The Risen Christ Revealed to His Followers

Transcript

GR 416
10/11/1981
The Risen Christ Revealed to His Followers
JOHN 20:11-18
Gil Rugh

We're in the Gospel of John and the 20th chapter this morning. John's gospel, chapter 20. We've been considering the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and we are at the focal point of what God has accomplished in Him. The resurrection of Christ and the substitutionary death of Christ cannot be separated. If there is no resurrection, if Christ has not been bodily raised from the dead, then there is no salvation by faith in His death. His death on the cross did not pay the penalty for sins. So His resurrection is inseparably linked to His substitutionary death on the cross. We are not saved by the resurrection of Christ from the standpoint that the penalty for sin is death not resurrection. But if Christ was not raised from the dead, the Scripture indicates that His death on the cross was no different from any other death on a cross. We know that on the occasion when Christ died, two other men were crucified and died with Him. But their death did not pay the penalty for my sin. That's testified to in the fact that Christ was raised from the dead after three days.

Look with me at just a few passages of Scripture before we look into John chapter 20. First Corinthians chapter 15, just to remind ourselves of the tremendous emphasis the Scripture gives to the matter of the resurrection of Christ, of its overwhelming significance and importance for all of us. First Corinthians chapter 15, which is the great chapter on resurrection in the Scriptures. Our resurrection and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Evidently some had been questioning the matter of resurrection, and the stress in chapter 15, verse 3 and 4, "I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. Paul says that both the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ are according to what the Old Testament Scriptures prophesied and promised and we saw some of those Scriptures in our study last week.

Down in verse 12, "Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised..." Now note how the two are joined together. The resurrection of Christ is the guarantee of MY resurrection, and if I am not going to be raised from the dead, Christ has not been raised either. Pointing that all of us look forward to resurrection. Jesus had talked about this in John chapter 5. There is a resurrection to life, there is a resurrection to condemnation. But all mankind is destined to resurrection. Paul is particularly concerned with the resurrection of believers in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Verse 14, "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain." Verse 16, "If the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins." So you note here. If you’re trusting Jesus Christ as the One who died for you but He has not been raised from the dead, your faith is of no value, has no worth. Because He died a death that any man dies. He was buried, and that’s it. But the fact of the matter is that He has been raised. Verse 18, "Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most to be pitied." See how Paul views the religion that is not genuine. He doesn’t say there are merits in it from one side or another. He says it's pitiful that men place their faith in something that is of no value. And if Christ has not been raised from the dead, our faith is of no value. No significance, nothing accomplished. Verse 20, "But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep." His resurrection is the guarantee of coming resurrection, even as the first fruits in the grain are a guarantee of a coming harvest. So the fact that Christ has been raised is God's testimony that I will be raised. So two things are evidenced by the resurrection of Christ—1) that He did pay the penalty for sins, that by believing in Him as the One who died for me, I do have forgiveness and life; and connected to that, 2) there is a coming resurrection of this body. Now He develops that more fully as the chapter goes along, which we don’t have time for. That resurrection can take one of two forms—either a transformation of those living, or a resurrection out of the grave for those who have died. When Jesus Christ comes in the air, all those who are alive who have believed in Him will be bodily transformed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye Paul will say later in chapter 15. Then those who are dead, whose bodies have lain in the grave, their bodies will be raised and transformed. How do I know all that? I have never seen a transformed body. I have never talked to a person who has experienced glorification of their body. But Jesus Christ did, and the fact it happened to Him is testimony to us.

Look back in the Book of Acts, just at several passages to see the emphases Acts chapter 2 on the resurrection as the disciples preached it. Acts chapter 2 verse 22, "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know—this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. And God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power." Then supporting that from Old Testament Scripture.

Down to verse 32, "This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear." The resurrection of Christ resulted in the provision of the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Spirit is an evidence of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Look over in chapter 4, verse 10. "Let it be known to all of you, and to all people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead,—by this name this man stands here before you in good health." Verse 12, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."

