2/10/19 - The Tomb Is Empty! - John 20:1-20

There was a crescendo moment in all of human history and yes, it did occur in the past. It is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What happened 2000 years ago has ongoing impact today. Millions of people the world over have come to faith in Jesus of Nazareth. The details surrounding John's account of this supernatural event are unexpected. You see, no one, not even the early followers of Jesus immediately recognized what happened. This is despite the overwhelming evidence of the empty tomb and not to mention the words of Jesus himself. Over and over again he spoke about rising on the third day. Even his enemies knew this and that's why the tomb was so well guarded. They didn't want anyone stealing the body and perpetuating a resurrection story. But something did happen. The heavy stone was rolled away, the body was absent and the burial cloths were folded. Folded. Thieves don't unwrap dead bodies before stealing them (unsanitary) and they certainly don't take time to do a little housekeeping. 

John and Peter observe the tomb and go home and think about it. The glorified Jesus appears to two disciples walking along the road to Emmaus. It isn't until Jesus offers them food that their eyes are opened and they recognize him. (Think back to the first time two people ate and their eyes were opened - Adam and Eve.) The empty tomb makes faith in Jesus rational, however, Jesus was not recognized by any of these men because they expected a messiah who would restore Israel to its former greatness. Instead they got a messiah who died. Could your preconceived ideas of Jesus be wrong? And then there's Mary Magdalene. All she needs is to simply hear the resurrected Jesus speak her name as he had done many times before and she believes. Remember her story? Demon possessed, homeless, begging, eating scraps of food and then she meets Jesus. Makes you realize that everyone comes to Jesus in a different way, so why would you compare yourself to others?