John Chapter 20:10-15

Jesus came to dry out the tears and the fears of our lives. He wants us to come to Him and say, Jesus, I'm depressed. Jesus, I'm sad.

Jesus, I'm angry. Please help me. He longs for us to do that. And when we run to other things, we cheat ourselves of a glorious experience with the Lord. Seek Jesus.

Seek Jesus. Jesus here took notice of her tears. He didn't just say, I'll quit crying. He said, why are you weeping?

What's wrong? Who are you looking for? Jesus cared. And we're coming to that day in Revelation 21 four and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There'll be no more death, no sorrow, no crime.

There shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away. Welcome to Cross the Bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the Bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. The good news of the gospel is not only did Jesus come to die for our sins, but he came to dry up our tears and the fears that we experienced during this life. Today, Pastor David explains how Jesus does that as he continues teaching in the Gospel of John, chapter 20. Now here's David McGee with part three of his teaching, He is Risen. Turn with me to the Gospel of John. We are in chapter 20.

And again, we're kind of in these last couple of chapters, we're kind of taking our time to really think about what's being said and the personal application here, because it's very important. These are the high holy ground, if you will, of the whole Bible in the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus. Verse 10, then the disciples went away again to their own homes. I don't really understand this, but I think the disciples still thought it was over. I think they thought, well, it didn't work. They had in their minds, well, we're going to overthrow the Roman government and restore Israel to an independent nation.

It didn't happen. And all their dreams and all their hopes in that sense were dashed on the rocks. And they knew something had happened, but I don't think they knew what just yet. That's the way some people are about God, isn't it? That's the way some people are about the cross. That's the way some people are probably about this church. Well, there's something happening, I'm just not sure what's going on.

There's something happening with Jesus, I'm just not sure what it is. And it's important that you go from that curiosity, if you will, to knowing what happened and knowing how that can change your life. See, we need to be careful.

Guys, I believe, let me phrase this correctly so nobody freaks out. I believe in being sensitive to the seeker. Now, I have a serious problem with being seeker sensitive. If my goal is to make sure that everybody feels comfortable in here spiritually, I can't do that. There's some people in here right now, they should not feel comfortable spiritually because they're not at a good place with the Lord. I have to present the word of God.

Why? So they can move from just thinking, well, something happened and that curiosity and seeking the Lord to moving to a belief in Jesus. And the way that that happens is I need to challenge them through the word of God. And so these guys go back home and so far they're missing it.

You realize that? I mean, they're not, they've been through the tomb now. They're not dancing in the streets like we sang.

They're not going around going, hey, he's risen. No, they're going, what are you gonna do? I don't know, let's go back to the house. What should they have been doing? Going and telling.

What did they do? Went back to the house. What should we be doing? Going and telling. What do we often do?

Go back to the house. Now, this is interesting because if this was a normal biography, do you understand it would have closed with chapter 19? There wouldn't be a chapter 20 or 21, but this is not a normal biography. This is the story of Jesus and it doesn't end with death. Romans 8 11 says, but if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit who dwells in you.

You understand what that's saying? That resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to you to serve him. Now, it's not just, you know, so you can stand around and show how spiritually strong you are, it's for actually doing things for the Lord. And that's kind of the line in the sand, I guess, between a believer and a disciple. A believer believes, a disciple does. He serves, he ministers to people and we're able, everyone in here is able to do that.

Why? Because if you know the Lord, you have the power of the resurrection available to you. So not only can it raise you from the dead, it can like get you up to get here Sunday morning and all kinds of things. So that power of resurrection is available to us in verse 11. But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb.

We read this verse and we get a wrong picture. And that picture is that, you know, Mary's kind of outside the tomb and she's, you know, like that, that's weeping. That is not weeping to a Jewish woman.

Some of you know that. When we were over in Israel last year, coming down the Mount of Olives, there's a cemetery there and I heard a Jewish woman weeping and man, it brought the hair on the back of my neck up because it wasn't, it was wailing as loud as she could go. She was grieved. That's more than likely the type of weeping that she was engaged in.

And I often take a comical approach to this. I don't want to take a comical approach to this, but guys, look at the team that Jesus chose here. The disciples have gone back home.

