Christ’s Resurrection: Race to the Empty Tomb
February 5, 2006
Morning Sermon Outline
Christs Resurrection: The Race to the Empty Tomb
John 20:1-10
I.Realize the things of Christ are worthy of our excitement and energy
1.The finding of the empty tomb resulted in excited running
2.Christ is worthy of such efforts 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
3.Great running for God is empowered by God Isaiah 40:31
II.Realize the things of Christ are worthy of our youth, our strength and our best
1.John who beats Peter to the tomb was likely a much younger man John 20:4
2.There are many things we can occupy ourselves with in our youth but Christ is the best Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 12:1
3.Even when we are older we are younger than we will be Ecclesiastes 12:1-7
4.By the grace of God the Apostle John made the most of His life John 21:20-24
He wrote the Gospel of John, Three Epistles and the Book of Revelation
III.Realize that equally godly believers will respond to the things of Christ in different ways
Here we have:
1.Mary responding more emotionally but not immediately believing John 20:2 & 11
2.Peter going into the tomb and theorizing John 20:6
3.John seeing and believing John 20:8
4.Later we will see Thomas doubting John 20:24-28
5.Believers come to Christ with different personalities, are given different gifts and are used by Him in different ways, yet all are followers of Christ Romans 12:3-10; Hebrews 10:24-25; Hebrews 12:1-2
Observe here the boldness of Peter, and how God dispenses his gifts variously. John could out-run Peter, but Peter could out-dare John. It is seldom true of the same persons, what David says poetically of Saul and Jonathan, that they were swifter than eagles, and yet stronger than lions, 2 Sam. i. 23. Some disciples are quick, and they are useful to quicken those that are slow; others are bold, and they are useful to embolden those that are timorous; diversity of gifts, but one Spirit. Peter’s venturing into the sepulchre may teach us, [1.] That those who in good earnest seek after Christ must not frighten themselves with bugbears and foolish fancies: “There is a lion in the way, a ghost in the grave.” [2.] That good Christians need not be afraid of the grave, since Christ has lain in it; for to them there is nothing in it frightful; it is not the pit of destruction, nor are the worms in it never-dying worms. Let us therefore not indulge, but conquer, the fear we are apt to conceive upon the sight of a dead body, or being alone among the graves; and, since we must be dead and in the grave shortly, let us make death and the grave familiar to us, as our near kindred, Job xvii. 14. [3.] We must be willing to go through the grave to Christ; that way he went to his glory, and so must we. If we cannot see God’s face and live, better die than never see it. See Job xix. 25, &c.
John followed Peter in venturing. It should seem, he durst not have gone into the sepulchre if Peter had not gone in first. Note, It is good to be emboldened in a good work by the boldness of others. The dread of difficulty and danger will be taken off by observing the resolution and courage of others. Perhaps John’s quickness had made Peter run faster, and now Peter’s boldness makes John venture further, than otherwise either the one or the other would have done; though Peter had lately fallen under the disgrace of being a deserter, and John had been advanced to the honour of a confidant (Christ having committed his mother to him), yet John not only associated with Peter, but thought it no disparagement to follow him.
Matthew Henry
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