← Back to sermon library

With me in your Bibles to John's Gospel, John chapter 20. I do have a bit of a cold, so if I socially distant from you after the service, you'll know why. John 20, we'll pick up reading in verse 11, we'll read to verse 18, and then look at the appearance of Christ to Mary. We saw the resurrection account last week in chapter 20, verses one to 10, the discovery of the empty tomb. And now we come to that person that Jesus first appeared to, Mary Magdalene. So beginning in chapter 20 at verse 11, but Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then 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. Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus said to her, Mary. She turned and said to him, rabboni, which is to say, teacher. Jesus said to her, do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to my father. But go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my father and your father and to my God and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had spoken these things to her. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for this beautiful day. We thank you for the demonstration of your righteousness in this created order. Thank you for the sunshine and the blue sky and the mountains around us. We thank you that you have not only made, but you govern, you sustain, you providentially care for all those things that you have made. We thank you as well, Father, for redemption. We know it's not because of anything we have done, but it's solely and alone according to your grace. and what we see in a passage like this concerning the life and the death and the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May you encourage our hearts now, may you build us up in our most holy faith, and may you effectually call sinners out of darkness into marvelous light, that they may confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is altogether lovely and chief among 10,000. Forgive us now from all sin and unrighteousness, illumine us by your Holy Spirit, and we ask this through Christ our Lord, amen. Well, as I said, we saw the empty tomb last week and then Mary Magdalene, she runs to tell Peter and John, and Peter and John come and they investigate the tomb and they see that it's empty. And so Mary returns to the tomb after having done that. And so we'll pick up the appearance of Christ to Mary in verses 11 to 18. We'll notice three things. First, the examination of the tomb by Mary in verses 11 to 13. Secondly, the presence of the Lord in verses 14 to 16. And then finally, the word of the Lord in verses 17 to 18. But first, with reference to the examination of the tomb, verse 11 is very clear, but Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping. So the idea was that she goes, she tells Peter and John, Peter and John come back, as she does, and then Peter and John depart to their own, according to verse 10. But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping. And then notice, according to verse 11, As she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb. Remember, in order to see that inner compartment where the body lay, you'd have to kind of go down a little bit. So she does that, and she looks down into the tomb, and she sees these two angels. So notice in verses 12 and 13. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, Woman, why are you weeping?" I want to spend just a bit of time here with reference to what's going on in verses 12 and 13. In the synoptic Gospels, in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we are told that it was two men, according to Luke 24, 4. A young man, according to Mark 16, 5. And an angel, according to Matthew chapter 28. Now in terms of harmony, if there were two, then there was obviously one. And most likely, these angels appeared in the appearance of man. And so that's the harmony between the Gospel narratives with reference to the different reporting. But as well, notice what John tells us specifically in verse 12. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Kind of an interesting detail that he gives us in terms of the positioning of the angels. Now the obvious interpretation is that it bespeaks the absence of our Lord Jesus Christ, because the angel at the head and the angel at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Obviously the body of Jesus laid there no more. So George Beasley Murray says their position in the tomb, one at the head and the other at the feet where Jesus had lain, is a reminder of the silent testimony of the grave clothes, but of another order. It witnesses that God, not robbers, has taken Jesus for a purpose yet to be revealed. But I think it goes a little bit further than this. I think that John's indication here of the placement or position of the angels has something to do with theology. In fact, if you go back in the history of the church, Augustine said that their position signified that the gospel of Christ was to be preached from head to foot, from the beginning to the end. I'm not suggesting he's necessarily wrong. I think that is true. Aquinas says, so the angel sitting at the head signifies the Old Testament, and the angel at the feet, the New Testament. He also says the position of these angels represent the two natures of our Lord Jesus