1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
— John 20:1-18, ESV

Jesus Christ is risen, He is risen, indeed!

A week earlier, on Palm Sunday when Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, that tomb was empty, too, but waiting.  On Manic Monday when Jesus cleansed the Temple, enemies were made that would put Him in that tomb.  On Teaching Tuesday, Jesus tried to tell those who would listen that that tomb not any other has power over one who believes in Him.  On Woeful Wednesday, Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for money, like multitudes have done since, and sealed Jesus’ fate for that tomb.  On Maundy Thursday, by holy and humble means, Jesus tried to tell His disciples He was indeed going to that tomb, albeit temporarily.  On Good Friday they arrested, tried, assaulted, crucified, killed, and buried Jesus in that tomb.  On Silent, Sabbath Saturday, no one went to that tomb, except a couple of Jewish militia guards.  On Resurrection Sunday, a few choice people came to that tomb, and this is what they found:

Jesus Christ is risen, He is risen, indeed!

We have witnesses to prove it.  We have the Holy Scriptures, which I believe are inspired and infallible.  We have the Holy Spirit, at least those of us who have been regenerated and born again by Him.  We have a whole cast of holy people, who from one perspective or another, looked inside the tomb and declared it to be empty.  Here is what they sing to us today in chorus:

Jesus Christ is risen, He is risen, indeed!

Mary Magdalene was there, representing herself and at least three other women who are mentioned in the other Gospels.  Two disciples were there, one named, Simon Peter, the other not, who we know to be the humble, beloved author of this Gospel, John.  These were two of eleven disciples who were faithful to the end, now ready for a new beginning.  Two angels were there, though not in fright mode this time, representing legions of other angels who are ministering spirits to God and God’s people.  The one, true, living Lord was there, the fulness of deity in bodily form, speaking for the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Think deeply about God as you listen to these godly people.  Read their testimonies.  Imagine their experiences.  Go to the tomb with them, then bring yourself to look inside and decide for yourself whether or not,

Jesus Christ is risen, He is risen, indeed!

Mary Magdalene, Godly Woman

This Mary’s life had descended into a hell hole.  We are not told exactly how it happened.  Speculation is rampant she was a prostitute, but there is no evidence of this or any other sexual sin.  A former President once tried to tell us if it wasn’t sex, it wasn’t sin.  But the worst sins in the world have nothing to do with sex, such as pride, hatred, and greed.    

All we know for sure about Mary is she was a woman “from whom seven demons had gone out” (ref. Luke 8:2).  She invited them in though a lifestyle that surely sinful and harmful, for when you play with the devil you eventually get burned.  But when Mary met Jesus, she finally met a man who looked at her on the inside, not the outside.  She trusted and followed Him, and the Lord delivered her from evil and forgave her of all of her sin.  

Mary was a forgiven and free woman when she faced the empty tomb.  The dying Jesus had taken away her sin but the living Jesus would do even more.  The Lord proved to Mary that not only was she forgiven and free in this life, she, by grace through faith in Jesus, was forgiven and free to live forever, like Him, and never, never die.

Mary said, Jesus Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!  Do you believe her?

Peter and John, Godly Men

Peter and John were awake for almost forty-eight hours before sleeping all of that Saturday night.  Shortly after sunrise on Sunday, they were awakened by the alarming news concerning Jesus.  The tomb He had been buried in was empty.  

Peter was slow and John was as fast as Forrest Gump.  Neither were all that much on the outside, mere Galilean fishermen, but Jesus had transformed them from the inside out.  They were among the very first beloved and empowered believers in Christ, called also to be Apostles, a vocational combination of preacher, pastor, and church planter.  

They thought their new careers were short-lived, however, killed along with Jesus.  They thought they might be next to be nailed to crosses of their own.  But the empty tomb washed away such fears.  The Lord proved to Peter and John that not only would they serve for a short time with  Him on earth, but they, by grace through faith in Jesus, would live to enjoy Him, forever, in Heaven.  

Peter and John said, Jesus Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!  Do you believe them?

Two Angels, Godly Ministers

The next two persons were not only outside the empty tomb, they were part of the inside job.  They appeared to aid and abet the re-creation at dawn of the very God who had created them at the dawn of time.  Perhaps it was Michael and Gabriel, the only two angels named in the Bible, but the names of the two are not given here.

Angels are interesting personages, to say the least, and perhaps the least talked about beings in the word of God.  But these angels talked in this text.  The news they brought was the best: 

The angels said, Jesus Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!  Do you believe them?

Jesus, God Incarnate

Now that Mary, Peter, John, and even angels have spoken, what more is there to say?

I’ve watch sports on television my entire life.  Therefore, I’ve watched beer commercials all of my life.  The best ones are usually made by Budweiser, the so-called king of beers.  In their heyday they made an ad with a song that ended this way: “When you say Budweiser, you’ve said it all.”  

There is a name, however, that is a name above all names that truly says it all.  The name is Jesus,‘Isous, Yeshua, which literally means, “God saves!”  When you call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, you have truly said it all when it comes to salvation.  For it is Jesus who lived and died, bled and cried, buried and rose again, to give us forgiveness of sin and everlasting life.

People wonder what Jesus will look like in Heaven.  When Mary first laid eyes on the glorified Lord, she thought Him to be the gardener.  This is both ironic and poetic.  It was in the garden where everything went wrong.  Now, in the garden, everything was made right.  Furthermore, His simple outward appearance reinforces the truth that God counts as important what is on the inside of a person, not what they look like on the outside.  

So when you say Jesus, you really have said it all.  He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.  He was, is, and always will be, Almighty God!  And this is what God had to say on the original Easter Sunday:

I am risen, I am risen indeed!  Do you believe Him?

You, and God

By God’s word and God’s Spirit we have brought you to face to face with God’s Son through the past eight days of one holy week.

On Palm Sunday, Jesus is the King, bow down before Him.  On Manic Monday, Jesus is the Lord of His church, stand with Him as He rids her of every hypocrite, infidel, and unbeliever.  On Teaching Tuesday, Jesus is the word of God, listen to Him and obey.  On Woeful Wednesday, Jesus is betrayed, don’t you be the next one to do it.  On Maundy Thursday, Jesus is love, so much love that He gave, so give your love to Him.  On Good Friday, Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and there is nothing you an do to add to that.  On Silent Saturday, Jesus is quiet, so take time to reflect upon who He is and what He has done.  On Resurrection Sunday, Jesus Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!  

Repent and believe and it will change your life forever.  You can be forgiven and free.  You can be empowered and equipped.  You can be surrounded by angels.  You can truly live, abundantly and eternally, in the kingdom of God, now and forever. 

God loves you.  Jesus died for you and rose again the third day.  The Holy Spirit is calling you.  

Jesus Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!