Where Is Jesus?
by Raymond Sloan
April 9, 2023 · Cornerstone Apostolic Church (Chattanooga, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: John 20, John 20:1-10, John 20:11-13, John 20:19-23

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/raymond-sloan--where-is-jesus
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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you can be seated if you need to I welcome you to uh Resurrection Sunday 2023. as we come together on Sundays of course our mission and our goal should be to worship the one true Living God the one who died for us his name is Jesus we also every week should have a desire to spend time just loving the Lord praising his name lifting him up coming together from all parts of the area some of you drive a great distance some of you just come down the street but all of us come together with a specific set of issues a specific set of issues because somebody turned that fan for me off please it's too loud for my voice today each one of us comes here today with messed up lives at one point is that true or all of you perfect let me get gather around I see I see a couple close ones when I look over here but anyway to be nice to my wife today right all of us understand that what this day represents is a great thing a savior overcame death and the grave savior that came put lives back together fact that is why you and I call him Jesus because Jehovah has become salvation somebody say it in Jesus name we talk about this man Jesus of course we have a lot to look into he was born in a very simple and basic manner most of us would consider it to be the lowest and the most minimal entrance into the world a young mother who would soon marry a simple Carpenter they didn't really have a lot to build on there was not a lot to draw from there were no large bank accounts no real investment portfolios but in an animal stable that was the birthing Suite for the greatest thing that ever came to planet Earth there were no nurses per se to assist them only cows and sheep to look on sheepishly or cowardly sorry I had to anyway not a whole lot wise men would come searching for him Shepherds would be advised by Heavenly angels as to where he they could find him Heavenly hosts would declare who he was and this man Jesus came to planet Earth and changed everything now if you've taken time to study the Life of Christ you will discover that he was indeed the real deal huh there had never been anybody else no one else could come into a place and change everything by simply walking into the room amen understanding that from that point if you go backwards from the birth of Christ you were to go into history you would discover that they always were searching for something whether it was golden calves to dance around or stone Idols or whether they were looking to the Moon soon in the stars or the Sun or anything out there there was something in the heart of mankind that said there's got to be something greater out there and if I can find it I will worship it when we know to understand that you can see it through all of history something in the heart of man says I must pay homage to something I got to believe I'm not the biggest and the best but there is some reason some power some Force out there and if I could ever Discover it I will worship it allow me a few moments if you will on this Easter Sunday Jesus was one of the most looked for Idols listen in history wise men came looking for him didn't know what they were going to find all they knew is something was coming when the Shepherds they they came running looking for they they weren't sure what they would discover all they knew was somebody has been declared to us once the Ministries began of Jesus those who were lost those who were sick those who were undesirable those who were confused those who were hurting and broken those who were hungry and thirsty for truth so many had desires within them when they figured out and found out who Jesus was they would come looking for him to do something in their lives they would discover if I can simply touch him I can be changed today mind you if we take a moment to look at the end of life of Jesus then we would once again discover people had a desire to find Jesus after for all that Jesus had done while on planet Earth the Miracles that he did it would baffle the smartest scientist of our day he always challenged the status quo in many ways he would simply do things that they were not expecting he preached about a better place and not greater suffering he explained the heavens in such detail why because he was building that place he understood that if you could ever get your eyes off of what's around you into a promised lamb then you will begin to make right choices and good decisions I've come to declare to somebody if it is indeed in the heart of man to look for something greater and more powerful than yourself something that says I must know truth something that says there has to be a reason to do things correctly there has to be righteousness in a way that I can wake up in the morning and I can declare that there is a God that's got control of my life I've come today to tell you in the heart of man there is indeed a desire listen to know truth why because if you'll ever know truth it will make something happen in your life and you will begin to search for the joy of God working in you listen I