Miracles of Calvary:
#5 Undisturbed Grave Clothes
John 20:1-10 – Victory Fellowship
April 3, 2022 - Rev. Roderick Grabski
I. INTRODUCTION: When considering the accounts of all the Gospels, Jesus’ death on the cross was accompanied by six miraculous events that lead to the concluding evidence of His Resurrection:
1) The Miraculous Darkness
2) The Tearing of the Temple Curtain
3) The Miraculous Earthquake
4) The Miracle of Opened Graves
5) Jesus’ Undisturbed Grave Clothes
6) Revivals to Life in the Calvary Graveyard
7) Resurrection Sunday: Evidence of the Resurrection
In my sermons, leading up to and including Easter, I will focus on each of these miracles. Jesus is more than a man and at His death, AND RESURRECTION, all Heaven and Earth proclaimed their witness.
II. THE UNDISTURBED GRAVE CLOTHES
A. Visual Display of the Resurrection
1. How they were found. (vss 6-7)
6 And so Simon Peter also *came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he *saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself
2. Note John's reaction (vs 8) So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed
3. The stone was rolled away, not to let Jesus out, but to let the Disciples in!
B. The Perfect Demonstration of Resurrection
1. John knew Jesus had died. But Peter wondered.
Luke 24:12 (KJV) Then arose Peter, and ran unto the Sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass
2. It was clear that the body was missing on the third morning from the appearance of the grave clothes
3. It revealed that the body was not removed by human intervention.
C. What the Grave Clothes Teach Us
1. It was a miracle as a result of Jesus' Death at Calvary
a. Jesus came to give His life as a ransom for many
(Matt. 20:27-28) 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
b. His blood would be poured for the forgiveness of sins
(Matt. 26:26-28) And while they were eating, Jesus took [some] bread, and after a blessing, He broke [it] and gave [it] to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave [it] to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
c. He was made a curse for us (Is 53:6) All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.
2. The Body laid in the Tomb was the foundation of the Spiritual body
3. The Spiritual body confirms the difference between resuscitation and resurrection
(John 11:43-44) 43 And when He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth " 44 He who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings; and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus *said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."
III. CONCLUSION
Christ's Resurrection provides the Hope of Eternal Life for every believer
Philippians 3:20-21: For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
PRAYER
SONG: Because He Lives (Amen)
John 20:1-10
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene *came early to the tomb, while it *was still dark, and *saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. 2 So she *ran and *came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and *said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." 3 So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. 4 The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; 5 and stooping and looking in, he *saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. 6 And so Simon Peter also *came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he *saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes.
