WKUMC Sunday Morning Service (4/12/20) Sermon by Rev. Hyuntae Kim

Worcester Korean United Methodist Church

Translator Jee Hoon Jung

“Meet with the Risen Jesus” (John 20:1-18)

May God's grace and peace be filled at your home and with all of you who worship Jesus Christ who resurrected from the death! Today is Easter. Let’s greet each other saying "Jesus has been resurrected!" with those who worship together with you. It was an opportunity to take a closer look at the words of hardship and resurrection. Even though Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection occurred 2,000 years ago, there are still many people baptized to become Christians. This can be a clear proof of Jesus’ resurrection. If the resurrection was just a made-up story, it wouldn’t have lasted more than 2000 years and until now, but rather disappeared a long time ago. Through today’s Scripture given by God and the Biblical evidences of His resurrection written, we hope that we meet Jesus resurrected and He’d renew and recover our faith.

1.    The first evidence that Jesus resurrected from the death: the great change in the lives of the people who saw His resurrection themselves, especially His disciples.

As we have seen in the book of John through the last few weeks, many people who followed Jesus, even His disciples, either betrayed Him or ran away from Him until He died at the cross. They were all either disappointed that Jesus seemed so weak to be the king they desired or scared of that they will be punished like Him for being His disciples or any kind of acquaintance. Peter, for example, denied the fact that he is one of Jesus’ disciples three times in front of the mob. Even until they met Jesus resurrected from the death, His disciples were so hopeless that they hid themselves in their house firmly locked up. Thomas, for example, didn’t believe that the other disciples met Jesus while he wasn’t with them until he sees Him in person. His strong doubt shows how frustrated the disciples were to the point they couldn’t even remember about what Jesus told them about His resurrection. However, after they saw Jesus’ resurrection, the Holy Spirit fills up their hearts and they all become very strong and courageous more than enough to dedicate their entire lives and die spreading His gospel and peace as His witnesses. Peter, who denied Jesus three times, volunteers to be crucified upside down to die for Him feeling dare to be crucified just like Him. Thomas, who was described as one of the disciples most doubtful and lacking in faith, goes to martyrdom in India after converting many people there to Christians. Paul, who met Jesus and realized His great love on the way to persecute the Christians in Damascus, becomes a great apostle who dedicates the rest of his life and die for the gospel, regarding all his worldly power meaningless (born as a Roman citizen and educated to be a great scholar of law). As we know, his letters to the early churches have become fundamental teachings of Christianity.

2. The second proof that Jesus resurrected from the death: Mary of Magdalene and other women who were reported to be the first eyewitness of Jesus’ resurrection

In all the books of the gospel – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – Mary of Magdalene and other women were reported as the first eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection. Back in the days of Jesus, more than two witnesses were needed to prove an event, but women were not eligible as the witnesses. If someone had fabricated the event of the resurrection, which is one of the most important parts of the Christianity, they wouldn't have recorded women as the first eyewitnesses, especially the woman who was once possessed by seven ghosts – Mary of Magdalene. Therefore, the testimony of Mary Magdalene and other women is a clear evidence that Jesus' resurrection was not fabricated. Mary of Magdalene visits Jesus’ tomb early in the morning on a day after Sabbath (Sunday) probably to see Jesus’ body once again to honor His death. However, she gets so surprised and worried to find out that His body disappeared and notifies Peter and John about it. Peter and John find her testimony true when they visited Jesus’ tomb, but they also find that the strips of linen, which wrapped around His dead body, was left as it was (John 20:6-8). Reverend John Stott, a former leader of the worldwide evangelical movement, says that the linen was left like the shell left behind by a pupa that became an imago. 

3. Jesus is alive since then, now, and forever, constantly calling our names, reminding us of heavenly hope, and giving us the power of resurrection.

Even after they saw the empty linen along with the perfume bag left undisturbed, they couldn’t realize that Jesus resurrected and thought somebody stole his dead body (there had been occasional thefts of tombs to steal the expensive funeral tools). Even at the moment Jesus showed Himself to Mary crying in front of the tomb and when Jesus accompanied with Peter and John on the way to Emmaus, they still didn’t realize that He resurrected because their spiritual eyes were blind (Luke 24:16) and Jesus appeared in different form (Mark 16:12). However, Mary recognizes Jesus when He called her name (John 20:16) as a sheep listens to the voice of their gatekeeper when its name is called and led out (John 20:3-4). On the shore of the Sea of Galilee (Tiberius) where Jesus’ disciples met Him again, He also calls Peter’s name three times, saying, “Peter, the son of Jonah (or John)”, to cover Peter’s shameful past to deny Jesus three times. Overall, while the other books of the gospel focus on the resurrection in perspective of the miraculous phenomenon and sign, the book of John focuses in perspective of the recovery of the faith and relationship between Jesus and His people.

Hallelujah! Jesus resurrected from the death and is alive constantly knocking on the doors of our hearts and calling our names in cordial and peaceful voice to fill our hearts with joy and peace. Let’s listen carefully and focus on His voice so that our faith and relationship can be recovered. As the spiritual witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection, let’s be strong and courageous against any problems and frustration in front of us, putting down our worries on Him. Amen.