Temple Baptist Church - 4-9-2023
John 20: 1-18
Introduction:
A. Last week, we went back to Calvary where the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, died for all mankind. If you are an ignorant Reformed Theology Calvinist, this statement may be offensive to you, but I thank God that Christ died for this poor, old, ignorant pastor and my name is found in the Bible in the form of whosoever will.
B. This morning, we went to the Garden Tomb. By faith, we have seen an empty tomb and a risen Saviour.
C. Using the First Mention Principle of Bible interpretation, I find it interesting that the first mention of “resurrection” in your Bible is found in the context of unbelief.
Matthew 22:23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
D. In our day, there are far more who “disbelieve” that those that “believe”. This is scriptural.
Luke 3:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: (14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
E. I thank God that I am one of the few and not the many! I agree 100% this morning with:
1. Mary: John 20:16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
2. Thomas: John 20:28-29 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. (29) Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
3. The Centurion: Mark 15:39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
Romans 10:9 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.
1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
F. Hebrews 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
1. “A better resurrection” indicates more than one resurrection and draws a stark contrast between them.
John 5:28-29 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, (29) And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life (saved); and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (unsaved).
G. The Power of the two Resurrections is the same. “all that are in the graves shall hear his voice.”
1. The Resurrection of Life, which is better, is the resurrection of the children of God: it is to die in hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Job 14:15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
2. The Resurrection of Damnation, which is to be shunned, it the resurrection of the unsaved: it is to die without hope.
Daniel 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Revelation 20:11-12 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (12) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
H. Often, we sing the song “Because He Lives!” Because He lives, I can face tomorrow; because He lives, all fear is gone. The “Capstone of Christianity” promises life beyond life and that life is eternal.
J. This morning, I want to look at the results of the Gospel: Christ’s death according to the Scriptures, His burial in a garden tomb, and His glorious bodily resurrection according to the Scriptures.
1. His Resurrection Gives Us Boldness In Death.
Psalms 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Philippians 1:21-23 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (22) But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. (23) For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
2. His Resurrection Gives Us Confidence In Preaching.
Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
3. His Resurrection Gives Us Comfort In Loss.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
2 Corinthians 5:6-8 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (7) (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) (8) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
4. His Resurrection Gives Us Assurance In Salvation.
John 11:25-26 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (26) And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
1 John 5:10-13 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. (11) And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (12) He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (13) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
5. His Resurrection Gives Us Hope in Heaven.
John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (2) In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (4) To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, (5) Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Conclusion: The greatest day of the life of the believer will be when he sees Christ. This is a wicked, troublesome world and the longer I live the more I Pray with the Apostle John:
Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
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