Behold the Gardener and His Tomb!

I do want, however, to take this opportunity to thank Reverend Angus McRae for his willingness to come to take the services at this communion time, including this morning, the communion service itself.

I'd like to thank him on your behalf for his ministry, that ministry which we, I'm sure, all enjoyed and benefited from as he led us so ably through John chapter 19.

John 19 · chapter mention

And I think he'll be finishing that off for us this evening.

So, Angus, thank you very much indeed for your contribution and for coming to this, what was, as you said, yourself, your home congregation one time.

We're pleased to have had you and we trust that God will bless you in your own ministry in Inverness, Free North, yourself and Anne, family and everybody associated with your ministry there.

So, thank you for that.

Thank you very much for these very kind words and it has been a pleasure and refreshing to be with you and to be encouraged indeed by seeing many signs of God's love and favour among you.

And we pray God's blessing on the islands and on all of our nation.

We so need to return to God and to his word.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.

And may we all know the love and the goodness and the fear of our Lord.

Thank you for your prayers and for your warm welcome.

Let us worship God as we sing together in the 100th Psalm from the Scottish Psalter.

If you have a psalm book in your hand, Psalm 100, the first version on page 362.

Singing to old 100th, all people that on earth do dwell.

Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.

Let's stand and praise God with the 100th Psalm.

Amen.

All people that on earth do dwell.

Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.

Him set with mirthless praise for tell.

Know that the Lord is God in me.

We are his strong King of the sea.

We are his strong King of the sea.

And for his sheep King of the sea.

All entered in his gates with praise.

And looked with joy his poor son too.

charity with honourable voice.

By God with mercy James saw life.

For now Coalition isashillous baby線.

In the 100th Psalmلبw.

At Northside as barcode his sin,

We need to sing that part of the world.

It isersolous baby線.

And for of the 100th Psalm 또고.

For now encuentroôt is known.

Game of theoyape powiedz.

Even though Cage his ruimtes is spent.

Our God is good, His mercy is forever true,

This truth that all times were pleased to,

And shall flourish to each end you.

Amen, what lovely singing.

We turn to God in prayer.

Let us pray.

Know that the Lord is God indeed.

Gracious Father, we draw near in the name that you love to hear,

In the name of your worthy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We ask that we may worship you as we should,

Knowing that the Lord is God,

And knowing that the Lord is good,

And worthy of praise and thanksgiving.

We have individual reasons to worship you.

You have been good to each one of us.

And as a church fellowship and family,

Here in this congregation, there are countless reasons to give thanks.

As a community and island, as a nation,

And as a church of Jesus Christ across the globe,

We find ourselves ever in a place where we have been blessed,

Far beyond what we might deserve.

So we come to the gate of God,

To the house of God,

Into the company of God's people,

And we sing with ages past,

O enter then his gates with praise,

Approach with joy his courts unto.

Give us your Holy Spirit,

Who is the means of joy that overcomes fear,

And anxiety,

And sickness,

And all the works of the enemy of our souls,

And all our own frailty.

Give us supernatural help and supernatural grace,

To grasp in our hearts and minds,

What is the length and the height,

And the breadth and the depth,

Of your great love for us,

In Jesus.

We worship you for the gift of a gospel,

To share with one another,

And with this community,

And with our world.

Help us faithfully to receive,

And then to pass on,

The good news,

The gospel of your Son.

You have sent,

Your messengers out,

And you have sent your church out,

Each one of us,

To be messengers of your grace,

And of your peace.

And you have sent out,

Both your Son who came in the flesh,

And your Spirit,

Who has always been working from the creation,

And will continue working,

Until there is a new creation.

But especially in this age,

Following the death and resurrection of Jesus,

The Spirit is poured out,

To give life,

In a dying world.

