John 19:38-20:30

It's such a great reminder of the life that we have in Christ.

And I know we have a lot of visitors with us, so no matter what brought you today,

whether it was to check a religious box like Christmas, or maybe you were drug here by your family or your friends,

and you'd rather be somewhere else,

maybe just start going through the motions of,

I'm just here on Sunday, and this is just what we do, but your heart's really kind of cold

and just needs to be revived. I pray that God's Word would do that for you this morning.

And it's really interesting, when you read the Gospels,

a lot of the people that Jesus encounters, a lot of people that Jesus changes,

are people who seemingly run into Him by accident.

That wasn't a plan, it just sort of happened.

And Jesus changed them forever.

So no matter why you came today or why you're here,

perhaps there's more that lies in store for you than expected this Easter.

But I want to read over the story of the resurrection here in John

with the hope that it will have a great bearing on your soul today.

That as we read it, the Holy Spirit would use the Word of God

to convict you, to challenge you,

to awaken you to your need for a risen Savior in your life,

to remind those of us who do belong to Christ

that it's not just a Jesus of the past that we worship,

but one that's living, active, and who is returning one day.

But particularly, why is resurrection so important?

I kind of want to bring it to your attention

by confronting our greatest fear.

And that fear would be death.

The modern mood is to live life as if death was not waiting for us at the end.

We do all we can to ignore the thought of death, to avoid it.

A lot of us, like I said, we eat healthy, we exercise,

we try to sleep well, take medication, whatever it may be.

But not only can we not defeat death,

we just can't seem to escape it.

Everything around us, we live in a world that's just decaying before our eyes,

and we with it.

We can't really outrun death.

Death makes us uncomfortable because it makes us feel weak, vulnerable, and unable.

It confronts how small and how little our strength is.

But we are not very powerful at all.

So death is the enemy that wins at every turn.

No matter who we are, it catches us.

And some of us have been able to avoid it a lot of our lives.

As a young boy, I began being acquainted with the idea of death

as I've watched two of my great-grandparents die,

three of my grandparents, my uncle,

and then a couple years ago, my own father.

I'm thankful to say that all six of these people were believers in Christ.

That's why the hope we have of resurrection.

And so, as we confront the idea of death,

as we find ourselves running from it, avoiding it, ignoring it,

the Bible, unlike us, confronts it head-on.

It doesn't try to get around the issue at all.

If you read the earlier chapters of the book of Genesis,

right in the beginning of the Bible,

right after chapter 3, after the fall,

you'll see all these references, this phrase is just repeated,

and he died, and he died, and he died,

which was not a part of the original plan, right, of mankind.

But we, myself, and you, we have sinned and rebelled against God.

But have you ever stopped and thought about the question,

why death?

Like, why is death the answer or the consequence?

Don Carson, a guy I respect and appreciate a lot,

a pastor up in Canada, he wrote,

But why death?

And he said,

Death is God's limit on creatures whose sin is they want to be gods.

Death is God's limit on creatures whose sin is they want to be gods.

By death, we learn that we are mortal,

that we are not God at all.

Death is God's determination to set a limit

on the arrogance of man.

We think and live as if we were God.

Like, I will declare what's right.

I will live the way that I want to live,

regardless of what God says.

And in our own day, even just insane things,

where people think that they are God,

they can, like, declare

what's right from wrong,

declare what gender they are,

declare all sorts of manner of things

that just say that,

hey, I am omnipotent,

and I can decide what I want to do.

But death declares otherwise.

It says that we are not invincible.

We are mortal,

and we will taste death

because of sin.

We live our lives, right,

just thinking that we can somehow avoid it.

But death is something that man,

you and I included,

we have freely bought on ourselves.

You and I, right,

by our sin and rebellion against God.

And the Scripture speaks of physical death,

which we all will face, probably,

as well as, more importantly,

spiritual death.

Sin brought about spiritual death in us.

That's Ephesians chapter 2.

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

And so, this is why I want to confront

the idea of death today.

This is why resurrection is so important

to the life of the follower of Jesus.

And we're going to look at John's account.

All right?

But John was a disciple of Christ,

but he wasn't just an eyewitness.

He was a very close observer

of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

And he wrote in chapter 19, verse 35,

he says,

He who saw it has bore witness.

