Easter series 2008 "Seeing The
Risen Christ
3/23/08 AM R. Sams (John 20)
BIG IDEA:
How we SEE Jesus makes all the difference in how we SERVE Him SCRIPTURES TO
VIDEOPROJECT (coded with P ):
OTHER SCRIPTURES:
OTHER ITEMS TO
VIDEOPROJECT: PROJECT BIG IDEA CALL TO WORSHIP:
THEMES/SONGS/STORIES:
Songs with "seeing Jesus in them i.e. "When I Survey The Wondrous
Cross (medley w/ "Oh The Wonderful Cross")
GOSPEL/MISSION:
VISION/PRIORITIES:
ASSIGNMENTS/TESTIMONIES:
PASTOR�S
MINI-LESSON/PROMO/BIG QUESTION:
BULLETIN BOTTOM, p. 1 print BIG
IDEA HERE I. Use the "seeing vs. looking ill. from when
I was locked in the tomb-like bowels of Glamorgan Castle restroom over Christmas
vacation break.
I thought I saw the exterior door. What I saw was the
janitorial door.
II. In John 20 we see the disciples seeing a bunch
of sights, especially the risen Christ. But what do they really see?
And what difference does it make in their lives?
A. What do you
really "see"? And what difference does it make in your life, especially
when you look upon the risen Jesus?
B. (Jn 20:1) What can WE
see? Mary Magdalene, the former prostitute from whom Jesus had cast seven
evil spirits. But it�s to her Jesus makes His first resurrection
appearance. Remember this is a male-dominated culture. This is
huge. Link that with the fact she�s a former prostitute and formerly
demon-possessed. She�s not going to be on MY approved witness list if I
have anything to say about it.
1. But, do you see how this just
adds credibility to the Bible and the resurrection story? No one would
make this up. They�d be making their own worst case. But this is how
it�s told, not because it�s believable, but because it�s TRUE!
2.
Jesus had made this former demon-possessed prostitute a new person via a
spiritual healing (deliverance). Her past was gone; the new had
come. Praise God! That can be true for YOU (2 Cor 5:17). And
He FIRST appeared to her.
3. She was one of the last to leave the
cross and the first at the tomb. It was very early. It was still
dark or hazy early dawn. That would make seeing, recognizing
difficult. "Early ("proi") is a technical term for the last of the
four watches of the night, from 3-6 am.
4. "She saw that the
stone… This is the Greek word for mere seeing with the physical eyes
("blepo").
5. She really doesn�t analyze what she saw. She
doesn�t take time to compare it with Jesus statements about rising from
the dead. None of them really believed He was alive. That was too
unbelievable (v. 9).
III. They�d seen how badly He
died. They assumed the worst; that the officials that wanted Him gone had
now made sure that He would not become a worshipped martyr with his followers
constantly rallying and raising support for t their movement around His tomb
(v. 2).
A. (v. 3-5). John outran Peter, likely
because he ran regularly, which is the will of God for all, AND the way to
pursue holiness in spite of what Jerry Bridges tells us (hold up
book-teasing). John may�ve been the better runner, but he�s not the bolder
of the two. It�s dark. It�s a tomb. It�s spooky. He does
a quick glance in the cave opening like a cowboy under fire.
B. But
Peter rams right into the tomb. This is the one who denied Jesus in
cowardly fashion three times. The one who John has pulled from the brink
of despair back to the fold of fellowship with the other eight (minus Judas and
Thomas). And "he SAW the strips of linen lying there… (vs.
6-7).
C. This is a very different Greek word from Mary�s word
for seeing in (v. 1). "Theoreo means "to look critically and
analytically. To take a long look. He gives the scene a thorough
going over like the best from CSI. Don�t miss what he saw in his long
look: the linen strips lying there "folded. He saw the linen "napkin
folded as some translations say, the separate piece they wound around
Jesus head, lying separately.
D. We don�t get the power of
this scene without knowing the meaning of those words "folded. This means
folded like a sheet falls after David Copperfield makes something disappear from
underneath it; caved in. It was like the body either disappeared or passed
right through the strips of linen cloth that had been wound tightly around his
body and his head. "Caved in Ill.-Adam�s duct tape
pants.
1. That shows us something of the properties of Jesus
resurrected body…and ours (people have many questions). We see the same
thing about His resurrection body later as He passes through locked doors and
closed windows (v. 20). We see them not recognize Him in many of His
post resurrection appearances, yet they know it�s Him (21:4,
12).
2. So will we look mostly like we do now? Will we look
like we did in our best year? Will we look brand new, as in completely
renewed (detailed car), rested, re-energized, and ready for eternity?
"Extreme makeover: Divine edition. IV. Mary later sees with the same
word Peter saw (v. 10-14, 2x). She analyzed and examined carefully
and critically.
