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We turn to John Chapter 20 . What was John doing on Resurrection Day, and what did John do on Resurrection Day, having been with Jesus Christ for over three years?

The women folks had just returned from the tomb of Jesus Christ reporting that the stone was rolled away, and the door was open, and there was no dead body of Jesus within!

Mary comes running to Peter and tells of what she has found, and Peter decides to go to check things out, and John goes with him. They are running through the narrow streets of Jerusalem, and John is the faster runner.

John gets there first and looks in and sees the cloths that had been around the crucified body of Jesus. Then Peter arrived and witnessed the scene, and he goes right in. That is so like impetuous Peter – so typical – right in, right away.

John then goes into the tomb, and when he really saw, he believed .

This is where most things come to an end – at the cemetery – but not with our God!

As we read these verses we see the evidence of the tomb, and the experience of the garden. We need both in our Testimony – Evidence – and an Experience .

It must have been someone who was there who wrote this account. Who would invent this? These cloths lay undisturbed. Men speak about the empty tomb, but the tomb was not empty.

John was the first man to believe that Jesus Christ was risen from the dead. No wonder, when he writes his letter 60 years later, he is so concerned that the Church of Jesus Christ holds to the truth and to the facts.

Verse 31 – John writes all this down for good reason – so that you may believe who Jesus is – and that by believing you may have life in His Name.

Believing the evidence has spiritual consequences, and of course, spiritual responsibilities. Is this why so many people will not open themselves to the Word of God? Is it because they know that as soon as they do, they will have to do something about it? If Jesus Christ rose from the dead, then I have to do something about it. Certain consequences have to follow.

The Work And Ministry Of Jesus Christ Is By No Means Finished

Peter and John leave the scene. Mary is lingering. Mary so loved Jesus that she stays at the place of her last association with Him. Love lingers. This woman had been in the very grip of Satan, and Jesus Christ had set her free. Can you imagine the gratitude? Can you imagine the sorrow when she witnessed Jesus Christ being crucified? This incident appears only in John. It is so personal and so intimate and so revealing. Mary must have told it to John.

She is weeping and she stoops down and looks in. The tomb wasn’t empty. It was full – full and alive with life – as Mary sees two angels, positioned at the place where Jesus’ head and feet had lain.

33years previously these angels had seen Jesus become a Baby. What were the angels seeing now? We have no record. But they ask, “Why are you crying?” “They have taken My Lord away and I don’t know where they have put Him.”

You can almost sense and feel the message of the angels, “If you had seen what we have seen, you would not be weeping!” Mary glances round, and she sees a figure, and she thought this was the gardener. “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?” “Sir, tell me – I’ll get him and bring him back to the grave.”

And the risen Jesus reveals Himself to her in a beautiful way as He says “Miriam”. Jesus uses her Aramaic name. And Mary cries out in Aramaic – Rabboni – Teacher.

A joy comes flooding in and she wanted to cling to Christ, but it was not to be a physical clinging now. Mary, don’t hang on to me. Don’t keep me to yourself. Share me. Go and tell others, and she did.

When the Evidence and the Experience are married together, there has to be Obedience . When you hear, see, or meet the risen Christ there will be spiritual consequences. As God speaks to you today, or reveals Himself to you in some way, you will have to do something about it.

John heard and went and saw and believed. He was there that night when Jesus appeared in the room. John was a man who knew what it was to carry out his responsibilities and duties.

John gives three scenarios of the consequences of the Resurrection which we do not find in the other Gospels.

Verse 24 – Thomas had been missing from the Fellowship on Resurrection Evening – and when he heard of what happened he had questions – and perhaps even doubted the reality of their testimony. A week later – it must have been a long week – the risen Jesus came – his words to Thomas were – “Stop doubting and believe.”

Jesus comes to minister to sorrowing Mary Magdalene – and to Thomas with his doubts.

Chapter 21 – We read of the seven who went back to the fishing – led by Peter. Did they think it was all over? And the risen Jesus appears on the shore – preparing a breakfast. Peter is aware of what he had done denying Jesus three times – there is guilt – or shame – and this brokenness has to be dealt with in Peter’s life.

Jesus takes Peter aside – reassures him of forgiveness – and virtually recommissions him for the work – three denials – three words of reassurance.

His failure to be faithful is dealt with by Jesus.

The tomb – the Upper Room – the Lakeside – three very difference types of need – but all three met by Jesus Christ.

John gives us this unique insight into these three lives rescued from – sadness and darkness and despair – doubt and unbelief – brokenness and failure.

When Jesus Christ was hanging on the Cross, Jesus showed a very special concern for His mother. It is assumed that she was a widow, and although she had other sons, Jesus asks John to look after her. There is a profound challenge which we must not run from or avoid.

What Jesus Christ started He wants to continue and complete.

What He started in you, He wants to finish in you. He’s not finished yet!
He’s not finished saving souls and rescuing men and women from sin .
He’s not finished trading sorrow for joy .
He’s not finished giving peace that passes all understanding .
He’s not finished making a way out of no way .
He’s not finished loving you and me .
He’s not finished healing the sick .
He’s not finished delivering the captives .
He’s not finished mending broken hearts .
He’s not finished breaking that alcohol addiction .
He’s not finished breaking that drug addiction .
He’s not finished delivering from sin .
He’s not finished opening doors no man can close .
He’s not finished being our hope for tomorrow .

He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly .

Although we may not be able to see Him right now, His stimulus package lets me know that He’s not finished giving life more abundantly.

I’m not guilty. I’m more than a conqueror. I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. I don’t have to worry about tomorrow. I have been bought with a price. I am redeemed. I have hope when it seems all hope is gone. He said He will never leave you.

John writes all this down for good reason – so that you may believe who Jesus is, and that by believing you may have life in His Name.

Believing the evidence has spiritual consequences – Stir The Emotions, Inform The Mind, And Bend The Will

Mary has to go and tell others. Go and share it.” When Jesus asked these questions ‘Why’ and ‘Who’ in verse 15 , Mary was so determined. I will carry him back to His Grave, if only you will tell me where they have laid Him!

Jesus does not want us to carry around a dead Christ. God wants us to tell people that Jesus Christ is Risen and Alive.

There are so many people who do not know that this really happened. It is not just that they don’t believe. They have never had it all explained to them by people who know it to be true.

In our passage we see how Jesus comes to the sorrowing – to those who may have questions or even doubts – to those who may feel broken by past failures .

“Loving God – gracious Father – as we take time to remember some of the lessons which flow from the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead – hear us as we pray for those who do not know that Jesus is risen and alive – and for those who may find it hard to believe and accept – we pray that the Holy Spirit will take these truths and open blind eyes and closed minds and hard hearts – in Jesus Name. Amen.”

"Refreshment in Refuge" from Gina Burgess

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