The Resurrection

Imagine, if you will, the story of Jesus concluding in John chapter 19 at the cross of Calvary.  Think about how dissatisfied you would be as a reader and as a follower of Jesus Christ?  Would you even be a believer?  I wonder if the disciples who had followed Jesus for the past 3 ½ years were staring at the lifeless body of Jesus hanging on the cross, thinking, “What a waste of time.” 
 
For these disciples, this was the end, the conclusion.  It was over.  Everything they were taught, believed, and even fought for seemed to be thrown out the window.  Prior to the crucifixion, Jesus spoke about eternal life, the abundant life, and the Kingdom of God.
 
However, the beautiful truth is the story does not end here.  In many ways, it is the beginning.  Had the story of Jesus ended with chapter 19, this book could not be called the Gospel of John, because the word "gospel " means "good news."  A dead Jesus in a tomb is not good news.  But a risen Jesus who ascends to the Father is, in fact, Good News.  In the remaining chapters of John, we see the disciples will finally understand the purpose of all that has happened.  They will see that this story does have a happy ending, and it ends as any good, satisfying story does: “And they lived (or will live) happily ever after (in this life and in the life thereafter).”
 
The Empty Tomb
John 20:1 – 10

It is early morning on the first day of the week, Sunday.  Historically, the Jewish observance of the Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday and concludes at sundown on Saturday.  In this account, it is Sunday morning when it is still dark out.  
 
Mary Magdalene was at the tomb (with other women).  John does not mention the other women, but the synoptic Gospels mention other women present who had come to tend to the body of Jesus.  Even in death, Mary Magdalene was completely devoted to Jesus. As she approached the tomb, she noticed the large stone had been rolled away from the opening.  The tomb was under guard by order of Pontius Pilate and sealed with Pilate's seal of authority.  We are told in other gospel accounts that she was informed that Jesus was not in the tomb, he had risen from the dead (Matthew 28). She immediately went to find Peter and, presumably, John to tell them what happened.  
 
In John’s account, the disciples and Mary assumed Jesus’ body had been stolen or moved. Upon hearing this news, both Peter and John ran to the tomb, and John felt it was important to note that he was faster than Peter.  We are not sure why the detail is there, but I find it curious and funny, and I wondered if the two of them had a little bit of a competitive edge.  
 
Upon reaching the tomb, John bent down and looked in, and noticed the burial clothes were in tatters.  John arrived first, but Peter was the first to enter the empty tomb.  In most instances, the tomb opening was only 3 feet high.  A grown adult would probably have to crawl in through the opening. 

Inside the tomb, they find something strange. The burial cloths are there, but they are not in disarray like you would expect from a grave robbery. The cloth that had covered Jesus’ face is folded and set apart.

John then enters, and the text tells us, “He saw and believed.”
They don’t yet understand everything. They don’t have the full picture. But something was different. There is an empty tomb; something extraordinary has happened. And then… they go home.

No shouting. No celebration yet. Just processing. Trying to make sense of what they’ve just seen.

Why the Resurrection Matters
At this point, we must ask the question: Why does the resurrection matter so much? The answer: Because everything hinges on the resurrection. We often emphasize the cross, and rightly so. Because without the death of Jesus, there is no atonement for sin. But we cannot stop at the cross. The story does not end on Good Friday.
Without the resurrection:

• There is no completed plan of salvation. Plain and simple, we cannot have the promised abundant life without the resurrection.
• There is no gospel, no Good News.
• Our faith is empty and useless (1 Corinthians 15).
• There is no new birth (1 Peter 1:3).
• There is no hope in life today or for eternal life.

According to Romans 1:4, Paul writes, “and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.” Jesus did not become the Son of God at that moment; He has always been the Son of God, but the resurrection publicly reveals who He is.

And God, knowing our tendency to doubt, did not leave us with just an empty tomb. There are accounts of Jesus’ appearances, including multiple encounters in which people saw, spoke with, and even ate with the risen Christ.

