 The title of our sermon this morning is Living Faith in the Risen Lord. Living Faith in the Risen Lord. So consider this text, John 20 verses 1 through 18. I'm compelled to focus on John's intent in writing. And again, we know from John 20 that John intends to write so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing we may have life in his name. John intends, the Holy Spirit intends to cultivate or to bolster and bold in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ through now evidence of the resurrection of the Lord. And so what we want to do this morning is look at the faith of Mary, the faith of Peter, the faith of John, as we work through our text, John 20 verses 1 through 18. Living Faith in the Risen Lord. We want to begin, point one on your notes and your bulletin. With this fact of our context or this fact of our setting, their faith, their faith is a tested faith. The disciples are being tested. Their faith is being tested. In less than a single 24 hour period, Jesus is betrayed by one of his own disciples, arrested, bound, led away. He is beaten. He's mocked. He's tried by the Jews, falsely found guilty and sentenced to death. He's tried by pilot, mocked and beaten even more and then brutally scourged. He's sentenced to die by crucifixion, marched out of the city, nailed to a Roman cross. He endures public shame, endures agony on the cross, dies on the cross, pierced through with a spear on the cross, and then buried in a tomb all before the sun goes down. It's a devastating assault on their faith. It's a devastating assault. The disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ are in despair. They are in utter disarray. You can imagine, right? They all abandon him and as they flee, as he is arrested and bound in the garden. One of them, the treasurer of the group, has betrayed him and since he has committed suicide. Simon Peter, outspoken leader of the 11, the one who said to him, even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be, the one who pledged to lay down his life for Jesus, Simon Peter has been toppled. He's been reduced to rubble by the questions of a servant girl in Pilate's courtyard. John is consoling the mother of Jesus, her heart broken, torn asunder over the loss of her son. Mary Magdalene is here and John 20 weeping at the tomb as one who has no hope. Thomas, having fathered the Lord now for three years, stubbornly refuses to believe. Cleopas and his friend, knowing that Jesus has died, cast off all hope as they walk along the road to Emmaus saying, we were hoping that it was he who was going to redeem Israel. So this is a disheartened, dispirited, disillusioned, discouraged group of disciples. They've been shaken to the core. They've been sifted as wheat and their faith has been found wanting. All that they had hoped for, all that they had given themselves to, all that they had experienced, all that they had believed in was shamefully murdered, now unquestionably dead and buried in a tomb outside Jerusalem. There was simply no room in their theology for a dead savior, no room in their theology for a dead Messiah. This is a defeated and dejected and dispirited group. In John chapter 20 verse one, as Mary makes her way to the tomb on the first day of the week, she's not going there to worship a risen savior. Mary's going to the tomb to anoint a corpse and faced with the terrors of death once again. The last enemy, faced with the terrors of death apart from Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, hope is lost and faith is forsaken. Paul said, if Christ is not risen, your faith is worthless. Your faith is futile. It's in vain and you are still in your sins. Death awaits us all. Death awaits. You are going to die. I am going to die. It is appointed for men to die once and if the dead do not rise then let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die. Why is this? Why is this? It's because of sin. It's because of sin. We know that. You are going to die. You are going to die because of your sin. Our outward man is decaying. Lord how I feel it. We are our man is perishing. We are going to die. We're decaying even now because of death, because of sin. Paul in Romans chapter 5 verse 12, death spreads to all men because all men have sinned. In Job chapter 18 verse 5, Bill, dad speaking of the wicked at their death, listen to what Bill, dad says in verse 5, the light of the wicked indeed goes out and the flame of his fire does not shine. The light is dark in his tent. His lamp beside him is put out. The steps of his strength are shortened and his own counsel casts him down. He is cast into a net by his own feet and he walks into a snare. The net takes him by the heel and a snare lays hold of him. A noose is hidden for him on the ground and a trap for him in the road. Terrorists frighten him on every side and drive him to his feet. His strength is starved. Sin is ready at his side. It devours patches of his skin. The firstborn of death devours his limbs. He is uprooted from the shelter of his tent and they parade him before the king of terrors. King of terrors is death, according to Bill, dad. According to Hebrews chapter 2 verse 15, men are subject to an enslaving fear of death all their lifetime. You can't control it. Only you can do to avoid it. You can't flee it. You are going to die and you're going to die because of your sin. Solomon said, no