Do you remember when? John: 20:1-29
John’s own story – John 20:3-10
John must have felt the weight of the world was on him. He had watched as Jesus died his slow agonizing death. Jesus had added to his burden by giving him the responsibility for the care of Mary, Jesus’ mother. There had existed a deep intimate bond between John and Jesus, so much so he termed himself, ‘the one Jesus loved.’ v2 His hopes had been dashed. Jesus’ words must have been going round in his head without him making full sense of them. It was in this state that Mary cut across all he was thinking with the news that Jesus’ body had been removed with no indication as to where. Peter and John were seen as the leaders of the disciples and so it was to them Mary went first. Both ran to the tomb, John being the faster but although he could see inside and see the linen strips used to bind Jesus’ body laid to one side he did not initially enter. Peter had no such hesitancy, and in he went. From the inside he could now see the separate material to bind the head had been laid where the head should have been. This was no normal raid on a tomb, what tomb robbers would delay to unbind the body? John plucked up courage and followed Peter into the tomb. It was at that moment that spiritual insight dawned on John. He recorded that moment in the briefest of terms. ‘He saw and believed.’ v8 What did he believe? It was not a complete biblical doctrine at this time. He confesses as much, ‘They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.’ v9 It was at that moment that John simply believed Jesus had risen from the dead. It was an amazing Holy Spirit induced insight. The most likely explanation was still what Mary had said, somebody had stolen the body. John was about to receive ample evidence to back up his belief but he believed without knowing the whole story. At what moment did you believe Jesus was raised from the dead? What led to that belief?