His testimony is true.

And he knows that he is telling the truth

that you may believe.

And earlier on,

if we want to just connect the dots here,

in chapter 19,

verses 1 through 37,

it speaks of the crucifixion of Jesus.

This is where,

it's more than just an innocent man

dying on a cross.

There is more than meets the eye.

In the spiritual realms,

Jesus is bearing the wrath of God,

standing in our place,

taking our punishment that we deserve,

and bearing the just wrath of God

on our behalf,

though he was innocent.

And so,

Jesus was fulfilling on the cross

a substitutionary work

that was foretold by the prophet Isaiah.

But he was wounded

for our transgressions.

He was crushed for our iniquities.

And upon him was the chastisement

that brought us peace.

And by his stripes,

we are healed.

Spoken 700 years before that event,

Christ is fulfilling that prophecy,

the punishment of our sins.

And John uses the phrase,

the king,

referring to Jesus

almost 13 times in his gospel.

And isn't it such a fitting description?

Jesus walks through this gospel

in the most royal

and dignified manner

amidst the unimaginable,

unjust suffering,

torture,

ridicule,

and persecution.

He handles it just like a king.

And so,

he appears to us

on the outside,

weak and vulnerable

and dying.

In reality,

he is God's king.

And all throughout

these last few chapters of John,

it's undeniable

that Jesus is in control.

Even if it seems like

he's not on the outside.

He told Pilate,

Pilate told him,

I have the power

to release you.

I have the power

to set you free

or to not execute you.

And Jesus basically told him,

you have no power

whatsoever

except what's been granted

to you

from above.

Jesus was totally in control

of his life,

his death,

and now his resurrection.

So,

he is the king.

So,

that's where we're going to get

some of our points from today.

But before we get into our text,

it is important for us to remember,

I'm just going to make a note of this,

but you'll understand why.

The resurrection is so important.

If Jesus had just remained in the tomb,

if he had simply just died on the cross,

the work of salvation

would be in vain.

All that he said,

all that he promised,

all that he did would be in vain.

He would just be another dead Messiah.

But Jesus had to be vindicated.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15,

if Christ has not been raised,

your faith is futile,

and you are still dead in your sins.

It's a very scary thought.

So,

we can't,

isn't it amazing

that so much of

what we talk about

in the church

and in the Christian life

is just,

just alone on the cross,

which is vital and important,

but it wasn't really so

in the early church.

They spoke of the resurrection

just as much

as they spoke about the cross.

So,

it challenged us today

to speak of the resurrection

in everyday life

and how different

it would impact us.

So,

as we look at

the resurrection of Christ

here in chapter 19

and end of 20 of John,

we'll just kind of do it

scene by scene.

But we'll start

in chapter 19,

verse 38,

and this is point number one.

There's just three points.

Point number one,

the king is buried.

The king is buried.

19,

verse 38,

After these things,

Joseph of Arimathea,

who was a disciple of Jesus,

but secretly for fear

of the Jews,

asked Pilate

that he might take away

the body of Jesus.

And Pilate gave him permission.

So,

he came and took away

his body.

Nicodemus also,

who earlier had come

to Jesus by night,

came bringing a mixture

of myrrh and aloes,

about 75 pounds in weight.

So,

they took the body of Jesus

and bound it in linen cloths

with the spices,

as is the burial custom

of the Jews.

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.

So,

because of the Jewish

day of preparation,

since the tomb

was close at hand,

they laid Jesus there.

So,

let's stop

and make some observations.

So,

first,

it mentions these two men,

Joseph of Arimathea

and Nicodemus.

Joseph was a wealthy member

of the Jewish ruling council,

according to Matthew 27.

And he humbly asked Pilate

for the body,

for Jesus' body.

And it says in Luke,

Luke 23 · chapter mention

chapter 23,

it says about Joseph,

he was a member

of the council,

a good and righteous man

who had consented

to the decision

and action.

And he was looking

for the kingdom of God.

This man went to Pilate

and asked for the body

of Jesus.

So,

it implies here

that Joseph

was indeed

a believer.

In fact,

he's called

as much

a rich man

from Arimathea

named Joseph

who also

was a disciple

of Jesus.

