Rejoice! He is Risen! (John 19:38–20:31)

Welcome to God's Word for You, a ministry of Sharon R.P. Church in Morning Sun, Iowa. Check us out online at www.sharonrpc.org. We pray that this message will be a blessing to you and that the Lord will use it to transform your faith and your life. Will you meet me now in the book of John. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. You get to Acts and Romans, you're too far. The book of John. At the very end of the book, we're going to be looking at verses 19. The end of 19. Verses 38 through the chapter 20. So Matthew chapter 19, beginning at verse 38. You're now God's Word from the New Testament.

After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being 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 the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus, who was at first, came to Jesus by night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus and bound it in strips of linen with the spices as the custom of the Jews is to bury. 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 there they laid Jesus because the Jews' preparation day for the tomb was nearby.

We'll end our reading there, but we'll work through the entire rest of chapter 20 as we go through the whole chapter here. But this is God's Word. God's Word is holy. God's Word is perfect. God's Word is true. It's more valuable than the finest of gold, and it's sweeter than the sweetest of honey. I pray this morning that you take these words to heart as the very words of life. Well in Matthew chapter 38 through the rest of chapter 20, God is changing people's sorrows and their fears into joy. In this text what we find is we find God taking people's sorrows in the midst of their grief and turning it into joy. We see God taking people's fear in response to what's going on and he changes it into joy.

Just this week I was hearing about a boy who was graduating from high school. He's still going to graduate from high school, but he has worked so hard this whole time. He was looking forward to his graduation day. But his gown will stay on the hanger, and his cap will never touch his head, because that day of celebration He's gone and he was sorrowful for that.

There are many even now who have had deaths of loved ones and have not been able to have the funeral. And their sorrow is there. And our passage this morning teaches us that even in the midst of our sorrow, even in the midst of fear, God changes those sorrows and fears into joy.

And that first happens with Joseph of Arimathea and with Nicodemus. Look with me again at chapter 19, those verses 38 to the end of the chapter. After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being 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 the body of Jesus. Who was Joseph of Arimathea?

Well, we know from Luke that he was actually a member of the Sanhedrin. He was a member of the council. He was a reigning Jew. And yet we find out something about him. He was also a disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ. But secretly. But secretly. Why was Joseph of Arimathea secretly a disciple?

Well, verse 38 tells us, for fear of the Jews. There are many, even now, in closed countries, in countries which we cannot speak about, where we cannot mention their name over the internet, because if they were put out there, their names would become known, and they would fear for their lives and have to flee. There are many in communist countries, many who are living in Muslim countries and are Muslim background believers in Jesus. And they fear for their lives because they know what the world has done to their Savior.

And so Joseph is this man, but he takes up courage and he goes to Pilate. He lets everybody know that he is a disciple of Jesus because he goes into Pilate's courtyard and he asks for the body of Jesus. And Pilate gives him permission and he takes it.

And then we come to verse 39 and we find Nicodemus. who at first came to Jesus by night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Here again we find Nicodemus. Who is Nicodemus? He was also one who was fearful. Nicodemus has a really big place in the book of John. Do you remember Nicodemus? It was Nicodemus in John chapter 3 that he asked Jesus, How can a man be born again? Shall he enter into his mother's womb a second time? It was Nicodemus who asked those questions.

He was a Pharisee. And Jesus is the one who taught him about what salvation really means. That God would make him new again. It was to Nicodemus that from the mouth of Jesus, he said one of the most famous verses of all time, John 3, 16, for whoever believes in me, or for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever shall believe in him shall have eternal life. It was to Nicodemus that Jesus said those words. And here we find Nicodemus did come to Jesus, but by night.

Again, one who is fearful in the face of persecution. And in their grief, they come with gifts. God uses their grief. God uses their grief, their sorrow over the death of Jesus to give them courage. That they cannot let the Lord's body hang upon that cross and then be given over to decay. But instead, they go and they treat the body of Jesus with honor. They take his body and they wrap Jesus' body in linen strips and with those spices as the custom of the Jews was to bury that day. And they took Jesus' body.

And Joseph gives his own tomb for Jesus to be laid in. Isaiah 53 9 was fulfilled in this passage. He was numbered amongst the transgressors. but he was buried amongst the rich. Jesus was laid in a tomb in which no one else had ever been laid. His body was taken down from the cross, that place of the most shame, and put into a tomb with the most honor, with the most care for his physical body.