one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit and no one has power in the day of death. You're going to die. Listen to me young people, you're going to die. You're going to die and you're going to die because of sin. Young man, young girl, you're going to die. Old man, old woman, if I may be so blunt to say so, you're going to die, you're going to die. Psalm 49 verse 10, the psalmist sees wise men die. Verse 10, likewise the fool and likewise the senseless person perishes and leave their wealth to others. Their inner thought, according to the psalmist, their inner thought is that their houses will last forever. If they can't make it, maybe I can leave something behind to mark the fact that I was once there. Their dwelling places they hope will last to all generations. They call their lands after their own names, grasping, grasping for some semblance of immortality. Nevertheless, verse 12, no matter what they do, man, though in honor, does not remain. He is like the beast that perish. This is the way of those who are foolish and of their posterity who approve their sayings. Say la, meditate on that. Like sheep, they are laid in the grave and death shall feed on them. So in Psalm 49, what is the psalmist's one hope? What is the psalmist clinging to in this life? What gives him joy? What subdues and conquers his fears? Verse 15, but God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave for he shall receive me. Amen. Amen. He looks forward to the resurrection. That God will redeem his soul from the grave and receive him received by God. Amen. What a glorious thought. Job said, Job said, after my skin is destroyed, this I know. That's faith. This I know that in my flesh I shall see God. Paul said in Philippians chapter three, verse eight, I count everything in this life, everything in this world. I count as dung. I count it as rubbish that I may gain Christ through faith. Paul says that I may know him and what and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death. If by any means I, Paul says, may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Turn with me to first Peter chapter one. We were there this morning. Turn with me to first Peter chapter one. The same Peter who denied him, the same Peter who was crushed by the questions of a servant girl now having come face to face with the risen Lord would later write to encourage fiercely persecuted Christians in first Peter chapter one and look at verse three. Peter writes blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope. Note with me first in verse three there, it's a living hope. It's a living hope. It's not a dying hope. It's not a dead hope. It's a living hope. A living hope of what? It's a living hope of resurrection from the dead. Verse four, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled that does not fade away. It lives and it lasts forever. What is in first Peter chapter one verses three and four there? What is the vehicle? What is the means through which this ever living hope is provided? It's there at the end of verse three. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, amen. Jesus said in John chapter 11 verse 25, Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me though he may die, he shall live. Glory be to God. I praise God. The New Testament just unpacks all the implications of the resurrection. There's so much that could be said, the challenge of studying and preparing for a text like John chapter 20 is that there's so much that could be said, it's hard to even know where to start. We're just scratching the surface. These are glorious truths and I believe that in the New Testament as we see the disciples, if you will, the Lord through them fleshing out their Christian lives through the book of Acts and into the New Testament. We see that dispirited disillusion, discouraged, dejected, defeated group become emboldened in the light of the resurrection. Their lives are transformed. Their faith is transformed through the reality of Jesus Christ raised and living. Jesus Christ is raised from the dead in power and Jesus Christ is raised from the dead in power as the first fruits of all those who would be raised from the dead in him. That's you. That's me if we're in Christ. If you've turned from your sin, if you put your faith and trust in him, that's you. Jesus died to redeem his purpose, to redeem his people. The very purpose of that redemption, the very purpose of that redemption is so that God would raise his people from the dead to eternal glory to worship and to praise him forever. The very purpose of a redemption is that we would be raised from the dead to eternal glory to worship him. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ changes everything. Changes everything. Changes the way that you think. It should change the way that you think. It should change the way that you live, right? From despair to hope, from darkness to life, from death to life everlasting, from discouragement to encouragement, from sorrow to joy, from apathy to zeal, from faithlessness to faithfulness, from cowardice to courage, from weak to bold, from shaken by the wind, tossed to and fro, to steadfast in the Lord, from fearing men to fearing God, from silent bystander to outspoken witness as the hymn goes, right? Life is worth the living because he lives. Jesus Christ said at the cross, it is finished. God said at the resurrection, I am satisfied. And I am born again to a living hope in him, amen. What if you're not in him? What if you're not in him? Will dad referred to death as the king of terrors, but it's what comes after death that should be most terrifying to you if you're not in him. Hebrews 9.27, it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. If you're not in Christ, you're raised also. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ establishes that, proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt, in fact, you are raised also. Acts chapter 17, verse 31, God has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained, and he has given assurance of this to you. He's given assurance of this to all by raising that man, the Lord Jesus Christ, from the dead, knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men. As eternal as the life of the righteous in heaven will be the death of the wicked in hell. As the righteous are raised and given a body in resurrection, a resurrection body, given a body suited to forever enjoy the delights of heaven, the wicked are raised and given a body suited to forever suffer the torments of hell. You're raised also. You will be raised also. If Jesus Christ is raised, you will be raised also. If you live now as an enemy of God, you will live forever as an object of divine justice. If you live now, if you die as an enemy of God, you will forever live as an object of divine justice. If you've never turned from your sin to trust Christ alone, to entrust yourself to him, to follow him as Lord, then the sentence of the law of God, the sentence of the law of God, the law of God's righteousness, God's righteous judgment has already been passed against you. John says you are condemned already. You're condemned already. You're bound over to hell already. It is to use a phrase, your default position, your only hope. The only hope that you have is that the Lord Jesus Christ would set you free. You are bound as a citizen of hell already. Your only hope is freedom in Christ and death is coming. He is the resurrection and the life. He who believes in him, though he may die, he shall live. What a glorious promise. The Lord Jesus Christ conquered sin, conquered death at the cross. Not only for himself, but for all those who would entrust themselves to him. Abandon yourself to Christ. Abandon yourself to him into the power of his resurrection and be saved. In John chapter 20 and John chapter 20 verse 30, John records that Jesus did many signs, many signs in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book. The signs are given, John writes, so that you might believe. There are many signs that Jesus did in the presence of his disciples verse 30 which are not written in this book. These were chosen specifically by the Spirit of God to drive home a point, to show you the intent, to give you that purpose, to provoke or to awaken in you faith. Of all the signs that are written down here in the Gospel of John, chief among them, the preeminent, validating sign of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the resurrection of the Lord from the dead. And John says, these were written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. Will you in hard-hearted unbelief, like those of whom Jesus spoke, that will not be persuaded even though one rises from the dead? Not only did the Lord Jesus Christ raise people from the dead, the Lord Jesus Christ himself was risen. And we have evidence given in John chapter 20. John says the purpose of that evidence is to awaken faith and the unbeliever into fuel and fire the faith of believers. Will you believe on Christ? Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. And John is going to give us that evidence in chapters 20 and 21. John is going to give us historical evidence of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ in chapters 20 through 21. In other words, our hope is not a pipe dream. Christianity is not grounded on air and cotton candy. Our faith isn't built on the shifting sands of men's imaginations. This wasn't drummed up by men. If you even know a fraction of your Bible, you know what a stupid objection that is. The Bible is written by a bunch of men. Read it. This is history. This is fact. Every other religious pretender who has ever lived is dead. Jesus Christ alone has risen from the dead. Specifically in John chapter 20 verses 1 through 18, the historical evidence that John lays out here, specifically in this passage, is given to us through the narrative experience of Mary, Peter, and John. And the emphasis here is on Mary Magdalene. Through their experience, we see evidence, the evidence of the empty tomb. We hear the testimony of angels. We have the testimony of credible eyewitnesses, and we see Mary's encounter with the risen Lord himself as we'll see other evidence woven into the fabric of the narrative. And just as that evidence, we see that evidence bolstering and fueling and firing the faith of Mary and the other disciples, that evidence is intended to bolster and fuel and fire your faith, my faith, as we study the text. It's to do the same thing with us. These very disciples, once dejected, once defeated, scattered to the wind, pushed into the shadows. These very disciples, Acts 4, 33 says, with great power gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. They preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead, Acts 