What Now?!

Word of the Week is Resurrection: It is a rising again; chiefly, the revival of the dead of the human race, or their return from the grave, particularly at the general judgment. By the resurrection of Christ, we have the assurance of the future resurrection of men.

Memory Verse: John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

Sermon Passage: John 20:1-18

John 20:1–18 NKJV

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” 3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. 11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 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. 13 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.” 14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 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.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). 17 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.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

Sermon Title: What Now!

Some DISCOURAGED

Luke 24:21 Believed of hoped that He would redeem Israel.

Some DISMAYED

Wondering or worried if they were next.

Some were DETERMINED

To make the best of this situation.

The women went to the tomb wondering as they journeyed who would they get to roll the stone away.

John 19:40

40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

TIME KEPT THEM FROM PROPERLY ANOINTING JESUS’ BODY.

John 20:1 NKJV

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

THEREFORE THE WOMEN WENT TO THE TOMB EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. It was still dark

Mary saw that the stone was removed from the tomb.

John 20:2 NKJV

2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

Instead of trying to investigate, she left to get Peter and the other disciple, John.

WHAT NOW?!

BUT LISTEN TO HER WORDS OF FRUSTRATION WHAT

THEY KILL HIM AND NOW SOMEONE HAS KIDNAPPED HIS BODY

THEY MURDERED HIM AND NOW SOMEONE HAS MESSED WITH HIS BODY

THEY CRUCIFIED HIM AND NOW SOMEONE HAS CARRIED HIS BODY AWAY

John 20:3–8 NKJV

3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.

THE OTHER DISCIPLE, JOHN WENT INTO THE TOMB AFTER PETER AND HE ANALYZED THE EVIDENCE AND BELIEVED.

HE CONCLUDED

EMPTY TOMB

UNALTERED GRAVE CLOTHES

John 20:9 NKJV

9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

For at the time or as yet,

they knew not,

They understood not

they were not aware of

They perceived not

They failed to make the connection

the Scripture that Christ must rise again from the dead

Failed to connect Psalm 16:10

Psalm 16:10 NKJV

10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

JESUS DEMONSTRATED HIS AUTHORITY

OVER DISEASES

Luke 6, Man with withered hand

OVER DEMONS

Matthew 8:32 NKJV

32 And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.

Matthew 15:28 NKJV

28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

OVER DEATH

In Luke 7, He revived the widows only son on their way to the grave.

In Luke 8, He revived Jairus’ daughter

In John 11, He revived Lazarus who had been dead for 4 days

REMEMBER HE TOLD

John 11:23–25 NKJV

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

JESUS DECLARED TO THEM HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION

Mark 8:31–33 NKJV

31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Mark 9:9–10 NKJV

9 Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.

Mark 9:31–32 NKJV

31 For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.” 32 But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.

THE UNDERSTANDING WAS HID FROM THEM

Luke 9:45 NKJV

45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.

Luke 18:33–34 NKJV

33 They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” 34 But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.

THE PHARISEES REMEMBERED HIS WORDS

Matthew 27:63–64 NKJV

63 saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”

10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

WHAT NOW!?

John 20:11–16 NKJV

11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 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. 13 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.” 14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 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.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

John 20:17–18 NKJV

17 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.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

HIS RESURRECTION

DEMONSTRATED GOD’S POWER

Ephesians 1:19–20 NKJV

19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

DECLARED

HIS SONSHIP

Romans 1:4 NKJV

4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

HIS LORDSHIP

Romans 14:9 NKJV

9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

HIS DOMINION OVER DEATH

Revelation 1:18 NKJV

18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

YOU MAY BE SAYING WHAT NOW

BUT GOD CAN TURN YOUR

Suffering INTO Satisfaction

Distress INTO Delights

Misfortunes INTO Masterpieces

YOU MAY BE SAYING WHAT NOW BUT HE CAN TURN YOUR

Trials INTO Trills

Burdens INTO Blessings

Struggles INTO Savoring

YOU MAY BE SAYING WHAT NOW

BUT GOD CAN TURN YOUR

Adversity INTO Applauding

Troubles INTO Triumphs

Challenges INTO Celebrations

THIS DILEMMA HAS DESTROYED OTHERS, BUT GOD USED IT TO DELIVER me

This HARDSHIP has HANDICAPED others, but God used it to HELPED me

This CONDITION would have CRUSHED others, but the LORD fashioned it to COMFORT me

This ORDEAL would have OVERPOWERED others, but the LORD fashioned it to TURN ME INTO AN OVERCOMER