The Empty Tomb & Rising Purpose

Well, we've been moving through a familiar part of the scripture, kind of making our way to the end, really.

We've been at this for the last three years, working through the Gospel of John, and now we're coming closer to the finish line.

Pastor Knoyer will be finishing things up for us next week, so I want to encourage you to come and to hear kind of the concluding thoughts

of the Gospel of John and to be encouraged as we end this chapter of our study in the life of Christ.

But as we've been working through and thinking about the resurrection narrative and the resurrection appearances,

we've gotten to see that there are significant implications to our lives.

The empty tomb does have practical implications to us personally.

It changes things for us.

It really helps to set a new trajectory for life, give us a rising faith and rising hope and rising peace.

And this morning, I want to look at the fact that the empty tomb gives us a rising purpose.

There is purposefulness.

There is purposefulness.

There is direction.

There is a plan that God has for your life.

And it is through the empty tomb that we can experience and take part in God's purpose for the world.

You ever felt directionless?

You ever been in a situation where you've wondered where to go or essentially what path to take, what big decision to make?

Well, maybe on a smaller scale, I'm remembering in my own life the one thing that kind of sets me off,

the one thing that really irritates me the most is being without a sense of direction.

And I'm remembering, I hate being lost.

It's like, it's one of those things that drives me crazy.

And my carnality comes out when I'm lost.

I don't think I'm like a typical male that just has fun kind of finding his own way.

And I have to know where I am.

I have to ask for directions.

And I want to know how to get there because that end destination is where I want to be.

Maybe one of the experiences that kind of added to the anxiety in my own heart when it comes to being lost,

what happened back in Los Angeles,

and I was trying to help a friend of mine who was visiting from another country get to the airport.

Now, that would have been no problem if he was taking off from LAX because I lived close to LAX.

I'd been there several times.

And so getting there and back was no problem at all.

But he wanted to go to an airport that was north of the city.

I lived south of the city.

So I had to actually go through the city in order to get there.

And I had never been there before.

So I had no idea how long it was going to take,

no idea how to get there.

And this was the age before Google Maps.

Okay?

That kind of dates me a little bit.

It was the age before smartphones.

And so our Google Maps was called the Thomas Guide.

And a Thomas Guide is a collection of maps,

really one gigantic map that's separated into 400 pages.

So if you can envision a map that is then pieced out into 8.5 by 11 sheets,

and then you kind of have to flip through and find the right page.

It does have an index at the back.

But navigating your way through that book took a little bit of experience.

And so if you can imagine going from top to bottom on the map,

from left to right on the map,

the pages, if you're going west, you turn to the right.

If you're going, excuse me, going east, you turn to the right.

Going west, you turn to the left.

If you're going south, you have to turn to a page closer to the end of the book.

And it is impossible if you're driving.

So you must have a navigator.

And I happen to have a premier scientist in the car,

but the fact that he only knew Russian was a little bit of a difficulty.

So here we are with a time crunch

and knowing that he's got to be at the airport in like 20 minutes.

And the traffic is nuts in the center of Los Angeles,

and we are lost.

Like, I don't know which freeway to take next,

and I don't know how to get there.

So, wow.

That was not a happy moment for me.

And unfortunately, poor Raphael didn't get to see

the best side of Christ in the car that day.

But anxiety continues.

In terms of being lost.

I cannot stand being lost.

There's a sense of needing to know direction.

Wanting to know the destination.

Wanting to have a plan.

Wanting to know where I am in the course of things

and how to get to the final destination.

And I think that the same applies to life.

That in life, we want to have a sense of purpose and direction in life.

We want to know where we're going.

We want to have a plan for the future.

We want to know what's coming.

We want to be able to anticipate those next steps.

We like purposefulness.

And yet, if we were to really take an inventory of our past,

of the times of growing up,

we would have to admit that there are definitely seasons of life

that although we like direction and purpose,

there are seasons of life we would like to have a redo.

That there are seasons of life we would like to do again

because we realize that we didn't have the kind of purpose and direction we really wanted.

We were maybe piddling away some hours or even some months or even years that go by.

And there's a sense of regret because as you look at those years,

you say, I could have done so much more.

There could have been so much more that could have been accomplished

if I'd have just kept in mind the purpose that God had for my life.

I want to redo.

I want to restart on those things.

Well, this passage that we're going to look at this morning

will help us see how Jesus is trying to hit the restart button for the disciples.

He wants to give them a renewed sense of focus and direction for the future.

They had kind of reverted back to some of the old ways of life.

And Jesus wanted to help them recognize that the calling that he had given to them

was a calling that was going to change everything for their future.