Over in chapter 5 of Acts, verse 30, "The God of our fathers, raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."

Over in chapter 10, verse 39. You note the continual stress the apostles have that they are witnesses. One of the requirements for being an apostle was that they have seen Jesus Christ after His resurrection from the dead. So these men are not proclaiming something they have heard. They are proclaiming something they saw. We are witnesses, down in verse 39. "We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And they also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up on the third day, and granted that He should become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us, who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and of the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him has received forgiveness of sins." You see, the apostles say "We are witnesses. We've eaten with Him, after His resurrection, and been sent to you to proclaim that He has been raised and that forgiveness of sins is found by faith in His name." An inseparable part of the message that was preached in the early church.

One other passage in Acts. Over in chapter 13, and we’re not doing an exhaustive consideration by any means, but just to give us a sampling of the emphasis. The matter here regarding the crucifixion, verse 29, ’’And when they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead; and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people. And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, 'Thou art My Son; today I have begotten Thee.’ As for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no more to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: 'I will give you the Holy and sure blessings of David.' Therefore He also says in another Psalm, 'Thou wilt not allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay.' For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers, and underwent decay; but He whom God raised did not undergo decay. Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses." Note that stress, that emphasis on the resurrection. Therefore, since Christ has been raised from the dead, let me tell you again that salvation is by faith in Him alone. In Him is forgiveness of sin, He alone, of all mankind down to our present day, has experienced bodily resurrection with a glorified body. There were others who had been raised from the dead, like Lazarus, but they were raised back to physical life to die again. Jesus Christ has been raised out of the tomb in a glorified body never undergoing decay.
That was God's testimony that in HIM is salvation and in Him alone.

Look in the Book of Romans. Some of modern theology attempts to undermine the emphasis on the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, what we call neo-orthodox theology. It is neither neo nor is it orthodox, but that's the title given to it. The new orthodoxy which stresses resurrection experiences instead of bodily resurrection. But you cannot read the New Testament and fail to get the point that these disciples were claiming to have actually witnessed a bodily resurrection. And without the bodily resurrection of Christ, there is no salvation. And talking about resurrection experiences just becomes nonsense promoted by unbelievers. Romans chapter 1, verse 4: He was declared the Son of God with power, "by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord..." Incidentally, let me say. You can search the New Testament and you'll sometimes find emphasis that God the Father raised Christ, that Jesus Christ raised Himself—Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up—also, some indication that the Holy Spirit was responsible for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. You see all three members of the Godhead involved in this major activity, and that's not uncommon. It happens in other areas as well. He is demonstrated and declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead. God's testimony that this is His Son is His resurrection from the dead. How do I KNOW that Christ is the Son of God? God raised Him from the dead.

Over in chapter 4, verse 25, "He was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification." How do I know that when Christ proclaimed on the cross, "It is finished" it was finished? Well, Romans 4:25 says He was raised "because of our justification." Righteousness had been secured for mankind. The resurrection is the proof. How do I know that you can have God's righteousness if you will believe in Christ? He was raised from the dead. That's God's testimony and evidence.

Over in chapter 6, verse 5, "For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection." And Romans 6 links inseparably our death with Christ and our resurrection with Christ, and if Christ has not been raised, then we're not raised. If we're not raised, we have no new life. If Christ is not raised, there is no new life. There is no forgiveness, and everything collapses on itself.

