 The title of our sermon this morning is Living Faith in the Risen Lord. Living Faith in the Risen Lord. This is part two. In our text John chapter 20 verses one through 18 is we're working verse by verse by verse through the gospel of John and we've come now to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the evidence or the testimony of the empty tomb. Now in John chapter 20 verses one through 18 having anointed the body of the Lord Jesus Christ with a costly mixture of mers and alos having wrapped the body in linen cloths as is the custom of the Jews to bury, Joseph and Nicodemus laid to the Lord in a garden tomb next to the place of his execution known as Golgotha. For fear that someone might steal the body and if the insistence of the Jews pilot orders the tomb thoroughly secured a large heavy stone was rolled over the front of the opening Roman seal was placed over the stone and a Roman guard was said all to ensure in his own words that he would rise again on the third day all to ensure that he would remain buried there his word his promise to rise would remain buried with him as the late afternoon sun began to set on that Friday afternoon Mary Magdalene the other women with her go to buy and prepare spices and fragrant oils as Luke says when they would visit his tomb on the morning after the Sabbath to anoint his body early on the Lord's day while it was still dark Mary the other women with her set out for the tomb to further tend to the body of Jesus Christ carrying the spices carrying the oils that they had prepared they were going to anoint the dead body of the Lord Jesus Christ they talk with one another as they go as they make their way out of this city what are we going to do about the stone that lies over the tomb it's too large too heavy for us to manage they expect to find when they arrive at the tomb they expect to find the problem of the stone they expect to find the dead body the corpse of the Lord Jesus Christ they never expect to find that stone rolled away and never expect to find the tomb empty and John chapter 20 verse 1 John records that on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early while it was still dark and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb immediately supposing that someone had stolen the body her heart once again torn apart with grief Mary immediately runs away to find Peter and John and in verse 2 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 having considered last week an introduction to this text in verses 1 through 2 we come again to John chapter 20 verses 1 through 18 and to John's account of the empty tomb as we work through the text John intends through the text by the spirit of God to cultivate a living faith in the risen Lord through the eyewitness testimony of the empty tomb in other words brother sister our faith is not in vain our joy is not baseless our future is not uncertain this is not based in air it's not a groundless claim our hope is not an empty dream it's not a dead hope it is a living hope in the Lord Jesus Christ raised from the dead and we can say with the psalmist we can praise the Lord with the psalmist God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave for he shall receive me or with Paul in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 13 I do not want you to be ignorant brethren concerning those who have fallen asleep lest you sorrow as others who have no hope for if we believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus and Paul exhorts them to comfort one another with these words these words are words of comfort amen this truth this theological reality the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is a truth that comforts the saints we're to be comforted with these words but listen if you're still dead in trespasses and sins you're still an enemy of God by your wicked works and this text is for you too John intends he hopes by the spirit of God to provoke in you also a living faith in the risen Lord through eyewitness testimony of the empty tomb he lays out the evidence for you for faith he writes that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ God's anointed one he writes that you may believe that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God come to take away the sin of the world he writes that believing you may have life in his name John writes the text for you also the king of terrors as Job says gives you this warning from his word 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 all by raising him from the dead Jesus Christ is risen from the dead giving hope to his people but Jesus Christ is risen from the dead warning the unbeliever there will be a resurrection some to everlasting life others to everlasting shame and contempt now this judgment at the end John writes in Revelation chapter 20 verse 11 John says I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it from whose face the earth and heaven fled away and there was found no place for them and I saw the dead small and great standing before God and the books were opened another book was open which is the book of life and the dead were judged according to their works by the things which were written in the books you will be held to account for the way that you live your life for those things that you've done you will be held account to account for your sin Revelation chapter 21 verse 6 the Lord says I am the alpha and the omega the beginning and the end I will give the fountain of water of life freely to him who thirsts he who overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be