Pinedale Student Ministries

Today’s passage
John 20:1-9

Experience
The resurrection of Jesus is the most important event in history. If Jesus weren’t resurrected, then our faith would be pointless. It would have been so easy to crush Christianity before it even started. All one had to do was produce Jesus’ dead body. But no one could. Instead, the gospel of John gives us four pieces of evidence for Christ’s resurrection.

The first is in verse one, when we’re told that the “stone had been removed from the entrance.” Some historical sources indicate that the stone laid across the openings of burials caves during Jesus’ day weighed between three and four thousand pounds. We know the stone was incredibly large because Mary Magdalene and the disciples saw the stone had been moved, even when it was still dark outside. The weight and size of that stone would hinder even five or ten men from moving it easily. It was possible to move it, but extremely difficult. If grave robbers had moved the stone to steal Jesus’ body, why wouldn’t they have put it back so no one would have suspected what had happened?

But the tomb was open, and Mary investigated. In verse two, Mary tells Peter and John that Jesus’ body is missing. The absence of the body is another piece of evidence for Christ’s resurrection. Mary herself doubted a resurrection, and she questioned aloud where someone might have put Him. But two other clues made them, and should make us, dismiss the idea of a robbery.

Verse five gives us another indication; John saw that the leftover strips of linen that had been wrapped around Jesus’ body were still in the tomb. After three days, Jesus’ body would have begun to deteriorate and rot. If the body had been taken, even by the disciples, why would the one thing that separated clean hands from decaying flesh have been removed? That’s kind of gross, if you think about it.

Peter entered the tomb and in verse seven we find a fourth piece of evidence—the burial cloth used around Jesus’ head was neatly folded near the strips of linen. If the grave was robbed or the disciples had staged a resurrection, it’s unlikely that they would have taken the time to fold laundry before leaving.

The disciples had no idea what was going on, even though Jesus had alluded to the resurrection many times. Even after death, there were clues to point them to the resurrection, and it wasn’t until much later that they actually believed. And we, too, frequently forget or ignore the resurrection, despite the evidence we’ve been given. What evidence does your life show that Jesus rose from the dead, lives in you, and has forgiven and changed you?