Which brings us to John 21.
Sometime after the resurrection, the disciples are in Galilee, just as Jesus had told them. Peter says, “I’m going fishing.” The other disciples went along with Peter.

Some have criticized Peter here, suggesting he was abandoning his calling. I don’t see it that way. These men still had to eat. Fishing was what Peter knew. So, he returns to what he knows. He fishes all night… and catches nothing. That alone is frustrating. But then, at daybreak, a man on the shore calls out to him, “Have you caught any fish?”

“No,” they reply.
“Then cast your net on the right side of the boat.”

Now think about that for a moment. These are experienced fishermen. And yet they listen to a stranger on the shore. For some reason, they complied with the man’s suggestion. And when they did, everything changed. The net fills to the point where they can’t even haul it in.
At that moment, John recognizes who is ashore: “It is the Lord!” He yelled.

Peter doesn’t hesitate. In classic Peter fashion, he jumps into the water and heads straight for Jesus. The others follow in the boat, dragging the net full of fish behind them. I love this moment. This is the same Peter who denied Jesus three times. The same Peter who failed miserably at the moment of greatest pressure. And yet here he is, not running from Jesus, but toward Him.

This is a picture of love and grace.

When they reach shore, Jesus already has a fire going, with fish and bread prepared. Even in His risen state, He continues to serve them. They bring in the catch: 153 fish, John tells us. People have tried to find symbolic meaning in that number, but it’s most likely simply an eyewitness detail. Someone counted the fish, and John included it. The event has more meaning than the number.  The Lord commands them to cast the net; they are obedient, and it results in an abundance of fish. This matches up with Jesus’ earlier call to Peter in Matthew when He tells him that he will be fishers of men.  The net full of fish symbolizes the fruitful ministry the disciples will have post-resurrection.    

They sit down and eat together. And even though they know it is Jesus, there is still a sense of awe, almost hesitation. They don’t dare ask, “Is it really you?” They know… and yet the reality is almost too overwhelming to fully grasp.

John 21:15–19

After breakfast, Jesus turns to Peter. Three times, He asks him, “Do you love me?” This is not random. It mirrors Peter’s three denials. Where Peter once said, “I don’t know Him,” Jesus now gives him three opportunities to affirm, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
And each time, Jesus responds:
“Feed my lambs.”
“Take care of my sheep.”
“Feed my sheep.”

In other words: If you love me, then care for my people. This is restoration. This is a means of Peter’s restoration.  Prior to the crucifixion, Peter denied Jesus three times, and now the Lord gives him the opportunity to affirm his love for his Savior. He is not cast aside. He is forgiven, restored, and recommissioned.

And that is incredibly important for us. Because many believers feel they’ve gone too far. Like they’ve failed too badly. Like they’ve denied Christ in ways that can’t be undone.
But Peter’s story tells us otherwise. Jesus doesn’t demand perfection: He calls for repentance and love. And then He gives a call in life. “If you love me… feed my sheep.”

That applies to us as well. If we claim to love Christ, it should show in how we care for others, both believers and those who do not yet know Him.

This is the call of discipleship and evangelism.

Jesus then tells Peter something difficult: that one day, he will die in a way that glorifies God. Tradition tells us that Peter was eventually crucified upside down. And yet, knowing all of that, Jesus gives him a simple command:
“Follow me.”

Conclusion
So, what do we take from all of this? We take hope. Because Jesus lived, died, and rose again, this life is not all there is. Yes, this life matters. Yes, we are called to live fully and faithfully here. But we are also reminded that eternity is one breath away.

Because when you truly believe the gospel, when you believe that Jesus rose from the dead, you can face life and death differently. Not without emotion, but without fear.
Because that is the promise.

Jesus lived so that we might live.
Jesus died so that we might be forgiven.
Jesus rose so that we might rise again.

And because of that, we can face tomorrow with confidence.

We can live with purpose.
We can endure hardship.
We can love deeply.
We can serve faithfully.
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Because the tomb is empty. And because He lives… we will live also.

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