NL 439 Empty: Tomb

Intro (00:00:00)Context is Key (00:01:05)Overall ContextLast Time on Tales of Faith‘Ad’ Break (00:03:40)Text Me (00:04:20)Section 1: John 20:1-10 “Well, That’s Weird”Section 2: John 20:11-18 “Mistaken Identity” (00:16:49)Foreshadowing: Next Week on Tales of Faith (John 20, Verifying Thomas)That’ll Preach (00:41:38)Sermon ThoughtsTeaching ChildrenIntro (00:00:00)L: Greetings, and welcome back to Tales of Faith, a podcast on the Narrative Lectionary. I am n. we apologize for being out for a couple of weeks.A: And I am n. This is episode 439 for Easter Sunday on April 5, 2026, though we are recording on March 30th, so if something major has happened between when we record and when you listen, then we won’t be able to comment on it.L: Today we are talking about John 20:1-18, the Resurrection of Jesus, and will be using the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, with our own edits to de-gender references to God. So let’s get started with the Context:Context is Key (00:01:05)Overall Context* Jesus was dead to begin withLast Time on Tales of Faith* Jesus has been arrested, tried by the religious authorities, condemned, and crucified.‘Ad’ Break (00:03:40)L: Today’s episode is brought to you by Disciple™ Brand Running Shoes.A: Do you have somewhere to be in a hurry, and some Rock-guy to be faster than?L: Do you absolutely need to be the first to a place (but not actually need to be the first to go inside)?A: Then you need Disciple Brand Running Shoes. Disciples are available in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes.L: Disciples are also available in narrow, wide, and double wide.A: Use our discount code FASTERTHANPETER for an exclusive sticker bragging that you are quicker than the Bishop of Rome in Arrameic, Latin, and Greek.L: Try Disciple Brand Running Shoes, and make your Sunday morning run miraculous.Text Me (00:04:20)Section 1: John 20:1-10 “Well, That’s Weird”L20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus’s head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed, 9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples returned to their homes.Section 2: John 20:11-18 “Mistaken Identity” (00:16:49)A11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look[a] into the tomb, 12 and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir,[b] if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew,[c] “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not touch me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and she told them that he had said these things to her.Who goes to the tomb?Matthew: Mary Magdalene and the ‘other’ MaryMark: Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James, SalomeLuke: Mary Magdalene, Mary the Mother of James, Joanna, and the other women.John: Mary Magdalene (alone)What/who is there?Matthew: Soldiers, Earthquake, and AngelMark: Stone already rolled away, a young manLuke: Stone already rolled away, tomb emptyJohn: NothingWho tells them?Matthew: an angel of the LordMark: a young man dressed in white, right sideLuke: Two men in dazzling clothes who suddenly appearedJohn: No one at first, later two angelsWhat do they do?Matthew: Go with ‘fear and joy’ to tell the disciplesMark: Run from the tomb in terror and amazement, tell no one (telling is implied)Luke: Tell the apostles, but are dismissed.John: Tell Simon Peter and the Other discipleWho else goes to the tomb?Matthew: No oneMark: ?Luke: PeterJohn: Peter and super-fast other discipleWho sees Jesus?Matthew: The women, later the disciplesMark: Nobody listedLuke: Emmaus Disciples, All the disciplesJohn: Mary Magdalene (on her 2nd visit), rest of the disciples that night, all the disciples next week.Foreshadowing: Next Week on Tales of Faith (John 20, Verifying Thomas)That’ll Preach (00:41:38)Sermon ThoughtsTeaching Children Get full access to Tales of Faith at talesoffaith.substack.com/subscribe