Pastor Scott Andrews | April 5, 2026
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John 20:1-18
Can you imagine getting all gussied up, you and your date, driving to a 5-star premier restaurant, complete with valet parking, walking in to be greeted by name from the maître de, escorted to a beautifully appointed table with the best of China, crystal and actual silverware, spending time reviewing the most delectable menu you’d ever seen, ordering a multi-course dinner from the immaculately dressed server, only to leave before the first course arrived?
Can you imagine going to a movie – no, make that a live production – a critically acclaimed masterpiece with amazing set design, world-renowned actors, stunning plot line keeping you on the edge of your seat to the very end. Only, you don’t stay till the end, you get up and leave.
Can you imagine planning the vacation you’ve always dreamed of, making first class airline reservations, top-rated hotel suite reservations, with a daily itinerary that includes stunning tours and world-class restaurants – getting to the destination, and returning home, never leaving the plane?
It would be sort of like having the gospel with the death and burial of Jesus, without the resurrection. The cross of Jesus without the empty tomb. I have often suggested the cross is the highpoint of history – and it is – but it culminates in the resurrection. Part of the cross event is the truth that Jesus did not stay dead. Without the resurrection, Jesus would just be one of tens of thousands the Romans crucified. “I want to talk to you about a guy who can change your life, but He’s dead.” Would that work for you? Did you know that every Gospel – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – makes a big deal about an empty tomb? It is the climax of every Gospel. Why?
Because without it, we would have the reservations for salvation without ever experiencing salvation. We’d never get to the main event. In our long study of the Gospel of Luke – if it ends with a tomb still occupied, then every other story we’ve looked at, every truth we’ve learned, would be meaningless. Eternally more so than a five-star restaurant without food, a play without an ending, a vacation without going. You see, the Apostle Paul tells us, “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain…if Christ is not raised your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.”
Look at that last sentence. Occasionally, someone will say, why don’t you believe in Jesus – what can it hurt? If we’re wrong, what do you have to lose? If we’re right, what do you have to gain? That’s actually a spinoff of Pascal’s Wager, developed by the Christian philosopher, Blaise Pascal. Basically, his wager is a philosophical argument stating it is more rational to believe in God than not, as the potential gain (eternal happiness in heaven) is infinite, while the loss (if wrong) is minimal. If you believe and it’s not true – it’s not that big a deal.
That’s not what Paul said. He said, if there is no resurrection, if this stuff is not true, then we are of all men most to be pitied. Don’t believe the Gospel just in case it turns out to be true – believe it because it is true. Commit your life to it – eat at the banquet, see the end of the story, take the trip to heaven.
Not only that, Paul said, if Christ has not been raised from the dead, then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished – meaning they are without hope. Think of that. I’ve done dozens of funerals in my years of ministry. Some special people – some of your spouses, mothers, fathers, children. If the resurrection is not true, then the comfort and hope I offered in every funeral is without merit. They have perished without hope.
Not only that, Paul said, if it’s not true, if Christ was not raised from the dead, then your faith is worthless and you are still in your sins. Which means – when you die, you are in big trouble. So you see, there is a reason every gospel makes a big deal about an empty tomb. Because His tomb is empty, so also the graves of those we’ve buried over the past decades will be one day empty. So also, one day, our graves will be empty. Because, Jesus was raised from the dead in one of the most well-documented events of history, our hope in Christ is not worthless – our hope in future resurrection is not vain – we will be raised.
I want to talk to you today about the resurrection from John 20. John chose to share the story through his own experience and the eyes of a woman named Mary Magdalene. She wasn’t the only woman there on that first Easter Sunday, but she takes center stage in all the gospel accounts. We’ve looked at her recently, so I won’t belabor her story. Who was she? She’s not mentioned in John’s gospel until the chapter 19 where we see her at the cross. But, who is she?
One of the first challenges is the number of Marys who appear in the New Testament. It was a very common name: Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus, and so on. Another challenge is the number of unnamed women in the New Testament, particularly those with unsavory pasts – for example, the woman taken in adultery in John 8 and the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair in Luke 7.