his god and he shall be my son listen verse 8 the cowardly the unbelieving the abominable the murderers the sexually immoral the sorcerers the idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death do you thirst for the water of life this morning do you thirst do you hunger and thirst for righteousness aren't you sick and tired of sucking in the sewage of this world the sewage of your own sinful life aren't the wicked things that you do wearing you down aren't those wicked thoughts in your mind your wicked heart isn't it weary to your soul don't you want the water of life the Lord Jesus Christ cried out of the temple in John chapter 7 verse 37 if anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink he who believes in me as the scripture has said out of his heart will flow rivers of living water the spirit in the bride revelation 22 17 let him who thirsts come whoever desires let him take of the water of life freely you may say to yourself this morning listen i'm here but i don't thirst i don't thirst i don't hunger and thirst for righteousness the way the bible describes that's because you're spiritually dead on the inside you are spiritually dead in your trespasses and sins plead with the Lord plead with the Lord to raise you to life everlasting plead with the Lord to give you a heart to seek him if God can raise children of Abraham from the stones then surely he can give life to your dead heart in John chapter 20 verses 1 through 18 John intends through the spirit of God to cultivate within you to provoke within you a living faith in the risen Lord through eyewitness testimony of the empty tomb you can go there with Mary right you can go to the empty tomb with Peter and John you can stand there at the mouth of the tomb and gaze on the tomb empty Christ is risen Christ is raised from the dead there will be a resurrection for you and I there will be now he does this he gives this evidence through several means that we see in the text one through historical eyewitness testimony and that testimony through multiple credible witnesses two through historical evidence for example the record of pilot and the soldiers that was told even at the time that John was writing this gospel that the soldiers had fallen asleep at their post and while they were sleeping some in cave someone came and stole the body away but thirdly this evidence this eyewitness testimony given even through the weak and immature faith of his own disciples it's very compelling very compelling woven into the very fabric of the biblical narrative is a picture of faith informed by the resurrection and faith transformed by the resurrection you remember with me their faith was weak this is a dejected defeated dispirited disillusioned doubting group and their faith is informed their faith is transformed through a powerful encounter with the evidence of the empty tomb and the resurrected Lord the reality of the resurrection changed the way they thought it changed the way they thought about Christ it changed the way that they understood Christ and what he came to do it changed their understanding of theology in changing their understanding of Christ their understanding of theology the resurrection changed the way they lived it changed the way they served it changed the way that they worshiped it changed the way that they preached it changed the way that they died changed the way that they lived their life so last week as we considered our text together we began unpacking pictures in the text right characteristics in the text of their faith that we see there and we began considering the impact of the resurrection on their faith on those pictures of faith we look first last week at their tested faith their faith was a tested faith tested by persecution tested by the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ that they saw primarily tested by his death on the cross however in light of the resurrection they go from being despairing dispirited discouraged disillusioned to being bold courageous full of faith witnesses for the Lord even unto their own deaths secondly we unpack the devoted faith of Mary in verses one and two from the Lord saving her in Luke chapter eight she faithfully and devotedly served the Lord followed him everywhere he went she was there with him at the cross and now she's the first to witness the empty tomb they're serving him there at the tomb though he is dead and buried mourning weeping at the tomb despairing discouraged doubting disillusioned but soon to be serving the risen Lord in joy rejoicing in the power of his resurrection her faith informed her faith transformed devoted faith but much more so in light of the resurrection now on your notes consider point three with me theirs was a responsive faith verses three through ten theirs was a responsive faith now remember as we work through the text Mary Peter and John are genuine believers at this point they've been genuinely saved they've turned from their sin they're following Christ right they're trusting Christ by the grace of God they believe what he teaches and they're following him remember that in Matthew chapter 16 right verse 30 13 Jesus asked the disciples who do men say that I am they answered him the disciples answered him some say John the Baptist some Elijah others say Jeremiah one of the prophets so Jesus asked them but who do you say that I am Peter steps up immediately and answers you are the Christ the Son of the living God Jesus answered Peter and said to him blessed are you Simon Bar Jonah for flesh and blood is not