John 20:1-10

Well, it's not hard to feel like we need good news, is it?

If you've seen the news this morning,

Egypt, airliner, hijacked in Lanarka and Cyprus.

! We've looked at the news over the weekend.

I don't know if it's been the storms.

I think of the bomb in Lahore.

I think of the ongoing devastation in people's lives

leading from the bombs last week in Belgium.

The ongoing hunt.

And that's not even to mention our own personal situations.

Maybe a bad diagnosis.

Maybe a death in the family.

The death of a loved one.

Or just difficulties and sadness you've lived with for years.

We all need some good news, don't we?

Perhaps you feel a little bit like Mary going to the tomb that morning.

It was still dark, John tells us.

Emphasising the bleakness, the hopelessness of the situation.

It was still dark.

She was in confusion.

She arrives and sees the stone rolled away.

And does not know what has happened.

She automatically thinks someone's taken Jesus' body.

What she's longing for at this stage is just to see Jesus' body.

To be with the body.

To take it away.

Brings embalment if necessary.

And then there's distress, isn't there?

Where's this body gone?

What has happened?

And so she does the only thing she can think to do.

She runs to get help.

She runs to the disciples.

To Peter and John.

And do you notice, as John tells us this story,

we see their emotions as well.

What do they do as Mary comes to them?

They run to the tomb.

I'm not even sure they necessarily know what they're running for.

Just think of all this emotion, all this grief, all this frustration.

And now confusion.

Where's this body gone?

But they're not really much help to Mary, are they?

See what happens as they run to the tomb.

We'll look at them and then we'll look at Mary.

And then we'll look at what Jesus says to Mary at the end.

So look, they both run to the tomb.

I don't know how you imagine this.

I imagine John to be the thinner one.

Peter to be the big burly one.

Of course, they're both fishermen.

So John gets there fast first.

He's the sprinter.

Peter, a bit heavier, but he gets there eventually.

When John gets to the tomb, verses 4 and 5,

he kind of holds back.

He looks in.

He reflects on what is going on.

He sees the linen cloths, but doesn't go in.

But Peter?

Well, it's characteristic Peter.

He blunders straight in.

He wants to see what's going on.

Maybe he's a typical man.

Mary's come to him with a problem.

He wants to solve the problem.

Where's this body gone?

So he goes into the tomb.

He says he sees the face cloth.

The face cloth that should be on Jesus' head.

Not lying with the linen cloths, verse 7,

but folded up by itself.

What does Peter see?

Well, he doesn't see anything, in a sense, does he?

He sees a problem that needs to be solved.

What he doesn't realise yet,

is that his greatest problem has been solved.

Because Jesus has risen from the dead.

What do you see,

as you look at the resurrection story?

Like Peter, do you see some bits of evidence

which don't quite add up?

Do you see a problem that needs to be solved?

Do you see a nice story that just gets told every year?

Or do you see something more?

See, some people approach Christianity

a bit like Peter approached the tomb.

Run in, have a quick look,

and then kind of go away

without ever really having reflected on it,

having ever really made sense of it.

Just heading off again.

I hear people say,

I've tried that,

I went to church for a while,

I went to a camp as a kid.

I've tried Christianity.

What do you make,

if you look at the tomb?

What do you think of it?

There's a contrast between Peter and John here,

isn't there?

Peter blunders in and runs off again.

John,

well, look at verse 8.

The other disciple,

that is John,

who reached the tomb first,

also went in,

and he saw,

and he believed,

for as yet,

they did not understand the scripture

that he must rise from the dead.

It's a funny way of putting it, isn't it?

What did John believe?

What did John believe?

Well, he must have believed

that Jesus had risen.

That must be what he believed.

Later on in the chapter,

we'll see that's part of what belief is about.

And how did he come to believe it?

Well, in a part,

on the basis of what his eyes could see,

he could see the folded grave clothes.

No grave robber had done this.

Because no grave robber

would leave a face cloth

nicely folded away from the others.

So he must have believed

that Jesus had risen.

But he didn't actually understand.

What he's telling us here

is actually you can believe that

if you really understand

what the Old Testament is about.

You will understand

that the Messiah,

God's rescuer,

must rise from the dead.

At this point,

John,

writing honestly,

did not understand that.

But he saw with his own eyes

that the tomb was empty.

And so he believed

Jesus must have risen from the dead.

And of course,

he had Jesus' words

echoing in his ears,

no doubt.

Jesus had told the disciples

many times he'd rise from the dead.

So, for example,

back in chapter 10,

verse 17,

Jesus had said this,

For this reason,

the Father loves me,

because I lay down my life

that I may take it up again.

No one takes it from me,

but I lay it down

of my own accord.