Through the years, people have confused all these Marys and these unnamed women. For example, it was accepted for centuries Mary Magdalene was also Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus – never mind that these three were from Bethany, not Magdala. Then there’s the widely held view Mary Magdalene was the woman taken in adultery, whom Jesus saved from stoning, who later came into the house of Simon the Pharisee, and washed His feet with her tears. That woman was a prostitute, and there’s no evidence Mary was. I’m not going to try to untangle all those knots and misidentifications.
But there is one more story I’ll share since it’s Easter. Tradition has it shortly after Christ’s death, Mary visited the Emperor Tiberius and proclaimed to him the resurrection of Christ. According to the story, she took Tiberius an egg as a symbol of new life, with the words: “Christ is risen!” Then she told Tiberius that Jesus the Nazarene was executed by Pontius Pilate in the province of Judea, but rose from the dead three days later. Tiberius responded, no one could possibly rise from the dead, anymore than the egg you hold could turn red. Miraculously, it is said, the egg immediately turned red. Today, many Eastern Orthodox Christians end their Easter services by sharing bright red eggs and proclaiming to each other, “Christ is risen!” So, it is said, began the tradition of coloring Easter eggs.
Which brings us back to the question, in the midst of all those stories, who was Mary Magdalene? It’s interesting, she’s mentioned more than any other woman in the New Testament except for Mary the mother of Jesus. She appears in all four gospels, but not outside them. Forgetting all the myth, what do we know about her for sure?
First, her last name is not Magdalene – it speaks of where she was from – a small fishing village on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, just like we also say, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus did extensive ministry around Magdala – it was probably there she first met Him. The first time we meet her is in Luke 8, which reads:
1 Soon afterwards, He began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him,
2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.
Three important things we learn about Mary from these verses. First, we find she was healed of demon possession, seven demons driven from her. The number seven in Scripture usually carries some significance – it speaks of perfection or completeness. In this story, did she have seven demons? Yes, but it also tells us she was completely possessed by evil – darkness fully enveloped her. If her possession was similar to others we find in the New Testament, we can surmise she led a miserable life. She was likely self-destructive, uncontrollable, feared by all around her, who could do nothing about her condition. Demon-possessed people were shunned, chained, beaten, driven from their communities. There was no hope for them. And Jesus came along, perhaps to her little, remote fishing village and gave this broken, helpless, hopeless woman, life – He gave her hope. He freed her from the tyranny of darkness that kept her bound.
Which leads to the second thing we know – as is often the case, when Jesus healed people physically, He also healed them spiritually, and they often became His followers. Now, we normally see Jesus surrounded by the Twelve, but He had other followers – those, no doubt like Mary, whom He healed, who followed Him, to include Joanna and Susanna. Understand, this was highly unusual, almost scandalous. Rabbis who traveled the country didn’t usually have women tagging along. You see, women were not held in high esteem – they certainly weren’t worthy of being called disciples, of being taught. Jesus is beginning to elevate women and their status in society. As I’ve said before, you’ll often hear Christianity degrades women – nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus dignified and elevated women – here, He actually had women disciples – like many in this room.
Which leads to the third thing we learn about Mary – notice the last part of verse 3 says, “and many others who were contributing to their support of their private means.” Apparently, Mary and her friends were women of some financial resources, and they provided material support to Jesus throughout His ministry. And that’s all we hear of Mary for some time. She was clearly present with the other disciples through much of Jesus’ Galilean ministry. Matthew 27 tells us she made the trip to Jerusalem with Him to that last Passover. We can assume she was part of the crowd who spread their coats on the donkey and followed Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. We know she was there through Passion Week, because the next time Scripture mentions her, all four gospels tell us she was present at the crucifixion. She was there, at the cross, on Good Friday. While the disciples had deserted for fear of their own lives, Mary was there. She saw the unspeakable horror of the crucifixion – His brutalized body, crown of thorns, nails in His hands and feet, spear in His side. She was witness to the death of the One who had delivered her.