And it came as a result of the resurrection.

It came as a result of his work on the cross and rising from the dead,

giving them new purpose and new identity.

So if you will, please turn with me to John chapter 20.

John 20 · chapter mention

We're going to finish what we started last week.

And we're going to hopefully make it through to what I have in mind for this week in John chapter 21.

John 21 · chapter mention

The two go well together.

They really do fit together.

It's probably of the Lord that we're dealing with these in one take

because I want you to see the connection between peace and purpose.

The purpose that God gives to us,

the purpose that Jesus commissions us with,

is anchored in the peace that he offers.

There is no purpose in life without the peace of Christ reigning and ruling in your heart.

We looked at peace last week.

It was a peace that had direct application to your life

and helping to overcome fear and helping you with doubt.

And we're going to see that again this morning just as kind of a refresher.

But it's not a peace that we're to hoard.

If we're going to be people who are following the example of Christ,

we're going to be people who are offering peace to the world.

After all, Jesus says,

My peace I leave with you.

My peace I give to you.

If we're going to follow Christ's example of being peace people,

we need to have his peace so we can convey his peace to the world.

Peace that Jesus came to offer.

Peace that he wants us to experience personally.

And so that's my point, the first point this morning.

The point is that the purpose that we have springs from peace.

The purpose that we have in this life springs from peace.

We see that in John 20, verses 19 to 29.

John 20:19–29

Let me read a portion of these verses for us just to refresh our memories.

Beginning in verse 19.

It says,

Jesus said to them again,

Verse 24.

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the twin, was not with them.

When Jesus came, so the other disciples told him,

We have seen the Lord.

But he said to them,

Unless I see his hands,

the mark of the nails,

and place my finger into the mark of the nails,

and place my hand into his side,

I will never believe.

Eight days later,

his disciples were inside again,

and Thomas was with them.

Although the doors were locked,

Jesus came and stood among them,

and said,

Peace be with you.

The first thing I want you to notice in this passage this morning is,

is where does peace come from?

I want you to see that peace comes from Christ.

Peace comes from Christ.

Notice that Jesus is the one to initiate peace

three times in this passage.

We see it there in verse 19,

Peace be with you.

In verse 21,

Peace be with you.

And in verse 26,

Peace be with you.

Jesus repeats this phrase,

not only as a greeting to them,

but to help initiate,

and convey the peace of God to them.

It's a peace that comes from him,

and through him.

He had promised a couple of evenings before

that he would give them peace eventually.

Peace I leave with you,

he says.

My peace I give to you.

And on the night that Jesus,

before he was crucified,

if the disciples knew anything

that was going to happen

in the next few hours,

they would have thought,

there is no way that peace

is possible in a moment like this.

And yet the greatest peace

that we could ever experience

come or came through

the greatest difficulty

that had ever been experienced.

Jesus was going to convey peace to them

because of the work on the cross

and his resurrection.

As Paul so well says

in Romans chapter 5, 1,

Romans 5 · chapter mention

Therefore, having been justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

If you are experiencing peace today

because of a relationship with Jesus Christ,

because of forgiveness from sin,

and because of cleansing of your sin,

it is because of Christ's work in your life.

His work on the cross

and his work of resurrection

that gives you the opportunity

to enjoy and experience

the peace that only comes from him.

They experience this peace momentarily.

Their hearts are glad.

But Jesus wanted them to experience

peace in an enduring way.

Peace that would transcend the moment

and would move into the future.

He wanted them to understand

that the identity that he gave to them

was an identity that was connected to peace.

Identity that came because

of a new relationship with God the Father.

Relationship with Christ

as now their brother.

not just a slave

and not just a servant

and not just a friend

but more.

A brother.

And it was an identity

that commissioned them

to something more as well.

That's why they're connected here

in mission

as you see

in verse

21 here.

Peace I leave with you

as the Father has sent me

even so I

am sending you.

Now that we're connected

in identity

we're also connected

in purpose.

It comes through

the conduit of peace.

Now Jesus came

to bring peace

in the world.

We see that

through the testimony

of his entire life.

It is evident

even from the time

he was born.

Remember the angels

showed up

and what is their announcement

to the shepherds?

What do they say

to the shepherds?

They say glory

to God

in the highest

and on earth

peace

goodwill

towards men.

It was also evident

when Jesus

sent his disciples

out on their

mission experience.

He tells them

in Luke chapter 10

Luke 10 · chapter mention

whenever you go

into a city

I want you to mark out

certain individuals

and we saw this

in our neighboring study

earlier in this year

that the thing

that they were supposed

to look for

and the thing

that they were supposed

to say is

peace be with you.