Good news,

Good news,

Of eternal life,

Help us then,

To come into your kingdom of love,

And if we have not come in before,

Grant grace to us,

To come into that kingdom today,

And to know the Lord,

And that he is good,

And to know Jesus,

And that he has given himself for us,

Lord,

In our need,

Show us the face of your Son,

And may brightness and radiance shine,

From him,

Into our souls,

As we read your word,

And sing your praise,

Speak to each one of us,

And may none of us go home,

Without having the experience,

Of God being real to us,

And give to us,

Faith,

And trust,

And love,

And repentance,

That we may leave our sorrows,

And our sins,

And go to Jesus,

And find in him,

Rest,

And hope,

For children,

And young people,

In this gathering,

Perhaps listening at home,

For all who are part of this church,

And for all who are in our prayers,

Do us good,

And grant to add to your church,

In these days,

Through conversion,

Through new life,

Spiritually,

Many,

Young and old,

Men and women,

Whatever our past,

And whatever we face today,

Or in the future,

May we lean on you,

Lord,

If we have questions,

Grant your spirit,

That we may find answers,

If we have troubles,

May we give them over to you,

Remember the pastor,

We give thanks,

For the ministry,

That you have given,

To James McKeever,

Among the people here,

Over these last eight years,

And we ask,

That you would give strength,

And joy,

For the days that are ahead,

To James,

And to Donna,

Adding healing,

And strength to them,

And encouragement,

And joy,

And we give thanks,

For the ministry,

Alongside him,

Of Calum Murdo,

And of the elders,

And of all whom they love,

And we bless you,

And thank you,

For faithful,

Pastors and teachers,

And for those,

Who show through,

Hospitality,

And through the diligence,

Of being shepherds,

Of your sheep,

A care,

For all the flock,

For every member,

Of the flock,

Help us,

As your people,

To care for one another,

And to notice,

Those who are straying,

Or in difficulties,

Or lonely,

Or in need of a blessing,

Or an encouragement,

Help us,

Lord,

To follow the good shepherd,

And his voice,

And to listen,

To teaching,

From those who shepherd,

In his name,

And to be led,

In the way of righteousness,

And in the way of peace,

The fear of the Lord,

Truly is,

The beginning of knowledge,

And wisdom,

So grant us,

Love and fear,

We pray these things,

Through Jesus Christ,

To whom be honor,

And glory,

Amen,

Amen,

We're going to praise the Lord,

With a psalm,

We maybe don't sing quite so often,

Psalm 111,

This one from the Scottish Psalter,

Psalm 111,

The opening four verses,

To the Tunargeal,

Psalm 111,

Praise ye the Lord,

With my whole heart,

I will God's praise declare,

Where the assemblies of the just,

And congregations are,

It's on page 391,

Psalm 111,

To God's praise,

I will God's praise,

Please be the Lord,

With my whole heart,

I will God's praise declare,

Where the assemblies of the just,

And humph considemess,

The full works of the Lord,

Our God,

Our great honour,

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

John 19.

Verse 38.

John tells us in chapter 18 about the arrest and the trial of Jesus.

And the outcome of that in chapter 19 is a very unjust verdict.

Jesus is led to be crucified.

He is nailed to the tree and he dies.

And what comes next?

And what does it all mean?

So we turn for the last time in this communion weekend to think about the man on the cross.

Behold the man.

And tonight reading about his burial and resurrection.

Behold the gardener and his tomb.

John 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.

And in chapter 20, verse 1, I'll actually read verse 1 and 2.

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.

And at verse 11, after these facts had been checked, the men visited the grave and left.

But in verse 11, but Mary stood weeping outside the tomb.

And as she wept, she stooped 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.

Having said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.

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 so on.

This is God's truth, his inspired and holy word.

May he bless it to each one of us.

Well, before we consider something of these verses, we're going to sing from Sing Psalms,

and from Psalm 9 in Sing Psalms, the version A of Psalm 9, and that is on page 9, I believe.

Psalm 9A on page 9 of the Psalm book, singing the verses 15 to 20 of the Psalm.

The tune is Paisley.

Verse 15, the nations all have fallen down into the pit they made.

Their feet are tangled in the net, which they themselves have laid.

And on to the verse marked 20 from verse 15.

The nations all have fallen down into the pit they made.

Their feet are tangled in the net, which they themselves have laid.

The Lord is known by righteous heart, His justice always stands.

The wicked are then still in drought, the work of their own hands.

The wicked will return to pay, the dead have laid on hold.

Where all the heathen nations hold, have tough forgotten God.

The needy will not be ignored, or gotten all their days.

The wolves and longings of the bird will not be crushed away.

Our minds forwardening

March like and down.

It's our prayer that God will give us all

a hearing ear

to hear his voice

in the word of God tonight.

And it may be that someone is praying for you

that you will hear his voice

in a new and special way.