She saw Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus receive His body from the cross. She was there when they wrapped Him with linens and burial spices, a mixture of myrrh and aloes. She followed along with the another Mary, the mother of Joseph, to see the place where He was laid. She watched as they rolled the large stone into place.
And then, she went away. It was over – doubtless she felt the same feelings of despair, gloom, and hopelessness that everyone felt. It was Friday, late afternoon, almost Sabbath by now. She, along with the rest of the disciples, rested the next day, behind closed doors. There was a sense of dejection, finality, ruin, even fear. Jesus was dead. Which brings us to our text, John 20:1-18.
Mary Magdalene is mentioned in all four gospels as coming to the tomb at dawn on the first day of the week. While the other disciples continued to meet behind locked doors, we read Mary with some other women came to the tomb – they knew where it was – to anoint Jesus’ body with spices. Along the way, they wondered among themselves, who would move the stone since it was so large. But when they arrived, they found the stone already removed from the entrance of the tomb. While they were wondering what happened, an angel appeared, (Matthew 28):
5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.
6 “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.
7 “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead….”
Apparently, this is where we pick up the story in John 20. Mary ran back to tell the disciples what she had seen and heard – that is, that the stone was rolled away and the body was gone. She says, “They have taken Him,” meaning, at this point, she thought either His enemies had stolen Him, or grave robbers had ransacked the tomb. Notice, “we do not know where they have laid Him.” As far as she was concerned, Jesus was still dead. So, Peter and John ran to the tomb.
John got there first. When he arrived, he looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but didn’t go in. Peter then arrived and entered the tomb and also saw the linens and the face cloth, lying separately. The Jewish custom was to wrap the body and the head separately. The neck and face would be exposed – the headpiece would be wrapped in the form of a turban. Well, John notes the headpiece was lying off to the side – either separated from the body as it naturally would lie or folded up and laid aside.
Lots of discussion as to why these details are noted. I think the main point is actually twofold. First, John’s readers would remember the raising of Lazarus, and how he came out of the tomb still bound in the linens. Jesus, however, in His glorified body, likely passed through the linens and left them behind, perhaps folding the headpiece and laying it aside. The point is – He didn’t need them anymore. Oh, and He didn’t need the tomb anymore either.
Secondly, these details would eliminate another possibility – that is, Jesus body was moved, either by someone moving Him to another location or by grave robbers. Those moving Him – friend or enemy, would not take the time to unwrap Him – no reason to do so. Grave robbers were a problem at the time, but you robbed graves for the linens and spices – you wouldn’t leave those behind.
No, something different had happened – another explanation for this empty tomb. John says, he then entered the tomb, and seeing the evidence, he believed. Believed what? That Jesus had risen from the dead, although, at this point, no one was sure what was going on. Luke tells us Peter left wondering at what had happened. He didn’t get it, yet. Notice verse 9, “For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.”
At this point, they depart (John believing, Peter wondering), each going to their own place, leaving Mary Magdalene alone. Apparently, she had followed Peter and John back to the tomb. She was standing there, weeping, and stooped to look in. Now, I’ve told this story to this point before. It’s a great story – the resurrection through the eyes Mary Magdeline. But notice – she stooped and looked in. The angels were there again, and asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” (Perhaps a mild rebuke – why are you weeping – this is no time for sorrow.) To which Mary responded with grief, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” Like everyone else, she thinks He’s still dead – lying somewhere. She just wants to find His body and anoint it with the spices – tell me where they’ve taken Him.
But don’t miss the wording in verse 12. I’ve missed it till now. When she stooped and looked in, “she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying.” I looked it up – I’ve never made much of that verse before. Why does John say, clearly learning this detail from Mary – two angels, one at His head and one at His feet where the body of Jesus had been lying? What’s that about?
