I'm going to ask you to take
your Bibles and turn with me to John 20, John chapter 20. I would like to continue this
morning in this marvelous account of the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus Christ. What does the scriptures have
to say? Last week we considered that
Mary Magdalene, some of the other women that were with her, came
to the tomb, saw the stone rolled away. Mary, the account said,
ran immediately, got Peter and John. They ran to the tomb. John got there first. He looked
in. He did not enter. Peter got to
the tomb, he went in, he looked, John came in. After Peter had
gone in, the scripture says, he saw the linen clothes lie. That is, the wording sets forth
this definition. They were lying outstretched.
where they were appointed. This is the definition. They
were laid up, they were set. And he looked and saw and he
believed. Based upon the indisputable evidence
of the grave clothes. Now this is all set forth according
to the words that were used here in the Scriptures, where those
grave clothes had been set. The Lord was not there. And John
looked, and by the grace of God and by revelation of God's Spirit,
he saw where those grave clothes were. He looked at them, and
there they were, where they were outstretched. And the Spirit of God taught
him, and he believed. The Lord has been raised from
the dead. He looked, he and Peter looked,
and they saw that the napkin that was about the Lord's face,
around his head, was not lying with the linen clothes. They
were not lying where they had been set. originally, where they
had been placed, they'd been made. And here is the evidence
of the risen Savior, the one whom John said spoke to him on
the Isle of Patmos. The Lord said, I am He that liveth
and was dead, and behold, I'm alive forevermore. Amen. I have
the keys of hell and death. Now, before John and Peter got
there, the Scripture says they knew, that is, they perceived
not the Scripture. That's verse 9, that he must
rise again from the dead. What Scripture? Well, Psalm 16,
9 and 10 sets forth the prophecy that the Lord would not seek
corruption, not going to leave my soul in hell. And the Lord
had taught his apostles more than once, I'm going to die,
I'm going to be raised from the dead. When they came in, Scripture
says, John saw and believed. And then, verse 10, they went
away again unto their own home. is where we pick up today on
our study. Verse 11, but Mary stood without
at the sepulcher weeping and as she wept she stooped down
and looked in to the sepulcher. Now there's something amazing
about Mary remaining after Peter and John had left. Mary was convinced. She knew that the Lord was not
there. She knew that. Stone was rolled
away, but she was not convinced as yet, as John was for sure,
that the Lord was risen from the dead. She continued to believe that
somebody had come in and had taken the body of the Lord Jesus
Christ. So she stayed there. Peter and
John went back home. Mary stayed right there, standing
without, weeping, just looking in the sepulcher. Faith is a particular gift. of Almighty God. It's given unto
you to believe. Now John, the scripture said,
believed. He believed that the Lord was
raised from the dead. But until this point, Mary has
not been shown by the Spirit of God that the Lord was raised
from the dead. She believed that somebody had
taken Him. Her eyes were holding. She didn't know. I'm not saying
that Mary was not a believer. I believe she was. I believe
that her love for the Lord evidenced that she was a believer in the
one who had to have first loved her. Her love for Christ. Why did she not possess, at this
point, why? God-given faith to believe that
the Lord was raised from the dead. Why did she not believe
that? I have the answer. I can tell you without a shadow
of a doubt, I know why. The secret things belong unto
the Lord our God. But those things which are revealed
belong unto us and to our children forever that we may do all the
words of this law. Why did she not believe? Because
God was not pleased as yet to show her. I know that for a fact. Had the Lord shown her and convinced
her that the Lord was raised from the dead, she'd have believed
it. Her love and gratitude toward
the Lord made her linger near that tomb, obviously with some
hope that an explanation would be made known to her. What happened? But let me ask you this. Is this
not often the case with us as we wait? We seek the Lord's presence
and we just don't know. We don't know. We're perplexed. We're seeking the times of our
trials. Do we not say? Does not a believer
say? saw ye Him whom my soul loveth."