revealed this to you but my father who is in heaven theirs is a God gifted God given faith however now often in the gospels don't we we see the weakness of their faith the immaturity of their faith often exposed just here in the gospel of John you know Peter makes that bold confession in Matthew chapter 16 but here in the gospel of John we often see the frailty of Peter's faith don't we we see the frailty of Peter's faith the one who made that good confession you are the Christ the Son of the living God is the same one who denies him three times on the eve of his crucifixion the one who said I'm ready to die for you is the same one who could only bring himself to follow at a distance when he was led away at his arrest Peter and the other disciples responded to the revelation that they had been given but often that response was weak often that response was vacillating sometimes that response was compromised however and what we'll see is we work through the text in the revelation of the resurrection that weak vacillating faith on the part of Peter is fueled fanned into a white hot flame and that flame burns hot until Peter's own death by crucifixion sometime later and Peter said wasn't worthy to be crucified like his Lord so he requested that they crucify him upside down consider with me the picture of their faith that john illustrates beginning in verse three beginning in verse three john records in verse three that peter therefore went out and the other disciple and they were going to the tomb so they both ran together and the other disciple out ran peter and came to the tomb first and he's stooping down and looking in he saw the linen cloths lying there yet he did not go in and 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 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 he saw and believed for as yet they did not know the scripture that he must rise again from the dead then the disciples went away again to their own homes so upon hearing the testimony now of mary from verse two right they've taken away the lord out of the tomb and we don't know where they've laid him peter verse three therefore went out and the other disciple and they were going to the tomb from verse two we know that this other disciple is also referred to as the disciple whom jesus loved now from previous sermons we know that this is a common way that john refers to himself in humility and in amazement john refers to himself as the disciple whom jesus loved so we can deduce from the text that john is the other disciple of verse four now peter and john head toward the tomb in fact verse four says so they both ran together and the other disciple outran peter and came to the tomb first the notice first the evidence of the empty tomb notice first the evidence of the empty tomb verse five and he stooping down and looking in he saw the linen cloths lying there yet he did not go in and then simon peter came following him he went right into the tomb and he saw the linen cloths lying there verse seven and the handkerchief that had been around his head not lying with the linen cloths but folded together in a place by itself first here i want you to notice you have two credible eyewitnesses of the empty tomb now unlike the testimony of women at that time the testimony of peter and john would have been admissible in a jewish court of law would have been admissible testimony deuteronomy chapter 19 verse 15 the law says that by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established well here you have two or two credible witnesses today people lie under oath all the time right today people perjure themselves in court without thinking twice about it no fear of god no respect for the law no no respect for the truth then it was extremely evil considered extremely evil to bear false witness and you have two credible witnesses of the empty tomb so you have this interlude here in verses three through ten this interlude with the witness of peter and john in a section of narrative that really emphasizes the experience of Mary but remember these two men led the early church they did signs and wonders it says among the people and they died preaching christ this was not dreamed up this was not fabricated right we have two credible eyewitnesses here now john verse five stoop down to look into the tomb in other words this is not a grave this is not a hole in the ground this is the low tomb cut out of the face of the rock and based on what he was able to see it's likely that tomb if you looked into the tomb some of the tombs had a hole in the back and you would slide the body into the hole other tombs were built with a ledge around the outside the perimeter of the tomb and a ledge in the back under a recessed arch they would lay the body this is the kind of tomb that we're talking about here based on what we see in the text verse five says that john didn't go in john stoop down to look into the tomb and when he looks into the tomb he saw the linen claws lying there now in a way that is totally consistent with what we know of peter's nature peter a little slower rushes right by john and straight into the tomb verse six he goes straight into the tomb and in verse six he saw the linen claws lying there verse seven he saw the handkerchief that had been around the head of the lord jesus christ it was not lying with the other linen claws it was folded together in a place by itself now john in recording the account considers all these details to be very important he considers all these details to be very important one reason i think for that is to