And then secondly,

Nicodemus,

the reluctant

but believing

Pharisee,

a member

of the Sanhedrin.

He was the one

who spoke to Jesus

in John chapter 3.

John 3 · chapter mention

And later

in the Gospel of John,

he confronted

the Pharisees

unjust,

seeking to trap

Jesus.

He said to them

in Jesus' defense,

does our law

judge a man

without first

giving him a hearing

and learning

what he does?

So,

we see that eventually,

more than likely,

Nicodemus came

full circle

and became

a true believer

of Christ.

And then we see

there's preparation

for the body

in these verses.

The final burial

preparations,

the final ones,

were left undone

due to the Jewish

day of preparation,

which was

beginning of

the Sabbath,

when all work

had to cease,

especially dealing

with a burial.

Right?

So,

they did minimal

preparation

on the body

and they rushed

it into the tomb.

About 75 pounds

of spices

they used.

Myrth,

which is like

this gummy

resin that they

would grind down

to powder

and sort of

throw it over

the body

to kind of

stifle

the smell.

linen cloth

that were just

wrapped around

the body.

And then it says

the tomb,

which is more

than likely

either rock-hewn

or some sort

of natural

cave that

existed that

made it like

a vault

where a big

heavy stone

would be rolled

over the entrance.

And all of this,

believe it or not,

happened that the

scripture would be

fulfilled.

The Old Testament

scripture of

Isaiah 53

foretelling of

the burial

of the Messiah.

It says,

they made his

grave with the

wicked and

with the rich

man in his

death.

Although the

suffering servant

mentioned in

Isaiah was

condemned as a

criminal,

there's the

with the wicked

part,

he was buried

in the expensive

tomb belonging

to that rich

man,

Joseph.

So amazingly,

right,

we see these

things being

fulfilled before

our eyes.

This gets us

to point number

two,

which we start

in chapter 20.

Point number

two,

the empty

tomb of

the king.

The empty

tomb of

the king.

This is

verses 1

through 18.

We'll start

with just a

piece of it.

It says,

Now on the

first day of

the week,

Mary Magdalene

came to the

tomb early,

while it was

still dark,

and saw that

the stone had

been taken

away from

the tomb.

So she ran

and went to

Simon Peter

and the other

disciple,

the one whom

Jesus loved,

and said to

them,

They have

taken the

Lord out

of the

tomb,

and we do

not know

where they

have laid

him.

So Peter

went out

with the

other disciple,

and they

were going

toward the

tomb,

both of

them running

together.

But the

other disciple

outran Peter

and reached

the tomb

first.

And stooping

in,

he saw

linen cloths

lying there,

but he did

not go in.

Then Simon

Peter came

following him

and went

into the

tomb.

He saw

linen cloths

lying there,

and the

face cloth

which had

been on

Jesus'

head,

not lying

with the

linen cloths,

but folded

up in its

place by

itself.

Then the

other

disciple,

who reached

the tomb

first,

also went

in.

He saw

and believed.

For as

yet he did

not understand

the scripture,

that he

must rise

from death.

And the

disciples went

back to

their homes.

So we

see that

Mary Magdalene

reports on

the empty

tomb.

It was the

first day of

the week,

which we

would call

Sunday,

but the

Jews didn't

name their

days,

they numbered

their days.

This is why

it's the

first day of

the week,

which we

would call

Sunday.

Mary Magdalene

is the one

that Jesus

healed of

demonic

possession,

and she

just followed

Jesus out

of joy

and gratitude

for what

he had

done,

even followed

him to

the foot

of the

cross.

When a

lot of

the other

disciples

were hiding,

she actually

went to

the foot

of the

cross,

and that's

seen in

Matthew 28.

John also

implies,

right here,

that she

got there

while it

was still

dark.

So low

visibility,

but explains

that this

large stone

had been

rolled back,

right,

by the

angel of

the Lord,

which

revealed that

the soldiers

that had

been there

had already

gone.

They had

fled the

scene.

So she's

seeing the

aftermath of

the resurrection.

Have you

ever thought

about this?

The stone

being rolled

away,

that wasn't

so that

Jesus could

get out.

That was

for us

to say

that he

actually has

been risen.

As we'll

see in a

little while,

Jesus appears

to his

disciples when

they were

behind locked

doors.