I have authority to lay it down,

and I have authority

to take it up again.

This is the charge

I've received from my Father.

So perhaps as John

is in that shadowy tomb

on that first Easter morning,

maybe those words

are ringing in his ears

as he sees the folded glazed clothes.

So he believes

Jesus has risen from the dead.

But he still doesn't understand

why it was necessary

for Christ to rise from the dead.

Now, why is it important

we think about that?

I think it's important

for a number of reasons.

Firstly, we've got to remember

these are normal men

witnessing these events.

They weren't pre-scientific simpletons

as some people accused them of.

John wasn't going to believe anything

unless he had something to see.

It wasn't that they naturally believed

dead people came back to life.

Of course they didn't.

They're more familiar

with people dying

and staying dead than we are.

They didn't have

intensive care units

and defibrillators

and resuscitation techniques.

They knew that when people died

they stayed dead.

They were not gullible.

But they had heard

what Jesus had said.

They'd heard Jesus say

that while the world rejoices

you will weep.

They just hadn't really understood.

Now that can be

encouragement to all of us.

It may be you're looking

into the Christian faith.

It may be you've been

a Christian for years

and the things you just

don't understand.

What do you see

here?

The apostle

doesn't understand everything

but he still believes.

Saint Augustine said

I believe

in order to know.

You can trust

that Jesus is alive.

You can trust

what the scriptures say

even if you don't have

everything

taped down

and understood.

That is okay.

Where's Peter and John?

Peter who looks quickly

runs away.

John who reflects

and believes

without fully understanding.

I wonder how Mary

felt at that point.

She'd gone to get them

in her distress

and when we read

verse 11

or verse 10

they scarf her off home

meanwhile Mary

verse 11

stood weeping

outside the tomb

and as she wept

she looked into the tomb.

So these disciples

haven't been much help

to her have they?

She's still weeping

she's still looking

for Jesus' body

she still doesn't understand

what's happened

and she still has

no expectation

of finding him alive.

So she looks

into the tomb

well verse 12

she sees two angels

in white

and they said to her

verse 13

woman why are you weeping?

Jesus then asked

the same question

why are you weeping?

That's exactly

the kind of question

my wife and I

ask our children

when they're all upset

about something.

Joel, why are you crying?

Why are you crying?

It's actually a gentle question

to encourage them

there's no reason to weep

and that's how

the angels

and how Jesus

is asking a question

to Mary

why are you weeping?

There is actually

no reason to weep now

as you will find out.

Then Jesus asked her

another question

verse 15

whom are you seeking?

Who are you seeking?

Mary what is it

that you're looking for

that you hope

will put an end

to these tears?

I guess if we could

stop the camera there

and ask Mary

what are you looking for?

Well she would have told us

I'm looking for Jesus' body

that was the whole point

of running to the disciples

wasn't it?

It's what she says

to Jesus

who she thinks

is the gardener

there in verse

verse 15

Sir if you've carried him away

tell me where you've laid him

and I will take him away

what she wants

what she thinks she wants

is the body of Jesus

in her grief

that would in doubt

be a comfort

maybe she wants to

embalm his body

with spices

we read that

in the other gospels

she wants to do

a last act of service

for Jesus

she thinks

that will bring comfort

but do you notice

Jesus had something

much better for her

than that

Jesus had something

much better for her

than that

and I wonder how true

that is for each one

of us as well

don't we often think

I'll feel better

I'll be comforted

when

dot dot dot

how do you finish

that sentence?

I'll feel better

when

I've got through

this treatment

I'll feel better

when

the kids

are safely grown up

and left school

I'll feel better

when

the child

is currently

running away

comes home

I'll feel better

how would you finish that?

see Jesus

has a better way

of ending

those tears

and wiping them up

we see that way

in verse 16

Jesus said to her

Mary

she turned

and said to him

in Aramaic

Rabboni

which means teacher

what a moment

you know how precious

it is when someone

you love calls your name

someone perhaps

you haven't even seen

for a while

someone hears your name

being called by them

you turn around

it's a wonderful thing

perhaps you think of a

a reunion

after a long separation

think how it was

for Mary

to hear the very words

of the master

speaking her name

Mary

now Matthew tells us

that at this point

Mary

and there are probably

other women there

fell down at Jesus' feet

and grabbed hold of him

Matthew 28 verse 29

they came up

and took hold of his feet

and worshipped him

they fell down

prostrate before him

no doubt that's

what's going on

it's a wonderful moment

isn't it?