establish a very important and a very obvious contrast with the raising of lazarus from the dead in john chapter 11 turn back a few pages to john chapter 11 with me and let's look at the raising of lazarus from the dead john chapter 11 and drop down to verse 38 john chapter 11 verse 38 and we know the story the lazarus has died lord jesus christ delayed his coming back lazarus has now died he's been buried in the tomb he's been in the tomb four days verse 38 there's been this scene of weeping and mourning again mourning is those who have no hope it would appear so jesus verse 38 groaning in himself came to the tomb it was a cave and a stone lay against it jesus said take away the stone they had to roll roll away the stone themselves right the stone wasn't rolled away for lazarus they had to roll the stone away martha the sister of him who is dead said to him lord by this time there is a stench for he has been dead four days decay had set in with lazarus lazarus and he stinketh according to martha okay psalm 16 a messianic psalm psalm 16 says that god the father would not allow his holy one to see corruption it's again a contrast between between the raising of lazarus and the raising of the lord jesus christ the raising of lazarus to his pre-resurrection body to his former body and the raising of jesus christ from the dead to his resurrected body verse 40 jesus then said to her did i not say to you martha that if you would believe you would see the glory of god then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying jesus lifted up his eyes and said father i thank you that you have heard me and i know that you always hear me but because of the people who are standing by i said this that they may believe that you sent me now when he had said these things he cried with a loud voice lazarus come forth and he who died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes hobbled out like a penguin wrapped up in linen his face was wrapped with a cloth and jesus said to them lose him let him go now the contrast is clear isn't it and we consider the evidence of the empty tomb the contrast with the raising of lazarus and john chapter 11 is clear what peter and john saw the details recorded by john the account of the empty tomb are dramatically different why why lazarus came out of the tomb still wrapped bundled up in his grave clothes the handkerchief still wrapped around lazarus's head and they had to set him loose as he hobbled out of the tomb the lord's resurrection body the lord's resurrection the resurrection the first fruits of all of those who would be raised in the lord jesus christ the lord's resurrection body passed right through those grave grave clothes in john chapter 20 the lord's body passed right through the grave clothes in the same way that his resurrected body simply appeared in a closed room later that same day look at john chapter 20 john chapter 20 and look at verse 19 verse 19 john records then verse 19 the same day at evening the same day of the empty tomb the same day of his resurrection the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the disciples were where they were assembled for fear of the jews jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them peace be with you it's interesting to me right it's interesting to me they were huddled together in a room for fear of the jews the men are hiding in a room the women the first witnesses of the empty tomb and the resurrected lord but they're huddled together in a room for fear of the jews and the lord jesus christ raised from the dead appears in the room with them we'll look at the implications of that in a minute verse 20 when he had said this he showed them his hands his side and the disciples were glad when they saw the lord he just appears in a room the explanation for this is given in first chrithians 15 turn to first chrithians 15 with me the explanation of this lord's resurrection body first chrithians chapter 15 and dropped down to verse 42 first chrithians 15 verse 42 this is all different from lazarus right lazarus at this point having been raised from the dead still waiting on his resurrection body lazarus will die again lazarus will die again and at the end of the age will be raised with all those who sleep in christ and will be given a resurrection body here this is different the lord jesus christ there's a contrast between john chapter 20 and john chapter 11 in first chrithians chapter 15 dropped down to verse 42 where paul explains in verse 42 that so also is the resurrection of the dead the body is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sown in dishonor it is raised in glory it is sown in weakness it is raised in power it is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body there is a natural body and there is a spiritual body there's a difference paul's setting up the contrast right sown in dishonor raised in honor there's a spiritual body there's a natural body verse 45 and so it is written the first man adam became a living being the last adam became a life-giving spirit however verse 46 the spiritual is not first but the natural and afterward the spiritual what we see in the lord jesus christ raised from the dead in john chapter 20 it's his spiritual body it's his resurrection body verse 47 the first man adam was of the earth made of dust the second man is the lord from heaven as was the man of dust so also are those who are made of dust you and i were born of dust like adam we have a body like adams right and here's the promise and the hope and the joy the resurrection as is the