John Chapter 20:1-8

Everyone of us is going to support everyone else is going to do something really silly or stupid. At some point in our lives and the tendency is when somebody doesn't like that step back from Jesus. Our tendency is to look at what you did is I would Jesus that you look at the woman at the well understand how very little Jesus said about her past only mentioned it about the forgiven woman in John chapter 8. Certainly he went through and and and they explored and analyzed all her mistakes as he said, look what you think he said is for gave sin no more. What an incredible model welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina.

We know that any relationship can be difficult but it's important to remember that we should be friends during hard times, not just the good times today pastor David helps us understand how to be good friends as he continues the Gospel of John, chapter 20 now here's David McGee with his teaching to please open your Bibles to John chapter 20.

Continuing on with our verse by verse study John chapter 20 verse one now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone it been taken away from the tomb. Now last week in the preceding weeks were dealing with the crucifixion. A central event in Christianity this week were to be talking about the resurrection which is also a central event in Christianity. A lot of churches will preach the crucifixion and talk about the cross but then shy away from the resurrection and the reason is the resurrection obviously contains something supernatural. It doesn't take something supernatural in order to dive people die every day. But in order for that debt. Persons that come back to life. Will that obviously take something supernatural. And there's something about us and our humanity that that makes us a little uncomfortable talking about the fact that somebody that died didn't stay dead.

But realize that is the resurrection.

Jesus died and he didn't stay dead.

I mean, you know were were so aware of the fact that we don't actually consider minutes is now on the first day of the week.

Now understand something the Jewish people to the state of your Orthodox you don't name the days only one day has a name and that's the Shabbat Thursday one day to day three day for the five basics Shabbat which is Saturday morning. It is from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. That's the Shabbat or the Sabbath is the word that we use now in two understand that this first day of the week is Sunday is something they wouldn't call it the first day the week that it said I mean they want to call it Sunday that God is the first day of the week because the names of our days came much later. New maybe you understand the origins of the days not getting a lot done on this, but Sunday was to worship the sun. Monday was to worship the moon Tuesday Mars Wednesday Mercury Thursday Thor Friday Venus Saturday for Saturn. Now does that mean that you can't use those words anymore know it doesn't mean because for some of you. You're like just tell you what really moon god the world in a so it's not like your worshiping these pagan deities through the names of the days, but he should be aware probably that that's talking about and you know in a way using Sunday to worship the sun SON, that's gonna go and not as you in but SON some of your worshiping the sun on Sunday SON, your good reads got verse two then 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 laid him. Now who is the disciples a good disciple, but Jesus loved, yet John.

How do we know that John tells us that good.

John knew the that the Lord loved when Mary went to the tomb she was going to grieve and they were going to finish the preparation of the body. She wasn't coming there to see if he had risen because I want you to notice as we go through this chapter the next few weeks how caught off guard. Everybody they were like all this is what he was talking about there like what now understand that because again it indicates that this is a whole God thing. Now it says we Mary says we in John's account. This is important understand.

In John's account of the next event he gives his experience and his eyewitness okay the other accounts of the Gospels give another perspective, but notice that Mary says we so we know there was other people there. There's no contradiction there is a matter fact were told who those people who we is now guys are gonna warn you before I read this verse.

This is not one of our best moment okay but in Luke 24 verse nine it says in the return from the tomb and told all these things to the 11 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 their words seemed to them like idle tales and they did not believe him out. If you're a guy, hallelujah I guess if you're a girl.

God use these ladies to pronounce the good news and the guys said it was like idle talk and not one of our more noble monuments. My guys may not just that they didn't believe in, but that it was idle talk, so the picture I get is the latest he's not there all quiet. We know you.

You probably the wrong cemetery. You got lost you're looking in the wrong place. Start by is not there and understand understand the irony of this. This is in a day and age where in most courts that witness in the testimony of a woman was in the and this is who God uses to announce the resurrection and the goddess missing light cookbook with the chowder Gottlieb work were having a meeting were doing important things they miss it now. It's interesting that Mary is the one that's telling Peter and John. Mary was Mary Magdalene, who had been possessed by seven demons, not a lot of people think that she was a prostitute before she got sick is not a biblical concept that the church traditional concept that came up later in verse three Peter therefore went out the other disciple, and were going to the tomb now in verse three let's talk about the three day thing the three day thing is is you find it throughout Scripture.

If you remember there was three days with Joseph and the Pharaoh and the Baker and the Butler others three days of darkness. During the plague there in Egypt and also course the classic of Jonah being in the belly of the whale for three days and in Jesus referred to that and even told what was going to happen.

Matthew chapter 12 verse 44 as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of your total. They didn't believe him want you to understand that they believed him about something. Evidently they didn't believe him about this. Why on this is important. They had their own picture in their mind and in their heart about how things were supposed to go in the death of Jesus was not how they were supposed to go they had in their minds and in their hearts and units plane from the Bible that they thought Jesus was going to overthrow the Roman empire establish a new government and establish freedom in Israel.

