Sermon Cloud

Scripture Reading; Psalm 16

Today we will see the proof of who Jesus really is. As we look at the 20^th chapter of John's Gospel we will see Jesus' vindication as last time we saw His dishonor.

• Please notice the way in which John relates this part of the story,

• Not in a miraculous show of power.

• Not in some mystic enigma.

• but as basic facts of his personal experience.

• Those who claim that this is just another myth disregard the way that myths are generally constructed.

• This is without a doubt intended by the author to be received as an historical narrative.

• John 19:35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.

• Likewise he ends this chapter with the word's “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; (31) but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:30-31)

• Luke believed this as he opens the book of the Acts of the Apostles with these words, “Acts 1:1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, (2) until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, (3) to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”

• 1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (4) and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, (5) and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. (6) After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. (7) After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. (8) Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

The Bible recognizes this as an historical fact. Here is the beginning of John's testimony;

John 20:1 Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. (2) Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." (3) Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. (4) So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. (5) And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. (6) Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, (7) and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. (8) Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. (9) For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

• Here is the beginning of faith that still needs to be better informed.

• Peter and John come to the tomb at the request of Mary Magdalene because Jesus' body is missing.

• Some critics claim it was the wrong tomb...

• Mary, Peter and John, The Jews and Roman soldiers too?

• Coming to the tomb where the large stone had bee rolled away.

• Seeing it empty.

• John 19:41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.

• No mistaking who was missing then...

• Looking in and then entering they saw some evidence that indicated that the body was not taken by someone.

• The grave cloths were still there though the body was missing.

• John 19:39 And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. 40 Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.

• A grave robber would not leave the wrappings behind.

• If you had to lift a corpse wouldn't you rather have it wrapped in cloth rather than have to actually touch it?

• The cloth was on His face was was as John puts it like a handkerchief and was neatly folded and set aside.

• Grave robbers don't do things like that!

• The disciples if they were able to get past the 16 soldiers, move the large stone and get to the body certainly would not have taken the time to unwrap in before taking it if they were going to try and pull a fast one.

• Another note here, There is not mention of a shroud.

• A cloth that covers the head and body together.

• John Calvin - When the Evangelist says, that a napkin was wrapped about his head, this refutes the falsehood of the Papists, who pretend that the whole body was sewed up in one linen garment, which they hold out to the wretched populace, calling it “the holy winding-sheet.” I say nothing about their gross ignorance of the Latin language, which led them to suppose that the word napkin — denoting what was used for wiping the sweat from the face, such as a handkerchief, signified a covering for the whole body; nor do I say any thing about their impudence in boasting that they have this very napkin in five or six different places. But this gross falsehood is intolerable, because it openly contradicts the evangelical history. To this is added a fabulous miracle, which they have contrived, to this effect, that the likeness of Christ’s body continued to be visible in the linen cloth. I appeal to you, if such a miracle had been wrought, would nothing have been said about it by the Evangelist, who is so careful to relate events which were not of so great importance? Let us be satisfied with this simple view of the matter, that Christ, by laying aside the tokens of death, intended to testify that he had clothed himself with a blessed and immortal life.

• This evidence was enough for John; Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.

John 20:10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. (11) But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. (12) And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. (13) Then they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." (14) Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. (15) Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away." (16) Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher). (17) Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.' "

• Faith is increasing with evidence.

• Where we see that John has seen the evidence of the open and empty tomb and the grave cloths and is said to believe.

• Now Mary Magdalene has heard the Lord call her by name and is clinging to Him.

• Imagine someone whom you love returning from the dead.

• That would be a hug!

• She probably thought that He had returned to reign already.

• Now her faith results in telling to others what she has experienced.

John 20:18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her. (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, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you." (20) When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

• Finally the evidence is complete to the group and the disciples rejoice.

• Glad is, I think, an understatement.

John 20:21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." (22) And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. (23) If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (24) Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. (25) The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."

• Thomas has to be the empiricist...

• The testimony of all of his friends is not enough.

• This thing is too incredible!

• So what can we say to those who are not accepting the testimony of the apostles today?

John 20:26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" (27) Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." (28) And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"

• And now with the greatest evidence comes the greatest profession of faith!

• My Lord and my God!

• And we see that the evidence has advanced in stages as the disciples have encountered;

1. The open and empty tomb with the grave cloths still in it.

2. A face to face greeting with the resurrected Jesus

3. An invitation to touch the wounds that had killed Him.

• But is it bare evidence that has convinced these people?

• John says in verse 9, “For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.”

• There is more to seeing something than just seeing it.

• There is seeing that it is in accord with the Word of God.

• Jesus had told His disciples several times that He would rise from the dead.

• John 2:19 Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." 20 Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?" 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

• As we look back over the course of history and see what the result of this event was, what is our response to it?

• Further evidence in prophetic statements of the Old Testament about Jesus came to pass at that time.

• Isaiah 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. 9 And they made His grave with the wicked-- But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. 11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

• This prophecy continues to be fulfilled as people believe the message of the Apostles, of John and Gospel.

• His grave was assigned with the wicked and yet He ended up in a brand new tomb in a nice garden, a rich man's tomb.

• But even as His soul was an offering for sin, even now He looks upon the labor of His soul and is satisfied.

• Psalms 16:10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

• Jesus would die, but He would not remain and rot in a grave.

• Do you believe this?

John 20:29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

• And now here we are in the story...

• We have not seen Jesus personally.

• We have however heard His word and seen that it was accomplished even as He said.

• Our New Testament is by far the most reliable ancient book.

• It's history is corroborated in itself as it gives multiple accounts of this from different people.

• It is also attested in other ancient documents.

• But the most important question is whether you receive the testimony of the Holy Spirit

Because....

John 20:30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; (31) but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

• And so we see here that even with the disciples that the evidence was confirmed by the Word of the Lord.

• The disciples in turn wrote more of God's Word that we would hear it an believe.

• Romans 10:8 But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For "WHOEVER CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED." 14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, WHO BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS!" 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?" 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

This message is true and it has been proclaimed in your hearing this day.

• It is attested to by historical documentation in a most amazing way.

• It is attested to by God and by His Holy Spirit as the witness penned their accounts of it and have passed it down to us.

• It is attested to in the history of the world where the men who wrote these words gave their lives for them.