Remember that?

And it says

that if a son

of peace is there

then your peace

will rest on it.

If it's not

then it will return

to you.

It was also evident

in the triumphal entry

as the throngs

of individuals

lined the way

and celebrated

the triumphal entry

of Christ.

the crowds

cried out

blessed is the king

who comes

in the name

of the Lord

peace in heaven

and glory

in the highest.

Christ came

to offer peace.

Peace

with God.

And you cannot

experience

true

enduring peace

apart from him.

If you want

peace this morning

you need to know

Jesus.

peace.

He is

the God

of peace.

And those

who are

who are

identified

with Christ

those who are

connected to Christ

because of salvation

now have a commission

to be messengers

!

of peace

to the world.

We see this

in at least a couple

of different places

in Romans chapter 10

Romans 10 · chapter mention

remember

the apostle Paul

says

how beautiful

are the feet

of those

who preach

the gospel

of peace.

and then

in Ephesians

he says

have your feet

fitted

with the

preparation

of the gospel

of peace.

Those who

are in Christ

must be people

who are

dominated

infused

with the peace

of Christ

so that they

can fulfill

the purpose

in conveying

that peace

to the world.

Peace comes

from Christ.

Christ

but here

in our

story

our narrative

in this passage

we see that

peace comes

in two specific

ways.

It comes

and helps

override

the various

hurdles

in the lives

of these

disciples.

First

it comes

and overrides

the hurdle

of fear

peace

for those

who fear.

We looked

at that a little

last week.

We find

the disciples

that they're

hiding together

in the upper

room.

There's

a pretty

good reason

from a human

perspective

for them

to be

cowering

in fear.

After all

the word

on the street

is that it

was the

disciples

who had

actually

stolen

the body

of Christ.

It was

the disciples

who apparently

robbed

the tomb

and it's

their fault

that the

body of

Christ

wasn't there

after all.

That's

what the

scribes

and the

Pharisees

paid

the Roman

guards

to say.

So if

you're a

disciple

at this

point

you know

what

happened

to the

leader

Christ

and you

know

what the

potential

implications

are for

you.

Now that

you are a

threat to

the religious

leaders

and now

that you

have been

a rebel

against the

Roman

authorities

who were

guarding

that tomb

now you've

put yourself

in a place

that was a

little

threatening.

And so

here they are

they're tucked

away in

this upper

room with

doors locked

cowering

in fear.

Huddling

together

wondering

what will

happen.

Here they

are on the

evening of

the resurrection.

Now there

were already

several reports

of Jesus'

appearance

among them.

There had

just been a

couple of

disciples that

had shown up.

They came

back from

Emmaus

seven and a

half miles

away.

they tracked

down these

disciples in

the upper

room.

They obviously

knocked on

the door

were given

permission to

enter and

they had

just recounted

their story.

They had

just told

these disciples

and those

that had

gathered

together in

this room

that they

had met

Jesus that

day.

They had

walked with

him on

the road.

They had

eaten a

meal with

him and

then he

vanished.

And as

soon as

they finished

their report

Jesus shows

up through

locked doors.

And there

he is in

the midst

of them.

There he

is showing

to them his

hands and

his side.

There he

is reassuring

them and

offering them

peace.

Jesus

intends to

ease their

fears.

He comes

to give

them peace.

peace.

But as

we find

one of

the eleven

Thomas

wasn't in

the room.

Thomas

wasn't there

for whatever

reason and

even though

he had

heard

first hand

reports of

all of

these

eyewitnesses

that Jesus

had shown

up he

makes a

strong demand.

He will

not believe.

I will

never

believe he

says.

And that's

where Jesus

shows up

again.

We find

that peace

not only

comes for

those who

fear but

peace comes

for those

who doubt

in verses

24 to

29.

This

dramatic

statement

by Thomas

I will

never

believe is

preceded by

two negative

particles.

There are

two expressions

in the Greek

language that

essentially give

the connotation

this is never

going to

happen.

There aren't

any exceptions

except for

what I've

just given.

My mind

is made

up.

I will

not believe

unless these

conditions are

met.

Unless Jesus

meets my

demands.

So what

are his

demands?

We find

them there

in verse

25.

I need

to see

his hands

the marks

of the nails.

I need

to place

my finger

into the

mark

of the

nails

and place

my hand

into his

side

where I

will never

believe.

I don't

just need

to see

the physical

evidence.

I need

to know

he's not

just a

figment

of my

imagination.

I need

to ram

my finger

right into

those holes

in his

hands.

I need

to jab

my fist

into the

hole of

his side.

This is

brutal

language.

This is

dramatic

language.