heavenly man so also are those who are heavenly and as we have been as we have born the image of the man of dust we shall also bear the image of the heavenly man now remember that's a promise to believers that's a promise to believers you will brother sister you will be raised in the image of the heavenly man when we see him we will be like him for we will see him as he is right john writes you'll be raised in a resurrection body what a joy we're not going to be without our tent so to speak we're not going to be unclothed so to speak it's the way that paul talks about that will be given a resurrection body that body given for the perfect and eternal enjoyment of the delights of heaven a glorious promise listen the opposite is also true if you're not in christ you'll be raised you'll be given a resurrection body that body perfectly suited to endure the torments of hell for all eternity we will be raised natural to the spiritual this is the evidence of the empty tomb this is the evidence of the empty tomb it's interesting in first Corinthians chapter 15 that paul exhorts them from this truth if you look at verse 50 i say this brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of god nor does corruption inherit incorruption behold i tell you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed for this corruptible must put on incorruptible incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality so when this corruptible has put on incorruption and this mortal has put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written death is swallowed up in victory oh death where is your sting oh eighties where is your victory the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to god who gives us the victory through our lord jesus christ then how does paul then exhort in the light of that truth right what's our response to these things how are we to respond to this truth verse 58 therefore my beloved brethren be steadfast be immovable always abounding in the work of the lord knowing that your labor is not in vain in the lord the cause of christ is victorious and that cause that victorious cause that triumph is seen most clearly in the resurrection of the lord jesus christ from the dead he is raised to glory and all those in him will also be raised to glory it's the resurrection so listen when you get weary when you get tight when you feel weighed down you feel the temptation of discouragement creeping into your heart creeping into your mind when you feel disillusioned dejected defeated why are you downcast oh my soul hope in christ hope in god there will be a resurrection the victory has been won jesus has been raised from the dead and so will you and you'll be raised in triumph to everlasting glory with him there's no sense in wallowing in self pity there's no sense in sitting back laying back from the work it doesn't matter how hard it is trust in christ serve christ he encourages them he exhorts them from this truth now you might say we consider the evidence of the empty tomb you might say to yourself as many have listen they're this is all made up this is all just made up these are the words of men i know over the centuries uh it's telephone game right this changes and that changes and the other thing changes by the time it works itself down to us all this is this is just a made up this is a fabricated story really john is just making this up the disciples sit down in a room together and they plot together their new religion one of them speaks up let's start with the shameful beating and scourging and crucifixion of our leader and we're gonna worship him in that and rejoice in that peter says listen i'll deny him when a little servant girl asked me a bunch of questions i'll deny him really is that the way you're gonna start your new religion the rest of them jump in in fact we'll all forsake him when he's arrested we're all gonna run one of us is gonna run away naked listen we're all gonna be weakened scared when he's raised from the dead we're gonna be found huddled in a room for fear of the jews let's have multiple people involved who everybody knows anyone can go to them and ask questions joseph nicodemus two notable Pharisees let's get them involved let's have a tomb that everyone can find everybody knows where it is right it's the garden tomb just there off of the place of execution galgotha we know where it is we wanted to find a body we could find about listen if they found a body the resurrection the whole story would be over before the end of the day they didn't find a body let's have a plan that none of us really can understand we don't get it until much later is this the way that you start a new religion right is this the way these prideful often prideful sometimes weak men conduct themselves right while we continue to hide why don't we send the women we're gonna create a religion let's send the women back in that day where their testimony is not even admissible in court and people really don't respect their testimony anyway let's send women to be the first witnesses of the empty tomb let's make mary the first witness of his resurrection and after we've made all this up after we've fabricated this whole story let's all get together link arms go back into Jerusalem and preach the gospel until they kill us for it right it's more a leap of faith to believe that this was all made up then it is an exercise of faith to believe in the resurrection of the lord jesus christ from the dead the reason that people do not believe is that people will not believe and we've considered the evidence