The
Gospel of John - Chapter 20
I want to share some things with
you from the Word of God regarding what the resurrection gives us. In other words, what does the resurrection
have for those of us who are living this day and in this hour. Here in the twentieth chapter of the gospel
of John, we have a tremendous record.
John Chapter 20: verses 1 to 10.
The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene
early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other
disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They
have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we
know not where they have laid him.
Peter therefore went
forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
So they ran both
together: and the other disciple did
outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.
And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes
lying; yet went he not in.
Then cometh Simon Peter
following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
And the napkin, that was
about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a
place by itself.
Then
went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre,
and he saw, and believed.
For as yet they knew not
the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
Then the disciples went
away again unto their own home.
What an astounding reality this must
have been to Mary on this Easter Sunday morning when she came to the sepulcher
early in the morning to perform that custom of taking care of the burial of the
dead. And to find when she got there to
that sepulchre that it was empty. She didn’t stay around to investigate. It says in verse 2 that she runneth. She turned
around and she ran back to that place where the apostles and some of the
disciples were staying. And she said to
Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved. She saith unto
them, they have taken away my Lord out of the sepulchre
and we do not know where they have laid him.
When she came to that sepulchre that Easter
Sunday morning and the stone was rolled away, she never stopped to stay around
at this particular incident, she just took off for Jerusalem and she ran back
and she cried to Peter and this other disciple.
She said, they have taken away my Lord. They have stolen him. And that was almost unbelievable. Do you know why? Because of the sacredness
with which the Jews bury their dead.
You just do not touch the bodies.
You don’t desecrate them in any way, shape and form. And to think that someone would have dared to
steal the body, it just shook her. It
just disturbed her to no end. This is
why this Scripture says, she runneth, she turned
around and she runneth, she turned around and she
ran. Back to where Simon Peter and some
of the other disciples were staying and she reported this truth which is
stipulated in here.
The difference between a sepulchre and a tomb should be understood. I think there is a marked difference in this
because you can have a tomb without a sepulchre. But a sepulchre is
a tomb. A sepulchre
is a memorial. It’s a memorial. It has like many times you would refer to
large granite stone with all the beautiful carvings in it. This makes it a memorial for a family. Now as soon as someone is buried in that sepulchre or at that place of memorial, that sepulchre becomes a tomb.
Now this sepulchre
had been closed with a large stone. It
had been officially sealed by government order and yet somehow or other, this
was broken open. And the record here in
John 20 does not tell us that Jesus arose on this Easter Sunday morning. Because we know from the accuracy of God’s
Word that he arose on what day? The third day. And Easter Sunday
happens to be the fourth day. But he
appeared, he appeared on Easter Sunday.
He appeared unto them on Easter, this I know, but I’d like for everybody
to carefully note that it does not say in John chapter 20 in verse one and
following that Jesus arose at this time.
It says that the first day of the week when Mary Magdalene, she came to
the sepulchre.
What time of the day was it? It
was early, early, early in the morning.
And it was yet dark, it was just beginning to break day. She came and when she came at that time, what
had occurred? The sepulchre
was empty. It doesn’t say he just got up
then. But this was the first one to
arrive at the sepulchre after the resurrection of the
Lord.
But after this
report came back to Peter, and to the other disciples whom Jesus loved.
These two started running toward this place. They couldn’t imagine that anyone would have
taken away this body -- would have stolen it.
Because that that was the height of degradation. So they ran and when they came there, the one
disciple looked in, but Peter wasn’t quite so hesitant. When Peter came there, he just went right
in. And he saw the linen clothes lie and
you know what that means? This linen
clothes, was the wrappings that Nicodemus had placed around Jesus after Joseph
of Arimathea had placed him in his own tomb or sepulchre. Mary
Magdalene and the others in
Now the Word of God says that when
Jesus died, the soldiers came along and they pierced his side. And forthwith there came out blood and
water. People, have you ever thought
about this great reality? That if, if,
that thrusting of the spear in the side of Jesus had not killed him. Those 72 hours in the tomb, 3 days and 3
nights, rolled up in that wrapping with all these ointments around him, which
had solidified, become solid. But that
would’ve killed him. When Peter walks
in, he sees something there. When this
beloved disciple walks in, do you know what he said? Then went in also that other disciple which came first to the sepulchre
and he saw and believed.
In verse 7, it says the napkin that was
about his head. In other words, covering
where the nostrils would be and the mouth.