So Jesus

and his

resurrection

body didn't

need the

stone removed,

but the

fact that it

would be

there for

our faith

that he

is gone,

he's no

longer here.

So they

fled,

the soldiers

fled to

save their

own skin

and conspired

with the

chief priest

to cover it

up.

That's in

Matthew 28

Matthew 28:11–15

verses 11

through 15.

So Mary

runs and

tells the

other

disciples.

So just

imagine what's

going through

her mind

right now.

But the

thought of

resurrection

is not

on her

mind.

She thinks

that just

something has

happened.

She thinks

that someone

has taken

his body.

So what

is going

on?

Could be

what she

is thinking.

But she

tells Peter

and John,

says they

ran to the

tomb right

away to

explore what

Mary had

said.

I think

it's really

funny that

John mentions

that he

outran Peter

twice.

So either

his brotherly

way of just

saying he

was faster

than Peter

or he

was just

immensely

eager.

Or perhaps

Peter was

just a

bigger guy

and not

as nimble

as John.

Who knows?

But just

the detail

of the

account.

But upon

arriving at

the tomb,

John went

in and

Peter

saw it.

And the

Greek actually

means they

peeped in.

And at

first it was

Peter.

Peter saw

it.

And when

he saw

it, he

was confused.

He was

bewildered.

He was just

like, what

is going

on?

John stayed

there and

looked a

little closer

and first

observed that

he said he

saw the

linen cloths

lying there.

The Greek

seems to

suggest that

the garments

had not been

just thrown

around all

over the

place.

And if

you were

like taking

off clothes

and you

just threw

the linen

cloths

everywhere,

strewned

out, but

they were

laying exactly

where the

body had

Jesus had

been laid.

It's almost

as if the

body just

withdrew

itself from

the wrappings

and it

just collapsed

where it

was.

That's like

what it's

implying.

That's just

crazy.

Crazy.

And also

it's all

the head

cloth,

right?

Just rolled

up and

sitting over

by itself

somewhere

else.

Right?

Nice and

neat.

And again,

the body

just seemed

to have

withdrawn

itself.

So secondly,

the face

cloth put

over by

its own

in a

different

place.

And it

says that

John,

seeing this

astounding

sight,

saw and

believed.

It was

like sufficient

for him to

at least

believe that

Jesus had

risen from

the dead.

But then it

says that they

still did not

understand the

scripture,

so it must

imply that he

at least

believed that

Christ had

risen,

even though he

didn't fully

know what

that implied.

and it

says that

they didn't

know the

scriptures,

the Old

Testament

scriptures that

spoke of

the Messiah

and how he

would rise

from death.

Right?

So just a

quick thing

for us to

think about,

will you be

found faithful

or will you

be found in

unbelief when

God fulfills

his word?

Are you

surprised or

caught off guard

when God

actually fulfills

one of his

promises?

promises?

Do you

patiently wait

in faith for

God to

deliver on

his promises?

This is a

lesson for us.

It says they

didn't know the

scriptures.

They didn't

believe the

scripture.

Right?

And now this

is being fulfilled

right in front

of them.

But see,

this is very

important.

The resurrection,

this could go

on forever,

I'll just make

it really brief,

but the

resurrection is

needed because

it vindicated

Jesus.

It showed,

it proved,

it declared

Jesus to be

true and

right.

Right?

That he was

indeed the

son of God

and all the

claims that

he made.

Again,

he would just

be another

dead Messiah.

It says in

Romans 1,

Romans 1:3

verse 3,

Jesus was

declared to be

the son of

God in

power,

according to

the spirit of

holiness by

his resurrection

from the

dead,

Jesus Christ,

our Lord.

Lord.

So Jesus

didn't become

the son of

God at

the resurrection.

The resurrection

was the

powerful demonstration

that he was

indeed,

eternally,

the son of

God.

And so

after this

account,

all the other

disciples went

home,

but Mary

lingered.

We don't

know why

exactly,

maybe to

grieve,

or maybe

because she

was exhausted,

because I

just think

about the

back and

forth.

So she's

just sitting

there,

same thing

they're thinking,

what is going

on?

Look at

verse 11.

It says,

Mary stood

weeping outside

the tomb,

and as she

wept,

she stopped

to look into

the tomb,

and she

saw two

angels in

white,

sitting where

the body of

Jesus had

lain,

one at the

head and

one at the

feet.