Again, all four gospels tell us the women were the first at the tomb on that Sunday morning. They all talk about going back to tell the disciples. John alone records that Peter and John ran to the tomb and Mary returned with them. This is now her second visit. She is alone. But again, when Mary returned by herself, she sees two angels where He had been lying – one at His head, and one as His feet, surely representing the now missing body of Jesus. But why this detail? We’ve already been told in all four gospels, He’s gone, He’s not there.
What does this obscure detail communicate? We have to go back to Exodus 25 and the description of Tabernacle – specifically, the most holy piece of furniture to be found in the Tabernacle, in the Holy of Holies – the ark of the covenant. Look at it:
17 “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide.
18 “You shall make two cherubim of gold, make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat.
19 “Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends.
20 “The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and facing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the mercy seat.
21 “You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you.
22 “There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.
Hang in there – this is stunning. The ark of the covenant was behind the veil – in the most holy place where the high priest would go once a year on the day of atonement. He would offer sacrifices, first for his own sins, then the sins of the people. He would sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat as an atonement. You see, God’s special presence would be above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim, angels. Below the mercy seat, in the ark, were the tablets of stone, upon which were written the Ten Commandments. The commandments the people, all the people, had broken over and over again. So once a year, the high priest would offer a sacrifice and put the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat, between the presence of God above and the broken commandments below as an atonement, year after year.
Of course, we know from the book of Hebrews the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin forever. No, a New Covenant was needed, by which the High Priest would offer His own blood as a sacrifice – an eternal covenant – offered one time for all who would believe.
Do you see? Jesus had shed His blood – and those two angels sat where His body had been laid on a stone in a tomb. That stone represented the new mercy seat, upon which the sacrifice of Christ was laid – once for all. And it was finished. God accepted His sacrifice, and the proof of His acceptance was the resurrection of Christ from the dead. There is a sense in which the empty tomb now becomes the most holy place. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sin – and He now serves as a High Priest forever, seated at the right hand of God, making intercession for us through His finished work – death, burial and resurrection. Our sins which have broken the law of God and separated us from Him. We now have one mediator of the New Covenant – one who stands between us broken sinners, and a perfect righteous God. And those two angels were there, as were the cherubim – see the place where the sacrifice was laid.
In John’s account, at this point, having seen and heard the angels, “why are you weeping?” she turns to face a man she assumes is the gardener. This Man says to Mary, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Again, perhaps a mild rebuke, Whom are you seeking? What kind of Messiah are you looking for, Mary – a dead one? “Sir,” she said, “if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
And Jesus said one word to her, “Mary.” Is it possible this was the first word she heard after He had driven the demons from her? The first word she heard when she was freed? I don’t know. But in John 10, Jesus said the good shepherd calls His sheep by name, and they follow Him, because they know His voice. Mary knew His voice – she turned in full recognition, saying, “Rabboni,” a strengthened from of Rabbi. He only needed to speak her name, as He had no doubt many times before, and open her eyes, and she knew in an instant who He was.
She fell to His feet and began fervently clinging Him. What else can you do when you realize Jesus is the Son of God who died for sinners, but did not stay dead? We don’t have the time to finish the interchange between Jesus and Mary, but I want you to notice, He said, tell My disciples, “I ascend to My Father and Your Father, and My God and your God.” Meaning, you can now enjoy a new relationship with God – He can be your God – because of what happened today.
Understand, the resurrection still means something today. Jesus is still in the business of delivering people from evil, and He’ll do it for you, if you’ll let Him. He’ll do something more miraculous than He did for Mary – He’ll change you from the inside out. He’ll wipe away your darkness, and free you from bondage to sin. That’s what the gospel, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is all about. He died, becomes our atoning sacrifice, so our sins could be paid for. His resurrection was the first of many to come – we can follow – resurrection to eternal life with God – if we trust Him, and Him alone for salvation. If you’re here this morning, and you’ve never given your life to Jesus, to change you from the inside out, and you want to, I invite you to talk with me, talk with someone here you know trust. We’d love show you how to become a follower of Jesus Christ.