Mary doesn't understand

everything

but Jesus is alive

and has spoken to her

but as John tells

this story

he wants to focus us

on what Jesus says

next

because this is where

the good news lies

for you and me

this is where we can

have our Mary moment

as it were

where we can fall down

in worship

at the feet of the

risen saviour

and know that one day

not today

but one day

he will wipe

every tear away

when he returns

John wants us to know

this because he wants

us to believe

he tells us that

at the end of the

chapter

let's go on

and look at

Jesus' response

there

in verse 17

Jesus said to Mary

do not cling to me

remember she's

holding on to his feet

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

what's Jesus saying?

do not cling to me

now Mary

don't indulge in this

don't just enjoy

this spiritual experience

you're having

but I've got a job

for you to do

I'm going back

to the father

I'm not going

just yet

you'll see me again

and everyone

will see me one day

but right now

I've got a commission

for you

I've got a job

for you

so don't just enjoy

your own private

spiritual moment

go and tell this

good news

to other people

as well

and for all of us

who are Christians

this good news

that Mary has to

announce

is news for us

if we've trusted

in Jesus Christ

this is good news

for us

and so the message

for us

is the same

as it was for Mary

don't just enjoy

your spiritual high

don't just enjoy

your own spiritual

moment with Jesus

tell this good news

to others

tell it to yourself

to other believers

and to those

who do not know

I am ascending

to my father

and your father

to my God

and your God

that's the good news

message Jesus had

for his disciples

and throughout this gospel

John has made it clear

two things

well a number of things

where Jesus has come from

and where he's going to

so back in chapter 3

Jesus said

John recalls Jesus

whereas only I

have come down

from heaven

and as we go

through the gospel

we read that Jesus

is going to go back

to the father as well

now what does that

mean for the disciples

what does it mean

for us who believe

well as we tease out

this my God

and your God

my father

and your father

I want us to see

three things

it means vindication

welcome

and renewal

vindication

welcome

and renewal

think about vindication

first of all

think about those

poor disciples

they followed Jesus

around for three years

they left their homes

their families

and their livelihoods

to follow him

and they'd just seen him

three days earlier

nailed to

on a Friday

nailed to a cross

crucified

under the

desires of the

religious leaders

it looked like

the religious leaders

had won

it looked like

the God they served

was the powerful one

they must have

the disciples

must have worried

have we got it all wrong?

have we wasted

the last three years?

have we misunderstood?

have we misread Jesus?