They said

to her,

woman,

why are you

weeping?

She said

to them,

they have

taken away

my Lord,

and I do

not know

where they

have laid

him.

So,

we see

Mary here,

brokenhearted,

confused,

didn't leave

the tomb

until she

found out

what happened

to Jesus'

body.

And they

asked her,

why are

you weeping

when she

encounters

these majestic

beings?

And Mary

answers again

that they

did not

understand

the scriptures.

So the

appearance of

the angels

throughout the

life of

Christ,

at his

temptation,

at his

birth,

now at his

resurrection,

they were

even with

him in

the garden

of

Gethsemane.

So it's

just consistent

with the

ministry of

Jesus.

But imagine,

try to,

being in

her place,

heart pumping,

shock,

adrenaline running

through your

body,

and asking,

is this

really happening?

Did Jesus

actually do

what he was

going to say

he did?

And then

immediately,

verse 14,

having said

this,

right away,

she turned

around and

saw Jesus

standing,

but she

did not

know that

it was

Jesus.

And Jesus

said to

her,

woman,

why are

you weeping?

Whom are

you seeking?

Supposing him

to be the

gardener,

she said to

him,

sir,

if you

have carried

him away,

tell me

where you

have laid

him,

and I

will take

him away.

And Jesus

said to

her,

Mary.

She turned

and said

to him

in Aramaic,

Rabboni,

which means

teacher.

Jesus said

to her,

do not

cling to

me,

for I

have not

yet ascended

to the

Father.

But go

to my

brothers and

say to

them,

I am

ascending

to my

Father and

your

Father,

to my

God and

your

God.

So

suddenly,

right,

she whips

around and

saw Jesus

standing there,

and she

didn't

recognize

him,

but he

asked the

same

question

that the

angels

asked,

why are

you

weeping?

She

didn't

recognize

Jesus,

maybe because

it was

early dawn,

still outside,

maybe the

tears blurred

her vision,

didn't expect

to run into

Jesus,

but maybe

even his

resurrected

body looked

a little

different,

not for

sure,

we don't

know,

but what

any cause,

Mary didn't

recognize him

at first until

she said

his name,

her name,

said Mary,

and then

he recognized

I've heard

him say

my name

before,

this is

him,

right,

very clear

that when

Jesus calls

us,

he calls

us

personally,

that we

know his

name,

Jesus said

that earlier,

my sheep

know my

voice,

I call

them and

I give

them eternal

life,

and then

he says,

go and

tell them

that I'm

ascending

to the

Father,

right,

Jesus wanted

them to know

that he was

going to go

back,

so he

said,

go and

tell the

others

what you've

seen,

go and

tell them

that I

am indeed

alive,

and so

we keep

going,

we get to

number three

here,

this is the

last point,

the king

appears to

his hiding

disciples,

the king

appears to

his hiding

disciples,

this is in

verse,

sorry,

in verse

18,

Mary Magdalene

went and

announced to

the disciples,

I have

seen the

Lord,

and that he

had said

these things

to her,

on the

evening of

that day,

the first

day of

the week,

the doors

being locked

were the

disciples,

were for

fear of

the Jews,

Jesus came

and stood

among them

and said to

them,

peace be

with you,

and when he

had said

this,

he showed

them his

hands and

his side,

then the

disciples were

glad when

they saw

the Lord,

Jesus said

to them

again,

peace be

with you,

as the

father has

sent me,

even so

I am

sending

you,

and when

he had

said this,

he breathed

on them

and said

to them,

receive the

Holy Spirit,

if you

forgive the

sins of

any,

they are

forgiven,

if you

withhold the

forgiveness

from any,

it will be

withheld,

and so,

let's walk

through this

quickly together,

so these

fearful

disciples,

like they

ran away,

when Jesus

was arrested,

they fled

the scene

and left

Jesus to

be alone,

to face

all of

this alone,

it says

that they

ran and

fled,

they forsook

him in

Matthew chapter

Matthew 26 · chapter mention

26,

so they

were not

brave,

they were

weak,

their faith

was weak,

let's not

be quick to

judge,

because we

don't know

what we

would have

done,

we hope

that we

would have

stuck with

Christ,

but don't

be too

quick to

judge the

disciples who

ran away

in fear

of their

lives,

but they're

hiding behind

locked doors,

feeling afraid,

confused,

bewildered,

and especially

after hearing

Mary,

like what

is going

on?