Christ. Again, not discounting the reality of that. But I think a modern commentator, Edward Klink, gets something on the ball when he says that it's a reference to the Ark of the Covenant. If you remember in the construction of the Ark of the Covenant, you had angels that were facing the mercy seat. In fact, in Exodus 25 at verses 18 to 20, you shall make two cherubim of gold. Of hammered work you shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub at one end and the other cherub at the other end. You shall make the cherubim at the two ends of it, of one piece, with the mercy seat. "'and the cherubim shall stretch out their wings above, "'covering the mercy seat with their wings, "'and they shall face one another. "'The faces of the cherubim shall be "'toward the mercy seat.'" I think that's a good connection. We've got these angels, one positioned at the head and one positioned at the feet of where our Lord Jesus lay. They are most likely facing each other the way the cherubim face the mercy seat or the place of propitiation in that Ark of the Covenant. Exodus 37, one to nine, records the same thing, especially verse nine. The cherubim spread out their wings above and covered the mercy seat with their wings. They faced one another. The faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat. And of course, in the construction of Solomon's temple in 1 Kings chapter 8, specifically at verses 6 and 7, we read likewise, Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubim. For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. We also just sang at the very beginning of worship, Psalm 99, which says, verse 1, the Lord reigns. Let the peoples tremble. He dwells between the cherubim. Let the earth be moved. So the placement or position of these angels, one at the head and one at the foot of where the body of Jesus had lain, I think there's a strong connection there with reference to the Ark of the Covenant. And remember, the Ark of the Covenant, the significance of it. The Ark of the Covenant was placed in the Holy of Holies. And it wasn't accessible to anybody except the High Priest and that one time out of the year. It was on the Day of Atonement. On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would take off all of his glorious garb and simply be clothed in linen. And that high priest would take the blood of an animal into that Holy of Holies. Again, one time of the year called the Day of Atonement. And he would take that blood and he would pour it on the top of the Ark of the Covenant, which was called the Mercy Seat. He probably did that two or three times because he had to atone for his own sins, he had to atone for the sins of the people of Israel, and he had to atone for the altar because it came into regular contact with defilement in terms of sin. And so he pours that blood on the mercy seat, which is the place of propitiation. And so if that is what's going on in the tomb, it is representative of the fact that the mercy seat or the place of propitiation comes as a result of the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ. His life of perfect obedience, His death as a sacrifice and a substitute, His resurrection again the third day. What John is telling us here by placement of these angels is good theology. He is underscoring what he announces in John 1 29. Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. How does he take away that sin of the world? Through his death, through his bloodshed, through the blood of atonement poured on the mercy seat. We know that God is a holy God. We know that man is a sinful man. And we can't just wander into the presence of God unless we are cleansed. That was the significance of the Day of Atonement in the Old Covenant. You didn't come to the tabernacle. You couldn't come to the temple if you were defiled, if you were unholy, if you were unclean. You had to have that sin atoned for. You had to have that flesh cleansed. You had to have that ability so that when you were far, you can now be drawn near. Well, in the new covenant, how do we come? It's through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's through the high priestly ministry of that one who's altogether lovely. And if you're a sinner here today, we are all sinners, some are redeemed sinners, saved by grace through faith in Jesus, but if you're unredeemed, if you've not looked and lived, look and live. These angels testify that there is a mercy seat. There is a place of propitiation. Or as Luther called the mercy seat, a throne of grace. There is no salvation by your own works. There's no salvation by a combination of your works plus Jesus. It is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone. If you do not look and live, you will die forever in your sins. What we have in the tomb is proof positive that the work that Christ accomplished is indeed finished. So all that is necessary for sinners today is to look and live. It's nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling. It's foul I to the fountain fly, wash me, Savior, or I die. It is that mercy seed, that place of propitiation alone that is salvific. Notice in Romans chapter 3, the Apostle underscores this specifically in verse 25. He speaks of Christ being set forth by the Father as a propitiation by His blood. So notice in 