

Joh 20:3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

Without a doubt even though Peter had failed by denying the Lord, he was still considered to be the chief among the disciples.

We can understand that Peter and John may not have been in the same place by the way this Scripture is worded. Remember John had taken Mary the mother of Jesus to his own home.

The phrase "whom Jesus loved" can be said of John but also of Peter, again by the way it is written. Jesus loved all His disciples just as He does us here today!

At this time Mary Magdeline believes someone has stolen the body of Christ, which was impossible.

That word "we" suggest that Mary was not alone when she had gone to the tomb of Jesus.

Mar 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

Mar 16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

Peter and John ran to the tomb of Jesus as fast as they could.

*****Joh 20:4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

Joh 20:5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

Joh 20:6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

Joh 20:7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

Joh 20:8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

The fact that they both saw the linen clothes is very important.

The body of Jesus could not have been stolen and those linen wrappings still be in the tomb.

Neither of these two disciples understood what they were seeing at this time and they did not discuss it between them.

We already know that the roof of the sepulchre was 8 or 9 feet tall so Peter stooped down to get a closer look at those linen wrappings, and we could say that the body of Jesus would have had to pass through those wrappings because they were not disturbed.

Peter could not believe what he was looking at!

The last time Peter had seen the Lord was during the false trial when he had denied Him.

Peter craved to look upon his Master one more time, but all he saw was the wrappings.

One other thing in particular was noticed. The napkin that covered His face was neatly folded and laid in another place.

Say what we will, we would have been just as puzzled as these two disciples had we seen such things.

We must realize that the body of Jesus could not have been taken away in a hurry, and could not have been taken by thieves since everything lay in such order.

The only answer was, that Jesus had done these things Himself or the Angels had done these things.

Some say that the folded napkin had its own message that Jesus was not yet through with the work He had to do!

The important things are these.

1) It would be impossible to still steal a body out of the wrappings and leave them undisturbed.

2) The wrappings would have been taken with the body had the body been removed.

3) Those wrappings would have been scattered if thieves had stolen the body of Jesus.

4) It would be impossible to place the wrappings as if they had never moved after the body was removed.

John realized that there was only one answer and it was that Jesus Christ was alive just as He had said, but John did not know how!

John did not relay his thoughts to Peter!

Luk 24:12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

Neither Peter nor John knew of a Scripture that said, He must rise again from the dead.

*****Joh 20:9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

Joh 20:10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

Above all things these disciples had believed that the Messiah could not die. There is not one particular Scripture that has these words in it.

There are many places in the Psalms that refer to the resurrection of Christ such as:

Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Psa 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

The Prophet Isaiah:

Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

The Prophet Hosea:

Hos 13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

There are others:

King David said: I foresaw the Lord always before my face.

Act 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

For those doubters the resurrected Christ was seen by many witnesses:

Act 13:31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

The Apostle Paul had these words:

1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

1Co 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

1Co 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

1Co 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

We serve a risen Savior!

Our God is alive!

These disciples full of doubt and many questions went away unto their own homes with some gathering together to talk about what was said by these eyewitnesses!

Amen

Let's Pray!