So they're

traumatized,

and they're

fearful of

what's

happened,

but Jesus

appears to

them,

I love that,

just sort

of behind

the locked

doors,

he just

sort of

appears,

standing

there,

talking to

them,

and he

says,

peace,

be with

you,

be still,

rest

easy,

all is

well,

because I

mean,

obviously they

would have

been frightened,

they would

have been

scared,

as would

all of

us if

we saw

something so

supernatural,

because it

really is

me,

I'm alive,

touch me,

look,

see my

hands and

my feet,

and he

reminds them

of the

events of

the cross,

that he

was the

crucified

sacrifice,

but now he

is the

risen Lord,

that he

has overcome

the world

and secured

their place

in heaven,

and then he

says to

them,

he breathes

on them,

it says,

receive the

Holy Spirit,

now we

know if we

read the

book of

Acts,

the Holy

Spirit came

on them

at Pentecost,

almost 40

days later,

so this is

best understood

as a kind

of active

parable

pointing

forward

to the

full

endowment

of the

Holy Spirit,

the pledge

of the

Spirit,

Spirit,

and then

lastly,

in this

section,

he commissions

them,

he says,

the Father

sends me,

so I

now am

sending

you to

go out

into this

dark,

dying world

and to

proclaim the

message of

forgiveness

of sins

and reconciliation

with God

through the

Savior.

The message

of the

gospel has

to go

forth to

all ethnos,

all nations,

all peoples,

and so

watch with

great anticipation

in the

years,

to come

to see

how God

is going

to reach

the unreached

of the

world.

And though

the initial

establishment of

the church

fell to the

apostles,

I hope that

you feel

that weight

to advance

the name

of Christ,

the kingdom

of Christ,

no matter

where you

are in

your life

to those

who are

around you.

It continues

to this

day.

So then

we'll wrap

it up,

we'll keep

going in

verse 24

and we'll

land the

plane.

Can't leave

this out.

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 in

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.

That might

be a lot

of us

saying that.

eight

days later,

his

disciples

were

again

inside,

and

Thomas

was

with

them.

Although

the doors

were

locked,

Jesus

came and

stood among

them and

said,

peace be

with you.

And then

he said to

Thomas,

put your

finger here

and see

my hands.

Put out

your hand

and place

it in

my side.

Do not

disbelieve,

but believe.

And

Thomas

answered

him,

my

Lord

and

my

God.

Jesus

said to

him,

have

you

believed

because

you

have

seen

me?

Blessed

are

those

who

have

not

seen

and

yet

have

believed.

Man,

eight

days

later,

right,

Thomas

was like,

I don't

buy it,

guys,

unless I

can see

him and

touch

him,

as

y'all

did.

He

probably

kicked

himself.

Imagine

like an

event you

would not

want to

miss out

on,

like,

I

missed

it.

So

Jesus

appears

to

him,

especially,

right,

and shows

him.

Thomas

had

known to

have been

loyal,

but

sometimes

pessimistic.

And

Jesus

doesn't

rebuke

him.

He

doesn't

like,

you

know,

to

say,

come

on,

Thomas.

He

just

simply,

humbly

shows

him

compassion

and

offers

proof

of

his

resurrection.

And

so

Thomas'

response

is

astounding.

what other

response

could you

have to

someone who

has risen

from the

dead?

He

understood

more.

He's

standing,

God in

flesh,

standing right

in front of

him,

the crucified

Christ,

but now

the risen

Lord.

And his

response is,

my Lord

and my

God,

declares

that Jesus,

the man in

front of him,

is divine,

risen from

the dead.

God.

And so

does a

passage like

this just

give you

chills?

Does it

make you

joyful and

inspire hope?

Does it

terrify you,

fearful?

What

Jesus say

to you

today,

why are

you

crying?

Stop

your

doubting

and

believe.

Because

a lot

of us

live life

in that

sort of

defeat,

as if

Jesus

had just

stayed

in the

tomb.

So

how does

this

impact

us?

We