Chapter 8 of Romans, verse 11. "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you." Note how all these other doctrines are inseparably intertwined with the resurrection of Christ. If Christ has not been raised from the dead, the Holy Spirit of God does not dwell in your life because He would send Him after His ascension to the Father. Here it's the Spirit who gave life to the body of Christ, He will also give life to our mortal bodies. We're not talking about spiritual resurrection. We're talking about resurrection back with this mortal, physical body. Now if the Spirit isn't going to give life to this mortal body, then there is no Spirit indwelling us. If there is no Spirit indwelling us, we're just functioning on an emotional feeling that has nothing to do with reality. Again, the whole doctrine of the Holy Spirit collapses in on itself. So there is no salvation by faith in Christ, there is no resurrection, there is no ministry of the Spirit in our lives, there is nothing! I've shared with you before about a dear lady who mentioned to us on one occasion, mentioned to me, that we have a new pastor and he's a tremendous man, tremendous preacher. He has some weaknesses such as he does not believe the resurrection, but he has many fine qualities. But if he doesn't believe the resurrection, all of his fine qualities are of no value. Therefore he has no foundation to preach salvation by faith. There is no ministry of the Holy Spirit to be carried on in the lives of believers. There is no future hope of our calling. We have nothing to say.

Chapter 10 of Romans, verse 9. "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." A man who does not believe in the resurrection of Christ cannot be saved. You must believe in the death and resurrection of Christ. You must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. You must be believing in the Jesus of the New Testament, Jesus as Lord. It deals with the person of Christ. You must believe in the Christ of the Bible, the One who is the Son of God who died on a cross to pay the penalty for sins, who was raised three days later. Those who believe in Him have salvation. Those who believe in a Jesus that they have concocted, who is not Deity, who is not the Son of God, who probably was not raised from the dead, but I’ll allow that He did die on a cross—they have no salvation. Because you’re not saved by a man dying on a cross. Many men died on crosses. You're saved by the Son of God, the one who was raised from the dead, dying on a cross in your place. Salvation is through Him.

Ephesians chapter 1. I do not believe you can over-emphasize the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's why we are belaboring the point in piling verses on verses. I went through and sorted out many of the verses. You could look it up in a concordance under resurrection, raised, to see something of the fullness of the scope of the emphasis.

Look at the end of chapter one in Ephesians, verse 18. "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling..." What is the hope of His calling? We have no hope if there is no resurrection from the dead. "...what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."

You note this power, this strength, this might is said to be the same power that raised Christ from the dead. Now if the resurrection of Christ from the dead is not reality, what power is at work in us? It is a non-existent power. It's the same power, the same might that raised Christ from the dead.
One problem. Christ was not raised from the dead—well, the same power that did not raise Christ from the dead is at work in you. You say, well what kind of power is that? I don't know, because it becomes nonsense. The same power that did nothing works in you. To do nothing, I guess. So you see that Ephesians collapses. What God says He is doing in us, for us is not being done in and for us because the power we're talking about is nonexistent. It's no good to say, oh yes, I believe in that power today, I just have questions about a real resurrection. As Paul said at the Book of Acts, Why does it seem strange to you people that God should raise one from the dead? That puts it rather directly. I have problems with a person who can talk about the power of God today but at the same time doesn't believe in the resurrection of Christ. You believe in the power of God at work, why is it so difficult to believe that God in His power would raise one from the dead, as the Scriptures would testify?

While you're in Ephesians, look at chapter 2, verse 4. "But God being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ..." If Christ is alive—it presupposes the resurrection. Verse 6, "and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ..."

Alright, come back to John chapter 20. This is the tremendous event that we are confronting. As we looked in the Book of Acts, the Book of Romans, the Book of Ephesians, we are looking back to the events of John chapter 20. We must be sure that we are settled and clear on what is being recorded in John chapter 20. It is the foundation for all the rest of the teaching in the New Testament. If John chapter 20 does not record actual, historical fact, there is no reason to go on and study the rest of the New Testament because there is no significance or importance to what it has to say. It is all based, founded, presupposes the reality of John chapter 20.

The empty tomb has been confronted. The disciples have gone in and have believed, even though in verse 9 it says they as yet did not understand the Scriptures, "that He must rise again from the dead." They didn’t believe because they saw in it a fulfillment of Old Testament Scripture. They believed because they saw the physical testimony. The wrappings were there. Someone to steal the body wouldn't need to bother unwrapping it. If they did unwrap it you would expect that these wrappings, these strips of linen cloth that would be wrapped around it would be in disarray. But it's not. There it is. They believe.