Mary's outside the tomb wailing because she thinks he's gone forever. And this is who Jesus is using. That's encouraging to me because you know what we think? We think back to that Yeshiva system, we think God only uses the cream of the crop, don't we? I mean, we've bred that mentality into our churches now, you know, with all the doctorates and then I'm not anti-education at all, but I don't think you can ever assume simply because somebody has a certain amount of education that they understand God and know God and are necessarily anointed to teach the word. I've sat under some people that were highly educated that I just, I got nothing. And I've sat under people who had little education who I walked away just filled spiritually. We need to be careful with this one.

And I'll tell you why. I mentioned children's ministry, so let's go back there. If you want to serve in children's ministries, we do a background check.

We do a background check simply to make sure that you've never committed any sort of sexual offense against a child. That's what we should do. That's being accountable, but we don't run criminal background checks on people that, you know, want to help clean the church or work in the cafe or those things, because, you know, to be honest, half of us will be disqualified.

We wouldn't be able to serve, but here's what happened. Some of you are really scared. Okay. Maybe 40%, maybe it's not fit, but we do want to make sure that you're saved. We do want to make sure that you've been baptized. We want to encourage you that you're moving along in your faith and growing in the Lord. We do want to make sure of that, but we know you're not perfect. We know you're not perfect.

And if that's the line, nobody here can serve. So if you've been thinking, well, I'll get all these problems worked out and then I'll start serving, you know, what start serving in ministry and watch God work the problems out. See what I found in my life is you focus on the problem. You know what happens to the problem starts to get bigger. You focus on the Lord and serve in the Lord. You know what happens?

Problems get smaller. That's why Jesus said, seek ye first the kingdom of God and all its righteousness and all these things will be added unto you or those things will be taken care of. You know what I mean? You know what I mean?

Those things will be added unto you or those things will be taken care of. And let me step out with this. If you're in leadership here, if you're deacon, elder, team leader or whatever, and you feel like it's your job to disqualify people that, well, I'm going to find out what's wrong with them. They think they want to serve.

You know what? You don't have the heart of the pastor. If somebody wants to serve, I want to find a place for them to serve here.

And maybe they don't need to be in children's ministries, but there's somewhere they can help contribute and be a part of what's going on here. Look who God chose. In verse 12, and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. As I thought about this, there at the tomb, there's one angel at the head, there's one angel at the foot. Now the body's gone and you know what? The enemies of Jesus wouldn't have taken it.

The friends of Jesus were unable to take it. And when you run out of what you consider to be possible and it doesn't explain something, you need to think and entertain the idea of the impossible. And I think that's what they were stumbling over. They kept stumbling, well, he's dead. Well, he's dead. Not he's dead and he's not here. Maybe he's resurrected. No, maybe somebody stole the body. They took his body. That's the conclusion they came to.

And you know what? In our lives, we do the same thing. Jesus said with God, nothing is impossible. But how often do we look at a situation, look at somebody's life or look at a situation in our own life and go, well, that ain't gonna happen. Ain't no way. Ain't no way. What do you mean ain't no way? God said all things are possible. So are you disagreeing with God?

I wouldn't suggest that. God says all things are possible. And so when you get in a situation where it's only the impossible that could happen, sometimes you're in a good place. Because the Lord loves doing the impossible. If there's some relative of yours or somebody that isn't walking with the Lord, that's just as far from God as you can think and you've written them off.

Ah, loved one, don't do that. Because with God, nothing is impossible. But it's interesting the way the angels are positioned in the tabernacle, in the Holy of Holies, there was the Ark of the Covenant. On the top of the Ark of the Covenant, there was the mercy seat. On the mercy seat, you know what there was? There was an angel at each end facing one another. Just like we're told in this verse.

Can't be coincidence. I mean, why tell us that? For no reason?

No. You see, understand that part of the Ark of the Covenant was called what? The mercy seat. And I think through that little detail is introduced the fact there's a new mercy seat from Jesus. If you remember the veil of the veil of the curtain was torn in two to give access into the Holy of Holies for us. And there in that tomb, an angel standing at each end, I believe gives a picture of that. I'm thankful for the new mercy seat.

Amen. Verse 13, then they said to her, woman, why are you weeping? She said to them, because they have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have laid him. Now as I thought about this verse, I wonder why they asked her that.

Because I don't know, I guess this is the way my mind works. When somebody asks me a question, I'll often wonder why they're asking the question. If somebody comes up and says, hey, it's okay for a believer to drink, a Christian to drink. I mean, you can be saved and imbibe in alcohol.