And it may be that you have been prayed

for all your life

and yet you have not heard

the voice of the Lord.

May tonight be the night

when God speaks

and we hear.

Gracious Lord, we need wisdom.

Salvation.

Truth.

Jesus.

Draw near, we pray in his name.

Amen.

The end of chapter 19 of John's Gospel

and the beginning of chapter 20

of John's Gospel.

The story of the gardener and his tomb.

Behold, the gardener

and his tomb.

I've lived through some parts of my life

that went by in a blink.

Lots going on

and busy, busy, busy

and it just goes by in a moment.

And I guess, like you,

I've also lived through days

that felt like months.

Waiting for a phone to ring.

Waiting for news.

Uncertain.

Unable to sit.

Unable to walk.

Unable to think.

Unable to pray.

Unable to do anything.

Unable to pray.

Unable to pray.

And the minutes tick by

so slowly.

What kind of day

do you think

the high

Sabbath

was

at that

Passover

in Jerusalem?

The preparation

day

is the way

the Jews

would talk about

getting ready

for the weekly

Sabbath.

And this

was a preparation

day

for an unusually

special

and significant

Sabbath

because the

great feast

of the Passover

was being celebrated.

And the Passover

coincided

with

the Sabbath.

So

everything

had to be done

and done well

and done properly

and there were

certain things

that you couldn't

leave undone.

So the preparation

day was very

busy for a lot

of people

in Jerusalem.

It was also

the day

Jesus was nailed

to the tree.

The day

he said

I thirst.

The day

he said

it is

finished.

And

he died

for sinners.

It's the day

he was taken

down

from the cross

and buried.

and then

the sun

set

and the

Sabbath

began

that Friday

night.

And the

Sabbath

went through

Friday night

through the

whole night

through Saturday

morning

through the

whole of the

daylight hours

of Saturday

and Sabbath

didn't end

until the

sun set

on Saturday.

and then

the woman

got their

spices

together

so that

early in the

morning when

it was safe

and it was

light

as soon as

they could

they could

visit

their Lord's

grave

and say

goodbye.

that's

where we

are.

What a

long

slow

slow

Sabbath

that must

have been.

What did

they talk

about?

The

friends of

Jesus.

How did

they feel?

They were

in shock.

They were

sad.

They were

confused.

I would

like us

to see

two things

in this

story

tonight.

And the

first is

to see

a dead

body

two

friends

and a

garden

tomb.

That's the

first thing

that the

text draws

our eye

to.

Joseph

of Arimathea

who has

not been

mentioned

before.

He's

new.

And another

character

Nicodemus

who has

been

mentioned

before

back in

chapter 3

of this

gospel.

And what

these two

men have

in common

is that

they are

senior

members

of the

Jewish

people,

of the

council

of the

71 elders,

the Sanhedrin.

They are

respectable

and respected

men.

Nicodemus

came to

Jesus by

night to

talk to

him about

spiritual

things.

He was

lost.

He was

spiritually

in the

dark.

He probably

didn't

know it.

And Jesus

says to

him in

chapter 3,

you must

be born

again.

You must

have new

life from

God.

If you

are to

be in

the

kingdom

of God

and have

eternal

life,

you must

start afresh

in a way

that only

God can

achieve.

life.

It

seems

Nicodemus

has become

a follower

of Jesus

but

secretly.

And it

seems that

this other

wealthy man,

Joseph from

Arimathea,

who has the

money to

provide a

tomb at

short notice

for Jesus,

he must have

become a

secret follower,

a secret

disciple of

Jesus as

well.

So here's

comfort.

There's no

doubt Jesus

is dead.

There is a

body.

But at

least he has

some friends

and two of

them are

named in

the text.

And they

go and ask

the Roman

governor,

Pilate,

for his

body.

It's at

that point

Pilate is

quite surprised

actually that

Jesus has

died already

and suddenly

there is an

urgency for

the bodies

to be removed

from the

crosses near

Jerusalem

because it

is a high

Sabbath,

it is the

Passover,

and it

says in

the law of

the Lord

that the

land is

defiled

if a

body is

left

hanging

on a

tree

through the

night.