And there they laid Jesus because the Jews' preparation day for the tomb was nearby. On that Friday night, they buried Jesus' body in that tomb. They rushed through the funeral that evening. Jesus died at about three o'clock in the afternoon. And before the sun went down, before the Sabbath began, they had his funeral. They buried his body, and the Jews had Pilate allow them to set guards and to seal the tomb and make it secure.

But on the first day of the week, look with me at chapter 20, verses 1 through 10, Jesus did not stay in that grave. But we find Jesus turning someone else's sorrow and fear to joy. Look with me at what he does with Mary Magdalene when he raised from the dead and he reveals himself to this disciple. Chapter 20, verses 1 through 10.

Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and she saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Peter Simon, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him. Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down, looked in and saw the linen cloths lying there, yet did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb, and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around his head, not lying them with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who came to the tomb first went in also, and saw, and believed. For as yet did they not know the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

Mary goes to that tomb early in the morning, While the air is still cool, and the light is still dim, and she goes with more spices to continue to embalm Jesus' body. We have fast-forward through the Sabbath. Saturday is gone, and now it is Resurrection Monday, and she gets to that tomb, but Jesus' body is not there. Jesus' body is not in that tomb that Sunday morning.

His body is gone. And she is fearful, she is filled with sorrow, she is grief upon grief. Where have they put her Savior? And she runs and she tells two of the chief apostles, she goes and finds Simon Peter and she finds John, the disciple whom Jesus loves, and she tells them and immediately they hop in their sneakers and they run. They run to the tomb. No way, no how, how did this happen?

Where is Jesus' body? And when they get there, John outruns Peter and he gets to that tomb and he looks in. He appears into that dark tomb. And there he sees the clothing. And yet, no Christ. Peter arrives just after him, huffing and puffing. He goes into that tomb, and there he goes in and he sees the linen cloth, but no body. And there, next to the linen cloth, not with it, but next to it, is a handkerchief that had covered Jesus' head and His face. And there it was, this cloth, which His disciples had so lovingly applied to their Savior's body, was there. folded neatly.

It says that they believed. See, up to this point, they had not understood. They did not know what Jesus was talking about. Jesus had told them at the Mount of Transfiguration that he was going to die and be raised again on the third day, but they didn't understand it. Jesus had told them time and time and time again that he had his face set towards Jerusalem where he would be persecuted, where he would be killed, where he would be raised again. Jesus had told them when they looked at the temple and he saw the stones and he told them, this temple will be destroyed but after three days it will be built back up again. They didn't understand what the words of Christ meant, but now they see, and the lights start to click, and they realize that something is going on here, but they go back to their own home.

Mary doesn't get it yet. Peter and John, we're not sure how much they still understand yet, but Mary doesn't get it, and we find Mary wrestling with this. And what we find is her interaction with the risen Lord, beginning at chapter 11. Meet me there, John chapter 20, verse 11. But Mary stood outside the tomb, weeping. And as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Then they said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? She said to them, because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Now as she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? She supposed him to be the gardener and said, Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him and I will take him away.

Jesus said to her, Mary. She turned to him and said, Rabboni, that is the mean teacher. Jesus said to her, don't cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to my father. But go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God."

You hear the weeping that is turned to joy in this passage. That Mary Magdalene is there, she's weeping because where is her Savior? Where is the body of Christ? She had just seen it put into the tomb on Friday, and now it is Sunday morning, and the body is gone, and she weeps, and she weeps, and she weeps. Her face is lined with tears as she has uncontrollable grief, and as she is grieving for where someone has stolen away the body of her Lord, two angels appear to her. And don't get this wrong, the text is not being misogynistic or something. When the angels say to her, woman, Why are you weeping? This is like saying in Southern talk, Ma'am, why are you weeping?

Who are you looking for? Mary says, I don't know where they've taken my Lord. I don't know where they've taken my Savior. Where is his body? It was just here. And you can hear the anguish in her soul as she longs for Jesus, this one whom she had followed. She had been there at the cross when Jesus had been crucified. She had been there when he was buried, and now she was there on the first day of the week that Sunday morning, and he was gone. And when she turns around, who's there but Jesus himself. But her heart is so filled with grief that her eyes are blinded by sorrow.

And Jesus asks her the same question, who are you looking for? And she supposes that he's a gardener. Now you might find that interesting, but maybe you've never seen a dead person raised again from the grave. It would only be the natural response to see someone who is all of a sudden there, that this can't be my Lord, but yet it is. And it's when Jesus looks at her and calls her by her name, Mary. Her eyes are opened, the scales fall, and she cries out, Rabboni, teacher! Her Lord is risen, and her sorrows immediately turn to joy. And it's there that Jesus says, don't cling to me yet. This isn't like Lazarus. Jesus isn't going to be there forever. Jesus has been raised again from the dead, and that tomb is empty.

