The First Day (John 20:1-18)
Rev. William L. Barron, April 1, 2018Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
After Jesus' death, He received a quick burial because of Passover. On Sunday, the women went to the tomb to complete the burial customs. Jesus' body was not there, and the grave clothes were arranged so as to indicate that the body simply disappeared from beneath them. Then, when Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, He was clothed, apparently in a sort of robe of heaven. With the resurrection occurring on Sunday, the day of rest was moved from Saturday to Sunday, the first day of the week, by nearly all of the Christian church. Mary Magdalene, a woman of low regard, was the first to witness the resurrected Lord. He told her not to cling, really to hold onto the things past. She bore witness, nonetheless, out of a pure heart. The disciples were reluctant to believe her. Then, the disciple John went into the tomb, saw the clothes, and believed, but through the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus, he was the first to believe in the risen Christ. However, being first is not important. The real question is, "Do YOU believe?"
| Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
|---|---|---|
| « The First Supper | None | The Last Parable » |
John 20:1–18 (Listen)
20:1 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.
(ESV)