But a lot of times somebody is asking that because they've been an alcoholic for 10 or 15 years and they're wanting me to make them feel good about drinking every night. Why are you weeping? And I wonder why are they asking? Do they not understand that she's going through this emotional thing? I mean, they're angels, so I don't think they would be... Let me be careful. They're angels, so I'm not sure they're clouded or confused by feminine emotion. I am sometimes.

I mean, I've got to be honest. I'm confused, but they're angels. I'm not sure they're confused. So are they thinking, well, he's risen, why are you crying?

I think that's probably why they're asking. We'll be right back with more from David McGee on Cross the Bridge. Right now, here's a word from associate pastor D.A.

Brown. We want to take just a couple seconds a couple seconds here to pray for some cities in our listening audience, specifically South Lake, Sun Valley, Tonopah, Wells, Winnemucca, Nevada, and also Cape May, New Jersey, and Farmington, New Mexico. Lord, we thank you for the people tuning in in these cities. We pray that you would pour your Holy Spirit out, that you would fill people with the faith to say yes to what you're wanting to do in their life. People who are downtrodden, they're full of despair. I pray that that would turn to hope and trust in you, Jesus. God, I pray for those in leadership positions in these communities, that you would give them wisdom and discernment, that they would look to your word for advice and counsel and answers on how to lead. Lord, we pray that they would get plugged in church and receive from biblical authority and direction. Lord, I pray that many people will get plugged in churches and they will begin serving and looking for opportunities to use the gifts that you've given them to be a blessing to other people in the same way they've been blessed. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.

Thank you, brother. And now, let's get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse. Verse 14. Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there and did not know that it was Jesus.

That's a puzzling verse. Why did she not know it was Jesus? Well, I don't know. I mean, I can, you probably thought I was getting ready to tell you. I don't know. I mean, I can tell you some of the theories that sound plausible.

One is that Jesus still had his scars and we're told that his visage was so marred that he no longer looked like a man, is what the book of Isaiah says. Maybe that was it. Maybe because of the weeping, you know, she still had tears in her eyes and couldn't recognize her.

I'm not sure. What was she looking for? In that tomb, let me help you. Who was she looking for? She was looking for Jesus. She was looking for Jesus. We need to be looking for Jesus.

And notice what didn't happen. She didn't see the angels and go, oh, angels. Let's worship them.

This is great. Angels, you guys are religious. Let's engage in worship of the angels. She didn't do that.

Why? Because she's looking for Jesus. She wasn't looking for angels. She wasn't, she wasn't looking for just something simply religious. She wanted more.

God bless her. Because you know what? Today in society and culture, we are so caught up in religion. We go and you understand for some people, and I understand liturgy and formality and I can actually appreciate some of that.

We don't do it here because I think far too many people are intimidated by that. I can appreciate the beauty of an old hymn played on a pipe organ or the formal liturgy of a service or responsive readings and things. I can appreciate that if the Lord is there. But what happens is so much of that formality is introduced because God's been taken out. And it's amazing how cheaply people are satisfied sometimes. As long as they go and they're able to engage in a ritual and the robes and the kneeling and the standing and the kneeling and the standing and they go through the formality and then they can walk out, never having been in touch with God, never having touched base with the risen savior of the world, never making that connection and somehow feel like something happened that makes everything okay.

May you never be so cheaply satisfied. I'm not sure why people, so many people are coming here. I mean, you know, I can give you theories. I mean, I think it's to hear the word of God, but you know, some people probably have mixed motives and that's, I'm still glad they're here. I know some things they're not looking for. I know they're not looking for the pipe organ. Well, I mean, they may look for it once, but you know, they're not going to, they're going to figure out we don't have a pipe organ that first service probably or stained glass.

We don't have any stained glass. That's not what they're looking for. And I understand, you know, let me be honest. I understand some people are put off by what we do here.

And there are other places that they would feel more comfortable. And I have to understand that, you know, but she's looking for Jesus and that's what we want here. You know, if you come looking for those other things, we don't have those other things, but if you come here looking for Jesus, oh, you're going to find Jesus. Amen. Because that's what we talk about.

That's what we focus on. You'll see Jesus and the lives of so many people here as they greet you and welcome you and smile at you warmly and serve the Lord and serve you. Man, Jesus is at every turn around here and God's stories abound. So you can find Jesus here. Now Jesus in verse 15, Jesus said to her, woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?

What a great question. She supposing him to be the gardener said to him, sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him and I will take him away. Again, I'm not sure why she's not recognizing Jesus. And at this point, we have to recognize that she's very, she's very sad, but I want you to see something.