But He was raised for a purpose, for our justification, and He was ascending into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, and He's telling her, Mary, it's not going to be like it was before. But go and tell the disciples that I have been raised, and I will ascend to my God and your God, to my Father and to your Father. Jesus' work is not done yet, and Mary doesn't. Just turn over with me to what Mary does and what Jesus does to the disciples when He doesn't just appear to Mary, but Jesus appears to the disciples. Look with me at verses 18 through 25.

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, When the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them, Peace be with you. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you. And when he said this, he breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.

Now Thomas called the twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, We have seen the Lord. So he said to them, Unless I see his hands, the prints of the nails, and put my finger into the prints of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. In that evening, Mary has run to the disciples and she has told them that Jesus Christ has risen and He is going to ascend into heaven, but they're still fearful.

Did you miss it? They're in that room. It's still the Christian Sabbath now. It's still the Lord's Day. It's still the first day of the week. It is Resurrection Sunday. They are there. And they are meeting together. But the doors are locked. Why? because they fear the Jews.

And it is in the midst of that fear, it is in the midst of that turmoil in their souls, that Jesus appears to them. And what is his first words to his disciples? Peace. Peace be with you. There's something amazing with that. Jesus told Mary, Go and tell my brothers." And now he tells his brothers, peace be with you.

Jesus knew their sin. Jesus knew their iniquity far better than they could ever understand. Jesus knew of Peter's betrayal of him. Peter knew that all of them had fled him. Jesus knew Jesus knew of their transgressions. Jesus knew of their iniquities. Jesus knew of their sins because he had had the full wrath of God poured out upon him, upon that cross. And yet, what does he call these sinful disciples?

Brothers. And what does he declare to them? Peace be with you. The Risen Lord appears to them and the very first words out of His mouth to them, Irene, peace. It's done. The work is finished. There's shalom. Everything is made right. And I stand here before you as your Risen Lord. Come, see that it's true. Come see the nail marks in my hand. Truly I am not a spirit, but I am truly man, risen again, not some figment of your imagination, but the King Almighty before you, who has vanquished death and conquered the foe of God's judgment, and I have taken it all for you.

See, God had hated sin and poured it out upon Jesus, and it was by His stripes that they were healed, that you were healed, that I was healed. It was here that Jesus shows His body as a living proof of both their forgiveness and their justification. That is what God says in Romans chapter 4 verse 25. He tells us that He was put to death for our transgressions, but raised for our justification. There is now no more enmity between you and God, for while we were yet sinners, Christ died for you. And now you are no longer a sinner because the blood of Christ has washed over your sins and cleansed you from your iniquity.

You are made as white as snow, Christian. And God declares to his people by the power of his resurrection, peace. Peace be with you. He says that to the ten disciples that are there in that room, and even though they were sorrowful and they were fearful, God has now changed their fear and their sorrow to joy.

But there's one who doubts. Thomas, called Didymus, wasn't in the room. This is too beyond his understanding. Thomas doesn't understand this. Thomas won't believe it. Thomas needs empirical proof. Thomas needs to know for certain. Unless I see and feel his hands, unless I put my hand in his side, there's no way I can believe it. But Jesus shows up, even to Thomas, in a powerful way, and changes even his fear, even his sorrow, even his distrust, to joy.

Look with me at the next section, verses 26 through 29. And after eight days his disciples were again in sight. Again they are meeting on Sunday. Again they are meeting on that day of resurrection. And Thomas this time was with them. Jesus came. The door is being shut. and stood in the midst of them, and said, Peace to you. Then he said to Thomas, Reach your finger here, and look at my hands, and reach your hand here, and put it into my side.

Do not be unbelieving, but be believing. And what is Thomas' reaction to one of the most beautiful words in the entire scriptures? My Lord and my God. My Lord and my God. Thomas gets it. Thomas understands that the risen Jesus is in front of him. And what does he do? He confesses his deity. He confesses his Lordship. He confesses that Jesus is Yahweh in the flesh. He confesses that Jesus is the living God. Thomas goes from his disbelief to uncontrollable joy as he blurts out of his mouth from the overflow of his heart, My Lord and my God! Jesus is before him as his risen King. Jesus is the one that he finally understands had to be raised from the dead.