321, let's just start there. This will play into our study tonight in Philippians chapter 3 as well. But in Romans chapter 1, it begins with God's wrath revealed, Romans 1 18, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth and unrighteousness. And then he details how all men everywhere are under sin. All men everywhere are liable to God's just wrath and fury and righteous judgment because of their waywardness. He deals with the Gentiles in Romans 1. He moves on to the Jews in Romans 2. And then he summarizes it in Romans 3.19. Notice. Now, we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. So section beginning in 118, wrath of God revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth and unrighteousness is brought to conclusion here in verse 20, by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin. If Paul stopped writing here, this would be horrible. It would only be bad news. The glory of God, though, is the gospel, which means good news, and He shifts direction in verse 21. But now the righteousness of God, apart from the law, is revealed. Wrath revealed, 118. Righteousness revealed 321. And the righteousness there isn't just the rightness of God or the justice of God. As we'll see again tonight in Philippians 3, the righteousness of God, often used by Paul, means the righteousness that God demands and that God supplies in the Christian gospel. So he says, the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Now note verse 25, whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood. whom God set forth as a mercy seat, whom God set forth as a place of propitiation, whom God set forth as a throne of grace, whom God set forth in order to deal with the problem detailed in 118 to 320. There is no other hope. There is no other means. There is no other recourse for sinners but to hell eternally or heaven by God's grace through faith in Jesus. Notice, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. So back to the tomb with these angels positioned, one at the feet, one at the head, this is the mercy seat, this is the Ark of the Covenant, this is the New Covenant explanation and expression and antitype of what you see under Moses and then Solomon. So of course, the angels then asked the question, according to verse 13 in chapter 20, then they said to her, woman, why are you weeping? And I would suggest her tears reflect two things here. First, her tears reflect the absence of her Lord. I think this is true for any of us, right? If we sense the absence of the Lord, we sense it because the Lord is never absent from us. You meet with that sometimes. I feel like God isn't with me. No, God has promised He'll never leave you nor forsake you. I understand that it feels like that at times. I know what it is to sense the absence of the Lord. I know what it is to have darkness of heart and sorrow of soul and melancholy and all of that, but God never departs from His people. But with reference to her weeping, it is indicative of this reality that her Lord is absent from her. And of course, that causes the true believer to weep. It causes the true believer to be broken. They might say, well, I haven't wept in 25 years. Again, I think Watson's right. Your eye ducts may not pour forth water, but the heart weeps. in the absence of our blessed Savior. But I think she's weeping as well, or her tears are a testimony to the grace of the Lord. Let us not forget who the Lord is going to appear to first. Mary Magdalene. You all know Mary Magdalene. Mark 16, 9. Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. Luke 8, 1 and 2, and the 12 were with him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities. Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons. She wept much because she loved much. She wept much because of the grace of the Lord Jesus to her. Isn't that a principle in scripture, Luke 7? Some suggest that is Mary Magdalene. I'm not convinced it is. I'm not convinced it isn't. But that's the take home message. She wept much because she loved much. She loved much because she was saved from much. This is the Mary Magdalene that is at the grave, at the tomb. And notice Mary's response. She has the same supposition she had when she first came to the tomb, according to verse 2. Notice in 2B, they have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him. She says the same thing in verse 13. 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. She continues to ascribe lordship to one she believes is dead. As well, she continues to maintain the suspicion that the Jews had taken the body with some sort of a nefarious design. So as far as she is concerned, things have not significantly changed from when she was first at the tomb according to verses 1 to 10. That brings us then to the presence of the Lord in verses 14 to 16. First, her ignorance concerning the Lord, and then secondly, the declaration of our Lord to her. But notice, she turns around and sees Jesus. According to verse 14a. Now, when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. I would suggest she turned around and saw Jesus standing there because the angel stood up when Jesus came to stand there. I think that's probably the best interpretation. Maybe he stepped on a twig. Maybe he stepped on a leaf and it alerted her that somebody was