03-31-2019 – John 20:1-18, The Empty Tomb

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3.31.19 ~ John 20:1-18, The Empty Tomb

Read John 20:1-10... It is Sunday (cf. Luke 24:1), the day after the Sabbath (cf. Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1).
The synoptic Gospels record a variety of women who come to the tomb that morning (cf Mark 16:1-2). Mary M came in the dark, the tomb was open, she ran to get Peter and John; other women arrived at the tomb, angels appeared, announcing Christ’s resurrection (cf. Matthew 28:5-6; Mark 16:5-7; Luke 24:4-8); these women told Peter and John (Luke 24:11, “But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.” Luke 24:12, “Peter saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened. Read John 20:11-18... Mary, at the tomb, is weeping, two angels ask her “why?” She said, the Lord is gone and I didn’t know where He was. Then saw Jesus standing there, but did not recognize Him, perhaps because of His resurrected body (see Luke 24:13-16; John 21:1-10).
Jesus says her name, she recognized Him (cf. John 10:27) saying, “Rabboni!” (cf. Mark 10:51, blind man). Mary fell at His feet, holding onto Him. What did she know (see John 14:1-3, 16-20; 16:7, 11)?
John 15:15, “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.”
Our relationship with God is as the child of a loving father, as brothers and sisters in the Lord:
John 1:12-13, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God... born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
John 3:3, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:6-8, That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Through the Christ’s death and resurrection, we become sons of God (Ephesians 1:5), “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself.”
How does that happen?
Ephesians 1:13, “after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit.”
1Corinthians 12:12-13, “For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized [immersed, placed] into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” 27, “Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.”
Colossians 1:15-20, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”
Hebrews 11:2, “For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren [His brothers and sisters].”
Galatians 3:26-28, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”