WHERE DID HE GO?

            The Guards, The Women, and The Disciples

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.”  With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

John 19:30

THE GUARDS – MATTHEW 27:65-66, 28:4, 11-15

“Take a guard,” Pilate answered.  “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.”

Matthew 27:65

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ….. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

Matthew 28:2-4

…the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.  … gave the soldiers a large sum of money … “you are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’

And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. 

Matthew 28:11-15

Imagine those poor guards.  Given one small job:  Guard the tomb!  Instead, there they lay like dead men.  Can you see them opening their eyes and realizing the stone had been rolled away?  Can you see them looking in the tomb and hoping the body was still there?  Can you see their thoughts going wild, as they try to figure out how they were going to explain this?  Can you see them getting their story straight before they reported to the chief priests?

The guards took a bribe.  They lied.  

THE WOMEN

MATTHEW 28:1-10, MARK 16:1-10, LUKE 24:1-10,

AND JOHN 20:1-3, 11-18

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. … an angel rolled back the stone and sat on it.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. 

Matthew 28:1-2, 5-6

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

(Mary Magdalene) turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

John 20:16

The women had prepared the spices.  They were being strong as they made their journey to the tomb.  How could he be dead?  We thought ….  What was the last thing he said to me?  How will we move the stone?  Can you hear their thoughts?  Can you feel their anguish?  Each tear echoing, “It is finished.” 

A few steps more and .. and the stone was no longer covering the entrance to the tomb.  There was an angel sitting there and he said to not be afraid….

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.

Luke 24:9

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news:  “I have seen the Lord!”  And she told them that he had said these things to her.

John 20:18

Can you feel the joy?  Can you see the wonder in their eyes?  “HE HAS RISEN.”  Can you hear the relief in their voice?  

THE DISCIPLES

MATTHEW 28:7, LUKE 24:11-53, AND JOHN 20:3-10, 19-29

(Angel speaking to the women)  Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.  There you will see him.’  Now I have told you.”

Matthew 28:7

But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.  Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb.  Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

Luke 24:11-12

An empty tomb?  He has risen?  Go to Galilee?  What were these women talking about?  Can you picture Peter running to the tomb?  John 20:3-4 says the other disciples also started for the tomb and actually outran Peter.  Can you see them trying to be the first one to the tomb?  Can you see them hesitate as they wondered what they would see?  Can you see Peter looking at the strips of linen?

The disciples were trying to understand the last few days.  The entry into Jerusalem and the overturning of the tables in the temple.  The Passover meal.  The garden.  The soldiers.  The fear.  The denial.  The death of Jesus.  The disciples were trying to understand the last few days and now the tomb was empty.  How were they to carry on?

Then two disciples came to the Eleven and told about the man they met on the road to Emmaus.  They told how they had walked with him and invited him to stay with them.

But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.”  So he went in to stay with them.

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.  Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 

Luke 24:29-31

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you:  Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

Luke 24:36, 44

Jesus said, “It is finished.”  Jesus died and was laid in a tomb, BUT it was not finished!

After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.  Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Mark 16:19-20

Jesus said, “It is finished.”

Jesus died and was laid in a tomb,

BUT it  IS  NOT  finished!

AMEN