of the empty tomb provided by john consider with me now the response of peter and john to that evidence the response of peter and john i want you to see their response now to all this through john's use of three different greek words for seeing beginning in verse five it's interesting here the three different uses of this these words these three different words for seeing beginning in verse five look at verse five and he speaking about john here now stooping down looking in john saw the linen cloths lying there yet he did not go in that greek word is blepo it simply means sight it just means sight right it's just what john saw with his eyes right he saw the linen cloths lying there verse six then simon peter came following him simon peter went into the tomb and he saw the linen cloths lying there that word for saw referring to peter in verse six is that oreo which is to see with intention it's to see with attention it's intent observation it's to intently observe what you see peter saw the cloths lying there and he considered what they meant he thought that through right he intently observed what he saw in the empty tomb now considering that then he observed he considered he saw with attention the oreo how did peter respond after seeing the linen burial cloths lying there how did peter respond he saw he observed how did he respond the body of jesus apparently missing from the scene nowhere to be found what he did not see was the lord jesus christ peter responded much like the other disciples responded initially he responded with unbelief look back at mark chapter 16 mark chapter 16 he responded like the other disciples responded he responded with unbelief unbelief mark chapter 16 look at verse nine verse nine mark records that now when he the lord jesus christ rose early on the first day of the week he appeared first to mary magnolin out of whom he had cast seven demons verse 10 she went and told those who had been with him as they mourned and wept and when they had heard that he was alive and had been seen by her they did not believe but after that he appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country and they went and told it to the rest but they did not believe them either later verse 14 he appeared to the 11 as they sat at the table and he the lord jesus christ rebuked their unbelief and their hardness of heart because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen luke adds that peter marveled to himself at what had happened nowhere does it say that peter at this point believed in fact he's among those disciples who did not believe and was rebuked by the lord that evening thomas finally believed he repented so to speak of his hard heart when the lord jesus christ physically appeared to him and he could touch him and handle him john believes as the absence of a body seeing the empty tomb seeing the linen clothes lying there in the empty tomb we are to believe we are to believe the witness the testimony of eyewitnesses to the empty tomb we are to believe the words of peter we are to believe the words of paul we are to believe the words of john these words are god's words these words are scripture you are to believe what john is writing here john writes that you may believe that he is the christ the son of god and that believing you may have life in his name you're not to be hard hearted you're not to be self-willed you're to consider the evidence the weight of the evidence it is overwhelming evidence that jesus christ has been raised from the dead you are to believe you are to turn from your sin and you're to put your faith and trust in him you're to obey right as paul says obey the gospel of our lord jesus christ now what is john's response we see peter's response john saw just sight with the eyes peter saw intently observing look at john's response in verse eight john's response in verse eight then the other disciple the disciple who came to the tomb first that's the second time that john wants to make sure you understand he's faster than peter right he comes to the tomb he comes to the tomb first john went in also and john saw and believed verse eight the word there for saw is adon adon means to perceive through sight not simply to intently observe not simply to see with the eyes not simply to intently observe through sight but to perceive and to understand through what he sees greek language is really helpful here he perceives through sight both he sees and understands and verse eight says he believes john saw the linen cloths lying there in the empty tomb he considered what that meant not only that the the tomb was empty but that the grave clothes were still there and he believed that jesus christ had risen from the dead he believed upon seeing verse eight this is the response of faith embracing the truth of the resurrection john john didn't understand all the theological implications of that at this point he didn't understand that jesus christ must rise from the dead and that's going to be unpacked by the early church after this point he didn't understand all the theological implications of it but john believed that jesus christ had been risen from the dead all that's cleared up in verse nine where john records for as yet they did not know the scripture that he must rise again from the dead they didn't understand how all this fit in to the redemptive plans and purposes of god they soon would by the time that john wrote this gospel the theological details are all worked out right now john's faith john's faith is based upon what he sees specifically on who he doesn't see in