This was the only opening that was left – this area. And this was covered with a cloth like thing
– a napkin. Not lying with the linen
clothes, it wasn’t lying with that in which Jesus had been wrapped. But it was tucked away in a corner, sort of
in a niche of the tomb. And it was
rolled up, wrapped up and laid neatly in a place. I’ve often thought about this. Only God would have someone like Jesus whom He
resurrected take the time after the resurrection to take that napkin and roll
it up so wonderfully and put it up in a little corner by itself. The average person would think well if you
got up, you just leave everything and get out, right? He didn’t do it that way, he wrapped it up,
placed it in a nice little place. Only
God would act this way. What did they see that caused them to believe? Or as yet, they knew not the Scriptures that
he must rise again from the dead. He had told them about it, but they did not
believe it. They couldn’t understand the
Scriptures – they didn’t understand it.
What did they see that caused them to believe? The only thing they could possibly have seen
was this empty like cocoon. This wrapping. This wrapping in which his whole body had been encased. With a small opening of the
mouth and the eyes. They looked, they saw this thing which had been there for 72
hours. It had hardened and when they
looked at it, there it was. But there
was no body in it. That’s what they saw
and that’s why they believed. Because had someone stolen the body of Jesus, they couldn’t have
gotten the body without taking the wrappings along, right? Therefore that thing that caused Peter and
that other disciple to believe that God had raised him from the dead is they
saw this in which he was buried was still there, but Jesus wasn’t there.
The early church did not try, nor did
the early church need to prove that Jesus arose from the dead. It was axiomatic. It was a self evident reality and fact. Why?
Because it happened out in the open where everybody could go and
see. Can you imagine for one minute that
Herod wouldn’t go? Can you imagine
Pilate didn’t go? What about the members
of the Sanhedrin? What about those who
were in government rulership of authority in the
government of
This resurrection of the Lord Jesus
Christ is the greatest reality in the world today. And just because somebody comes along and
they would say well I do not believe that he was resurrected from the
dead. I’d like to say to the people who
say that that the people who lived at that time, who were there, who saw it,
are certainly historically more accurate in their presentation than someone
living 2 or 3000 years after the incident.
Scientifically, their logic would be accepted more so than those living 3000 years
later and denying the reality of the resurrection. But you and I have a proof. We have something in the resurrection which
is absolutely indisputable even in this day and in this hour. And its some of
these things that I want to cover with you tonight in this teaching
ministry. I’d like for you to turn to
Revelation. The book
of Revelation, chapter 1. What
does the resurrection mean to us? To you and to me.
Some of these are just little truths, little lights that’ll help us
understand a little better. Revelation
chapter 1, verse 17.
And when I saw him, I
fell at his feet as dead. And he laid
his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
-- Revelation
I am he that liveth,
and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen:
and have the keys of hell
[ hades - the grave] and of
death. -- Revelation 1: 18
This is something you and I have in the
resurrection of Christ. The guaranteed promise, the guaranteed promise of being the victors
over the grave and over death.
Death is a terrible enemy. The
grave is a cold, cold reality. And yet
in the resurrection we have to us the guarantee that he arose and because he
arose, we too are the victors over the grave and over death.
In the book of Hebrews, chapter 2,
verse 14:
Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part
of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of
death, that is, the devil;
-- Hebrews 2: 14
Who has the power of death? Satan, the devil. He’s got the power of death. Jesus Christ came according to the records in
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John to destroy the works of Satan. To wreck and to ruin his kingdom, to utterly
paralyze it as
And having spoiled principalities
and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing
over them in it. --
Colossians 2: 15
This is what we have
in his resurrection. This is what he did
in his resurrection. He triumphed over all
principalities and powers. He spoiled
principalities and powers. I’m in
Colossians 2: 15. And he made a show of
them openly. He was bigger than all the
principalities and powers. And as he
arose from the dead, he openly declared that he had triumphed over them.
In chapter 1 of
Colossians, in verse 13, you have this tremendous truth.
Who
hath [past tense] delivered us from the
power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom [of God by
the work] of his dear Son: -- Colossians
He has delivered us
from the power of darkness and he translated us into God’s own kingdom. He translated us into His own kingdom by that
which was accomplished through Christ Jesus.
This is what we have. Then we
have already been translated. We’ve
already been delivered. In Romans
chapter 10, a very familiar passage of Scripture to men and women, young people
who have been in my classes across the country.
In verse 9:
That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt
be saved. -- Romans 10: 9
This we have in the
resurrection. Without the resurrection,
you could not have this. You could
confess with your mouth until you are blue in the face. You still couldn’t be born again of God’s
Spirit because, in the resurrection we have made
available to us the new birth, that which God wrought within Christ. For with the heart, verse 10.
For
with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation. --- Romans
10: 10
This is why you can
understand the revelation in II Corinthians, chapter 5. II Corinthians chapter 5, verses 17 to 21
17. Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature [creation]: old
things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18. And all things are of God, who hath
[past tense] reconciled us to himself by Jesus
Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world
unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;
and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20. Now then [because of what we have in the
resurrection] we are ambassadors for Christ, as
though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled
to God.
21. For he [God] hath
made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him.
This is some of the
things we have in the resurrection that we might may
be made the righteousness of God in him.
