Lost Until Found

Lost Until Found

John 20:1-18 

 

Illus. Lost and Found.

Read: John 20:1-18

 

The text centers on three people who had found and were following Jesus prior to His death on the cross. The text focuses in on Mary Magdalen, Peter, and John (here referred to as “the Disciple”). Each one of them, after believing they had lost Jesus, end up seeing the empty tomb and come to three different findings.

Verses one and two begin with what Mary Magdalene finds when going to the Jesus’ tomb on the day He was resurrected. From the book of Luke we know that Mary Magdalene and at least three others, were heading to the tomb of Jesus in order to finish the work of embalming and wrapping Jesus body (Luke 24:10). 

A good portion of that had been done on Friday by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, however, when Jesus was crucified on the cross, they were up against the clocThe dead were traditionally wrapped and embalmed in many layers, but because the Sabbath day was near, and it was getting late in the day, Joseph and Nicodemus were rushed in preparing Jesus’ body for the tomb (John 19:38-42).

As Jesus died, Mary and the other women stood at a distance and watched, they also followed as Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus transported Jesus’ body to the tomb, which was owned by Joseph. The women saw how the body was laid in the tomb and they then went home and prepared spices and perfumes in order to come back and properly care for Jesus’ body on the third day, which would be Sunday (Luke 23:50-56)

While there were other women with her, the attention is set on Mary Magdalene in John’s account, many suggesting she was perhaps the first to arrive at the tomb. When she got there, she was shocked to see that the stone which was set in front of the opening to the tomb, had been rolled away. It was a heavy stone (likely around 2,000 lbs. or more) We know from Mark 16, they were wondering who could roll the stone away for them, but upon their arrival, it was already removed. Not only this, but she must also have looked into the tomb because in verse 2 she will run to the place Jesus’ disciples were and tell share her theory that people had taken Jesus’ body, it was now lost and she did not know where to find it…

This morning I want center our focus on what we see and find about the lost being found from this story: The theories that keep you from seeing clearly, the importance of seeking Him until you find Him personally, and your opportunity to cling to Him when you hear His calling.

 

1. Don’t Let Theories Keep You from Seeing Clearly

 

• Mary had seen that the stone, which was previously in front of the tomb, had been rolled away.

 

• Immediately, she thought someone had taken His body somewhere else and ran to tell the disciples.

 

John 20:2, So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they have put Him.”

 

• From Luke 24, we know that Mary Magdalene and at least three other women went and reported what they had seen to Jesus’ disciples who were together.

 

• What she expressed to them was her theory, “they have taken Him from the tomb.”

 

• Her theory was that the grave had been robbed.

 

• When the disciples are told that the body was gone, most of them thought the words were nonsense (Lk 24:11)…But two of them responded to the news.

 

• Peter and John ran to the tomb and Mary followed behind, because Jesus was now missing. Jesus’ body was gone.

 

John 20:3-8, Peter and the other disciple left, and they were going to the tomb. The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead, faster than Peter, and came to the tomb first; and he stooped to look in, and saw the linen wrappings lying there; however, he did not go in. So Simon Peter also came, following him, and he entered the tomb; and he looked at the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings but folded up in a place by itself. So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb also entered then, and he saw and believed.

 

• We know from what we have seen so far in the Gospel of John, this is John’s humble way of referring to himself in his own writing. When he says the other disciple it’s himself, he’s speaking about.

 

• Verse 5, When they arrive…they looked and saw the empty tomb. They all saw something, but they saw differently.

 

• In verses 5, 6, and 8 the word “saw,” is used, yet it was written in three different forms in the original language.

 

• 5, (John) looked in and saw (blepo: to see visibly with one’s eyes) the linen wrappings, but did not go in.

 

• 6, (Simon Peter) saw (theoreo: to discern, find out by seeing, theorize) the linen wrappings lying there.

 

• 8, (John) saw (hor – ah –oh: to perceive and know) and believed.

 

• While John would look, and then look again (5, 8); Peter would not get that far but would look away after coming up with a theory.

 

Illus. Theory.

 

• John looks, and then looks again, and he sees.

 

• Certainly, there are many facts surrounding Jesus life, death, burial and resurrection that are important for us to see. And I believe if you are looking for Him, seeking Him, if you are searching for Him with all your heart, you will find Him.

 

• John looked in and saw in verse 5, and then he looked again and saw in verse 8. It wasn’t enough to simply see visibly the linen wrappings. There was more to be discovered, more to see, more to know, more to believe.

 

• John looked a second time, only this time, He saw and believed that Jesus had been risen from the dead.

 

Illus. How about you?

 

• In Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:23, and Matthew 20:19 Jesus gave predictions of His death and resurrection. He said that He would be killed…and then followed up each prediction, by saying that on the third day He would be raised to life. That was the truth.

 

• In Matthew 28, the angel will spoke to theories suggesting differently, directly.

 

Matthew 28:5-6, I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said…

 

• Perhaps you have looked away from Jesus resurrection do to a theory, I encourage you, don’t let them keep you from seeing clearly.

 

Psalm 119:105, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

 

1. Seek Him Until You Find Him Personally

 

• After John and Peter looked into the tomb, they headed home

 

• As they left, Luke 24:12 They marveled at what had happened…

 

• They headed back home…But Mary made her way again to the tomb….