the empty tomb this is explained more fully in john chapter two look at john chapter two john chapter two and drop down to verse 18 the lord jesus christ clears the temple clears the temple with authority in power and so in verse 18 john chapter two verse 18 the jews answered said to him what sign do you show to us since you do these things jesus answered and said to them destroy this temple and in three days i will raise it up and we considered that last week the lord jesus christ is saying i'm gonna rise again from the dead i'm gonna raise i'm gonna rise from the dead the jews then said in verse 20 it's taken 46 years to build this temple and will you raise it up in three days but he was speaking of the temple of his body verse 22 here's the explanation therefore when he had risen from the dead his disciples remembered that he had said this to them and they believed the scripture and the word which jesus had said they saw they perceived they intently observed but at the end when was all said and done what did they believe they believe the word that jesus christ preached to them the word that jesus christ said to them this section in john chapter 20 verses three through 10 then concludes simply with this in verse 10 then the disciples went away again to their own homes and we can imagine can't we john having believed that jesus was raised from the dead john rushing home to tell mary and awesome to have been there to hear that wouldn't it the lord jesus christ will appear to peter and we'll see that texas we worked through the gospel of john peter will believe peter will believe he appears to the other disciples the remaining of the 11 and they believe paul says that after that the lord appeared to over 500 brethren at once and they believe and paul makes the point that if many of those at the time of paul's writing many of those were still alive at that point in time you could have gone up to any one of those 500 and asked them what did you see this was widely known widely displayed widely seen over 500 brethren at once and they believe last of all paul says he was seen by him as one born out of due time on the road to Damascus and paul believed from that point forward in human history the lord doesn't physically appear to anyone in the presence of anyone in the presence of believers to convince them a contra what a charismatic might say and some of this crazy theology that we hear today the lord jesus christ doesn't physically appear to anyone to convince them that he has risen from the dead to convince them of the truths and facts of the gospel what does the lord jesus christ do the lord jesus christ uses the preaching of his word as the means through which people come to believe the gospel through which people come to believe that jesus christ is raised from the dead he makes himself known on the pages of scripture he makes himself known in the preaching of his word i witness testimony historical accounts irrefutable evidence powerful life transformations right supernaturally changed hearts miraculous conversions i was once a lying cheating adulterous sluggard and i've been transformed by the light the lord jesus christ i've been separated from that sin i've been cleansed i've been washed i've been sanctified my life changed i'm not the same filthy man i once wore it was by the grace of god god changes the heart god changes the mind god changes the desires we see miraculous conversions we see sinners raised to walk in newness of life it is evidence of the lord jesus christ raised from the dead it is evidence of the truth of the gospel peter's response to this evidence was initially weak and he was rebuked for it draws a rebuke from the lord as peter being hard-hearted and unbelieving however when peter sees the risen lord when peter believes the word that the lord had spoken to him when peter is gripped with the reality and with the theology of the resurrection peter's response by the grace of god is worthy of note look at ax chapter 10 ax chapter 10 how does peter then respond in the truth of the reality of the resurrection ax chapter 10 look down at verse 34 peter is off to preach the gospel to cornelius the household of cornelius cornelius is a Gentile took three visions of a sheet coming down with all kinds of inedible creeping things in it for peter to come to understand that nothing the lord has made is unclean and it's okay for peter to go into the house of the Gentile preach the gospel to that Gentile and expect that the lord would save that Gentile through the preaching of the gospel so peter goes to cornelius's house in ax chapter 10 as he arrives in verse 34 luke records in ax chapter 10 verse 34 that peter then opened his mouth and said in truth i perceive that god shows no partiality but in every nation whoever fears him and works righteousness is accepted by him the word which god sent to the children of israel preaching peace through jesus christ he is lord of all that word you know which was proclaimed throughout all judia and began from galilee after the baptism which john preached how god anointed jesus of nazareth which the holy with the holy spirit and with power who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil for god was with him verse 39 and we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the jews and in jerusalem whom they killed by hanging on a tree this is the preaching of the apostle peter and what is he point to verse 40 him god raised up on the third day and showed him openly not to all the people but to witnesses chosen before by god even to us peter