4, and the thousands were added to the church. They did that under fierce persecution. They preached the crucified and risen Christ until they were killed, until they were killed for preaching the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What changed? What changed from those that disillusioned, dispirited, dejected, defeated group to now those same disciples in the same city that crucified the Lord Jesus Christ? What changed them now to where they're preaching in power, the resurrection from the dead and thousands being added to the church, and preaching in the face of tremendous persecution? What changed? It's the resurrection, it's the resurrection. I pray, and I hope that you will pray that as we work through John 20, John 21, that our faith would be fueled and fired, inflamed, emboldened, empowered by an understanding here of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. So as Mary, Peter, and John then grapple with the reality of the empty tomb in John 20, verses 1-18, I want us to consider six characteristics of their faith. We're going to have time for one this morning. Six characteristics of their faith. We've already considered point one on your notes. Their faith was a tested faith, was a tested faith. Listen, your faith is going to be tested too, right? My faith is going to be tested. By the Lord's grace, by the Lord's mercy, and the Lord faithful to His promise grows, matures, flames, fans of the flame of faith in our hearts through testing, through trial, through tribulation. We see that happen, don't we, in the disciples. I pray that he'll do the same for you, the same for me, studying this text together. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead should strengthen, embolden your faith. Consider now the second characteristic of faith that we see in the text, point two on your notes, a devoted faith, a devoted faith beginning in verse one. Now on 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. And she ran and came to Simon Peter 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. That's the first day of the week, right? The first day after the seventh day Sabbath, this is Sunday that we're talking about. It's interesting to note that rather than John saying it was the third day, or the third day after the crucifixion, John notes verse one, it's the first day of the week, beginning of something new, right? You could say a new creation, couldn't we? Beginning of something new. It's the first day of the week. The Lord's day, as the church would come to refer to it, the church would, after the resurrection, call Sunday the first day of the week, the Lord's day. It was the day on which the church would gather for worship to celebrate the Lord's resurrection. This is the day the Lord was raised from the dead. As the Jews counted each part of a day as a full day, it's been three days since the Lord was buried, buried on Friday, by the end of day on Friday, in the tomb for all of Saturday. And verse one now reports that it's the first day of the week, Sunday. In John chapter two, verse 19, Jesus had cleared out the temple. If you remember that from John chapter two, went in there with a whip of cords, cleared out the money changers, right? Cleared out those doing business in the court of the Gentiles there. And the Jews, after he had done that, questioned Jesus Christ about his authority. And they asked him for a sign of his authority. What sign do you show us since you do these things? In other words, Jesus, if you claim to be the Messiah, you're doing this because you claim to be the Messiah, if you claim to be the Messiah and you think you have authority to do this, to clear the temple, what sign do you show us to prove it? What are you going to do to prove that you're the Messiah, that you have the authority to do these things? Jesus said the resurrection. He said the resurrection. He said, destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up. We know on this side of that statement exactly what he's talking about there. They reminded him of that statement at his trial, do you remember? They mocked him for saying it, his words now proven true in dramatic fashion. But it's here once again in verse one now, the first day of the week that we're introduced again to Mary Magdalene. If you remember, we were first introduced to Mary in Luke chapter eight, verse two, where she's mentioned among certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities there. In fact, it says that of Mary that she was the one whom the Lord cast out from her seven demons. He freed her from the grip of a terrible, horrific demonic enslavement. Now it also says there in Luke chapter eight that Mary was apparently a woman of some means. In Luke chapter eight, verse three, she is said to follow him with some other women providing for him out of her substance. She was a woman of some substance. Wherever he went, she followed. In other words, Mary was devoted faithfully to the Lord Jesus Christ. One who is forgiven much loves much, right? Mary having been forgiven so much, having had those demons cast away from her, she devotedly follow the Lord. She provided for him out of her substance. Where he went, she went. We saw that in her, right? We saw her with the women at the cross. And here she is again now at the tomb, the first witness of the empty tomb and the first witness of the risen Christ. Mary here