The disciples, again in verse 10, "went away again to their own homes." Now don't go too far with what they believe. That doesn't mean that all questions are resolved, that they have clear understanding on the matter of resurrection. Their faith is going to be a developing one as regards this tremendous reality. Mary Magdalene, that one that we confronted in verse 1, remains at the tomb weeping. So in verse 11, "But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she beheld two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying." Interesting. These angels did not manifest their presence when Peter and John went in, as John records it here. The emphasis is on Mary. Mary looks down into the tomb, in her weeping, in her sorrow, and there are two angels sitting here. Now Mary is not impressed necessarily by the appearance of the angels. You don’t find her saying, My is this not an amazing sight? Two angels. I will turn aside and see what causes this great wonder! No, you almost get the idea she takes it for granted. "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.'" You see here the conversation goes on, but she does not think it strange that these two angels are sitting here. It may be because to a large degree their appearance is rather normal. The other gospels tell us of their appearance in shining raiment, so I wouldn't want to make too much emphasis on normality.
But Mary here, absorbed with her sorrow, does not stop to think through logically, What would two men be doing sitting in this tomb? And let me note for you that any time we do find angels in the Scripture, we do find them in rather normal appearance. They appear in a way that gives them something of a normal appearance. They speak in a way that can be understood. You don’t find them talking 'angel talk.' You find them talking in a human language. There are some that take First Corinthians 13 and say, if I speak with a tongue of men or of angels, to imply there is angelic speech. But any time we do find angels talking in the Bible, we find them talking in a language that people understand.

Here she says to them, "They have taken my Lord." Now it's interesting to me the seeming contradiction here. Mary does not cease to acknowledge Christ as her Lord, but there is a certain irrationality about the way she is approaching this. And I don't think this is unique to Mary. The other disciples do the same—and we all do the same thing. Now if He is Lord, is there much to worry about with grave robbers? You know, sometimes we become much like the heathen, who have to nail their gods to the floor so they don't fall over. Now it's not much of a god if you have to prop him up so he doesn't fall down and get broken. Now here she's talking about "my Lord." They have stolen my Lord. Now wait a minute. If He is Lord and somebody stole Him, it must be somebody who must be Lord over the Lord, right? But in times of stress and duress, it is easy to forget the significance of the fact that Christ is Lord. And if He is Lord, He's in charge of His body and where it is. Now Mary here acknowledges verbally that He is Lord, but does not stop and think through the implications of that. And often you and I are just like that. Oh Lord, don't you realize this situation? Now wait a minute. If He is Lord, He realizes. Lord, do you know what's happening to me? Well, stop and think. He is Lord, He knows. Furthermore, if He's Lord, He's in charge. So I can back up and rest. Oh, I don't understand it but the Lord does—He is Lord.

"They have stolen my Lord." Kidnapped the Lord, His body. "I do not know where they have laid Him." In other words, she thinks someone came and took the body. And this is not out of character with what has gone on with the Jews. For the Jews, reverence for the body was important. Proper burial, honoring the body, was important. And I see no value in dishonoring the body. We as believers believe this body has a future. We don't worship the body, but this very body that I live in now is the body that is going to be raised from the dead. For the Jews it was especially important. So it would not be out of character for those who wanted to dishonor and humiliate Christ to steal His body as a further way of dishonoring Him. That's what Mary's thoughts seem to be.

The angels do not respond to her. This is a chance for her to verbalize her feelings in preparation for the tremendous, awesome confrontation that is going to take place. Did you ever think about what these angels were thinking about as they sat here in this empty tomb, confronting this weeping woman who was a follower of Jesus Christ? That here she is at the tomb, and they ask her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" Now the angels see it from a different perspective. What is there to weep about? The Lord of glory has been raised! Now here is one of His followers who ought to be rejoicing on the housetops weeping. Any wonder that it says the angels desire to look into these things? They fail to comprehend the greatness of our salvation, fail probably to comprehend all of our responses in this realm.