think that we would all agree that people search for Jesus because they wanted something that was real something that was right today you and I come together on this Resurrection Sunday we have a desire to know Jesus a desire to understand more of him allow me a moment to talk about John John wrote this in chapter 20 verse number one the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early when it was yet dark under the Sepulcher and seeth the stone taken away from the Sepulcher then she runeth coming to Simon Peter to the other disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto them they have taken away the Lord they have taken away the Lord they have taken away the Lord out of the Sepulcher and we know not where they have laid him hungry always to know where Jesus was we understand Mary Magdalene was one of the ones that would always tend to Jesus she was one of the ones that would always make sure he was taken care but according to John's writing today we come to this particular word that's been rumbling in my heart and in my mind for weeks and months now if Mary came looking for Jesus the very first question that came into her heart and into her spirit where have they laid him I know where they put him he was put in a borrowed tomb but I'm looking for him and I can't find him her heart distressed inside of her she was broken and crushed so much that she would run and tell Peter Peter John hey guys he is no longer there where is Jesus where have they laid him Peter therefore went forth verse three and the other disciple came to the Sepulcher so they ran both together and the other disciple outran Peter came first to the Sepulcher stooping down looking in saw the living clothes lying yet went not he him then cometh Simon Peter following him went into the sepulchers he had the Landing close lie in the napkin that was on his head not lying with the linen clothes but wrapped together in a place by itself then went in uh so the other disciple came first to the Sepulcher and Saul believed verse 9 for as yet they knew not the Sepulcher the scripture excuse me that he must Rise Again from the dead then the disciples went away again to their own home when Mary Magdalene came you can find it in the other gospels of Matthew and Mark you can discover how they wrote Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of Jesus and another woman salomona or Solomon excuse me thought to be these we want to come we want to find Jesus we want to make sure that we wrap him correctly we brought the spices needed we brought the the grave clothes needed we've got to come and make sure that Jesus his body is taken care of custom in that day the dead body could not be embalmed you could not drain it of its blood it would simply be covered with a mixture of spices and oils wrapped so that the smell would not be unbearable the wrap was also used to keep the decayed body from falling apart and and scattering all over the place but this tomb listen was a borrowed tomb it was going to be for a short time that the body would be placed there we understand in America when you bury somebody you put them there you leave them there in other countries it's not so my wife and I have lived in a few of them where after a year two years they go back they recover the bones all the flesh is gone and now it's just a handful they put it in a small box and they go and put it somewhere so I understand this concept but remember when you and I look at it as Americans if you will living in 2023 we think that maybe they shouldn't go there maybe they should do other things with it but at that particular day there's a reason why Mary and Mary and they came aim and they began to look for him why because they knew in the future if we got to pull these bones out of here we don't want them scattered and all disrespected but instead we want to put back Lauren said it today when they ran into that box the grave clothes were laid they were skewed to the side but there was something about the napkin that covered his face it was neatly folded where his head had laid it was clear indication to those who walked into that tomb that day he's not left yet but he's going to return why that is the custom of the day when you're coming back to your plate when you're coming back to where you're staying you make sure you put it right and in its face I've come to declare to somebody when those ladies went that day the greatest question they could ever ask where have they taken the master but these women their greatest concern walking to the tomb that day how are we going to move that rock somebody say big heavy Rock everybody say come on soldiers had to put the stone there and these ladies are coming got all this stuff in their hands are ready they're just early in the morning we're just coming who we gonna get to move that stick big old rock out of the way we ain't got a stick to push it I don't have my I didn't bring my come along I don't know if I'm gonna ratchet I don't know and when they get there it's already cleared out now in their mind perhaps perhaps they thought well the disciples came earlier and pushed it out of the way maybe that's why maybe that's why Mary Magdalene went running hey you know what the stone they put over it's gone it's moved Peter and John stood up well wait a minute and when they came running looking they weren't really sure what to expect something happened