there. Or more likely, the angels don't sit in the presence of the Most High. if he's enthroned between them. They are certainly his attendants. So she stands, or rather she turns and she sees Jesus standing there. But notice as well in verse 14, she did not know that it was Jesus. She did not know that it was Jesus. There's probably three explanations, maybe 13 for this, but I've got three. First, incredulity. In credulity, she at this point didn't think he had been raised. She had seen him on the cross according to John 19, brutalized, broken, beaten. She had seen Him placed in the tomb. And in her experience, the only persons that got placed in tombs were dead persons. She had seen these things. She had witnessed. Remember, the women were attendant upon the Lord Jesus at the cross, at the burial. She had seen this. So it's incredulity. She doesn't recognize Him. But as well, it was dark. That could lend itself to an explanation as to why she didn't recognize her Lord at that particular moment. But in the synoptics we find that not everybody recognized the Lord right at the outset. In fact, in Mark chapter 16, it says after that, he appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. Luke 24, 16, but their eyes were restrained so that they did not know him. Luke 24, 31, then their eyes were opened and they knew him and he vanished from their sight. So we can't blame her for not initially recognizing the Lord Jesus. We can't say, how dare you dirty rotten woman, you don't see that this is Jesus. There's reasons for that, very good reasons for that. Notice then she is questioned by Jesus according to verse 15. Jesus said to her, woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? The question concerning her tears, same as the angels had asked. The question concerning who she's seeking, the Lord Jesus is leading her. The Lord Jesus is instructing her. The Lord Jesus is guiding her. And then note again in verse 15, she, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him and I will take him away. Now there's a few things going on here I think that are very encouraging. First, the supposition that as the gardener, he may have taken the body away. That's something that normally would occur to any of us if we were in, Similar circumstances, he's the gardener, he's the one that tends to the garden. Remember the tomb is in a garden. And so her idea being, they took his body away. Gardener, if you know where his body is, let me know. And then notice that she says, then I will take him away. It's pretty amazing. You know, 100-pound woman, 120-pound woman. I doubt she was 500 pounds in the first century. I don't think the prevalency of food was such that she would have been a great big girl willing to take the body of our Lord and stow it away safely. But remember, the fact that she supposed him to be the gardener reminds us of a motif that we have seen in John's gospel with reference to the passion, the garden. Remember John 18 one, you can turn there, John 18 one. When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Notice as well in verse 26, one of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off said, did I not see you in the garden with him? And then in 1941, Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. I've tried to make the connection between that garden motif here in John's passion narrative with the Garden of Eden and the first Adam. Remember through Adam's sin, he forfeit life for all of his posterity. And through the last Adam's death, he secures the life of all his posterity. I love what Klink says here, and I actually emailed Mr. Klink or Pastor Klink the other day to thank him. He gave me these insights, the one on the Ark of the Covenant and something of this garden motif, though it goes way back before him. He says, the resurrected Jesus makes the tomb a place of grace, not grief. declaring that he has fulfilled the old covenant and established the saving power and presence of the Lord through his death, resurrection, and ascension. The gardener has returned to reclaim the garden." It's beautiful. She supposed him to be the gardener. He is, in a sense. But unlike that gardener in Genesis chapters 1 to 3, he is successful. He guards, he keeps, he secures, he redeems, he brings life and blessed immortality. He brings everything that needy sinners, needy because of Adam the first, are in need of. This gardener is able to reclaim the garden. Notice then, Jesus says to her, Jesus says, Notice she turns to him again. The text already told us she turned to him. I gotta think there was a toggle going on. She's with the angels, the angels most likely rise, she turns to see what she supposes is the gardener, perhaps looks back to the angels for some guidance and some further assistance and help, and then she turns back when he says, Mary. How do we explain this? Well, you can go back to John 10, John chapter 10. specifically at verse 3, "...to him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice. And he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice." Notice in verse 16, another sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd. Verse 27, my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And then Jesus before Pontius Pilate in 1837. Pilate therefore said to him, Are you a king