Have you found yourself desiring the Lord's will, the Lord's direction,
the Lord's pleasure? I mean, you want to know. Those
that know Him want to know. I want to know. She stayed right
there. What was she waiting on? I want to know something. What
do you do in a case like that? Listen to Matthew 7, 7 and 8.
Ask, and it shall be given you. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened
unto you for everyone that asketh receiveth. And him that seeketh,
findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened." How long
do you contend to knock and seek and ask? How long? Until the Lord answers. That's how long. A believer,
by importunity, he just doesn't stop. The Lord is going to answer. Truly, she was weeping because
the sepulcher did not hold the body of her Lord. But should that not have been
the reason for her to rejoice? Had the Lord's body still been
there, that would have been reason for her to despair. Had He been
there, Listen to 1 Corinthians 15, 13, 17. But if there be no
resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen? And if Christ be not risen, then
is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and
we're found false witnesses of God, because we've testified
of God that He raised up Christ, whom He raised not up, if so
be that the dead rise not. Where if the dead rise not, then
is not Christ raised, and if Christ be not raised, your faith
is vain, and you're yet in your sins. If the Lord has not been
raised from the dead, we're lost. If He be not raised from the
dead, He's still dead. We have no hope. Our faith is
just vanity, it's just nothing. But as we consider Mary's broken
heart, Let's be careful to pass judgment on her. How often have
we fretted over things that we had really no reason to, but
until the Lord settles our heart, it's still not settled. If God
Almighty settles a believer's heart, it's settled. This is
what I'm going to do. But as she stood without the
sepulchre weeping, looking, mulling over in her mind. Look what happened,
verse 12. You see two angels in white sitting,
the one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of
Jesus had lain. There was two angels there. Luke's account,
24, 1 to 4, had this account concerning those two angels that
said they looked like men. Just like men, upon the first
day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the
sepulcher bringing spices which they had prepared and certain
others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the
sepulcher. They entered in and found not the body of the Lord
Jesus. It came to pass as they were
much perplexed, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. So obviously, these two angels
had taken upon them the form of men. They looked like two
men sitting there. And they were sitting, the scripture
says, one at the head, the other at the foot, where the body of
Jesus had lain, where it was appointed, where it was set,
where it was put. The significance of those grave
clothes being where they were is of great significance. They
were where they'd been set. And the Lord was just raised.
Came out. And the napkin over His face
was rolled up and put somewhere else where they weren't. Oh,
the mercy of Almighty God. to us who believe. Their presence in that sepulcher
was twofold. I see two things. Number one,
they were there ministering unto the Lord. And number two, ministering
for the comfort of God's people. Now ministering to the Lord.
Now listen, the scripture bears out that the Lord of heaven was
pleased to employ angels throughout the life of the Lord Jesus Christ
while he was on this earth. I know the first thing that angels
did is they announced the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Listen
to Luke 2, 8-11. There were in the same country
shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks
by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and
the glory of the Lord shone round about them. And they were sore
afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I
bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day
in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. These
angels came and spoke to those shepherds that were tending their
flocks. And they said, you know, I've
got some good news for you. Today, the Savior is born. And the next thing I know, angels
ministered unto him after his temptation by Satan. Matthew
4 verses 1 and 2 reveals that the Lord was led of the Spirit. to go into the wilderness to
be tempted of the devil. He was in that wilderness, according
to the scriptures, 40 days and 40 nights, and he fasted. And afterward, he was hungered. And the scripture says that after
he had fasted 40 days, 40 nights, he hadn't eaten. And he's hungry. He's the God-man,
as much man. Now you just, you think, 40 days
and he didn't have anything to eat. And he's hungry. And Satan
comes to him and tempts him. Won't you turn those stones to
bread? I know you're hungry. It's written. Look at all this. You bow down and worship me.