Let me

read to

you God's

word.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 21:22

21 verse

22 says,

if a man

has committed

a crime

punishable

by death

and he

is put

to death

and you

hang him

on a

tree,

his body

shall not

remain all

night on

the tree,

but you

shall bury

him the

same day,

for a

hanged

man is

cursed

by

God.

You

shall not

defile your

land that

the Lord

your God

is giving

you for

an

inheritance.

That was

God's law

and it

was going

to be

followed.

The land

could not

afford to

be polluted,

the high

Sabbath could

not afford

to be

polluted,

and the

man who

was under

the curse

of God,

Jesus

from

Nazareth,

he must

be cut

down from

his cross.

Now he

was already

dead,

and that

meant they

didn't break

his legs,

they didn't

break a

bone of

his body,

he was

the perfect

blemish-free

Passover

sacrifice

that God

had planned

for over

a thousand

years.

Romans

were not

squeamish

about executing

their enemies,

they were

pretty brutal

horrible,

cruel people.

If they

were left

to their

own devices,

they would

happily leave

the bodies

of condemned

criminals

to die

slowly for

days,

and then

to rot

until the

birds were

finished with

them.

But the

Jews,

especially

near their

temple and

their holy

city,

insisted

it.

The bodies

must come

down.

This is the

day of

preparation.

They must

be taken

and buried.

And what

would normally

happen is

that an

executed

criminal was

too contaminated,

too dirty,

too unholy to

go into a

decent grave

with decent

people.

people.

And so,

the plan

was to

dispose of

these bodies,

probably in a

common grave

for convicted

felons,

definitely outside

the city,

out of sight,

out of mind,

take out the

trash.

Well,

the dead

body of

Jesus had

friends,

and they

begged the

governor for

his body.

No, they

weren't going

to defile

anybody else's

remains buried

somewhere by

putting him

into a tomb

that had

already been

used.

He was going

to be put

into a new

grave.

And remarkably,

almost as if

it was

planned,

there are

friends,

and near

the cross

there is a

garden,

and in the

garden there

is a new

tomb where

no body

has ever

been laid.

And the

governor

says,

yes,

you can have

his body.

This is

state property,

but if you

want it,

you can

have it.

Do with

it what

you want.

And these

two secret

disciples are

not secret

disciples anymore.

They are on

the side of

their master,

even though

he's dead.

And they

have procured,

or they

already had,

this grave

in a

garden near

the cross.

And so,

with love,

and with as

much care as

they can

manage,

and with

their spices,

and with

their linen

cloths,

they give us

decent a

burial as

they can

to Jesus.

In the

Apostles'

Creed,

which probably

dates back

to probably

the second

century in

one form

or another,

a very

ancient form

of words

of Christian

belief,

it highlights

not just

that Jesus

was God

and man,

and that

he died,

and that

he was

raised.

The fact

that Jesus

had a body

that needed

to be

buried

is in

the Creed.

you maybe

know the

words.

I believe

in Jesus

Christ,

his only

son,

our Lord,

who was

conceived

by the

Holy Spirit,

born of

the Virgin

Mary,

suffered

under

Pontius

Pilate,

was

crucified,

died,

and was

buried.

He

descended

to the

dead,

and so

on.

and so

on.

There was

a day

in Scotland

when if

you wanted

to be

baptized,

or if

you wanted

to baptize

your children,

the minister

would say

to you,

do you

understand

the Christian

faith?

And if

you knew

the truths

of the

Apostles'

Creed,

you had

demonstrated

that you

understood

the basics

of the

Christian

faith.

And if

you were

making a

profession

of faith,

there was

content to

it,

there was

truth to

it.

Can you

say the

belief?

Part of

what the

church has

believed

for centuries

is that

Jesus died,

was

buried.

He was

in the

same place

of death

and weakness

as everyone

else who

has ever

died.

died.

That's

part of

our faith.

Is it

gospel?

Is it

good news?

I think

it is.

And I

think it

should be

comforting

and helpful

to you

and me

and to

the people

we share

our hope

with.

Because no

other religion,

no other

philosophy

says we

follow someone

who has

tasted

death and

whose body

has been

cold in

the grave

and he

has an

answer

for death.

He has

defeated

tears

and sorrow.

When John

writes his

gospel,

it is

always so

that people

would believe.

That's the

purpose for

it all.

And he

gives you

facts

so that

you will

believe

that Jesus

is good

news

for a

dying

world.

