John 20: 19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
We learn so much from the gospels and when we put all accounts together we have more than sufficient truth to convert and save those lost in sin. When the morning came, the tomb was found empty. No human witnessed the actual resurrection. What they saw was evidence that Jesus had risen. The angels witnessed and told it. The soldiers passed out in the dust because of fear over what had taken place. They had gambled for his clothes. They wanted a souvenir of the event. It was a trophy to brag about what they had done. To boast of our sin is wrong. I used to boast of not needing Jesus. I’m glad the Lord cut me down to size. Pictures of Jesus at the crucifixion show him clothed, but in reality he was not. Can you image the sinless son of God on display like that? Paul said that we should seek to be crucified with Christ. He was crucified for us and the least we can do is crucify the old man and walk in newness of life.
One of his followers told us about Jesus. Someone obeyed the sending call and we responded to it. Jesus said as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. Even though no one saw Jesus rise, they saw the grave clothes folded and put in a place by themselves. What did this tell those who looked in? It let them know he had risen from the dead. Jesus took the time to take his grave clothes off and was robed in a garment of glory. The work of the grave was finished. He was buried in clothes that men wound about him. He stood up and took the time to take them off. When you and I get home from work, lots of times we take off our work clothes. The day’s work is done. Jesus didn’t need his grave clothes anymore. He wanted others to know something: he did die but he accomplished what we needed—salvation. Long before our bodies will lie in our own tomb, Jesus laid in one. When the victory over the grave was won, he took them off never to need them again. He folded them neatly. The angels showed the place where his body had been; it was empty. Jesus was gone and he placed the grave clothes in a place apart. He took the time to do it. They didn’t need to see Jesus to know because he showed them by what he did. Even though we don’t have the grave clothes, we have the record—the Bible and it is enough. Job was well done on the cross and in the tomb.
Jesus is coming again and until he does he told us as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. In Matthew Jesus said for us to go into all the world. Soon and very soon we are going to see the King. Until we see him in his glory, we have the finished grave clothes and the commission to go and tell. I’ve let my Savior down by not going enough and not saying enough. He has sent us. Go and tell. Don’t worry about the outcome. Our mission is to tell the good news. We have the folded, finished work clothes. By faith we follow.
Be faithful. Go. Tell. If you have not been doing all you should, pray and ask God to help you lift up the gospel till he comes.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 