A. She doesn�t recognize him, but it�s not for lack
of trying because of this word.
1. It could have been too dark and
foggy. It could have been too many tears that blocked her vision.
The word for "crying (v. 11) means "sobbing, wailing.
2. [Love and gratitude for what Jesus had done motivated all Mary had
done for Him. Q: When�s the last time you cried tears of gratitude for
what Jesus has done for you?}
3. Maybe our resurrection bodies are so
renewed that they are hardly recognizable (can you wait?).
4. It
may have been her expectations that got in the way of her recognizing Jesus
(v. 9).
5. Or it could be because she�s so focused on the
tomb, not this stranger who comes up behind her. If somebody approached me
in a graveyard before 6 am I don�t know if I�d turn my back on them. But
I�m not pretending to be as gutsy as this woman who was the last to leave the
cross and first to the tomb; this woman who was going to single-handedly carry
Him from wherever the perpetrators of this grave robbing had taken the body
(v. 15c).
6. But note the direction she is looking-at the
tomb (v. 14, turning right back toward the tomb, 15-16). That�s her
focus…and no wonder. That�s where her beloved Master and Deliverer had
been.
B. Most translations don�t do justice to the original
wording. It makes it look like Jesus is unapproachable and untouchable in
His present state.
The words would be better translated: "Don�t keep
clinging to me because our relationship and your responsibilities are
changed. I�m going away. You can�t go there. I won�t leave you
alone as orphans. I�ll send my Holy Spirit who can live in you and be with
you all the time and empower you to do the job I have for you of taking my
message of resurrection power and calvary love to the whole world (v.
19-23).
1. Above all they were to carry the message of forgiveness
of sin through Jesus AND an ability to live the Christian through the power of
the indwelling Holy Spirit.
2. But Mary wanted to cling to the
past. Jesus said "No. Behold all things are new.
3.
Jesus doesn�t want you clinging to the past this morning. He doesn�t want
you looking back to ways you related to Him in the past however that was.
Maybe it was Savior then. Now He wants to be your Lord. Maybe it was
healer last week. This week it�s the One who empowers you to heal
others. Make sense?
4. He wants you to go forward in the
power of the Holy Spirit to take the message of His love, His forgiveness and
His infilling power to OTHERS.
V. (V. 8-9) Then we have John
the beloved, but somewhat timid and sensitive disciple. He�s taking a much
longer look inside the tomb.
A. Here is yet another Greek word for
"seeing ("eido"), which means "looking in a way that results in
understanding, comprehension, which leads to complete conviction and
action. Like what would happen to an eyewitness who was absolutely sure
what he saw and was willing to testify under oath. Contrast Jewish and
Greco-Roman (American) concept of "belief that produces no
change.
B. When our 4 yr old son accidentally fell into an
improperly covered septic tank in Old Tucson we had people standing all around
who saw what happened. Some saw the last part, our washing him off.
Some saw my dad and me fishing him out of the tank. Each was exactly sure
of what he saw. Most just wandered away quietly, didn�t want to get
involved. Two of the men stepped forward, handed us their business cards
and said if you need any witnesses, we saw the whole thing and we�d be willing
to testify. They were absolutely sure of what happened and were willing to
pay the price to stand up for what they saw. They never were called as
witnesses because we never took it to court, and that�s another story. We
were so glad we had our boy back.
1. Only one person saw all,
beside God. My dear mother, who is right up there close to God in terms of
what she saw in her younger days, especially when I was little and did something
wrong, which was extremely rare in my humble, honest and completely unbiased
opinion. That and $3 will get you a cup of coffee today. We used to
describe my mom, quoting ( ) "the eyes of God and mom rove to and fro throughout
the earth. We never teased her about her constant watchfulness after that
day.
2. She saw all, comprehended it all and acted quickly to get
the rescue started for her grandson.
C. Seeing in a way that we
understand completely what is going on, resulting in complete conviction and
action is this word describing how John saw in (v. 8).
1.
It�s the same word for how the disciples saw Him in (v. 20) resulting in
belief and action that changed the world. 2. They no longer saw Him
as a great teacher, healer and prophet, but the resurrected Lord of life who had
power over sin and death. In actuality all of them came to the same
conclusion Thomas did eventually, falling at His feet and proclaiming "My Lord
and my God. Then acting on that new relationship and responsibility to
tell others He is the Lord over life and death.
3. How do you see
Jesus? How we SEE Jesus reveals how we�ll SERVE Jesus. Do you see
Him in a way that changes your life? Don�t just "see Him. See
Him in a way that changes your life. See Him as for you and for
others. Then tell them. Closing song(s)Easter series 2008 "Seeing
The Risen Christ"