there's a reason that John puts this in his letter because the scripture says tells us that as she runs and she looks and she notices the stone has moved back the first concern she had was it's okay that the stone has moved it's okay that it's an empty tomb it's okay that we've got all the spices and the cloth needed to to properly bury him but my greatest question today Peter John can you help me Matthew Andrew do you understand my concern I don't even know where he is I don't know where to find him I don't know where to search for him all I know is they put him right there but he is no longer right there and I don't even know where to begin to look for him somebody hold on to Pastor for a moment as the story unfolds at this moment Peter and John's coming they're looking now they're running all over the place and they're wondering is this a political Ploy from the Sanhedrin where the priest is praying to trick on us have the looters come in and stolen the body we don't know really is there a conspiracy going on here the Fanatics begin to post on YouTube okay never mind where is Jesus verse 11 Mary stood without the sepulch or weeping as she wept she stooped down she looked into the Sepulcher and see if two angels in white sitting one of the head the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had Lane John 20 and 13 and they say unto her woman why weepis now she's saying unto them because they have taken away my Lord listen to it and I know not where they have laid him Mary has an encounter now this is so intriguing to me how that Mary is looking into the Sepulcher a dead space a tomb hear me and she's talking to Angels I'm upset hey how you doing how y'all listen I ain't even worried that you're an Angelic being and you're an Angelic being my greatest concern here is him come on oh Jesus help me stay on track some of us in our generation we're looking for the Angels instead of looking for Jesus and we'd be blown away in our minds because we forget the fact that Jesus has all power with angels but instead Mary's not even concerned about the one sitting there the one there only reason she says looks at them with tears in her eyes she said I don't know where they put Jesus if I knew where Jesus was then I realized everything would be okay Angel Number One Angel Number two I'm glad you're here but I must see Jesus I've got to see the one I must put my eyes on the one that forgave me the one that was the one that has done a job a work an incredible thing in my life verse 19 of 20 the same day and evening listen to this being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews came Jesus stood in the midst and saith unto them peace be unto you when he had so said he showed unto them his hands his side then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord Jesus said to them peace be unto you as my father sent me even so send I you when they when he had said this he breathed on them and saith unto them receive he the Holy Ghost whosoever sins you remit they remitted it to them whosoever sends you retain they are retained listen to me carefully Church Jesus appeared to Mary and as soon as he said her name we know this through the story and how it unfolded she knew exactly who it was she went to grab him she was so overjoyed and overwhelmed Jesus says to her wait a minute don't touch me yet something's going on here I just need for you I just want you to understand there's going to come just in a few you're going to see something unfold don't don't touch me just yet but I'm about to do something to you and to anybody else who will and anybody else who will fall in love with me and understand where I'm coming from things are about to change listen to this and so this group of men the ones who had seen Jesus day in and day out now they saw him hang on a cross they saw him die on that cross be taken off that cross put into that borrowed tomb something is happening now why because when Jesus appears to them behind the doors they're afraid for their lives knowing full well that the Jews are now coming after them what Jesus says to them as he steps into that room that day and he gathers up himself as they gather themselves amongst themselves he says simply this receive the Holy Ghost hold on you and I would like to understand that to Simply Be when Jesus breathes the Holy Ghost moves I've come to tell somebody today what Jesus was doing to them on that day is the same thing that he's done can I say it to me in my life can I tell somebody to you in your life when Jesus at that moment begins to reveal the breath the wind the power the force what he is declaring with them then I was dead and in the grave but I came out of the Grave like I said alive and well you want to know where Jesus is today he is in the spirit and he's moving in and out of this house you want to know where the power of the Holy Ghost is it's moving in your life as you begin to Worship the Lord and you begin to magnify the king of glory and you feel that little bounce in yourself and you feel the little tingle down your spine that's the Breath of God moving in your life and that should remind you on this Resurrection Sunday my God is breathing still where is Jesus he's right there he's right there he's right there he's right there he's right there he is in this place he's changing people's lives the Holy Ghost has the power to change you where is Jesus today