She doesn't have to be sad. Jesus came to dry up the tears and the fears of our lives. He wants us to come to him and say, Jesus, I'm depressed. Jesus, I'm sad. Jesus, I'm angry.

Please help me. He longs for us to do that. And when we run to other things, we cheat ourselves of a glorious experience with the Lord.

Seek Jesus, seek Jesus. Jesus here took notice of her tears. He didn't just say, I'll quit crying. He said, why are you weeping?

What's wrong? Who are you looking for? Jesus cared. And we're coming to that day in Revelation 21 four, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There'll be no more death and their sorrow and their crime. There shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away.

For the former things have passed away. Jesus asked her, said, what are you looking for? Who are you seeking? What are you looking for in life?

Only you can answer that question. You don't need to do it out loud, but what is it you're looking for? What is it you're seeking? Life can be kind of treacherous and even dangerous at times, depending on what you're looking for. Jesus gave this warning in John 4 13 dealing, talking with a woman at the well. Jesus answered and said to her, whoever drinks of this water will thirst again. What are you looking for and what are you drinking from? See as believers, we need to make sure that the number one thing that we're looking for is Jesus. And as you grow older, you know what? You understand all these other things. You know, you're no longer looking for the perfect job or the perfect kid or the perfect parent or the perfect spouse or the perfect church. You realize it's no such thing.

So what are you looking for? Seek Jesus. Seek Jesus. That's the next life lesson. Simple, but seek Jesus and you'll find him. You seek all these other things, you're likely to find a lot of heartache and heartbreak.

Seek Jesus. In John 11, in John 11, Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.

Do you believe this? Who are you seeking? What are you trusting in? What am I spending my time on?

What is it? What am I spending my passion on? And is it of eternal significance?

That's the thing that we do here. When we talk about serving, when I'm talking about serving, really what I'm inviting you to do is live a life of eternal significance. Not just get involved with children's ministries because we need more people, but because it will change your life and you will receive, according to the Bible, heavenly rewards that moths can't eat and rust can't take away. But are you seeking Jesus? I understand what happens.

Man, I understand all too well. You're seeking the Lord, the Lord's number one, and these other things kind of filter up, don't they? All of a sudden, you take an assessment of your life and you go, wow, I call him Lord and I say he's number one, but all these other things have gotten ahead of me and my relationship with the Lord. The Lord tells us over and over to seek him.

Why is that? Well, because he knows us and he knows that on a daily basis, we need to be reminded to seek him. I live and hopefully you live in the hopeful expectation that at any moment, we're going to be out of here. You need to get ready this morning.

What do I mean by that? If you're not ready, either the Lord's not number one in your life, maybe you know him and you've asked him to forgive your sins, but you're not following him, man, please use this morning as a golden opportunity to start following the Lord to get that clean slate. But if you're here this morning and you've never asked him to forgive you of your sins, you've been thinking that it's through your works and you've actually been trying to work up this repentance thing, so then he has to forgive you.

Now, you start by asking him to forgive you. Are you ready? At what point in your Christian life are you? Are you find yourself right outside the tomb weeping? Are you in that place where you are ready? Friend, do you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven?

You can know right now. I want to lead you in a short simple prayer, simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Now, God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you.

Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me, that I could be forgiven, and I believe you were raised from the dead, that I could have a new life. And I've done wrong things. I have done things. I have sinned, and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you all of my days. In Jesus' name, amen. Friend, if you prayed that prayer, according to the Bible, you've been forgiven. You've been born again.

Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him, and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness, and they were sick, not the righteous. So congratulations, friend. You just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you. If you prayed that prayer with David for the first time, we'd love to hear from you. You can visit crossthebridge.com to receive our First Steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

Or you can write to Cross the Bridge at P.O. Box 12-515, Justin Salem, North Carolina, 27117, and share how God is working in your life. You know, the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood, through radio, through the internet, and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use. So if you'd like to support this ministry, please go to crossthebridge.com, click on the donate button, and ask God how much he would have you give, either on a one-time basis or a continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's Word continues to go out through Cross the Bridge.

Thank you so much. Well, D.A., before we go, what are some ways that we can bless our listeners? Each day you can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David through the Word of God with his email devotional, life lessons to consider, a daily reading plan, and a thought to meditate on throughout your day from the heart of David McGee. Those are terrific, and it's easy and it's free. So folks, sign up today at crossthebridge.com. Thanks again for listening, and join us next time as David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the Gospel of John.