1. To get a full picture of what's going on here, we need to go back a few days.

2. They were gathered in the upperoom and Jesus did something profound.

3.  He stood up, took off His garments, and wrapped himself with a towel.

4. Then He got a basin, poured water into it and started washing the disciples' feet.

5.  When He came to Peter, Peter said, "Wait one minute, I should be washing your feet.  No!  Stop!"

6. Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you have no part with me"

7.  Peter said...... "Give me a bath!!!!!"

8.  Jesus then says.... "I shall be with you a little while longer.  You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,'

9. Peter said, "Why can't I follow you?   I'd lay down my life for you....."

10.  Jesus then predicts that he will deny him 3 times before the Rooster crows.

11.  They take Jesus away.....AND CRUCIFY HIM

12.  BUT.... I don't want to dwell on the crucifixion...
                                  I want to look at His burial... His resurrection.

13.  Jesus was treated as a rich man's corpse might be treated.

14.  Joseph of Arimathea took the body of Jesus and did the absolute necessary things to his body because they only had till 6:00 to get back to the house.......... It was the feast of the Passover.

15. Read..... John 19:40

                                        JEWS...  Wrapped the whole body.... with legs wrapped separate from each other.

16.  Like... LAZARUS

Jesus delayed his arrival on the scene of Lazarus.  WHY?
 So that God might be glorified.

     A. Jesus shows up and Mary says .... "You're too late!"

     B. Jesus is never too late... He's always right on time.

     C.  Jesus said.. Take me to where he is laid.
          Wait one minute... He's been dead four days

     D.  Jesus walked up and said.... Lazarus, come fourth

             1. Notice he called his name.  I personally believe that if he would have simply said COME FOURTH that everyone
                  would have raised.

     E.  Lazarus WALKED our --------- The Jewish burial

     F. Another thing that the Jews did was use a burial napkin which was placed over the face.
 
 

1.  Ok, let's look at the situation concerning Christ.

2.  Mary Magdalene came Early to the tomb But guess what.   NO JESUS

3.  She ran to Peter and John to get them

4. So, Peter and John took off running.
 John outran Peter because Peter was a lot bigger than John

5. John stopped, stooped down and looked in..

6.  Peter caught up, didn't stop, smashed right thru John right into the tomb.

7.  And what He saw, he would never forget...
 What he saw would change their lives forever.

8. What did they see?

9.  Read John 20:6,7

10.  THE BURIAL NAPKIN
 
 
 

1. When the King would have a feast... the King would have a feast.

2.  The table would be 3 miles long
            * He would send our invitations
            * The Royal postmen delivered the message
            * A reply would be given
            * and a reservation made.

    When it was time for the feast,
            * The guest would show up
            * they gave their name
            * an attendant would usher them to their seat
            * where they would find their name on a solid gold name tag at their seat
            * they would be seated and would start to feast.

NOW.... a normal Royal Feast lasted sometimes up to 3 months.

SO....
            *if they got tired and wanted to leave
            *no ushers was permitted to ask them if they were coming back.
            * if they needed to go tend the cattle or sheep
            * feed the hogs... go to the bathroom
            * no one was allowed to ask, "Will you be coming back?"

3. Did the waiters know whether they were coming back or not?
                         Of course... they had a system.

     A.  If they were thru, they would:
              * get all the plates in front of them stacked neatly
             * then they would wad up the napkin and place it on top of the stacked dishes.
             * You see, they were not coming back
             * They were finished.
             * The waiter would come, move the plates and an usher would now seat someone else in that spot.

     B.  If they were coming back...
              *They would get all the plates in front of them stacked neatly
             * they would then fold the napkin and place it on the top of the plates.
             * They were coming back
             * They were not finished.

4.  Peter walked into the tomb saw the grave clothes laying there and looked over there...
  WHAT DID HE SEE?

5. A folded napkin...
             He got the message that Jesus had left them.

6.  Jesus was coming back.....
                     Jesus wasn't finished.....

7.  There was three thing that these three people had to learn...

Read... John 20:15-17

Here she was crying....
 Jesus was standing and talking with her

Faith is believing in something you're not sure about
BUT, yet you believe to the point where you become sure.

Peter got there second ran right over top of John and rushed in maybe with the attitude that "I want to know what's going on, and I want to know NOW!"

         He needed to learn God has the might and the battles are His

                Trust Him in that what He says He'll do.

John came running to the tomb got there first and slammed on the brakes.

 Stopped, stooped and looked... with I believe an abundance of fear.
 

How many times have we been in the same situation?

 You've got to know today that Christ has left his burial napkin for you.

                                You might feel abandoned
                                         You might feel like you're on your own

BUT!
                     Jesus is coming back
                                   Jesus isn't finished.

            Are you standing IN FAITH:
                                                    Not by sight
                                                    Nor by fright
                                                    Nor by might