 

• The scripture makes clear that Mary Magdalene was a woman deeply troubled prior to meeting Jesus, in that, she was demon possessed by 7 demons (Lk. 8:1-2).

 

• Dominated by evil spirits, what she had suffered was extremely severe

 

• When Jesus met her, her peace of mind was destroyed, her body and life out of sorts, her life out of control.

 

• Others would see her on the surface, call her crazy, and encourage people to stay away from and avoid her.

 

• When Jesus met her, He did not avoid her, He forgave her, helped her, and healed her. He freed her from the demons that had dominated her life and disturbed her soul. He saved her.

 

• From that point on, Mary loved Jesus. She was the last one at the cross He died on and the first one at the tomb on the third day.

 

John 20:11-13, Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

 

• The angels say to her, “woman, why are you weeping?” She responded, “because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

 

• If I was in Mary’s sandals, I may have been quite impressed at the sight of two angels. But the angels seem inconsequential to Mary, she is there to find Jesus, only He will satisfy.

 

• Most would be impressed by these angels (take selfies, post about it on social media, write a book, make a movie), and then stop there…but Mary knew who she was seeking and did not seem like to stop until she found Him.

 

• Mary was looking for Jesus, though I am sure they were spectacular, there was no way they could be dressed up, no matter how dazzling they were, that would make them a replacement for Jesus.

 

John 20:14-15, At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

 

• Many wonder how it is that Mary did not recognize Jesus. What we know is that Jesus was in His resurrected body. There are other suggestions, but we don’t know the answer exactly. What we do know is that Jesus was standing in front of her and she believed he was the gardener who had come to tend to the grounds of the tomb.

 

Illus. Have you seen this person?

 

• Jesus questions her, the heart of her search for Him becomes clear. She doesn’t say, go get him and bring Him back, or, help me carry Him back. She just says, tell me where He is, “I’ll carry Him.”

 

• Love doesn’t take into account the heaviness of the object. It pays the price. It expends the energy. It finds a way.

 

• She did not pause to consider how she would carry Jesus; it didn’t matter at that point.

 

1 Corinthians 13:7, [Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

 

• No greater example of this than Jesus’ sacrifice for you and I. Carrying the burden and weight of sin, paying the price, expending the energy, making a way.

 

• Jesus made a way for us. He went all the way to the cross, dying the death of a criminal, even though He was sinless.

 

Isaiah 53:5, He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed. (NIV)

 

• Jesus went to the cross because nothing else would satisfy.

 

• The lost being found, was worth it to Jesus to bear the burden of bearing your sin, offering Himself as its very payment for, once and for all.

 

• Nothing and no one else could satisfy. If you are looking for the Savior, looking for hope, looking for the answer, look to Him, let nothing else satisfy.

 

1 Peter 2:24, He himself, bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, for by His wounds you were healed. (NIV)

 

• Hope and life in Christ is received personally when you ask Him into your life, when you receive His sacrifice as payment for your sin.

 

Matthew 20:28, The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

 

• In other words, He is not looking for you to make the payment, or carry the weight…The weight of sin was one Him…He has already paid it all and made the way.

 

• Mary did not understand the resurrection, and with her eyes full of tears, she perceives Jesus as the gardener, until He called her name.

 

John 20:16, Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).

 

• Jesus, standing before her in His resurrected body, called to her, “Mary!” …And immediately, she knew it was Jesus.

 

• Her eyes had failed her, but there was no mistaking His voice.

 

• The one she though she had lost, came her way and found her as she searched for Him with all her heart.

 

Jeremiah 29:13-14(a), You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

 

• Perhaps you have lost sight of Jesus Christ in your life. You have come to or come up with many theories as to why He is lacking in your life, but deep down, you are longing.

 

• The reality for Mary is an opportunity for Jesus. She was searching for Jesus, but He was not lost, He was looking for her, He loved her, He know she was searching for Him and He called out to her!

 

Illus. Lost!

 

• Mary heard Jesus call her name, lost without Him as the story began, but He called out to Her and she was found by Him!

 

John 10:27, My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

 

• Mary heard Jesus’ voice and d she called back out to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (Which means, Teacher).

 

• She then clung to Him. She wasn’t going to let go. She had lost Him once, and she didn’t want to lose Him again.

 

• Cling To Him as Lord When You Hear He’s Calling

 

• She clung to Him, literally, she fastened herself to Him, she is holding on and not letting go. But she was clinging to Him as teacher, Rabbi, miracle worker.

 

• Jesus says to her, “stop clinging to me.” not because her heart was wrong, but because He had not yet ascended to the Father.

 

• What He is saying to her is, “Mary, my mission was to come to earth to die for your sins, to reconcile you and the world to the Father.”

 

• Don’t cling to me as Rabbi, I am going to ascend to Heaven, go tell the others!

 

• What have you categorized Christ as? There is much people have to say, but the reality of His life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension makes clear, not only to Mary, but to you and me is that He is the Risen Savior, and to run to Him, or cling to Him with any other conclusion, is to miss Him completely.

 

Illus. Blind Bartimaeus.

 

Illus. Luke 15: Lost sheep, lost coin, lost son.

 

Luke 19:10, The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

 

• The Bible makes it clear that a person is lost spiritually until they choose Jesus Christ as Lord personally.

 

Hebrews 3:15, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…

 

2 Corinthians 6:2, God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.

 

Illus. Lost until found…

 

John 11:25-26, Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?

 

 

 

John 20:1-18