Verse 14, "When she had said this, she turned around, and beheld Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus." A later time in John chapter 20 we'll look at the glorified body. But we find it normal that Christ is not recognized even though it is the same body that is raised from the dead. On a number of occasions He speaks with the disciples and they don't perceive who He is. Now a couple of explanations. It may be there are enough differences in the glorified body that immediately it does not present itself as recognizable as that person. When God raises this body and He takes away all the imperfections, I am perfected. Not only positionally and spiritually, but physically—you may have to look twice to know it's me. I appreciate that. That may be part of the explanation. This is the glorified body. That body that had borne so much suffering in its earthly walk, had manifested something of that hard life that He had undergone. Now that transformation may explain some of it.

It may be that they are supernaturally prevented from perceiving who it is. It may be He disguises Himself. Over in Mark chapter 16 it talks about His appearance, and you know there is a question of whether verses 9 and following are actually a part of Mark's writing. But nonetheless, note what is said here. "Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping." We'll see that in a moment. "When they heard that He was alive, and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it. And after that, He appeared in a different form to two of them, while they were walking along on their way to the country." Perhaps He altered His appearance somewhat so He would not be recognized until He wanted to reveal Himself fully to them. Whatever the case, you come back to John chapter 20 and Mary does not recognize Him. It could be in her sorrow, she has been crying—a word that can denote the wailing that is characteristic of funerals in that part of the world. Her eyes very watery, etc. She does not know it’s Him. She knows that one is present there. Verse 15. "Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping?"' Now note, that's the same thing that the angels said in verse 13. "Woman, why are you weeping?" Now I don't believe that either the angels or Christ are being unkind or unthoughtful. But this is not a time to weep. And the presence of the weeping is not an evidence of the faith and confidence in what God had promised in the Old Testament, what Christ had promised during His earthly ministry. Rather, it is* an indication of a lack of faith, a lack of understanding. Why are you weeping? This is not a time for weeping. Greatest victory that was ever accomplished for mankind, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And she's weeping. "'Whom are you seeking?' Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, 'Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away."' Perhaps the gardener moved the body.
It was a temporary tomb. Now remember it wasn't prepared for Christ, but they laid Him here. Perhaps the gardener moved the body. If you've done that, tell me and I'll take Him away. Now Mary hasn't thought through how she is going to carry this body. You hardly would think through the practical implications—
I will go and make arrangements and by 2:00 have three men here to help me.
You get the flow of what is going on here. I'll be responsible, I'll take His body.

Jesus said to her, one word—"Mary." Literally, Miriam. Perhaps a more intimate name she was known by, Miriam. She recognizes in this personal, intimate address the voice of Jesus Christ. She turned and said to Him in Hebrews, "Rabboni," (which means, Teacher). One word and a total transformation takes place in Mary Magdalene. Mary! She turns and believes that it is Jesus Christ! That's awesome to me. All that had been taught, all that had been said, and one word is spoken and all the doubts are gone! All the sorrow is dealt with! She really believes and recognizes this is Jesus Christ raised from the dead. It's miraculous, supernatural. That when Christ calls His own, My sheep hear My voice. I think that's what's happened here. He's called her, she recognizes—Rabboni. An unusual title for Christ. Here, recognizing Him as the Teacher, as the Leader, as the One that He is.

