Sermon

Click here to print this Sermon

April 11, 2004
Easter Sunday
John 20:1-18
Pastor Ben Berger

Look into the Empty Tomb

Show of hands. How many of you have lost an immediate family member to death? Husband, wife, son, daughter, father, mother, brother, sister? How many have lost any relative or close friend? Even though I'm not thirty yet, I have lost any number of loved ones to death. Two grandparents when I was little, the other grandfather when I was in high school. Two of my dad's brothers have died, and one of their spouses. A very close cousin committed suicide. Then my mom died just after I graduated from Seminary. I remember something about most of those deaths and everything about some of them. I remember when my dad called me in FL to tell me my mom had passed away. By the time I got home, my dad had been up for more than thirty hours. He was tired, distressed and emotionally drained. He kept asking, "What now? Your mom is gone; what now?" The disciples must have been asking the very same thing after Jesus died. What now? Jesus himself came back to tell them and us what now. What we can do after the death of any loved one, but especially after the death of Jesus is Look into the Empty Tomb. 1) Believe that Jesus is alive. 2) Believe that Jesus is the Savior. That is what we will do today.

Look into the empty tomb and believe that Jesus is alive. As long time Christians it may be very easy for us to take for granted that Jesus actually rose from the dead and is alive. We cannot take that fact for granted. Many in the world do not accept it as fact; they don't believe it at all. Why should we believe that Jesus is alive?

First, because the tomb is empty. "Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb," (1). Mary and some other women went to anoint Jesus' body with spices. Along the way they discussed how they would get into the tomb since it was closed with a large stone. But, when they arrived, they "saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance," (1). The other gospel writers tell us that some of the women went in; John makes it sound like Mary did not. In either case, Mary became very upset.

Mary took off running to Peter and John. When she found them, she exclaimed in short breaths, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put them," (2). Mary made an assumption. She assumed that someone, probably the Jews who had crucified Jesus, had now stolen his body. She was hysterical. 'How could they do that? First they crucify an innocent man. Now they desecrate his body. Won't they let him rest in peace?' Mary loved her Lord; she believed that he was the Messiah. But she did not believe that he was alive; she believed that Jesus was dead.

Peter and John had to find out for themselves. They took off running for the tomb. The younger John ran faster and arrived first. He didn't go in. He bent over to look into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen that had been wrapped around Jesus body. He didn't know what to think; he just stood there trying to figure everything out. When Peter finally arrives, he goes right in. He looks around. He sees the strips of linen too. It looks like the body just disappeared. He also sees the cloth that was wrapped around Jesus face. It is folded and off to the side. Peter probably comes to a different conclusion than Mary. Thieves wouldn't take the time to fold the facecloth; the linen would be taken with the body. Peter doesn't think that anyone stole the body; Peter is confused. He is not sure if Jesus is dead or alive.

John finally enters. He sees the exact same things as Peter: the empty linens, the folded facecloth, the empty tomb. John sees and believes. John believes that Jesus is alive. It's hard to say why John believed and the others didn't. My guess is that John remembered Jesus words. Jesus had told the disciples that he would die and rise again three days later. Every one knew it; false witnesses even tried to use it against Jesus before the Sanhedrin. Jesus said that he would destroy the temple and raise it again in three days. He was talking about his body. Maybe the empty tomb reminded John of Jesus' words and he believed.

Which person are you? Are you upset like Mary thinking that someone stole Jesus' dead body? Are you confused by what you see like Peter? Or do you remember Jesus' words and believe like John? This past week I saw any number of shows discussing the passion of Jesus and his resurrection. One particular show was trying to prove or disprove the events of Holy Week with science. All kinds of experts offered their opinions as to whether Jesus was dead or alive? In the end, most of them came to the same conclusion; it takes faith. Only faith can believe that Jesus is alive. Look into the empty tomb and believe that Jesus is alive. Obviously, we can't see the tomb with our own eyes. We can't see the empty linen cloths or the folded facecloth. But we can see Jesus' word. In the Bible Jesus told us that he would die and rise again; he also told us that he has now risen. Take Jesus at his word and believed that he is alive.