emphasized. She's emphasized in all four gospels. Not one of the 11, but Mary. Think about it with me, right? Not Joseph, not Nicodemus, not Peter, not John, but Mary. Not many wise according to the flesh, but Mary, right? Not many mighty, not many noble, but Mary. God chooses the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty, amen? If you think about that now, in a culture dominated by men where women were often oppressed and suppressed, this is common, this is common in the Bible where the Lord esteems a faithful, devoted woman. We saw the woman at the well, didn't we, in John chapter four. And it's to the woman at the well in John chapter four that Jesus first announces he's the Messiah to that woman in John chapter four. The example of Mary, the sister of Lazarus in John chapter 12, anointing the feet of the Lord with the costly oil, right, wiping his feet with her hair. And wherever the gospel is preached, it'll be remembered of her what she did. Here, we see Mary's devoted faithfulness to the Lord even after his death. She's there with him at the cross. She's there now to take care of his body after death. Women were held in such derision by the religious elite, and in and of itself to a Pharisee, to a Sadducee, to the Sanhedrin, her testimony would have been worthless. Women weren't even allowed to testify in court because their testimony was considered worthless. And yet, in the Lord's infinite wisdom, in his providence, in his grace, in John chapter 20, Mary is the first eyewitness brought to stand, brought to the stand to bear witness of the resurrection of Christ. She's esteemed in this way, right? But the Lord is no respecter of persons. The Lord no respecter of persons. That doesn't mean that Mary's going to be the 12th apostle. It doesn't mean that Mary then, or Paula, or Tammy, or Sally can be a pastor of a church. God's word is crystal clear on our responsibilities, on our roles, right? The role of women by the Lord is highly esteemed. It is a beautiful and gracious role that God gives women. And God esteems faithful women in the scriptures throughout the scriptures, but it gives us very clear roles, very clear responsibilities. It's also clear that we are fellow heirs, like my brother mentioned earlier this morning, right? We are fellow heirs of the grace of life. This is not the same God as Allah, is it? How does Islam treat women? Now notice in verse one that what continues to be emphasized about Mary is her faithful devotion to the Lord. Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early while it was still dark. In other words, as soon as possible, she was up out the door. Mark says it was very early in the morning. The synoptic gospels have her reaching the tomb just as the sun was coming up. And as John emphasizes the experience of Mary here in John chapter 20, we know from the synoptics that she wasn't alone. Mark adds that Mary, the mother of James, and Salome were with her and that they brought spices for the purpose of further anointing the body. If you think about that, these were spices that Luke says were prepared before the Sabbath on Friday night, late in the day on Friday. Now, you think about this again, thinking of Mary's devoted faithfulness to the Lord. Lord is crucified, Joseph, Nicodemus, prepare his body and bury him in the tomb. While that's going on before the Sabbath, before the the bazaars of Annas would have closed it down, Mary goes at that same time to buy spices, thinking ahead of Sunday morning after the Sabbath was passed, after she had observed the Sabbath, thinking ahead, she would go early and anoint the body of Lord Jesus Christ. She prepares, she's thinking. What they were not thinking about was the resurrection. What Mary did not expect was an empty tomb. In fact, in Mark's Gospel, what they were preoccupied with, these women, and again John simply emphasizing the experience of Mary, what these women were preoccupied with in their conversation as they walked along, was what they were going to do about the great stone that had been rolled over the mouth of the tomb. What were they going to do about the stone? And notice Mary's devotion. She's there at the cross, attending to the Lord at his crucifixion. As she had done during his ministry those years prior to his crucifixion, she's buying and preparing spices on Friday, thinking ahead, again, not thinking of a resurrection, not thinking of a staged plot to steal the body, Mary is buying spices, preparing spices Friday night for anointing his body on Sunday morning. She's up early while it's still dark. Her pressing concern being to take care of the Lord, the Lord's body, even after his death. But notice also her heart and mind. She and the other women aren't preoccupied with thoughts of resurrection. She's not even preoccupied with thoughts now, even theologically or otherwise, of the implications of the Lord's death. They knew he was dead. They certainly didn't expect to find the tomb empty. What chapter 16 verse 3 says, they were saying, that's in the imperfect tense, this was an ongoing conversation as they were walking along on the way to the tomb. What are we going to do about the stone? All of this now, all of this adds credibility to Mary's witness, doesn't it? Her devoted faith and her witness. Notice lastly, Mary's initial witness. Verse one, Mary, she saw in verse one that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Verse