This is

strong

language

that Thomas

is using.

These are

my conditions

and these

are my

demands.

I won't

have it

any other

way.

And here

Jesus

shows up

again

eight days

later.

And instead

of rebuking

Thomas

as all

of us

would probably

feel inclined

to do,

Jesus is

willing to

accommodate

his demands.

Jesus is

willing to

do whatever

it takes

to move

Thomas from

faithlessness

into faith.

To overcome

his doubt.

So Jesus

comes into

the room

and he

offers his

hands to

Thomas.

Go ahead

Thomas.

Go ahead

do what you

need to do.

Go ahead

put your

fingers right

into those

wounds.

Here's

my side

Thomas.

Go ahead

put your

hand into

my side.

Whatever

it takes

Thomas

I'm

willing to

overcome

your doubt.

The

mercy

of

Christ

in his

willingness

to accommodate

to condescend

to Thomas's

stubborn

demands.

God

But

because of

Thomas's

doubt

we

have

even

more

evidence

of the

fact

that

Jesus

was

flesh

and

blood.

He

was

physically

present.

But

Thomas

without

having to

follow

through

on any

of his

demands

when he

sees

Christ

show up

he

makes

this

significant

statement

here.

He

says

in verse

28

he

answers

my

Lord

and my

God.

Perhaps

there is

no

clearer

or more

direct

statement

in all

of the

gospel

records

to

Jesus's

identity

in terms

of

divinity.

You

are

God

not

just

the

Son

of

God

but

you

are

God

in

the

flesh.

I

affirm

that

I

commend

that

to

the

rest

of

my

fellow

disciples

I

know

that

to

be

true

for

myself

you

are

my

Lord

and

my

God

and

Jesus

does

not

deny

it.

Jesus

does

not

correct

it

because

it

was

true

and

we

find

in

Thomas'

heart

that

doubt

has

given

way

to

faith

that

stubbornness

has

given

way

to

surrender

that

skepticism

has

given

way

to

sight

in

his

life.

Thomas

has

come

to

a

place

of

peace

a

place

of

faith

and

confidence

in

who

Jesus

is.

And

now

they're

ready

to

move

to

the

next

step.

Now

that

they've

experienced

the

peace

of

God

now

they

can

move

to

purpose.

Where

will

purpose

come?

What

will

that

purpose

be?

And

that's

where

we

find

ourselves

in

this

next

account

in

chapter

21.

Let me

read just

that first

verse

for you

and set

the stage

for where

we are

now in

this

narrative.

No longer

in Jerusalem

but now

in Galilee

on the

Sea of

Galilee.

It says

in

chapter

21

verse

1

after

this

Jesus

revealed

himself

again

to

the

disciples

by

the

Sea

of

Tiberias.

Sea

of

Tiberias

is

just

another

name

for

the

Sea

of

Galilee.

But

here

they

are

now

miles

away

from

Jerusalem

and

several

days

journey

that

has

now

taken

them

up

to

this

new

location.

The

place

of

their

origins.

The

place

where

many

of

them

or

most

of

them

had

grown

up.

Maybe

with

the

exception

of

Judas

Iscariot.

But

all

the

other

disciples

would

be

not

only

familiar

with

this

area

but

have

actually

grown

up

in

this

place.

And

Jesus

here

wants

to

emphasize

that

their

purpose

will

come

out

of

understanding

the

emptiness

of

their

former

life.

Purpose

that

exposes

the

emptiness

of

their

former

lives.

That's

our

point

number

two.

Why

Galilee?

Jesus

had

something

to

show

them.

Jesus

had

something

to

illustrate.

He

had

something

for

them

to

know.

That

there

was

something

new,

something

different

about

their

lives.

And

so

he

calls

them

back

to

a

place

they

were

familiar

with.

He

calls

them

back

to

Galilee

so

they

can

recognize

why

they

exist,

what

their

purpose

is.

And

it's

a

purpose

that

exposes

the

emptiness

of

their

former

life.

Joey,

if you

can help

me with

that,

that's

point

number

two.

Thank you.

God

to

God

to

Galilee.

Now

this

was

not

a

whimsical

trip.

This

was

not

just

some

sort

of

impulse

in

the

disciples

and

they

decided,

hey,

things are

not so

good

here in

Jerusalem,

how about

we go

to

Galilee?

No,

this was

in direct

obedience

to what

Jesus had

already told

them to

do

on

several

occasions.

in

Matthew

Matthew 26 · chapter mention

chapter

26.

Why don't

you keep

your finger

there in

John

John 21 · chapter mention

chapter

21.