says who ate with him drank with him after he rose from the dead we handled him we embraced him we touched him we ate with him we drank with him verse 42 and he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify why peter to what end to what end then he commands you to preach to the people remember point one he is an eyewitness to the life and death of lord jesus christ verse 39 we are witnesses of all the things which he did both in the land of the jews and in jerusalem whom they killed by hanging on a tree two he is our particular witness one of few it's another evidence here there are no modern day apostles these men who wrote scripture are eyewitnesses of lord jesus christ at his resurrection that's acts chapter one there are no modern day apostles these men are the ones who were specifically chosen by god to witness this he is a particular witness one of a few specifically chosen by god of the resurrection verse 41 he didn't show himself openly to all the people but to witnesses chosen before by god even to us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead three this was for the purpose verse 42 that he would preach to the people what exactly what exactly that it is he verse 42 who was ordained by god to be judge of the living and the dead notice the connection of god's judgment the certainty of god's judgment to the resurrection verse 43 to him all the prophets witnessed that through his name whoever believes in him will receive remission of sins and he ties forgiveness of sins to the preaching of the resurrection god has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness and he has given assurance of this to all by raising that man whom he's appointed raising him from the dead god will judge he is ordained the lord jesus christ ordained to be the judge of the living and the dead but listen there's hope whoever believes in him will receive remission of sins if you'll believe in him you know what way did peter's preaching reflect think about his preaching in acts chapter 10 in what way did peter's preaching here reflect his more mature or more informed understanding of the resurrection first you can see woven into the text he has faith in the person of the lord jesus christ a person the perfect spotless sinless son of god we lived among him we ministered with him we saw his perfect life and we saw him crucified peter also has faith in the victorious work of the lord jesus christ it was him whom god raised up showing openly that he was ordained by god to be judge of the living and the dead it was faith what informed what fueled his preaching it was faith in the lord's application of that work and the promises of god to him personally in light of the resurrection peter sees the application of that work of jesus christ he understands what christ came to do and understands that those promises that work applies to him personally if jesus christ is raised from the dead then i through faith will be raised with him and peter believes that it's faith informed faith in that understanding lastly it's faith in the promises of god to raise and judge the living at the dead living in the dead it is appearing it's faith that god will be faithful to his promise both to raise those who have put their faith in christ to everlasting life and also his promise to raise those who reject christ to everlasting shame and contempt all this resulted in zeal in fervency in faithfulness in peter's preaching we're to run to the empty tomb with peter and john you know where you do that you know they're they don't know exactly where that tomb is today and as often happens in catholicism you have four or five locations pop up where people can you know make a little profit on tourism they don't know exactly where that garden tomb is today you know where we find it right here these words written for us these accounts written for us this record written for us to edify to encourage to spur you on brother to spur you on sister to count this life as rubbish that you might know him and the power of his resurrection what are you doing spinning your wheels in this world get out of that sewage and serve the living christ it's also for you who have not believed you stand before the empty tomb in his word there with peter there with john there with mary as they recount to you from the pages of scripture their experience with the risen lord you are to believe john g patten a missionary writes about the opposition that he faced when he volunteered to be a missionary to the new hebrides islands islands that were inhabited by cannibals and john patten writes that his professors his friends his colleagues all urging him to stay at home wanted to serve the lord right wanted to serve the lord everybody urging him to stay home patten writes amongst many who sought to determine was one dear old christian gentleman whose crowning argument always was the cannibals you will be eaten by cannibals should think about patten's response at last i replied mr. dixon you are advanced in years now and your own prospect is soon to be laid in the grave there to be eaten by worms i confess to you that if i can but live and die serving and honoring the lord jesus it will make no difference to me whether i am eaten by cannibals or by worms and in the great day my resurrection body will arise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen redeemer that's a healthy faith filled biblically informed understanding of the resurrection of lord jesus christ all praise honor and worship and glory be to the one who is the resurrection and a life amen