then? Jesus answered, You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that everyone, or that I should bear witness to the truth, everyone who is of the truth hears my voice. So in the providence and in the mercy and in the kindness of God, that simple word, Mary, was what that sister heard to demonstrate and to illustrate the fact that Christ had risen from the dead. And that brings us then finally to the word of the Lord in verses 17 and 18. First he gives a prohibition. Notice in verse 17, Jesus said to her, do not cling to me for I have not yet ascended to my father. Some say this is a very puzzling passage of scripture. and I'm not here to correct them. It is a bit of a puzzling passage of scripture. Let's just try to navigate our way through it. Do not cling to me for I have not yet ascended to my father. The prohibition cannot be physical. It cannot be physical. I had mentioned because I'm sick, I'm gonna socially distance myself from you. That's not what Jesus, he's not a pre-COVID sort of warrior. Maintain your distance from me. In the parallel, in Matthew chapter 20, the women fall and grab his feet. He doesn't kick them away, he doesn't shake them off. In Luke, he invites them to touch him to make sure that he's not a phantom. Dropping down in John's gospel in chapter 20 at verse 27, he invites Thomas to do the same thing. So it can't be a physical specification. You can't touch me because I'm in a different state now. I mean, he is the glorified Jesus at this point, but that's not the issue. I think it's theological in nature. Again, John does lots of theology in his commentary. In fact, in the history of the church, he's been referred to as St. John the Theologian. Not that Matthew, Mark, and Luke were not, but John comes out in spades doing theology. The garden motif, the Adam connection, the gardener, all that stuff. John is, you know, a master at theology. Well, here specifically, I think it emphasizes access. Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to my father. So she has been fearful that somebody, probably the unbelieving Jews, had taken his body from the grave and had done something bad with it. She is willing to take the body from the gardener, should he produce it, and take it and do something good with it. Stow it away securely, make sure it's anointed, and all those sorts of things. I think larger in terms of theology, John is telling us that access to our Lord Jesus Christ is not limited to the physical. In other words, the ascension is the next big thing in the scheme of events. The ascension crowns his work of redemption. Notice again in verse 17, do not cling to me for I have not yet ascended to my father. The Ascension provides access to the Father through the Son, and the Ascension highlights Christ's real presence with His people while they're on earth, and He's at the right hand of the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit. In other words, John, I think, is linking what Jesus had taught previously, say, for instance, in John 14. You can turn there. John 14, specifically at verse 16. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another helper, that He may abide with you forever. the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you." Again, not physically. He's located physically at the right hand of the Father. but he doesn't leave us as orphans, and he comes to us personally through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Notice in verse 21, he who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me, and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. How? By the Spirit. Verse 23, if anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. How? By the Spirit. Look at 16.7, it's to your advantage that I go away, he says. How could it possibly be to their advantage that the Lord of glory should go away? Because the Spirit, the other helper, I will send him that is advantageous for you and to you. So what Jesus is speaking of here with reference to this prohibition, do not cling to me, he has no ax to grind against Mary Magdalene. He has no ax to grind with them falling at his feet and grabbing on. He has no ax to grind with the disciples touching his physical body to make sure that he's not a phantom. And he certainly has no ax to grind with Thomas reaching forth his hand and touching the place where the wounds are. The idea fitting in with John's gospel is that upon the death and resurrection of our blessed Savior, and especially at his ascension, Acts 2.33, the Spirit comes in power as that other helper who affects access, who brings closeness, who makes communion real. I think this is substantiated in the context. Look at dropping down to verse 21. So Jesus said to them again, Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. He is teaching more theology, more Trinitarianism. And that breathing of Jesus upon the disciples comes out as a great, rushing, mighty wind in Acts 2, 1-4, when the ascended Christ, from the right hand of the Father, sends the Spirit upon the church. Jesus is teaching theology to this woman. But then notice he tells her, he gives a specific command after the prohibition, but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my father and your father and to my God and your God. There's three things we