I'll give you all of this. It's written. Takes him up to
the highest pinnacle. Says, won't you jump off? It's
written. Not going to allow you to dash
your foot against the stone. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord
thy God. And afterwards, scripture says,
in Matthew 4, 11, Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, angels
came and ministered unto him. Here's the words. to wait upon
as an attendant. Obviously, he's hungry. And they
met his need. They met his need. What did they
give him? Whatever he needed. He was hungry, I know that. They
waited upon him as a waiter. That's what in the definition
it says, as one that waits upon tables as a waiter. They ministered
unto him. And before His crucifixion in
the garden of Gethsemane, Luke 22 says this, And He was withdrawn
from them about a stone's cast, kneeled down and prayed, saying,
Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless,
not my will, but Thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto
Him from heaven, strengthening Him." That is, invigorating Him. These Scriptures are amazing.
the ministry of these angels that ministered unto the Lord.
They set forth His birth, they ministered to Him in the days
of His humiliation, and now we see their service unto Him in
the days of His resurrection. Scripture says He looked in there
and there was two angels, and one of them was sitting at the
head and one of them was sitting at the feet of those grave clothes that
were outstretched. truly of the Lord. Psalm 91 11
speaks, for he shall give his angels charge over thee to keep
thee in all thy ways. What an amazing thought that
the Lord would send angels. But secondly, not only were they
there to minister unto the Lord, They were there for the ministering
unto the Lord's people. I know that for a fact. Hebrews 1, 13, 14, But to which
of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand until
I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering
spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of
salvation? Mary was brokenhearted. She was
crying, she stooped down, she looked into that sepulcher, and
here are these two angels, and these angels say something to
Mary. Verse 13, they say unto her,
Woman, why weepest thou? And she saith unto them, Because
they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have
laid him. These angels obviously knew why
she was weeping, but they asked her that in a very gentle, I'm
sure, way, possibly to stir up her mind for a just reason for
her crying. J.C. Ryle made this comment.
He said, were they not asking, what is the reason for this excessive
lamentation? Are you quite sure that this
empty tomb does not show that you ought to be rejoicing? Why
are you weeping? Why are you crying? That question
was for her good. Are we not made often to wait
upon the Lord's answer? But are these times of waiting
not good for us? I know it's tough. I know it's
tough. But here's an amazing thing. They ask her a question, but
the question that they asked was a question that the Lord
was getting ready to ask. In verse 15, Jesus saith unto
her with Lord willing, we'll look at this next service. Woman,
why weepest thou? They asked her what the Lord
was getting ready to ask. They knew to ask that question. They knew exactly what to say. They were messengers. Messengers from Jehovah. Just
like God's preachers are messengers and ambassadors. And here we
see their words are the very words that the Lord is going
to speak. Divinely ordered by God Almighty. for the good of
his people. Why are you weeping? What are
you crying about? I think to myself, the light afflictions
that I've seen, I don't know a lot about affliction. The light
afflictions that I've gone through, based on what I know concerning
these scriptures, I'm going to ask myself these words that these
angels ask, and then our Lord's going to ask in a few minutes.
What are you crying about? What do you have to cry about? Think about Brother Scott. He
said, since I heard the good news, he said, I hadn't heard
any bad news. What are you weeping? But listen to her answer. When they said, woman, verse
13, why weepest thou? And she saith unto them, because
they've taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid
him. You know, when she went over and looked back at verse
2, she came and she saw the stone had been taken away. She runneth
and cometh to Simon Peter and to the other Disciple whom Jesus
loveth and sayeth unto them, they've taken away the Lord out
of the sepulcher. We know not where they've laid
him. That's true. They've taken away the Lord.
But I'm going to tell you something. The longer this is gone, the
more her heart has been drawn. I don't know where he's at. I
don't know where he is. Why are you weeping? They've
taken my Lord. There's the heart. Notice how
the great trials is drawing out her affection. Psalm 119, 71, we read this so
often. It is good for me that I have
been afflicted. that I might learn thy statutes. It's good. The world and its false religion
says it's never God's will anybody ever have afflictions, trials,
and sickness. I beg your pardon. If you be
without trials and chastisement, it's because you're not His.
