August 13, 2017
Evening Service

Joh 20:1-31  The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.  (2)  Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.  (3)  Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.  (4)  So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.  (5)  And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.  (6)  Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,  (7)  And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.  (8)  Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.  (9)  For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.  (10)  Then the disciples went away again unto their own home. 

·        Mary Magdalene first, the one who had many sins forgiven. 

·        Then the leader or spokesperson, Peter, who went running to the grave.

·        It is believed the other disciple was John.

·        The linen clothes lying; and the napkin that was about His head, wrapped together in a place by itself. 

·        The disciples went away to their own homes.

(11)  But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,  (12)  And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.  (13)  And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 

·        What if sometimes in our haste to get about our business we miss a chance to see something wonderful?  Waiting upon the Lord has it’s rewards.  Don’t ever be in such a hurry to leave the presence of the Lord.  Look at her reward.

(14)  And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.  (15)  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.  (16)  Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.  (17)  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 

·        When Jesus was walking on the road to Emmaus with two of the disciples, they did not recognize Him at first, then He revealed Himself to them.

·        We might have thought since Jesus has been resurrected that His body would be glowing, and she would notice it, but not the case, she thought Him to be the gardener.

·        But then He spoke, and called her by name, and she knew Who He was.

·        Has He called us by name?  Have we sought the Lord early in the morning?  Have we ran eagerly to Him?  Have we tarried when everything around us is hurrying along?

·        When we take time to seek after the Lord, He will get personal with us also, and call us by name.  This is the personal relationship we need with the Lord.

·        The time we spend in prayer, Bible study, and just meditating on the Lord, will bring us into a closer relationship with our God.

·        As she is about to worship Him, maybe by kneeling, and kissing His feet, as she has done before, He stops her, and says this is not the time for this now, but go to My brethren, and tell them that I am going to ascend to our God.

(18)  Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.  (19)  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, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 

·        Hopefully we are living close enough to the Lord, that we can hear Him say to us, Peace be unto you.  He is in control of every situation, and we have to trust as obedient children for what will be best for us, and the situation.  He’s your Heavenly Father.

(20)  And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.  (21)  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.  (22)  And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:  (23)  Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 

·        Three things;  first He tells them that He is sending them into the world to do His work, secondly He tells them to receive the Holy Ghost, and thirdly He gives them the ultimate authority in the church.  To remit, or retain ones sins.  These men were in authority, and today the ones in the place of authority in the church should accept this same since of authority. 

·        There has to be discipline, and order in the church, and a fear of not doing the Lord’s will.  This will only come from knowing that there is authority in the church that will hold us accountable.

(24)  But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.  (25)  The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.  (26)  And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.  (27)  Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 

·        Now here after eight days, He allows Thomas to touch Him.  Whether He ascended to God, we know not, it is not given to us, but it sounded like when He told Mary not to touch Him, it was because He had not yet ascended to His Father.  You see we don’t everything, and probably won’t until He returns and explains it all to us.  Should this matter to me, no, not at all.

·        Then Thomas gives a reply that we all should be ready to give.

 

(28)  And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 

·        And then Jesus gives us a special blessing.

(29)  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 

·        We close chapter 20 of St. John with these faith building words:

(30)  And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:  (31)  But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

 

This act of believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, is what starts us on our walk with God.  As we obey the gospel, and receive the Holy Ghost we possess eternal life at that point.  We may die the first death, but we will never die the second death which is the lake of fire.

 

So we need to keep on keeping on, and do our best to draw closer to our Lord each day.

 

Our prayer;  God Almighty, we thank You for this revealed Word, and ask that You would give us a continued desire to be what You would want us to be.  Amen.