John
20:1-31
What Kind
of Witness?
Easter
Sunday
4/5/2015
Lynchburg,
Virginia
EXHORDIUM
Jesus
Christ is risen from the dead. We rejoice in this day above all others for in
it, the Lord gained the victory over sin and death. We rise with Him on this
day, having had our sins nailed to the cross and being raised and justified in
the Resurrection of our Lord.
We know these things to be true for we
have read them in the Word of God and have received in ourselves the testimony
of the Holy Spirit.
But it is not simply a subjective
knowledge that we possess. We have made a connection to God and we are sure of
this but our certainty is not from ourselves. We have put our faith in the
authority and the experience of others.
Granted, we could not even do that if the
Lord had not freely given us His Spirit whereby we see and hear the things of
God. It is true that these things are spiritually discerned. But we sometimes
make our knowledge too difficult to obtain. If we cannot fully realize the
truth in our own minds by the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit, then we
simply will not be convinced.
But there is a simpler and more
reliable way than trying to figure out the subtle movements of the Spirit in
our own hearts. The way that God has given us to know is through witnesses,
what the Bible calls martyrs. Martyrs are simply those who witness for the
faith. That word has come to mean those who die in their belief and testimony
to the truth of Christ. This is fine but originally the word simply meant those
who witness the truth.
This morning I want to look at several
Bible characters to see how they reacted to Jesus. How did they exhibit their
faith in Him? What was their response? In doing so, it is helpful for us to
identify with them. We, too, are called to be witnesses. We are called to
testify of the glory of God in Christ. We are called to testify about God’s
story and His plan for His kingdom.
So, which witness are you? What kind of
faith do you exhibit as you embrace Christ crucified and Christ resurrected?
Will we stake our lives and faith on the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ or will we make peace with Christ’s enemies,
refusing to upset them, afraid of their persecution, cowed by their seeming
authority, even refusing to save them by proclamation of the truth?
We must choose to be bold witnesses of
the truth of Jesus. We do this foremost in recognizing that He is indeed Lord,
that He died because men are sinners, that He was innocent of any crimes and
thus the Father vindicated Him in His death and raised Him from the dead.
Furthermore, we embrace the truth that He did
this not only for us but for all His people everywhere, whoever will hear and
submit themselves to the Lord Jesus. This is good news.
EXEGESIS
Let
us look at a number of witnesses to Jesus’s death and Resurrection and see how
they responded to Him. I understand this is somewhat unfair. No one can believe
in Jesus without first receiving His Spirit. The Holy Spirit was poured out in
power at Pentecost and that is the occasion for strong belief in the power of
the living Jesus.
But we can relate to various witnesses
and the way they respond to Jesus. Some of them had faith and some did not. We
who have the Spirit have reason to respond in great faith.
Before the Resurrection
1. The unbelieving thief
on the cross
Luke 23:39And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him,
saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
Do
you doubt Jesus’s power? His ability to save?
2. The believing thief
on the cross
Luke 23: 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying,
Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly;
for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing
amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when
thou comest into thy kingdom.
This man was truly a believer, perhaps the first
real believer. In the face of death, in the face of the death of Jesus, he did
not doubt that Jesus was still receiving a kingdom. He was the first one to get
it that Jesus was both going to die and was advancing a kingdom. He either
believed that Jesus would somehow escape this predicament and reign as King or
that He would rise from the dead. If so, he was the first one to positively
believe this to be true.
How is your faith compared to this? When you
look at Jesus, is your faith kindled to believe beyond your own present
desperate circumstance? Do you believe Jesus cares about your situation and
will remember you? Are you willing to ask? Do you trust Him to be as kind as He
is?
Two thieves, one on his right, the other on his
left. One believed and one was unbelieving. One was stuck on the cross, dead in
his sins, the other was raised to life with Jesus. The thief on the cross is an
example of great faith. Look beyond the circumstances and see Jesus for who He
is, and believe that He is the rewarder of those that seek Him and put their
trust in Him.
3. The centurion who
witnessed the death of Jesus.
Luke 23:44 And it was
about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the
ninth hour. 45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the
temple was rent in the midst. 46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he
said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave
up the ghost. 47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he
glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
Here
is another man of faith. Not only that, He is Gentile enemy who believes in
Jesus and is turned into a friend. It is amazing that a man who was just
persecuting the Lord, now repents to give God the glory in the death of Jesus.
Have you seen God do marvels? Even in
something so horrible as death? Is your response to give God the glory? When
you are opposed to Jesus in your actions, can you quickly be humbled and submit
yourself to Him?
4. All the people and
the women who watched
Luke
23:48 And all the people
that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote
their breasts, and returned. 49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that
followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.
These
people seem to go away in deep regret. We were wrong. We cast insults at Him
but He really was a righteous man. God really was pleased with Him. But there
is nothing we can do now. He is dead on the cross. Our hopes of forgiveness and
reconciliation are dashed. He was good man but He has failed and we have failed
Him.