Jesus says

I'm going back to

my God

and your God

Jesus died

as a humiliated

criminal

on a cross

hanging on a cross

was a sign of being

under God's curse

as Deuteronomy tells us

from the Old Testament

he looked

utterly despised

and rejected by God

and yet God

has raised him to life

so Jesus says

he's my God

and your God

if you trust in me

he is your God too

you may feel

oppressed

you may feel

downtrodden

you may feel

like a loser

you may wonder

whether this was

worthwhile

maybe even to us

today

we think

maybe I shouldn't

take Christianity

too seriously

especially given

the way the world

looks at those

of us who are

Christians

fundamentalists

idiots

whatever the words

are

maybe

maybe I shouldn't

take it too

seriously

Jesus says no

I've been raised

from the dead

I'm going back

to my God

and your God

Jesus' resurrection

is his vindication

proof that the

father loves the

son

proof that the

father accepts

the son

proof that the

humiliation

of the son

was for our

sake

so that we

could become

his children

so Jesus

says he's my

God and your

God

if you trust

in me

and as the

father has

raised me

from the dead

so he will

raise you

from the dead

so you will

be vindicated

too

you're truly

on God's

side if you

trust in

Jesus

you see why

that's important

in a society

where people

think all

religions are

equally valid

in a society

that thinks

taking anything

too seriously

is just a bit

silly

in our own

lives when it

can be hard

to be loyal

to King

Jesus

we need to

see the

resurrection

is the

vindication

of Jesus

and therefore

the vindication

of all who

trust in

Jesus

but John

goes on

Jesus goes

on

I'm attending

to my

father

and your

father

my father

and your

father

now let me

make one

thing clear

here

nobody

has God

as father

unless they

trust in

Jesus

nobody

has God

as father

unless they

trust in

Jesus

it is only

in Jesus

we can call

God

father

we're all

God's

creatures

we're all

made in

God's

image

but we're

not all

God's

children

in fact

by nature

we're children

of wrath

the new

testament tells us

by nature

we're cut

off from

God

it's only

in Jesus

that we can

call God

father

now

what are

the implications

of that

let me draw

up two

first

is we're

welcomed

by the

father

back in

chapter 14

verse 6

Jesus famously

said

I am the

way

the truth

and the

life

no one

comes to

the father

except through

me

there are

all sorts

of ways

people try

to get

connected

with God

aren't

there

you get

your

eightfold

path

in Buddhism

you get

the five

pillars

of Islam

you get

the secular

equivalence

of being

a nice

upstanding

person

being tolerant

and giving

to charity

and caring

about the

environment

people do

all these

things

to try

and gain

some sort

of contact

some sort

of

acceptance

by God

but Jesus

says it's

only

if you're

trusting in

my life

and death

and resurrection

that you can

call God

father

I am the

only way

to the

father

Mohammed

does not

provide a

way to the

father

Buddha

does not

Hinduism

is not

a way

of being

connected

with the

father

being a

nice

moral

person

is not

a way

of being

connected

with the

father

it only

comes

through

believing

in Jesus

it's only

through

Jesus

we can

call

God

father

it's only

through

Jesus

we are

welcomed

Jesus

said

through

disciples

in John

14

that he

was going

to the

father

but in

his

father's

house

there were

many

rooms

he'd

gone

there

to

prepare

a

place

for

them

and

he'd

come

back

and take

them

with

him

he's

coming

back

for all

who

believe

to give

us a

place

in his

father's

house

I was

just

staying

a

recent

weekend

in my

mother-in-law's

house

it's always

nice to go

there

we go to the

guest room

we always feel

at home

we're always

welcomed

it's a place

where we can

belong

how much

better

to belong

to be

welcomed

by our

heavenly

father

because we

received

his son

but there's

a second

implication

of Jesus

saying

my father

and your

father

what does

it actually

mean to be

able to

call God

father

what needs

to happen

in our

lives

in order

to be

able to

call God

father

what is

it that

can make

us

children

of God

well

John tells

us right

back at the

start of

his gospel

chapter 1

verse 12

he says

to all

who did

receive

Jesus

to all

who believed

in his

name

that is

to all

who believed

Jesus was

who he said

he was

the eternal

son of

God

come to

die

and rise

again

for sinners

whoever

believed

in his

name

he

gave

the

right

to become

children

of God

children

who were

born

not of

blood

nor of

the will

of the

flesh

nor the

will

of man

but of

God

how do we

become

how do we

become God's

children

by believing

and as we

believe

Jesus does

something in

us

he changes

us

Christianity

isn't merely

about

believing

certain facts

although it

does include

believing

it isn't

merely a matter

of behaving

in certain

ways

or it

does affect

our behaviour

it isn't

merely about

having a

certain ethical

code

although one

will do

that if

one is

following

Jesus

it is

fundamentally

about a

change that

happens within

us

as God

by his

spirit

makes us

his children

gives us

new life

as he

raised the

son to

new life

in the

resurrection

so he

can raise

us to

new life

renewal

inside of

us

making us

new people

it means

complete renewal

God

changes us

from the

inside out

so as

Jesus says

to Mary

go to my

brothers

those who are

part of my

family

and say

I'm ascending

to my God

and your God

my father

and your father

he's telling us

we can celebrate

vindication

if we trust in

Jesus

we are gods

and he will

vindicate us

one day

entirely

when Jesus

returns

it means

welcome

we're accepted

and loved

by the

heavenly father

and have a

home with him

forever

and it means

renewal

he's changing

us now

making us

new people

see what

difference

that message

made to

Mary's life

we contrast

in the start

and the end

she turns up

with tears

she leaves

with joy

she arrives

in darkness

but her life

is flooded

with light

as she leaves

she came

hopeless

and leaves

knowing

she's a child

of God

who will

one day

be with

Jesus

forever

now what

difference

does that

make for us

she'd make

all sorts

of differences

shouldn't it

I got an

email yesterday

I think it was

from some

friends of mine

who work

with or have

dealings with

those who work

with Syrian

refugees

fleeing the

whole horrible

conflict in

Syria

we all know

from our TV

screens don't we

how awful it

is

and yet

some people

fleeing that

conflict

have turned

their back

on Islam

have risked

the wrath

of their

family

and their

communities

and have

come to

faith in

Christ

they might

think that's

like jumping

from the

frying pan

into the

fire

yet these

people say

this

the most

important

thing is

that we

know Jesus

Christ as

our

saviour

thank God

for the war

in Syria

it brought

us to

Jesus

thank God

for the war

in Syria

it brought

us to

Jesus

now that

confounds

my wisdom

and yet

isn't it

true

these poor

persecuted

people

know they

will be

vindicated

because Jesus

is alive

know they

have a welcome

from the

father

even when

they're hated

by their

families

know they

have renewal

now

which enables

them to

rejoice

in the

midst of

horrendous

suffering

that's

what the

difference

the

resurrection

makes

to them

what

difference

does the

resurrection

make

to me

and to

you

let me pray

for us

thank you

thank you