In the very next verse after John said that he believed he wrote, "They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead," (9). That's a bit confusing. It's one thing to believe that Jesus is alive; it's an entirely other thing to understand why he rose. Scripture said that Jesus had to rise from the dead. Why? to prove that he is the Savior. Look into the empty tomb and believe that Jesus is the Savior, your Savior.

First, believe that Jesus is the Savior because he speaks to us. After Peter and John left the tomb, Mary stood outside crying. She was still upset, still angry, still wanting to find Jesus' dead body. She bends over to look into the empty tomb and she sees two angels. They ask her why she is crying? She gives them the same story. 'Someone stole my Lord's body and I don't know where they put him,' (13). In this account the angels don't respond. In other accounts the angels announced to the other women that Jesus had risen.

Jesus wanted Mary, the other women, the disciples and all the believers to believe him because of his Word. Knowing they would have difficulty believing, Jesus gave them other help. He used the angels to repeat his words and remind the first believers of what he had said.

Jesus no longer speaks to us through angels, but he does still speak to us. He speaks to us through his Word and through the accounts of eyewitnesses. Eventually Mary, the other women, the disciples and many others did believe in Jesus. And, they didn't just believe that he was alive; they believed that he was the Savior…because he was alive, because he had risen. Those eyewitness accounts, recorded in the Bible, also convince us that Jesus is the Savior.

Even better, Jesus himself convinces us when he calls us by name. As Mary stood there crying before the angels, Jesus stood behind her. She didn't recognize him at first (we're not sure why), but she thought he was the gardener. Now her thoughts begin to change; rather than thinking that the enemy Jews stole Jesus' dead body, she thinks the gardener put him somewhere. She wants to know where so she can get him. Then Jesus calls her by name. Immediately she recognizes him and believes. She calls him "Rabboni or Teacher," and believes that he is her Savior.

In the Scriptures Jesus also calls each of us by name. John pictured Jesus as the Good Shepherd that cares for his sheep by giving his life for them. The Good Shepherd knows his sheep and they know him; they hear his voice and listen. Jesus called our names when he brought us to faith. Though our eyes were clouded by sin, though our hearts were dead with sin, though we were enemies of God without faith and without true fear of God, Jesus gave us the ability to believe that he is the Savior. He showed us how he gave up his life for us by dying on the cross; he showed us how he conquered death and sin and the devil by rising from the dead. Then he sent his Spirit to convince us that he is the Savior.

Mary wanted nothing more than to hold onto her Savior. She never wanted him to leave again, but he would have to leave again. He had to rise to return to his Father. Although, this time it would not feel like Jesus was gone; he lives. Though he would leave physically, he would always be with his believers spiritually. They would see him return to his Father forty days later when he would ascend into heaven.

Jesus' return to his Father also reveals his as the Savior. The Father accepted Jesus' work. His perfect life and innocent death were acceptable to the Father. He received Jesus' payment on our behalf. Jesus had indeed died for the sins of the world. He forgave our sins. He kept his promise to give us life and salvation. It is finished; his work was done. We are forgiven and saved. When Jesus returned to his Father, he also continued working for us. He rules the world as our King. He speaks to the Father in our defense. Every time we sin, Jesus asks the Father to forgive us. Every time we get into trouble, Jesus asks the Father to deliver us. Yes, Jesus is our Savior.

Look into the empty tomb and believe that Jesus is alive and is the Savior. Then, look forward to a reunion in heaven. Because Jesus rose from the dead, we look forward to the day when he will raise us from the dead. We look forward to the day when he will give all believers glorious bodies. We look forward to the day when we will see our loved ones again. And, we look forward to the day when we will be able to hold onto Jesus forever. The day is coming when each of us will be able to say with Mary, "I have seen the LORD."