John 20
1 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. 2 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.
3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. 4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. 9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
To the disciples Jesus was their hope, redemption, faith – their very life. When He died their hope was shattered. They did not have the Scriptures as we have it today. They did not understand that He had to suffer and die and rise again from the dead.
Even if we try to imagine the state of despondency the disciples were in we will not be able to because today we have the full picture. But when the women returned from the grave and reported what they had seen hope began to live again. Peter and John ran to the tomb and we read that when John saw the empty tomb and the grave clothes lying he believed. It was still a feeble faith but he believed.
Later Jesus revealed Himself to them in various ways and proved that He was the Victor over death. Then he opened their understanding also that they could understand the Scriptures.
And we find that those feeble, fearful disciples were transformed into bold proclaimers of the Gospel for they were transformed by the Lord’s victory over death. Each one of them lived their lives for the Lord and died a martyrs death for Him. They loved not their lives unto death.
The sting of death is sin and Christ has removed that sting if only we would confess our sin and apply His precious Blood to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Rev Heino Stegen then related a number of examples of how Jesus’ precious Blood cleanses from all unrighteousness and enables those who trust in Him to die in peace, even if their bodies are destroyed because of their sin.
May we not be like the pharisees who trusted in their own righteousness and perished. Let us trust in Christ’s righteousness and apply His precious Blood to cleanse us and give us the victory over eternal death and sin.