That's what they thought was can happen when Jesus died, was shattered, had no idea that Jesus had a much better plan than they came up with.

We all have plans knowing you probably ending in the Bible says it's a good thing to make plans to know or to consider our pray about what can happen tomorrow or next year or five years from now is your good thing but be flexible. Why, because in last God came down with his very finger and wrote out those plans.

Those plans are subject to change. And if you're so locked in as to what you want to do and when you want to do it. You could miss what God wants to do in your life, you could miss what God wants to do in your life because you won't what you want, how often we act like small children in these areas. Something doesn't go the way we wanted dog gone it God letting you do that, don't you love me.

God, I mean it. It reminds me of when my children will Smalling used to say things like that would be really love me you love me that book abilities could but we act like that with the Lord. When the Lord changes the plans the Lord has plans for your life. Do you know what they are. I don't know what they are for me. I mean, I can think I can plan I can prayerfully consider but do not know the exact specifications of the next year or 10 years of my life. Absolutely not.

I don't have learned that when God throws me a curveball. I need to go with because he has a better plan. He knows more verse four so they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.

Is it just me or do you notice that in this verse Peter AE John records that he outran Peter. I'm faster I got there first Peter was older. John was younger so and we know that John was the youngest from the order of the Last Supper. You can get back to John 13. I think I talked about that, but John was younger he probably quicker and he notes that he outran Peter.

Peter, John, had this thing going on. We talked about that before record. How do we know that Peter is the one that cut out the ear of the Ghana garden. John tells us.

Matthew then tells Mark until a salute legacy that year got cut off Johnson is Peter Peter go to zero in any records in here that he was first I was first you know what I do like in looking at this work.

They both ran high, that they both rant they didn't know what was going on. They weren't sure what was going. You know what they were going well as mosey on down the garden tomb in a couple hours and see what's going on about Starbucks first and will go check it out. You know it was it was like black and they ran while doing that's a good model live because you often in life. Working, meandering and moseying. That's a southern thing from the mosey on down the manger going at some point, but it kind of lacks purpose run is a good thing were told to run the race. Are you running or walking. Are you mosey, you were supposed to run, run the race.

That's what Paul encourages to, but are you running I can imagine at this point that they would be walking anyway.

I can imagine that some of us would be walking but some of us are instead of running running the race encompassed by great cloud of witnesses, so let's run. You will still be walking mean we only have so much time here which should be fulltilt boogie plywood abuse that Deb really went around to the fulltilt boogie for God is what we should be involved and not met and my some point to close the run for the Lord your listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be right back with more just a moment, but I want to remind you of the free resources available to you on cross the bridge.com there's a team of hundreds of people that will pray for somebody to be saved. You have a loved one that needs to know Jesus as Savior. You need people to pray for them.

You need someone to present God's word to them every day representing God's word to them here on cross the bridge with Pastor David McGee.

We can pray for them as well. Just by simple going to cross the bridge.com and click on the pray for the lost button. All you need to do is put in the first names of the people you love that needs know Jesus as Savior. Click on submit and immediately hundreds of people begin praying for your lost loved ones. What an awesome way to bring your love ones to Jesus. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown. Hey, we thank you for listening. Today we want to pray specifically for a few cities in our listening audience.

Elko, Fernley, Las Vegas, Lovelock Reno, Eli in round Mountain, Nevada God, we thank you for the cities and the people listening. We thank you for the people who live in the cities. We pray that you would convince and convict them of their need for you and how much you love and everything that you've done for them to have a relationship with you. God I pray that you would fill people with face to say yes that they would put their hope in you, Jesus. We pray for the town governments. The town Council.

The mayor, the police chief. Those in the fire department all those working to lead in the cities.

We pray that you give them wisdom and discernment that they will be people of your word you would look to your Bible for answers and God. We pray that you would pour out your Holy Spirit on the cities for your glory in Jesus name, amen, amen.

Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse five, and he's stooping down and looking and saw the linen cloth lying there, yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb and he saw the linen cloths lying there, so Peter stopped at the entrance mean John stopped at the entrance.

Peter goes on him and he sees the cloth liner and you know what these are the grave claws of Jesus understand something. Now I think we should take care of our bodies not try to eat right and exercise and do all these things and but this is just a tent if you will. These are grave, claws, and at some point I'm laying them down at some point people will be able to view the grave claws and say well that's where what he used to be in but he's not in there anymore. That's the same for everyone of us. We need to realize that so that there's a balance to that perception and in an so at some point realize that you're done with your body. It's a tent and ukulele is great) you're going to be a butterfly. And that's just your cocoon and at some point you're going to come out of it and it's going to be as tiered as Tigger says Tata for now. You know I mean he's the ear going to be out here and that's what was going on with these grave claws and I think John Stott probably out of reference at the entrance and in Peter in the just like Peter repeaters like I'm in there I'm going to see what's going on. I mean I was a lot Peter and Anna probably knows much as I talk about Peter and Peter being ready fire aim. Peter you know I at this point he's he's a gonzo guy. He's that fulltilt boogie guy John stopped. I don't think Peter verse don't think he ever thought about stopping at the entrance they just ran straight in. I like that about.