Turn

with me

to

Matthew

26

and

you'll

see

this

for

yourself.

Matthew

Matthew 26:32

26

verse

32.

Actually,

let's back

up to

verse

31.

It

says,

When

the

Son of

Man

comes

in

glory

and

all

the

angels

with

him,

then

he

will

sit

on

his

glorious

throne.

Excuse

me,

that's

25.

I need

to

get

to

26.

Again,

we'll

start

at

verse

31.

Then

Jesus

said

to

them,

you

will

all

fall

away

because

of

me

this

night.

For

it

is

written,

I

will

strike

the

shepherd

and

the

sheep

of

the

flock

will

be

scattered.

But

after

I'm

raised,

I

will

go

before

you

to

Galilee.

If you

turn over

a page

to

chapter

28,

Matthew

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

chapter

28,

notice

in

verse

16.

Now,

the

eleven

disciples

went to

Galilee,

to the

mountain

to which

Jesus

had

directed

them.

This

was

intentional.

This

was a

direct

response

to

obedience

to

Christ's

command.

Go

to

Galilee.

Galilee.

And

then

if

you

remember,

the

women

who

had

heard

the

announcement

from

the

angels

were

told

to

go

back

and

tell

the

disciples

that

they

were

going

to

find

Jesus

in

Galilee.

Go

there.

Go

to

where

Jesus

is.

He's

in

Galilee.

That's

actually

in

Matthew

Matthew 28:7

28,

verse

7.

Go

quickly.

Tell

his

disciples

that

he's

risen

And

indeed

he

is

going

before

you

into

Galilee.

There

you

will

see

him.

Behold,

I

have

told

you.

And

so,

here

they

are

in

Galilee

on

the

sea

of

Galilee

and

lo and

behold

Jesus

shows

up.

This

is

where

we

find

Jesus

and

this

is

where

we

find

the

disciples.

But

why

Galilee?

Because

they were

eventually

going to

find their

way back

to

Jerusalem,

remember?

This

is

where

Jesus

was

going

to

ascend

to

heaven.

This

is

where

Jesus

was

going

to

tell

them

to

wait

for

the

promised

Holy

Spirit.

Why

the trip

up to

Galilee?

It

doesn't

seem to

make

sense.

Why

the

extra

traveling?

What

is the

point

of

all

of

this?

I

think

one

of

the

points

of

this

is

this

was

the

place

of

origins.

This

was

the

place

where

they

had

come

from.

There

was

strong

evidence

!

That

every

one

of

the

several

day

trip

for

them

to

get

to

Galilee.

And

so

this

appearance

of

Christ

to

them

would

have

been

at

least

a

week

later.

Having

seen

them

on

the

first

day,

the

resurrection

day,

then

seeing

them

eight

days

later

with

Thomas,

and

now

probably

another

week

later

now

that

they're

in

Galilee.

As

we

find

in

verse

14

of

John

John 21 · chapter mention

chapter

21.

If

you're

not

in

John

again,

we

find

this

was

now

the

third

time

that

Jesus

was

revealed

to

the

disciples

after

he

was

raised.

Jesus

shows up

to them

now a

third

time.

He

has

kind

of

popped

in

and

out

of

their

lives.

It's

not

been

something

that's

been

regular

or

consistent.

Jesus

has

just

shown

up

out

of

the

blue.

And

here

he

is

again

showing

up

at

the

shore

of

the

Sea

of

Galilee.

This is

a

third

witness

to

Jesus'

resurrection.

And so

what do we

find them

doing?

Well,

they're not

only in

Galilee,

but notice

what comes

next in

verses

2 and

3.

We find

that

Simon

Peter,

Thomas

called

the

twin,

Nathaniel

of

Cana

of

Galilee,

the

sons

of

Zebedee,

and

two

others

of

his

disciples

were

together.

Simon

Peter

said

to

them,

I

am

going

fishing.

And

they

said to

him,

we'll

go with

you.

And

they

went

out

and

got

into

the

boat,

but

that

night

they

caught

nothing.

Now,

they have

been told

very

emphatically

by Jesus

that just

as the

Father has

sent me,

so I'm

sending

you.

That

should

have

been

very

ingrained

in their

mind.

And

having

seen

the

ministry

of

Jesus,

they

knew

what

to

expect.

They

knew

what

that

ministry,

that

calling

looked

like.

They

knew

what

that

sending

would

comprise.

Jesus

had

sent

them

on

at

least

two

different

occasions

to be

missionaries.

He told

them what

to say.

He told

them where

to go.

He told

them what

to take.

He told

them how

to respond

to the

various

people

that they

would be

confronted

with.

And yet

here

they are