Now you come to what seems a rather harsh statement here. You have in verse 16, almost a time of great intimacy where in a sentence you have recorded the recognition of Mary Magdalene. First person who confronts the risen Christ, she recognizes and believes in Him as the raised Savior. He appears first to Mary Magdalene. But you come to verse 17 and then verse 18, you have two commands given. The first seems almost harsh—"Stop clinging to me." Present imperative—quit doing what you're doing. Evidently, when Mary turned around, she grasped on and was holding on to Him. "Rabboni"—it seems like a natural response, yet it is one she is told to stop doing. King James says, "Do not touch Me." That doesn't quite give the idea. The present tense here in the command—Stop doing what you're doing. Cease clinging to Me. Now it seems that what He is dealing with here is her attitude. Having been overwhelmed by grief that He was gone, now she is overwhelmed by His presence and seems perhaps to presuppose that He is back now. That the separation is over and perhaps it fulfills what is said in John 14:3, "I will come again and receive you to be with Me, that where I am there you may be also." That He was back to stay. That that relationship would go on now as it had been."Stop clinging to Me; for I have not yet ascended to the Father..." Now some have taken this to mean—and we talked about this in our consideration last week—that Christ was in Hades during the three days and three nights. And now as He is raised from the dead early on Sunday morning, before He ascends to the Father’s presence, He gives this appearance. It doesn’t seem to be that He’s telling her, "Don’t touch Me, don't defile Me because I have to go into My Father's presence first and then I’ll come back." Because in other gospel accounts, we do find them touching Christ, clinging to Him. Matthew chapter 28 they hold onto Him. Later on in Matthew chapter 20, Thomas will be invited to place his finger in the wounds that Christ has suffered, invited to touch and handle Him, etc. The idea here seems to be "Don’t hold onto Me, I have not yet ascended." Now the ascension that is emphasized in the New Testament is the one in Acts chapter 1. Turn over there quickly.

You can read the end of the other gospels to get the connection. As you read the end of those gospels then you can jump over to Acts chapter 1, and it picks up in the flow. The instructions given, verse 6, "So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, 'Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.’ After He said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them; and they also said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.™ Note. Here is THE ascension, when Christ formally leaves the earth bodily. The next time He bodily is on the earth, it will be to establish His kingdom in glory. Now I realize He is spiritually present with us and in us. He promised this earlier in John. But the next time He is bodily present on the earth, it will be to establish His kingdom, as the disciples were asking. Now what He is saying to Mary is that *1 have not ascended to My Father, therefore I am not back to establish the kingdom. I am not back to rule and reign as you anticipate on this occasion. So stop holding on to Me, that’s not the reason for My presence here now. I have not yet ascended.' I take it He is talking about the formal ascension of Acts chapter 1, when it is clearly testified that the next time He comes, He will come in glory, in the clouds. Then every eye shall behold Him. Then He will set up His kingdom and rule in righteousness. 'Mary, I have not ascended to My Father. I am not back to set up the kingdom. I am not back to stay with you. Stop holding onto Me. You have a ministry and a message to proclaim.' You note that's what the disciples are told in Acts chapter 1, verse 8—that they'll be witnesses for Him. That's going to be the second command back in John chapter 20 given to Mary. "Stop clinging to Me, but go and make the message known." The message of the resurrection.

And in John chapter 20, verse 17, "...go to My brethren, and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God." Another command given to her. First command, "Stop clinging to Me." Second command, "Go to My brethren." I take it here the brethren refers to the disciples. Go and tell them the message. This is what Mary Magdalene does. The message is "I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God." The resurrection has occurred. The ascension will be forthcoming. This is what you can tell them, the message of the resurrection. I think there is significance here. He says "My Father and your Father, and My God and your God." He does not say "Our Father and Our God." Because even though He can address His Father as their Father, He is not our Father in the same way. God is the Father of Christ and my Father, but He is not our Father in the same way.
Christ Himself is Deity, involved in a unique relationship even as man with the Father. He is God the Christ but in a unique way. He is the unique Son of God. But it's true, He is both our God and both our Father. God for both of us, Father for both of us. But even in the stress here, He is My Father and your Father, My God and your God." And in His humanity, this is true. This does not play down the Deity of Christ. But as man, raised by the power of God, Christ recognizes and acknowledges the Father as God. "Mary Magdalene came announcing to the disciples, ’I have seen the Lord;' and that He had said these things to her." We read back in Mark chapter 16, verse 10, "She went and reported to those who had been with Him..." The brethren, Christ said ’Go and tell My brethren..’ "...while they were mourning and weeping." Isn't it amazing how even we as believers can have a different perspective than God on what is happening. Greatest victory that ever occurred, and what are they doing? They are mourning and weeping, and "when they heard that He was alive, and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it." They refused to believe it. Mary Magdalene comes with this great message. You think Peter sat back and said 'Oh!' All the other disciples said 'Isn't this wonderful?
What a relief to know He's been raised.' No. They said they didn't believe it. It can't be. Even in Matthew chapter 28, verse 17, when they see Him we're told that some doubted. Some doubted! That's not so amazing! With all the evidence that God has given us in His Word concerning the resurrection of Christ, there are still some that doubt today. Resurrection presupposes the supernatural power of God at work! And there are those who refuse to believe! They have doubts even when they saw. It didn't matter who told them, they had doubts. The testimony, the evidence is clear, but the doubts remain for many.