two, then upon seeing that, she ran, came to Simon Peter 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. From what we see in the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, as the women are approaching the tomb, it appears as though Mary is the first to notice or their first to notice that the large stone has been moved out of its place. The text doesn't say that Mary looks inside, as it does with Peter and John. Mary takes one look at the stone and in her mind, she immediately draws the conclusion that someone has stolen the body. Someone has taken the body of Jesus Christ away. And in verse two, Mary simply ran. Mary says that she ran, ran for help. Grave robbers were so common during this time that grave robbing was made a capital offense, a death penalty offense by the emperor Claudius sometime after AD 41. It's a capital offense. Mary assumes that this is the case. In her grief, in her despair, in her distress, she assumes that the body of Jesus has been taken away, so she runs to Peter and John. There's been much controversy over the interpretation of verse two, verse one, in comparison with the synoptics. And again, if you don't believe the Bible, then you can go to this and you can wreak havoc in the text because of your ignorance. You can twist the scriptures to your own destruction. But it's simple to see what goes on when you consider verses one and two in John chapter 20 with the synoptics. Mary went, she was not alone, she went with other women. Mary arrived. She first saw that the stone had been rolled away. Mary ran for help. The other women stayed, lingered behind and looked in the tomb. Mary was not a part of some plot to hide the body of Jesus. She wasn't a part of some elaborate cover up, some elaborate scheme to keep up appearances and disciples don't die as martyrs for the sake of keeping up appearances. Disciples don't die as martyrs for something they fabricated or faked in the first place. Mary here is a credible witness, Mary is a credible witness. Not only that, but Pilate, if you remember, turn with me to Matthew chapter 27. Put Roman guards outside the tomb and put a Roman seal over the tomb, both of those to take extra precautions, to take extra care to make sure that no one could steal the body and stage a fabricated resurrection, a fake resurrection. In Matthew chapter 27 and drop down to verse 62, verse 62. On the next day now, which followed the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together to Pilate. This is taking place essentially on the Sabbath. They're working out this scheme. They're working out this plot. Verse 63, they said together, Sir, we remember that while he was still alive, how that deceiver said, After three days I will rise. Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day. Lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say to the people, he has risen from the dead. And the last deception will be worse than the first. In other words, while the disciples were grieving and while they were mourning, while they were in great sorrow over the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, they weren't thinking as these wicked schemers were thinking. And these wicked schemers saw something that at the time the disciples didn't see. It's interesting, isn't it? They remembered what he said while he was still alive. They remembered how that deceiver they said after three days, verse 63, I will rise. So they put this plot together. Command the tomb be made secure until the third day. Lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say to the people, he has risen from the dead. Verse 65, Pilate said to them, you have a guard. Go your way. Make it as secure as you know how. So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard. Now look down, keep going, Matthew chapter 28. Matthew chapter 28 verse 1, considering this plot hatched by the Jewish leaders and the Romans, Matthew chapter 28 verse 1 describes what happened at some point during the night. Verse 1, now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene, here she is, and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake. Was there is a genetal. It means it came to pass. In other words, the earthquake didn't happen necessarily as they were coming to the tomb. There had been, it had come to pass, verse 2, it had come to pass. There was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat on it. In victory, right? He's sitting on the stone. His countenance, verse 3, was like lightning. His clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. They passed out. Angel came, moved that massive stone. Earthquake, lightning, this angel in glory, clothing as white as snow. The guards shook and passed out. They became like dead men. Now, think with me. When they wake up, the stone is rolled back. The body's gone. This thing frightened them. They knew what had taken place. They passed out. When they wake up, stones rolled back. Jesus is gone. They failed. They didn't do their duty. And there were severe repercussions for not doing your duty as a guard under Roman rule. And so it says that the Roman guards then leave and they go back to report these things. The soldiers are gone by the time the women show up in the morning. And Pilate and the Jews take careful and specific steps to ensure that there would be no quote-unquote to their mind