No person can ever walk with an effervescence
and a glow in this life. No person can
walk with an easiness through this life unless he
knows what he has in Christ Jesus. And
when you once begin to realize what God has wrought in Christ, and you have
appropriated unto yourself and begin to walk in the greatness of that, then you
will begin to gel and manifest the infinite presence and the power of the love
and the wonderfulness that God has wrought.
There is a Scripture
in I Corinthians that just thrilled my heart. In chapter 1 of I
Corinthians. Very few of you may
have ever paid any special attention to it, but it’s a tremendous
Scripture. Chapter 1, verse 9:
God is faithful, by whom ye were called
unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. -- I Corinthians 1: 9
By whom you were
called, by God you were called into the fellowship with his son Jesus
Christ. Called into
fellowship with His son Jesus Christ.
Who is our what? He is our
Lord. And we’re called into fellowship
with him. Look at what that gives
us. What a tremendous reality that is to
the soul of a man or a woman who really wants to tap the resources for the more
abundant life. To realize that God has
called us, God called us and because God called us, we heard that call. We did what we read in Romans tonight. Confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus,
believe God raised him from the dead and God gave us salvation. He called us.
Boy, what a tremendous reality that is.
You know there is no
person in here that can prove that George Washington was the president of the
Now the people who
went to that open sepulchre that day and that open
tomb that day when
Jesus was raised. Those who went there
for a week or 2 or a month, I don’t know.
They saw and they believed because of what they saw. You have never seen and yet you believe. Your believing must be entirely on a
different basis. I said to our people here
this morning who were gathered in prayer.
I said to our people here this morning.
I have something more certain in Christ Jesus and any man has or
believes that George Washington was President of these our
We are going to I
Corinthians chapter 12: 3b:
…………………………………. and no man can say,
[no man can really say] that
Jesus is the Lord of his life but by Holy Ghost. -- I Corinthians 12: 3b
No man can really say
that Jesus is the Lord in his life except by the Holy Spirit as he speaks in
tongues. Then you got the proof in the
senses world that Christ is within. All
the rest of these things, Satan can counterfeit, my people. The Bible says that devil spirits can
prophecy. Devil spirits can counterfeit
word of knowledge, word of wisdom. Devil
spirits counterfeit discerning of spirits, faith, miracles and healing. There is only one thing that they cannot
do. No devil spirit can speak in tongues
because to speak in tongues, you must have Christ within. And if Christ did not rise again from the
dead, then our faith is in vain, our believing is in vain, then I could not
have received him then you cannot speak in tongues nor anybody else. But if God raised him from the dead, and he
ascended up into heaven, and he said forth this what you now see and hear, Acts
chapter 2, and we get born again of God’s spirit, then we manifest in the
senses world, and when we manifest it forth we know He’s
in here. Well, Hallelujah. Isn’t that wonderful? My goodness. If we had a Methodist in the place, and old
time one, I’d say amen. I don’t care
whether you say it out loud as long as you say it on the inside. As long as the this
thing jells within your soul. Because
people, the greatest reality in the world is to be born again of God’s spirit
filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and you got the proof that God raised
him from the dead. The
greatest thing in the whole world.
All the other most outstanding religious leaders of
all history of all time. Great men. The Buddhists. Great men. The Brahmins. Great men. The Mohammeds. Great men. But, when they die, they stay dead. Not one ever got up. The proof that Jesus Christ is God’s only
begotten son is that God raised him from the dead. And the proof that he is within you is in the
operation of the manifestation of the spirit.
Oh, what a tremendous day and hour this is. What a tremendous day. What a tremendous time. So that we could walk with
an effervescence and with a glow.
With a certainty that we are more than conquerors through him who loved
us and who gave himself for us. And as
it says in Colossians, we are complete in him who is the head of all
principality and power.
And ye
are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: -- Colossians
You are
complete. This is why our young people,
our children, our adults are walking forth with an
effervescence and with a glow. Because they have again come to the place where they believe that
God’s Word is God’s Will. And
they walk on that Word and as they walk on it, they see the manifestations and
the power of God. And once you see the
greatness of that manifestation, you just know without a shadow of a doubt that
God raised him from the dead for you have that power of God within you. Oh, how grateful, how thankful I am. That when God raised him
from the dead, he set him far above all principality and power. And that in him, we are
more than conquerors, that he has already translated us into the kingdom of his
dear son. That we are complete,
that we are ambassadors for him. That he
has given to us the ministry of reconciliation and the Word to carry the
ministry out. Isn’t this a tremendous
day and a tremendous hour? Oh what a
wonderful, glorious time it should be for every person in this auditorium
tonight and for all the people listening by radio who believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ that God raised him from the dead.
What a tremendous day it ought to be.
To stand with great boldness and with great courage in
this day and hour of the time of our history of these our
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