So. What has happened here? Christ has for the first time following His resurrection revealed Himself to one of His followers. Mary Magdalene. Why He picked Mary I don't know. You think maybe He would have picked Peter—Peter is the boisterous leader. Maybe He would have picked John—John's the beloved disciple. But He picked Mary. This intimate time with this one who was so devoted to Him, and she is given the privilege to go and tell the disciples that Christ has been raised from the dead.

The evidence is there. It fits the Old Testament Scripture. It fits what Christ said would happen. It fits the evidence of the empty tomb. Now we move into the realm of having eye witnesses. You see the evidence mounts that God said it would happen centuries before in the Old Testament prophets.
That Christ promised it would happen during His earthly ministry. That now the tomb is empty, it's the third day. Now Mary has seen Him. But that's not all. There is more evidence coming as time moves on.

Question. Have you come to believe that Jesus Christ the Son of God has been raised from the dead? Have you believed that He was dying to pay the penalty for your sins, that He was raised from the dead because He had paid that penalty? Have you considered the tremendous implications for your life if the Bible is true that Christ has been raised from the dead? Everything and anything else is secondary in significance to your response to this tremendous fact? How have you responded to the message that Christ has been raised from the dead? Has that radically altered and changed your life? Are you still caught up and focus on the mundane, irrelevant, insignificant happenings of this day, this world. How easy for us to be like the disciples with inflation, with turmoil in the world. We're sitting worried and wondering, trying to figure a way out instead of seeing the tremendous hand of God at work. To recognize that God is moving according to His purposes and His plans for the accomplishing His will. Am I sitting back in full confidence because I have a risen Lord? He is seated at the right hand of the Father. He has all things under control. What has the focal point of your mind been this week?
Have you fixed your mind on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father? How much of your life has been absorbed in the problems of your business, this world, this life? How much has been absorbed with the overwhelming truth that Christ has been raised from the dead? Everything else is put into perspective by that tremendous event, and because He has been raised, I too as a believer in Him have forgiveness of sins and anticipate the resurrection of this body. Things going on in the world, I look and say, Oh, this turmoil, this confusion. Praise God to see the hand of God at work in it all and He has made my preparation for the future. I don't know how the unbeliever gets by from day to day. He has to live in a world of fantasy. But God has made my preparation. I don't have to worry about today, I don't have to worry about tomorrow. I have a risen Lord who is coming again to take me to be with Himself. Let's pray together.

Father, how we praise you for victory in Christ. The victory of the resurrection, victory over death. Lord, that that same One who died, who was buried, was raised. That same power that raised Him from the dead is at work in our lives as your children. Lord, steady our hearts and minds on that truth even in these days. Lord, as we see turmoil and confusion all around us in the world, Lord, keep us from weeping and wailing and mourning. Lord, lift our eyes above and beyond this temporal place. Fix our minds on things above where Christ is, seated in your presence at your right hand. Father, remind us that we have been seated with Him in the heavenlies. Lord, we are a people destined for your presence. May that be manifest in the way we live.

Father, for those who may be here today who have yet to respond to the truth of what you've done in Christ, have yet to believe in Him. Lord, I pray for the work of the Spirit in their lives to bring about that response which results in that tremendous supernatural work of salvation that only You can accomplish, and we'll praise you for it in Jesus' name