resurrection. And they have their minds now. This is exactly what's happened. Now remember, if all of this was simply staged, with the exception of John who died in exile, all of the disciples died as martyrs preaching the resurrection. Preaching the Lord Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected from the dead. Every one of them, every disciple maintained this confession steadfastly to their death through severe persecution, through trials, through tribulations, through hardship, through sleepless nights, through poverty, through pain, and eventually through death. Several of them, by crucifixion, they maintain that confession steadfastly to the end. Did they do that for a hoax? Did they knew it was a hoax? Did they themselves fabricated? No. Did they do it for a lie? No. Credible witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, compelling eyewitness testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. What happened with the guards then? What happened with the guards? Drop down to verse 11. This is Matthew 28 verse 11. Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened, some of the guard, right? Some of them just took off. Some of them came back, reported to the chief priest, to the Sanhedrin. Eh, it's interesting they didn't go to Pilate. They went to the Sanhedrin, tried to explain, and that explanation simply isn't going to suffice. Look at verse 12. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers. They bribed them. They gave them a large sum of money. Verse 13 saying, Tell them his disciples came at night and stole him away while we slept. You know, it begs the question, if they were asleep, how did they know? Like they wake up, the stones rolled away, Jesus is gone. How do they know the disciples came and stole the body away? Verse 14, if this comes to the governor's ears, in other words, if this makes it back to Pilate, we will appease him and make you secure. They agreed to protect him. They bribed the soldiers with money and then agreed to protect the soldiers from severe punishment, maybe even death in the failure of their duty. Verse 15, So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. A time of John writing considerably after the time of these events and it was still spread around, still talked about. Incidentally, we consider this. Did Jesus need the stone rolled away so that he could get out? Right? We keep going in the text. Lord Jesus Christ is appearing to them in a closed room that evening. No one had to open the door for him and no one had to open the door for him to get out. The stone was rolled away so that the witnesses could get in. So that eyewitnesses could get in with a word the Lord Jesus Christ could have crushed the stone to powder. They didn't have to open a door for him. The purpose of the stone being rolled away was so that they could bear witness to the empty tomb. The empty tomb points to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, Luke fills out the narrative a little more for us concerning these other women with Mary. Look at Luke 24, Luke 24. And again, what we're considering together in evidence that John gives to the resurrection is the faith of the disciples who witnessed the resurrection, specifically here in verses one and two, the faith of Mary, a devoted faith. I want you to see further about the faith of Mary here. Look at Luke 24. Look at verse one. Now, on the first day of the week, this is Luke's record of the resurrection, Luke's record of the empty tomb. On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they and certain other women with them came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb and they went in, did not find the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. We'll give you peace, the gospel narratives together. The women come together. We know from Matthew, Mark, and Luke, there are three possibly more women that came to the tomb. Mary sees the stone rolled away, immediately runs back to tell Peter and John. Other women linger and go in to the tomb. They went in verse three. They did not find the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it happened, and Mary has taken off. She's gone back to tell the other disciples. These women were greatly perplexed about this and behold, verse four, two men stood by them in shining garments. It's interesting, two men, right? Deuteronomy 19 says that everything is established by the mouth of two or three witnesses. We here have two angelic witnesses to the resurrection. Verse five. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces of the earth, they said to them, why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spoke to you? Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee saying, the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, verse eight, right? They remembered his words. And they returned, verse nine, from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles. And what was the response of the apostles? Verse 11. They did not believe them. Wow. They did not believe them. Peter, verse 12, rose. He ran to the tomb, stooping down. He saw the linen cloths lying by themselves and he departed. It doesn't say that Peter believed as John did in John 20. It says that Peter here marveled to himself at what had happened. They simply didn't believe it. This narrative, this testimony, the thought that all of this was staged is absurd, do you see? Even the unbelief, the weak faith of the disciples, the weak faith of Mary, the weak faith of Peter is a credible testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Woven into the fabric of the narrative, their weak faith. And we began, verses 1 and 2, considering the devoted faith of Mary Magdalene. In fact, you could say, based on the testimony of Scripture, that all the disciples were devoted, faithful followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Luke, chapter 18, verse 28, Peter says to Jesus, see, we have left everything. We've left all to follow you. And they had. But one of the more compelling evidences for the resurrection, woven into the very fabric of the gospel narratives is the weak faith of the disciples. Devoted but powerless, right? Devoted but dejected. Devoted but weak and despairing. Devoted but ineffective. Were these the disciples? Were these the disciples that were going to preach Christ to the world and grow the church? Were these the men, the ladies that the Lord was going to use? They had to be gripped by the heart. They needed their faith fueled and fanned into a flame with the truth of the resurrection. The Lord Jesus Christ lives. And so fear not. Despair not. Don't be discouraged or dejected. You will rise again in him. Romans chapter 8 verse 11. But if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit who dwells in you. Glory to God, right? Courage, boldness, faith. If the spirit of God lives in you, then that same power that raised Christ from the dead will raise you. Romans chapter 8 verse 31. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? God is one who raises from the dead. And he's given assurance of this to all by raising Christ from the dead. Verse 32. He who did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It's God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen who is even at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 4. 2 Corinthians chapter 4. They needed their faith fueled and fanned by the fire of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. That's the effect that this had. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 4. Paul writing, Paul, an eyewitness of the resurrection though untimely, an eyewitness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. He saw the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. 2 Corinthians chapter 4. Drop down to verse 7. But we have this treasure, Paul writes, in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. Now, what does he mean by treasure? What does he mean by treasure? Look at verse 3. He means our gospel. Our gospel. Verse 4. The light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. We have this treasure, Paul says, in weak earthen vessels. Paul sees himself as a weak vessel containing a glorious message. He says in verse 8. We are hard pressed on every side yet not crushed. We are perplexed but not in despair. We're persecuted but not forsaken. Struck down but not destroyed. Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us but life in you. Now listen, verse 13. And since we have the same spirit of faith according to what is written I believed and therefore I spoke. Paul says we also believe and therefore we speak. We're going to preach Christ crucified and preach the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. He does so with boldness. Hard pressed but not crushed. Perplexed but not despairing. In the face of persecution never forsaken. Struck down, not destroyed. We're going to preach the gospel. Preach that the Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. We believe and therefore we speak. Now what gives Paul that boldness? What has compelled Paul to speak with courage, with faith with boldness for the Lord Jesus Christ? Verse 14. Knowing. This drives Paul's faith. It drives Paul's faithfulness. It drives Paul's preaching. Listen, if you believe it, you're going to speak it. If you believe it, you're going to preach it. Why? Knowing. Verse 14. That he who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus and will present us with you. What a powerful motivation to faithfulness for the Lord Jesus Christ. What a powerful, compelling force for faith. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. You see the connection, right? You see the connection. Maybe you're here today and your faith needs to be emboldened. Maybe you have been wearied under despair and discouragement and dejection. Maybe you're dispirited. Maybe a little disillusioned. Your faith needs to be gripped by the reality of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. Press on in faith knowing, knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus Christ will also raise you up. And we're going to be presented together like trophies of God's grace raised from the dead. Maybe you've been apathetic. Meditate on the resurrection. Meditate on what this means for our faith, for our Christian lives. This life and everything in it, everything in it, everything about it is passing away. Your very flesh is decaying and passing away. You will be raised. This life is short and death is coming. Death is coming. We need our faith to be enlarged. Our faith to be empowered by a God-given revelation of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. Praise, all worship, all honor, all glory. Be to the one who raises us. Amen. Let's pray.