Fact

number

one

that we

can

believe.

Your

Lord

had a

funeral.

He

tasted

death.

And if

you think

you'll ever

go to

another

funeral,

you need

a Lord

who

understands

funerals.

And if

you think

that one

day you

will have

a funeral

for yourself,

then you

need a

Lord who

knows the

last enemy

and who

is greater

and stronger

than death,

the last

enemy.

Part of

the gospel,

part of

the good

news is

that our

Lord Jesus

had a

funeral.

Fact

number

two,

your

Lord's

grave

was

pristine,

unoccupied,

on Friday

morning,

unused,

and it

was unoccupied

again on

Sunday

morning.

The Lord

only needed

his tomb

for a

little part

of three

days,

a little

part of

Friday,

and then

the Saturday

Sabbath

into

Sunday

morning.

that's

all.

He'll

never need

it again.

He'll

never be

buried

again.

Death

cannot

challenge

him or

humiliate

him,

and nothing

can.

We get

weak,

we get

sick,

not him.

His

grave was

unoccupied

when he went

into it.

he was

not a

dead

body,

lost

among a

heap of

dead

bodies,

misfiled

and forgotten

in Jerusalem.

He died,

and on

the third

day he

was raised,

and many

saw him.

That is

fact.

Number

two,

your Lord

had a

funeral,

your Lord's

grave was

unoccupied

on Friday

morning,

and unoccupied

again on

Sunday

morning.

Fact

number

three,

and this

is important

to John,

your Lord's

grave was

located in

a garden.

People

sometimes call

the gospel

of John

the gospel

of the

signs.

There are

many signs.

At the

end of

the gospel,

the writer

says that

Jesus did

many other

things that

are not

written in

this book.

These are

written that

you might

believe,

and he

specifically

mentions the

signs.

Jesus did

many signs.

He did

many things,

but what's

recorded is

recorded to

invite us

and to

compel us

to believe

and trust

in Jesus.

Jesus.

So why

does it

matter

that John

tells us

near the

cross was

a garden

and in

the garden

was a

tomb?

No

sign

in this

gospel

is without

significance.

the signs

all point

to

something.

What does

the garden

tomb

point to?

Well, I

think that's

something we

can try and

unpack tonight,

but it's

important.

The garden

is mentioned

twice in

verse 41.

There was a

garden, and

in the garden

a new tomb.

And in

chapter 20

at verse 15,

when Mary

of Magdala

is upset

because the

grave is

empty, and

she doesn't

know what's

happened to

the body

of her

Lord, she

sees a

man, it

is Jesus,

raised from

the dead, but

she doesn't

immediately

recognize him,

and the

text says

she supposed

he was

the gardener,

because gardens

have gardeners.

well, it

turns out,

although she

didn't recognize

Jesus fully,

she was

bang on,

she was

correct.

He was

the gardener

in his

guard.

I hope I

can explain

that in a

way that

will make

sense.

Well, our

first thought

tonight has

been to

just look at

the end of

chapter 19,

a dead

body,

true

friends,

and a

garden

tomb.

Now, thinking

about that

gardener and

his resurrection,

my second

thought for

you tonight

is this.

Secondly, we

have no

dead body,

just a

gardener,

no dead

body anymore.

more.

He's not

dead,

but alive.

The secret

disciples,

Joseph of

Arimathea,

Nicodemus,

they love

Jesus,

but their

faith is not

fully formed.

they want

to follow

Jesus.

They'll no

doubt pay

a high

price for

asking for

his body

and giving

him this

honorable

burial,

when many

in Jerusalem

just want

to dishonor

Jesus and

forget him,

but they

don't yet

believe he

is risen

from the

dead.

They're

procuring a

grave for

Jesus.

They're

preparing a

body that

is going

to decay.

They need

more good

news,

more growth,

more maturity.

They need

someone to

disciple them

with the

Easter gospel.

They'll get

that.

The most

loyal friends

of Jesus

include

many women

who followed

him.

and it's

not a

surprise

that one

of them

is first

to the

tomb.

When the

Jewish

Sabbath is

over,

now on

the first

day of

the week,

what we

call Sunday,

what becomes

our Lord's

Day,

becomes our

Christian

Sabbath,

on the

first day

of the

week,

Mary Magdalene

came to

the tomb

early,

while it

was still

dark.

