March 18, 2002

LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for March 31

Proclaiming good news is the church's mission
___ John 19:28-30, 39-42; 20:1-8
___By Roy Cotton
___BGCT DFW/Metroplex Church Starting Center Consultant
___The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ--his death, burial and resurrection. Why is this important? It is the mission of the church to preach this good news.
___The Gospel of John is the text for this week's lesson. The fourth gospel stresses the deity of Jesus.
___John differs from the synoptic writers (Matthew, Mark and Luke). He does not attempt a retelling of the historical facts of Jesus, but an unfolding of majestic demonstrations (miraculous signs) that prove Jesus is God's So n.
___John identifies himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. He gives an eyewitness account, using the third person when referring to himself. Today's text begins his eyewitness account of the events of the gospel record.
___Victory at last
___John proves Jesus laid down his life (John 10:11,15,17-18). The events are proof there is no greater love than this (John 15:13).
___Jesus knew all things were completed. He knew the prophecy about himself in the Old Testament. He said, "I am thirsty" (v. 28). This prophecy is found in Psalm 69:21. John makes a very important point by including the word "thirsty." Jesus was God, but he also was man. As a man, he was thirsty (John 4:7). He was the only one who had the living water (4:10,14; 6:35). He, who is the living water, was thirsty on the cross. The living Lord promises that in the New Jerusalem we never shall hunger or thirst anymore (Revelation 7:16).
___The last saying of Jesus on the cross was, "It is finished" (v. 30). This is a statement we can never make. Who can ever say with confidence that any work of ours is "finished"? If we think we are the best, just wait, and someone will come along and surpass us. Our greatest world's record is a record waiting to be broken in the future.
___Jesus is the only one who completely finished his mission. The work was completed, not merely ended. He had brought it to perfection. The word implies it was "brought to its destined goal." Kenneth Osbeck writes, "When Christ cried out on the cross, 'It is finished,' victory over sin was won." The mission was accomplished.
___Seeming defeat
___The Lord was in control of all events. No one could take his life (John 10:17-18). The final acts that day were done by two of his followers, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus (vv. 39-42). Two men, who had been secret disciples, could no longer remain anonymous. What they did was a coming out act that revealed their love and devotion to the master. No one comes into the presence of Christ and remains the same from the encounter. These men gave up their anonymity.
___At the same time, they offered the very best they had. They gave dignity to the Lord's burial. They provided loving arms in which to carry his body and loving hands with which to wrap his lifeless body. Nicodemus brought a large quantity of expensive spices, while Joseph offered a new tomb.
___They had to work in haste before the beginning of the special Passover Sabbath. It was divine providence that the new tomb was in the nearby garden. Imagine their somber hopelessness in performing all of this. They perhaps thought it was all over. But that's not the end of the story.
___An important question
___The first day of the week brought more than the dawning of a new day. It was resurrection morning. The story of the resurrection has no equal in world history.
___When Mary Magdalene came to the tomb, she discovered the stone at the entrance had already been removed (John 20:1). She could not explain it, but evidence was beginning to point to something out of the ordinary. She came looking for a body but was hoping for something supernatural. She did not have an explanation, but one thing she knew was the tomb was empty and the body gone.
___Mary ran to tell Simon Peter and John (v. 2). The two men wanted answers to this important question of where the body was (v. 3). They did not have the faith to believe at this time (v. 9).
___Expression of faith
___John, the youngest of the apostles and perhaps in better physical condition, ran ahead of Simon Peter (v. 4). When John arrived at the tomb, he looked but did not go inside. Simon Peter, in his typical blustery manner, upon arriving went inside (v. 5). He observed the placement of the linen wrappings and the facecloth (v. 6). It was as if Jesus had evaporated out of them. When John entered and saw the evidence, he believed a miracle had occured (v. 8).
___We believe in this greatest of miracles because of the testimony of these eyewitnesses. Jesus suffered, bled, died and was buried, but he got up. Therefore, we are resurrection people. Jesus is alive, and God's salvation plan is complete. Easter people have unspeakable joy because of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rick Williamson, pastor of Gaston Oaks Baptist Church in Dallas, says, "The resurrection brings life."
___
___Questions for discussion
___ What does the resurrection mean to you?
___ If you had journeyed early in the morning with Mary Magdalene to the tomb, what would you have done if you had found the tomb empty?
___ Are you a "secret disciple" among your neighbors, work associates and others?

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