He then he didn't hesitate in sometimes it didn't work for, but again he was gonzo for the Lord. He plunges on and so soon after verse seven and the handkerchief that had been around his head, not lying with the linen closet with folded together in a place by itself had somebody stole the body they wouldn't going to struggle I would've unwrapped the body. Later scrap the body and been out of the Sotelo some significant happened and I think actually this first cast a little bit of doubt on the shroud of Turin, and I'm not going to make will need a break fellowship or whether you think it's the real deal or not, but evidently there was a a cloth that was wrapped around his head, and if you ever seen the shroud of Turin. It contains the imprint supposedly from the head of the person and an part of what wakes me out about this people worship the shroud which I'm not sure Jesus would've provided that we can agree to disagree is just curious if that verse notes that now verse eight then the other disciple, who came to the tomb's first also Nissan blitz just in case you missed it for some John was actually first to determine and now here is one thing that I do find interesting and want to stop and think about what's Peter thinking right now he goes into the tomb is empty outlets may reminder Peter denied Jesus not only did the nine but Jesus had told him you're going to deny me remember the conversation.

Jesus says Peter, Satan has desired you to sift you like wheat.

How would you like to have Jesus say that the he said that the Peter that might've been Peter out of a timeout when you told him no. But that's not what happened. He got sifted and at that point he was so arrogant he said not so and going to happen. Peter made this bold statements. He said even if these other guys leave you there, questionable, anyway.

Not sure why you chose him. I'm with you. He made those types of sweeping statement, but is pride in his confidence in himself led to a fall and he did not Jesus and others newly denied Jesus.

John newly denied Jesus's John Saul part of as he tells and the gospel of John was Peter thinking. He obviously was very dejected.

I like that in Mark chapter 16 verse seven.

The ladies are to go tell his disciples and Peter. I like that. Be sure to tell Peter because they knew that Peter had been so proud and standing firm was now just brushed and he was singled out. The only one noticed only one thing that out.

Go tell the disciples.

Peter, be sure to tell Peter you would also like John new Peter had denied the Lord, who do we see hanging out together, John and Peter. There's some indication in the Scriptures that some of the other ladies went to tell the other disciples, but John and Peter were separate. Why no master just that the division of been caused by the denial. I mean, it might've been as strong as Peter shown up and they said no you go somewhere else. At that point John said I'll go with you okay with you and John and Peter hanging out life lesson here be a friend during a hard time not just in the good times interesting. Everyone of us is going to through hard times. Everyone of us is going to do something really silly or stupid. At some point in our lives and the tendency is when somebody doesn't like that step back from that what Jesus did. Our tendency is to look at what you did is I would.

Jesus did you look at the woman at the well understand how very little Jesus said about her past, he mentioned that what about the forgiven woman in John chapter 8. Certainly he went through and and and they explored and analyzed all her mistakes as he said, look what you've done one thing he said is that he forgave her go and sin no more. What an incredible model. What an incredible model so John knew about Peter's weakness. He knew about us failing, and yet he still still hung out with. He didn't kick him to the curb. There's three, there's words in here in these three verses verse six or seven verse eight timeout see the word Saul verse five or six verse eight. The word Saul and it it's the same word in English, but there's three different words in the Greek, which I think is is interesting in the first one is to verse five says he saw the linen closets like you.

See you look that's probably the closest to our word seek.

He went in and he saw he looked he saw verse six is when it says he saw it's it's meaning that he perceived he he he understood what he was seen sold deeper than the first third one in verse eight means he knew the other disciple came into force when and also he saw and he believed he knew John knew something that happened.

He might not of been sure what see this is the progression that we travel in it. You see, at some point in your life. Hopefully you look to Jesus, it will I see that I see Jesus died for me, but you just saw it in a superficial way in one day you understood Jesus died for me and it was on a deeper level and then as time went on, you knew Jesus died for you and was probably at the point of knowing that you made a decision to because you can't understand and perceive and really know that Jesus died for you without understanding now there's a decision to be made, not just a one time decision is supposed to be the start of a beautiful relationship just like you know if you caught a girl and said hey you not want to marry and you should, yeah, and she says yes and your okay see you later and you never called her again or something. See that's not the relationship that Jesus desires he desires to have a relationship with Jesus desires a friendship so you have to make this progression from seeing the understanding to knowing and when you know you have to be called in that messy question. Where are you in the history do you understand this morning that Jesus didn't die on the cross for the sins of the world's great place to start is where all of us, but you understand that you understand that outside of the atoning death of Jesus Christ, you have no opportunity for forgiveness friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have send and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. So congratulations Springer just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com. Click on the donate button and ask God how much he would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out through cross the bridge. Thank you so much ODA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day. You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider daily reading and the thought to meditate on.

Throughout today from the heart. David McGee those are terrific and it's easy and it's free so folks sign up today@crossthebridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God