The
Gospel of John Lesson 89 (12-07-14)
Lesson
89 – John 19:37-20:1
The Easter events are an essential part of the Christmas
message so our lesson today can be dubbed as a Christmas message to us
concerning Christ because of the season that is upon us.
Okay. For most, from their perspective Jesus is now dead and
gone. This was true even for many of His followers…or may I say most of His
followers! The drama and the tactile virtual reality of what had just happened
were now in the past. For most, from their perspective, came a new reality…life
without Jesus.
Although what had just happened was more than virtual
reality, being a reach out and touch experience, truly a real reality, now all
that they had were just vivid memories. The birds singing was now their new
reality and everyone began to drift back into what they had in the past
perceived as ‘plain old life again’, or, what would be dubbed as ‘normal’ life
drifting back into the grind and tyranny of life under Rome and the Jewish
religious leadership.
Jesus had now been laid in the tomb and all that remained
was a few loose ends to tie up, like the posting of the centuries and dealing
with what could have been perceived as the spreading of miss information,
possibly creating the ‘Elvis’ phenomena, I. e. having reports of seeing Jesus
after His death when His body, at least for now, actually still laid in the
grave.
However, in John chapter 20 and verse one, time was up. It is interesting that there was no one
there at the tomb that morning waiting to see what would happen. The only
ones there from the earthly realm were the guards that had been posted there to
make the tomb sure, being sure that there was no foul play or deception
concerning what would happen following these events. But, they, the guards,
were posted there. They were forced to be there. They were not there because of
their own beliefs or even their own curiosity. However, they were there.
It is funny how things work out. The guards were posted there
supposedly to be sure that there was no foul play or deception and as it turns
out the posting of the guards made sure that the event of Jesus’ resurrection
from the dead really did happen.
However, there were others present at the tomb awaiting the
upcoming events that day. Just as it was at His birth, in His coming to earth,
so it was at His resurrection and return from the dead. All of heaven was
watching there at His birth or His coming, Luke 1:8-14. So too, all of heaven
was there watching at His resurrection. They were watching the tomb, awaiting
the biggest event in not only all of history, but in reality all of eternity.
Miracles surrounded Jesus where ever He went. Consider the
miracles when you are considering what to believe about Christ. It is true that
just Jesus’ presence and works are more than enough to believe. But, it’s the
miracles that surround His coming, His life and death and resurrection, that
make the evidence concerning Him overwhelming.
God left us no doubt as to who He was! In all of history,
and all of the events of history, no one is highlighted by history like Jesus.
It’s the miracles surrounding Him that were given and performed by the Father
and Holy Spirit that hold Him out to all of mankind saying ‘Here! Look! This is
the One!’.
In reality there was no need to post the guards. Jesus had
already proven Himself to be the One. It should have been evident what was
about to happen! The Tomb should have been mobbed that day by those
anticipating what was indeed about to happen. Only the Pharisee’s took Him
serious. Not that they believed that He would rise from the dead, but they
believed His words that something would indeed happen and that they had better
make sure that there was no foul play or deception on the horizon.
You remember one of His encounters with the Pharisee’s when
they questioned Him concerning the validity of His claim to be the Messiah. His
reply to them was to consider the facts concerning the One that was to come,
asking them which prophesy had He not fulfilled.
In John chapter 10 He used the analogy of the door, Him
being the One and only one by which one could know God. His claim was that
there was no one else. Only He satisfied the ridged and stringent requirements
which included all of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Promised One
that was to come. Although they chose not to believe Him, they could not offer a
valid reason disproving His claims.
Now we come to resurrection morning. Had everyone who had
seen and experienced Jesus and the miracles surrounding Him so soon forgotten
what they had seen? There was no one at the tomb waiting to see one way or
another if what He claimed would come to pass, friend…or foe. Only the guards
were there. They were there only because they were hired to keep a watch.
But…what about the Star of Bethlehem? What about the angles
singing and making prophetic statements to real people who heard their
proclamation. Where were they? What about John the Baptist’s witness concerning
Him? Where were those who heard John’s proclamation concerning Jesus being the
Messiah? Had they forgotten about the voice of God that was uttered from heaven
that had confirmed that He was who He said He was?
Death has a way of doing that. It has a sense of finality
inherent in its meaning. While one is alive, especially one that has a
reputation of doing great things, we think that anything is conceivably
possible. Great things can be done by them, even things that are beyond our
expectation or our belief. While alive really anything is possible. But, then
there is death. Death has finality associated with it. All of the things that
could have been conceivably possible are now not considered possible by any
means imaginable following death.
So we come to resurrection morning. No one but the guards were
present. Think about it! What special things would happen on this day in spite
of all of the unbelief of those present! After waiting for days, that seemed
like an eternity, the moment of truth was finally here. Now it was do or die…no
pun intended. Make or break. Put up or shut up. No one was prepared for what
would happen. The moment of truth was expected to pass like all
others…uneventful. All others before Him could not make good on promises made
after death had happened to them. The
events of this day would catch those there totally by surprise. No one was
there expecting anything out of the ordinary to happen. Maybe it was the
unexpected of the day that made that day so special.
