March 24, 2016 – John 20:20-21

Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” John 20:1-2Jesus had been in the tomb for three days.  I can understand why Mary Magdalene could not sleep.  She wept for Jesus as He was crucified and then He was taken away to the tomb.  Mary Magdalene love Jesus.  When she arrived at the tomb, the stone that had been placed in the opening was rolled away.  The tomb was empty!  How could that be?  I know what panic she felt.  The first thing she thought was to tell Peter.  He was a man of action and would know what to do.  Jesus loved Peter so much.  Mary ran to find Peter.Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb.  They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.  He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in.  Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there,  while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings.  Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed— for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead.  Then they went home.   Mary was at the tomb crying, for she could not find Jesus.She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” “Mary!” Jesus said.  She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).  John 20:14-16After appearing to the disciples, in John 21, and others, Jesus left this earth in a cloud. He will return in the same way.  Every time I see a cloud in the sky, I look for Jesus.After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” Acts 1:9-11