When you look at Jesus, do you have
deep regret that you do not measure up to Him? Is this sense of failure
debilitating to you? Or, can you look beyond the cross and your sins that nailed
Him to it and see, with Jesus, the joy of Resurrection? Does the cross bring you hope of forgiveness, release from
guilt and shame, joy at the freedom of forgiven sin?
Do not get stuck lamenting your sins and
failures. That won’t do. The cross and Resurrection mean forgiveness and life.
No time for smiting the breast of regret.
5. The women at the
cross
Mary, the mother of Jesus, Salome, Mary, the wife of Cleopas
and mother of James and Joses
These
were close disciples of Jesus, who both watched Him die and rushed to the tomb
when He was buried. They loved Jesus greatly but their minds and hearts were
not open to hope beyond the grave.
Have you been close to Jesus as you
served Him only to find yourself far away, looking on a distance? What is the
reason for that distance? It is present troubles? Is it a sense of your own
unworthiness to approach Jesus? Is it unbelief that He will receive you? Or
deal with your present trouble? Is it disappointment in Him, that He has chosen
this course of suffering and death that has caused separation? Do you believe
in His wise providence and counsel and the truth that there is life after death
and life after life after death? Does this truth give you hope to approach
Jesus, not only in His sufferings on the cross but in His glorification in
Resurrection? Do not tarry there at a distance gazing at Jesus. Come close.
Believe. He will receive you.
6. Pontias Pilate
Washed
his hands of the blood of Jesus. He could not wash away his guilt so easily. He
was guilty. He was twice guilty because, like the Pharisees, he seemed to
believe that Jesus was who He said He was. He did not want to kill Jesus. But
he was afraid of the mob. He was afraid of losing his position. He was afraid
of Caesar.
We sometimes make Pilate out to be a
monster but we have our own political monsters, refusing to support Jesus
because the cost is too high. We, ourselves can identify with this truth. We
distance ourselves from Jesus because the cost of knowing Him and serving Him
is to be committed to death on the cross for sinners and Resurrection from the
dead. Two truths that seem to fly in the face of earthly wisdom. But there they
are. Will you embrace the cross? Will you bet your life and your afterlife on
the Resurrection? Or, will you side with those who find these truths utterly
unreasonable? The cost of serving Jesus is death. The reward is life. Pontias
knew half of this. We know the rest.
7. Mary Magdalene
From
whom seven devils were cast.
Mark 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.
Waited
by cross with other women, even after the men folk had scattered as it is
written
Matt. 26:31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended
because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered
abroad.
She loved much because she was forgiven much. Mary
had seven demons cast from her. Her hope was lost and therefore she could not
see. And yet she still remained. She waited on the Lord, even in death, even in
hopelessness. Mary Magdalene was a faithful witness and the Lord repaid her,
visiting her first among all the disciples.
Mary
Magdalene is the first of the disciples to see the empty tomb. From her
reaction we realize that she had not come to the tomb in anticipation but
rather in the despair and hopelessness. She wanted to see the dead body of
Jesus not the living Jesus. She assumes that someone has taken away the body. Because
she could only imagine the dead Jesus, she could not see the live Jesus.
But
she was a devoted and faithful disciple. She loved Jesus and was devoted to Him
in life and death, as were the other women, the three Marys and Salome.
John
20:11 But Mary stood without at
the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked
into the sepulchre, 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. 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.
14 And
when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and
knew not that it was Jesus.
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.
16 Jesus saith unto her,
Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say,
Master. 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. 18 Mary Magdalene came and
told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken
these things unto her.
This
happened after Peter and John had arrived at the tomb and then went back home.
They did not look for the Lord but neither did they wait. Mary waited, weeping
and the Lord rewarded her. She did not immediately recognize the Lord. He was
different and yet the same. But when she expected a dead Jesus she was not
prepared to see a live Jesus. Your expectations have a great deal to do with
what you see.
When she returns with this good report the
disciples do not believe her. John could have supported her, since he was
presumably now a believer but his Thunder had failed him and he was
unconvincing.
8. Peter- runs to the tomb but
does not believe
9. John- runs to the tomb and
believes but is not a powerful witness.
10. Thomas- a doubter, a skeptic, a
scientist.
Thomas refused to believe until he had touched
the Lord. He considered this a virtue. He was a skeptic. Hard to convince. Sort
of a scientist at heart. But the Lord upbraids him for his slowness of belief.
Jesus was kind to him and showed up again for Thomas to see and touch him and
believe. But you can no longer be saved if you are such a doubting Thomas.
Jesus is not going to show up and let you touch his hands and side. Such a
Thomas will be damned. All men are required to believe the testimony of the
Scriptures and the witnesses to the faith, those who have believed without
seeing the Lord. In order to see this way, you have to repent of your virtues.
EXHORTATION
30 And many other signs
truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this
book: 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.
Luke 24:45 Then opened he their
understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 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: 47 And that repentance and
remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning
at Jerusalem. 48 And
ye are witnesses of these things. 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father
upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power
from on high.
What Kind of Witness are
You?
Jesus
has both died and risen. We are called to believe both and to tell about it.
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