Sermon Notes + 3.31.2024
SERMON NOTES
They Laid Jesus There
John 19:31-20:18
Dr. Tony Chute, Lead PastorOverview: The death and resurrection of Jesus came as a shock and a surprise to His disciples. John provides an eyewitness account of the death of Jesus, noting in painstaking detail how the Jewish leaders required the removal of His body before the Sabbath; how the Roman soldiers pierced His body to verify His death; and how the friends of Jesus took His body and laid it in the tomb. The certainty of Jesus’ death accounts for the bewilderment of His disciples upon their unexpected discovery of the empty tomb. John then provides an eyewitness account of the resurrection of Jesus, noting in accurate detail that the stone had been rolled away; that the graveclothes were neatly folded; and that the body was missing. The fact that the disciples returned to their homes indicates their need to process these events as foretold in Scripture in order to consider the implications for themselves.
John 19:31-20:18
Dr. Tony Chute, Lead PastorOverview: The death and resurrection of Jesus came as a shock and a surprise to His disciples. John provides an eyewitness account of the death of Jesus, noting in painstaking detail how the Jewish leaders required the removal of His body before the Sabbath; how the Roman soldiers pierced His body to verify His death; and how the friends of Jesus took His body and laid it in the tomb. The certainty of Jesus’ death accounts for the bewilderment of His disciples upon their unexpected discovery of the empty tomb. John then provides an eyewitness account of the resurrection of Jesus, noting in accurate detail that the stone had been rolled away; that the graveclothes were neatly folded; and that the body was missing. The fact that the disciples returned to their homes indicates their need to process these events as foretold in Scripture in order to consider the implications for themselves.
01. The death of Jesus is a historical event with theological meaning requiring personal consideration.
02. The resurrection of Jesus is a historical event with theological meaning requiring personal commitment.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION & DISCOVERY
1. Count the number of times John references Jesus’ body, either by name or by implication. Why was it important for John to indicate that Jesus was actually dead? In what way does John’s focus on Jesus’ death set the stage for the reality of the resurrection?
2. Why did the onset of Passover require the removal of Jesus’ body from the cross? How does this request lead to visible evidence that Jesus was dead? Why was Jesus’ body pierced instead of broken? How did the wounds in his hands, feet, and side later demonstrate that the same person crucified was the same person that appeared to the disciples? See John 20:24-29 for further insight.
3. Why was Joseph of Arimathea a secret disciple of Jesus? How does his faith and that of Nicodemus become public in this text? Are there times in your life when you hide your faith, fearing what others may think? In what ways is your faith public?
4. What did Mary expect to find when she went to the tomb? What is her first reaction, or supposition, when she finds the tomb empty? What details does John provide that demonstrate Jesus left the tomb on His own terms and that His body was not stolen?
5. Why did the disciples return to their homes after examining the tomb? Why did they not understand the Scriptures (and Jesus’ own words, for that matter), which stated Jesus must rise from the dead? Based on the Scriptures and John’s eyewitness testimony, are you persuaded that Jesus died and rose from the dead?
For Further Reading: John Piper, Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die (Crossway, 2006)