Final Point

Finally, Thomas understands that Jesus clutched the throne by the blood of his brow.

Final Point

Finally, Thomas understood what Jesus was saying with the scriptures proclaim that Jesus had to be risen again from the dead. And what does Jesus say?

Thomas, because you have seen me, you believe. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet they believe. This is you. This is you. Jesus is speaking about you here. Jesus is saying, if you have hope in his resurrection, you have a greater joy than even Thomas had. Blessed are you because you believe. But blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

Brothers and sisters, it is Jesus Christ who was promised. It was Jesus Christ who was slain for His people's sins. It was by His wounds that we were healed. It is by faith in Jesus Christ, in His work and in His person, that we are made alive. This is what Romans chapter 10 tells us. If we confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Oh, what beautiful news do we hope in the resurrection that Jesus Christ is truly alive. That Jesus Christ is the Lord. That Jesus Christ is the Messiah.

That Jesus is the one whom Abraham believed and it was credited to him as righteousness. It was David who looked to Jesus knowing that someday a Messiah would come from his line. It was Jesus who was the Son of Man who Daniel saw in Daniel chapter 7 as the Ancient of Days coming again in the clouds. It was Jesus, the promised Messiah of Isaiah. It was Jesus who would sit upon that throne.

It is Jesus who has all authority. It is Jesus who is the one who could not be taken down by death and sin. It was Jesus who reigned over the battle. It was Jesus who has conquered Satan. It is Jesus who will throw down that great dragon. It is Jesus who will reign victorious forever. It is our risen King who sits upon His throne. It is Jesus who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. It is Jesus who is calling you this morning to say, My Lord and my God.

Do you believe it? This was written for you this morning. This is what John even said his entire book was about. The last two verses, verses 30 and 31. John writes, and truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing You may have life in His name.

It is by faith we are made righteous. Not by the works of the law. It is by faith in the name of Jesus Christ. That He is our King. That He is our propitiation. That He is our blood atonement. That He is the Sovereign of our souls. that our sorrow is turned to rejoicing, that our fear is turned to confidence, that the words declared to the apostles are true for you, grace and peace to you.

Do you believe it? Oh, for some of you, you have clinged on to this hope through thick and thin. Job clung on to this hope. And all the difficulties of Job's life, seeing his children killed, seeing his wealth taken away, it was Job who knew with confidence his Redeemer lives. Christian, your Redeemer lives.

He is our King. He is the One who has given up His body. He is the Lamb who was slain before the foundations of the world. He is the One whom John the Baptist prepared the way in the wilderness. He is the One who gives life and life everlasting. He is the One who will bring you peace eternally. He is the One who will give you the gift of grace that will never end. He is the One who offers you life abundantly. Do you believe in what you cannot see? Do you have faith in the risen Lord and do you confess with your mouth that you are a sinner and that He is the Christ? Oh, if so, Christian, then you can face anything in this world.

See, it's also in Romans chapter 5 that God tells us that He was put to death for our sins but raised for our justification. And then it goes on from that to say that if we are those who are justified, then even in afflictions, even in trials, we are conquerors. Because even in our affliction, even in our trials, if we have hope in the risen Jesus Christ, if we have faith in God, Even our trials are meant to teach us perseverance, character, and hope.

Closing Prayer

And hope, brothers and sisters, does not disappoint. Jesus is the anchor of our souls. Jesus is our hope. Our resurrected Lord is our hope, our only hope. And he indeed is risen from the dead and has ascended into heaven and sits now at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. Oh, brothers and sisters, change your sorrow and your fear to joy. May we be those who rejoice with exceedingly great joy. Let's pray together.

Oh God, what a blessing you have given us in your Son, Jesus Christ. What grace you have shown us. Lord, we thank you that that tomb is empty and that our King lives. Lord, we thank you that our Redeemer is up in heaven and that he is truly alive. Father, we pray that these would not just be lofty ideals, lofty things to think about, but Lord, you indeed would have Jesus as the anchor deep down in our souls, that Lord, we would never be moved. Lord, we pray that we would fix our eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faiths. In Jesus' name, amen.

Thanks for listening to this week's message from God's Word for You, a ministry of Sharon R.P. Church in rural southeast Iowa. We pray that the message would be used by God to transform your faith in your life this week. If you'd like to get more information about us, feel free to go to the website, SharonRPC.org. We'd love to invite you to worship with us. Our worship time is 10 a.m. every Sunday at 25204 160th Avenue, Morning Sun, Iowa, 52640. May God richly bless you this week.