should see here. First, the reference to the disciples as my brethren. The reference to the disciples as my brethren. that we should be counted brothers of Jesus? It's not based on our virtue. It's not based on our works. It's not based on our accomplishment. It's not based on our merit. It's based on His finished work. It's based on the mercy seat, the place of propitiation. It's based on that throne of grace and God's grace to us. but that he calls us brethren. It makes one think of Romans 8, 17, where we're called joint heirs with our Lord Jesus Christ. Or turn to the book of Hebrews, in Hebrews chapter two. Hebrews chapter two, you see that specifically emphasized that we are the brethren of our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice in Hebrews two, verses 17 to 18, Therefore in all things, well, verse 16, for indeed he does not give aid to angels, but he does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Not the best translation. The better translation is in the margin of the New King James. Literally, for he indeed does not take on angels, but he takes on the seed of Abraham. What does he take on? Their humanity. He identifies with us all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof and yet without sin. This is incarnation language, the assumption of our humanity. Verse 17, therefore in all things he had to be made like his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted. And then backing up a bit in the chapter, notice at verse 11, for both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare your name to my brethren in the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to you. It's brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember when his earthly family came to see him, his mother and his brothers and his sisters? What did Jesus say? My mother and my brothers and my sisters are those who do the will of my Father. What is the will of God? That you should believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and that believing in His name, you'll have everlasting life. But notice as well, just before we jump back to John 20, verse 12. How does it start? It starts with saying, and then it quotes Psalm 22. You mean Jesus is saying Psalm 22? Jesus is the subject of Psalm 22? Jesus is the one speaking in Psalm 22? Absolutely, positively. I'd argue that Jesus is the subject and the speaker in Psalms 1 to 150. It's about Him. It's all about Him. That's why we sing Psalms. That's why we pray Psalms. That's why we rejoice in Psalms, because they're all about the one who's altogether lovely and chief among 10,000. So back to our text. He says, go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my father and your father and to my God and your God. He's not suggesting there are two fathers. He's not suggesting there are two gods. He is suggesting that there are different relationships to the one father and to the one God. In the first place, Jesus, or rather, the father is the father of the Lord Jesus by eternal generation. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared Him. So the Lord Jesus, as Son of the Father, is Son of the Father through eternal generation. It's the eternal origins of, the eternal relations of origin. Now, the father is the father of the disciples by the grace of adoption. The father is the father of the disciples by the grace of adoption. This brings us back to the prologue in John 1, 12 and 13. But as many as received him, talking about Jesus, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. This is contra to the unbelieving Jews in John 8 at verse 44. You are of your father the devil and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources for he is a liar and the father of it. So Jesus is not positing two fathers, two gods, but how are we related to this father and to this God? And then when he says, with reference to God, When he refers to the Father as my God, he is speaking according to his humanity. He is speaking as the mediator of the new covenant, the prophet, the priest, and the king, the one who is sent by the Father in the fullness of the time, born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those under the law, such that we could have adoption as sons by the Spirit given from the Father and the Son. And of course, he is God to the disciples based on that sovereign grace of God in salvation. So when we come to this particular passage, we see glorious truths about our blessed Savior, things that have been already rehearsed in John's gospel that come out as well at the resurrection of our Savior. And of course, Mary complies with this command. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples, I have seen the Lord. Imagine that. I have seen the Lord. We're going to see more of that when it comes to the disciples without Thomas and then the disciples with Thomas. In fact, the disciples without Thomas, I've used this illustration many times. If you look specifically at verse 24, Now Thomas called the twin, one of the 12, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, we have seen the Lord. It's kind of like when you're doing nursery and somebody comes down to collect their kids and they say, man, you missed a great sermon. and you're kind of biting the inside of your lip saying, I missed that great sermon because I was watching your little kid. Not that I've ever done that. Actually, I did as when Rebecca and I would do nursery in our former church, there would be that. I missed it because I've always thought Thomas must have felt some of that consternation. We have seen the Lord. I guess that'll teach you, Thomas. Don't be absent from the disciples on the Lord's day when the Lord of glory comes to dwell with his people. Could be a lesson there about church attendance, at least, you know, further removed. She comes to them and says, I have seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things to her. Imagine her heart at that moment. Imagine the joy that she had, unspeakable and full of glory. Well, as we conclude, there is first an apologetic emphasis, defense of the faith. Again, the fact that the tomb was empty. The tomb was empty. We've got more witnesses now, two angels and Mary Magdalene. Got more witnesses concerning the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's not some fable. It's not a cunningly devised fable or some myth that we bank our souls upon. Paul treats that in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. If Christ has not been raised, then we're in a pitiable state. If Christ has not been raised, then this whole thing is a sham. If Christ has not been raised, then you're still dead in your sins. The resurrection is foundational. The resurrection must be fought for. The resurrection must be contended for, and the resurrection must be defended by the people of God. It does not do anybody any good to imitate 20th century liberal neo-orthodoxy say, well it doesn't matter if the tomb was empty, it simply matters what that message means to me. No, it matters if the tomb was empty. As well, the fact that Jesus' first appearance was to a woman. I've mentioned this, the testimony of a woman was irrelevant in the first century. Again, girl power boxed at that in the 21st century, but in the first century it just was useless. The writers of the gospels knew that. Don't you think if they were fakes, fakers, liars, conspirators, make him appear first to Peter. Make him appear first to John. not to a woman, because her testimony would be invalid in a court. And interestingly, in the parallel, with reference to Mary Magdalene in Mark 16, 9 to 11, when she comes back and announces, I have seen the Lord, some of them didn't believe. They didn't believe him, or believe her, 1611. Again, if I'm tidying up the narrative, if I'm taking pains to make it believable, I'm gonna make sure there's no unbelief associated with it. These are not the tactics of lying men. These are not the tactics of conspirators. These are the tactics of men moved by the Holy Spirit to write down God's truth, and that's precisely what they did. Secondly, in terms of theological emphasis, the Lord Jesus is the antitype of the tabernacle in the temple. This idea that there's going to be a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem is to go backwards in redemptive history. The tabernacle and the temple stood to point to Jesus. He's the anti-type. You don't leave the anti-type to go back to the type. You don't leave the substance to go back to the shadow. You don't leave the real to go back to what was prefigurement. But as well, not only the antitype to the tabernacle and the temple, but specifically that seat of propitiation, that mercy seat. that covering of the Ark of the Covenant where the high priest poured that blood to make atonement for the sins of Israel. Christ answers that. Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. As well, the Lord Jesus is the shepherd of the sheep, according to John 10, and the sheep hear his voice. All it took was him to say, Mary. You know, come over here, Mary, check it, really, see, it's me. Mary, she heard the voice of the shepherd. My sheep hear my voice. It's like the voice of God in Psalm 29 is able to break the cedars of Lebanon. We bless God for that voice. As well, the Lord Jesus is the mediator between God and man and has sent his spirit to provide access to the Father through him. Don't cling to me. I haven't yet ascended to my Father. Again, the bigger lesson is you're gonna have access to me constantly. You don't need earthly priests. You don't need a confessional. You don't need all of those sort of human agents. You've got Jesus enthroned at the right hand of the Father, who has not left you as orphans because he has sent another helper, the paraclete, the Spirit of God, who will come and bring our communion together. It is most blessed. And the Lord Jesus is the elder brother to his blood-bought ones. That's a good theological emphasis, isn't it? Some of us had good older brothers, some of us not so good older brothers. Some had no older brother at all. This is the older brother that is able to deal with all the bullies. I remember when I was a kid, somebody mugged me and took my bike, and I was just a little guy, and I went home, and my brother, bless his heart, man, he went out to find that guy, and he was gonna throttle him. Never found him, of course, but that spoke volumes to me. My brother's about eight years older than I am. We got that kind of brother in the Lord Jesus. I mean, not that he's gonna go break bullies' hands that steal our bikes, but he's gonna be there to help us and to assist us and to aid us and to comfort us and to encourage us against the assaults of the devil. Who is it who condemns? Paul asks in Romans 8. It is Christ who has died and is risen. Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who has justified. We've got an elder brother that will protect us, that will defend us, that rules over us, and that cares for us, and has promised to never leave us or forsake us. And then practically, the believer is broken when it seems that Christ is absent. Why are you weeping? The angels ask, and the Lord Jesus asks. Why are you weeping? Because my Lord's God. Again, there's no gone with reference to the Lord in your relationship to him. There's perception of that, there's a seems about that, there is that feeling distance there, but it's not a reality that the Lord ever forsakes us or leaves us. But in those seeming absences, that's what should make the heart weary, that's what should break the true Christian, It's our own sin, obviously, but it's the Redeemer, the presence of the one who's altogether lovely. The believer as well, listen, seeks Christ when it seems he is absent. Why are you weeping, Jesus asks, and who are you seeking? You know, we go through those times where it seems that the Lord is absent. What do we do? Do we sit in a corner and whine about it? Or do we take out the psalter and sing? What do we do? Well, you know, the Lord hasn't been with me like He once was. Are you in church on Sunday morning? And dare I say it, Sunday evening? You know, it just seems like there's such a chasm between me and heaven. We have a Bible study here every Wednesday night, 9.30 or 7.30 faithfully. Well, you know, I just not like it. What, have you read your Bible lately? Have you gone into your secret place and cried out to God? What does the soul do when the soul senses absence? The soul seeks presence. It doesn't live contentedly with absence. Right? This isn't rocket science. You know, brethren, you signed up for quantum physics today. It's pretty simple. Someone's absent, you wanna be with them, go find them. Where do we find Christ? In his word, in his sacraments, in his ordinances, in singing with the saints, praying with the saints, gathering with the saints. That's where you find the Lord. He's not ashamed to call them brethren, saying. In fact, go back to Hebrews chapter two. You need to see something that I neglected to point out. Horrible neglecting negligence on my part. Like, reprehensible. Look at what we see there in Hebrews 2. Verse 11, for both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, and for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare your name to my brethren. In the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to you. Who's the choir leader in the local church? Not me. Not you. Not the guy that went to voice school for 25 years that can carry a note to Vancouver. Jesus is the choir leader in the gathering of the people of God. I will declare your name to my brethren. In the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to you. Do you think John's faking in Revelation chapter one when he looks at the lampstands and he sees Jesus in the midst of the lampstands? What does that mean? He tells us what the lampstands are. They're the church. It may not seem like that every time. You may struggle with tiredness and weariness and sickness and whatever, You may struggle with a kid that's, you know, giving you a run for your money in the space of an hour and a half. But according to the New Testament, on the Lord's Day, guess where Jesus is? He's in places just like this. So if you're going to seek the Lord, If you want to repair whatever perceived absence that you are experiencing, the place to do that is through His Word and His ordinances. Christ is in the midst of the lampstand. Brethren, be encouraged. That is our Lord. That is the one who vanquished death, who took the victory out of the grave, and who is bringing us, as many sons of glory, to His land to dwell eternally. And if you're not a believer, I hope you're provoked. I hope you want that. I hope you want an elder brother that will protect you, that will defend you, but not only that, will cleanse you of all your sins, wash away all your iniquity, and give you a righteousness by which you can stand in the presence of his holy father. Believe and you shall be saved. Well, let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for your word, we thank you for what we find in this empty tomb, and for all the biblical, glorious theology that is expressed here by John. We pray that you would feed our hearts and souls, cause us to continually seek after the Lord in his word, in his ordinances, and to seek by grace to glorify and honor you. We thank you that we have access to the Father through the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit. We pray that you would give him even more fully to us, that we may know that joy. We ask as well that you would bless any that are dead in their trespasses and sins, that the Spirit of truth would awaken them to see their state before a holy God and to show them that one who is able to save to the uttermost all who draw nigh to God through him. And we ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.