God.

I don't

know this

for certain,

but looking

at the

other

gospels

and comparing

them all,

the impression

I get is

that there

were a

group of

women,

female

disciples of

Jesus,

who were

ready to

wash his

body,

anoint his

body,

and do

maybe a

better job

than Joseph

and Nicodemus

would have

done,

as the

Friday sun

was setting.

And you

would expect

them to go

together to

the tomb,

but somehow

Mary from

Magdala is

detached from

the other

woman,

and she

gets there

first,

and it's

still dark.

It's early,

early,

early on

Sunday morning,

and in

John's

Gospel,

when people

come and

go in

the dark,

we are

supposed,

I think,

to understand

that spiritually

they're in

the dark.

Nicodemus

came in

chapter 3

at night.

People go

out into

the night

in this

Gospel

when they're

confused.

It's still

dark,

and there's

no Jesus,

and the

grave has

been disturbed,

the stone

is rolled

away.

Where's

his body?

She's not

seeing clearly

yet.

Now that's

good news

for you and

me,

because we

don't always

understand

everything right

away,

and we don't

always understand

everything in

our teens or

in our

twenties.

Sometimes

faith is

a slow

growing thing,

and sometimes

there are

seasons

where

our fears

and our

doubts

and the

busyness of

life,

they're like

a cloud

that comes

between us

and the

sun.

if you

have lost

touch

with the

fear of

the Lord

that is the

beginning of

knowledge and

wisdom,

that cloud

needs to be

blown away,

and it is

the truth

of the

death and

resurrection

and the

grace and

mercy and

love of God

in Christ

that will

be that

strong wind

that will

clear those

clouds of

confusion

away.

Later,

Mary of

Magdala

would be

joined by

Joanna,

wife of

Chusa,

and Salome,

mother of

James and

John,

and Mary,

mother of

James and

Joseph,

and some

other woman.

What a group

of remarkable

godly women

they were,

but they

are not

yet maybe

fully formed

in their

faith.

They need

the good

news

of the

gardener.

They need

to meet

the one

who calls

himself in

this gospel

in another

place,

the resurrection

and the

life.

He's already

told them

again and

again,

that he's

going to

die and

on the

third day

he's going

to be

raised.

And it

doesn't

seem to

have been

understood

or accepted

or penetrate

or to

believe.

It's

afterwards

that this

light begins

to dawn.

No,

there is no

dead body

in the tomb.

There is no

dead Jesus

in Jerusalem.

There's just

weeping,

confused

disciples.

Mary runs

to find

Peter

and John

whom Jesus

loved

and they

run

and they

run

and they

run to

the tomb

and Simon

Peter

can't run

quite as

fast

as John

but John

hesitates

at the

tomb.

Both of

them were

running

together.

The other

disciple

outran

Peter.

Peter

got there

first.

John

waits.

John

got there

first.

Peter

is the

first to

go in

so and

to look.

But John

outruns

Peter

in

dawning

faith,

dawning

realization.

yes,

my Lord

is not

dead.

He's not

here.

But they

still need

to grow.

They still

need further

understanding.

Verse 9

tells us

as yet

they did

not

understand

the

scripture

that he

must rise

from the

dead.

What did

they think?

Did they

think God

had maybe

taken his

body

a bit

like he

took

Elijah

to glory

that God

had taken

his son

to glory?

I don't

know what

they believed

but they

weren't

fully on

the page

yet

with a

mature

understanding

to take

the Apostles

Creed

the woman

and the

male

disciples.

I don't

think they

could say

the belief

quite

yet.

I don't

think they

could quite

say I

believe in

God the

Father

Almighty

and I

believe in

Jesus

Christ the

Son

and I

believe in

his death

and I

believe in

his burial

and I

believe in

his resurrection

and I

believe in

his church

his Holy

Spirit

his second

coming.

They're

moving towards

it but I

don't think

they're quite

there yet.

so what

will get

them

where they

need to

be?

The

gardener

standing

in his

garden.

Sometimes

there is

a theme

that runs

through the

Bible

and it

pops up

in a few

places and

it is

helpful to

make a

connection.

And I

think this

is one of

those places

where we

have the

text of

scripture

repeatedly

drawing our

eye to the

fact that

the place

where Jesus