I'm telling you these things that we go through are for our
good. And how tender are we made to
be toward the Lord. Listen to what Paul said, Romans
5, 3, and 4. And not only so, but we glory
in tribulations. Brother Henry made this statement.
He said, it's not the tribulations we're glorying in. It's the effects
that the tribulations produce. This is born out. And not only
so, but we glory in tribulations knowing that tribulation worketh
patience, and patience, experience, and experience, hope, confidence
in the Lord. Not going to leave me. Not going
to forsake me. I know that. Why are you weeping? Because they've taken away my
Lord. He's my Lord. And I don't know
where they laid Him. And when she had thus said, verse
14, she turned herself back and saw Jesus standing and knew not
that it was Jesus. Here, standing before Mary, is
the Lord. And she doesn't know it. He's so near, and He's going
to absolutely prove Himself faithful. He's going to sustain her, even
in that perplexed state. How often, according to His promise
to say, I'll never leave you, I'll never forsake you. Now listen,
never leave you, and never forsake you, coming from His lips, It
means something. Now, I can tell you that. I'll
never leave you. I'll never forsake you. Well,
I might mean not to, but that doesn't mean it's going to happen.
I mean, I'm just... You might mean it too, but now
when He says it, I will never leave you. And here's the one
she sought. The one who came to her in the
hour of her need. And it was according to His good
pleasure to hold her eyes to where she can't see Him. I mean, she's looking at Him,
but like the two on the road to Emmaus. You know the story,
the Lord talking to them and they're just pouring their hearts
out to Him. We thought surely, we thought surely this was He. He was crucified three days ago.
We just don't know. Oh, the holding of her eyes. How often we're reminded all
things work together for good to them that love God. To them
who are thee called according to his purpose. All things work
together for good to God's elect. God's sheep, all things are ordered
for reasons known only to the Lord. He caused her and us to
go through these trials to do us good. I'm going to read this
scripture and then I'm going to stop. Lord willing, we're
going to pick up right here because I'm about to get into something
that I just want to wait for the next service. But listen
to this. How painful, often, are these times of obscurity?
Now, you that know him, you know what I'm talking about. There's
times that you're going through some things, maybe going through
them right now, and I mean they don't, on the outside, they just
don't look that good. They just don't look that good, according
to the way I see it. But according to God's Word,
according to that Word that's not going to return void, that
Word that's going to accomplish the purpose for which it was
sent. Listen to these words of that Shulamite there, Song of
Solomon 3, 1-4, By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul
loveth. Now she said, I'm laying down
at night and I'll tell you something, I've said this before. Everything's
always worse at night. Oh, how many times have I been
reminded of these thoughts that I would have. I just wish the
sun would come up. If the sun would just come up,
if I could just see something, if I could just if it just wasn't
so dark. By night on my bed, I sought
him whom my soul loveth and loveth. Like Peter said, Lord, you know,
you know all things, you know I love you. And a believer loves
the Lord because God's given him a heart, a new heart that
loves him. I sought him, but I found him
not. She said, I will rise now and
I'll go about the city and the streets and the broad ways. I'll
seek him whom my soul loveth. I sought him, but I found him
not. The watchman that go about the
city found me. To whom I said, saw ye him whom
my soul loveth? It was but a little while, knocking
and seeking and asking. Little while. I passed from them,
but I found him whom my soul loveth. I held him and would
not let him go till I had brought him into my mother's house, into
the chamber of her that conceived me." We went through the book
of Song of Solomon. I remember dealing with that
passage of scripture. What she do? She found him into
her mother's house. She's talking about the church
where I could fellowship with him. and abide with Him and hear
of Him and stuff. Painful the times when we find
not the Lord, but, oh, how precious the time when He reveals Himself. Believer, this is the life of
God's people. We walk by faith and not by sight. In a few minutes, Lord willing,
I'm going to pick up right here in that passage of scripture
that we just read in Psalm of Solomon. It's going to reveal
a whole lot about what we're going to look at in the next.
So let's just let's just take a break for a few minutes. Come
back. All right.