he's right here somebody give me praise somebody lift your voice brother jerron would you come listen carefully Jesus went through all that he went through with Divine Direction it was not an accident it was not just something that happened but every step Jesus walked every place Jesus went every road he came down he knew exactly what he was doing he didn't just simply show up and walk away but he would come in with expectancy there's even a couple of instances for you Bible theologians you can study Jesus was in the midst of them they desired to hurt him and he just walked through him and go away and now then where does Jesus go where you see he was just right here Jesus knew that people would look for him even in the greatest desire to want to hurt him you know they the old Thomas used to say there's no such thing as an atheist in a foxhole you know why that is because when you're in the worst of situations in the in the enemies firing at you and stuff's going on and all hell's broken loose in your life the one thing that you're going to need at that point is something positive to happen some of you today listening to me sitting in this room or watching online your lives are a literal mess and you don't know what to do and you wonder where is this Jesus where is this savior where is this one last week I mentioned to you about Palm Sunday and the ability to eulogize and to speak something into place and words and they used blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord wasn't long after they began to scream crucify him same voice is different message but then now that it's over and he's off the cross and he's in the Tomb and then three days exactly as he said he rose some of you may ask today why does salvation come this way that's a great question there's a reason that it came this way and it's very simple Jesus loves everyone and Jesus has put inside of everyone avoid that only he can feel only he can feel some of you in this place today you testified by your own piece of cardboard that you were addicted that you were abused that you had problems and issues but somehow someway today you stand whole and complete in the Lord why because that stuff that had your soul busted up was filled in with the blood of Jesus come on this world will use a lot of things to try to subdue that particular dark spot in their life they'll try anything in their vein they'll put anything to their lips they'll swallow anything that'll make them feel like that they can get past it and the whole time they don't recognize the fact afterwards they'll be in the same position but if you could ever get under the breath of the Holy One I know your flesh and blood and I know you've got doubt of what's just happened and as Jesus stood there that day even one of them's called Thomas's I can't believe this Jesus said okay go ahead Mary Martha Mary salom hey you guys listen you can't touch me and it's cool you can't touch me yet that's what he's way told right then he appears to the disciples in this room and he's telling them you're going to have power things going to happen in your lives something's going to happen because of you knowing me and the only one that we have the reference to that he said touch him was the doubter go ahead touch me nobody else but you can touch me look go ahead now did he no he just says oh my Haven Jesus said blessed is the one the one that'll reach out and want to touch me but more blessed is the one that'll simply just believe what I could do in their life I come today to tell you on this Resurrection son there's enough power in this room to raise every dead person on planet Earth to life Hey listen but if you're sitting here today and you're so wrapped up in all your sin and you're sick come on it's sin it's not a lifestyle it's not a choice it's a sin that you're doing there is the blood of Jesus that will wash that away and he'll Breathe Into You the life that'll carry you from here to Heaven why because where Jesus is is exactly where you need to be today in the presence of a holy God declaring the whole counsel of God you came you lived you died and you Rose again for me everybody in this place stand to your feet and give him praise all over the house come on you know what God's done in you you know what the power of the Holy Ghost has done in your life if you don't yet have the Holy Ghost you can receive it right now you can be forgiven of your sins they can be washed away in the name of Jesus and you can stand in completeness and wholeness in life and Liberty this altars open right now for anyone buddy on an Easter that would want to come and simply love the Lord and spend time in his presence come on let the power of a risen savior work in your life right now oh come on that's right you need to pray come pray you need to talk to the master come on he's here oh come on that's right he's here where is Jesus he is here he is here he's alive and well he's in this place he's in your heart come on he can fill you today he can occupy your heart and mind right now oh that tried every hand lifted to Heaven I believe in a risen savior I believe in a risen savior working in my life that's right come on Church come on church I believe in the power of a resurrected savior everything else that's right come on come on come on love the Lord Worship the Lord then they free by the mercy of God oh come on let's try come on come on come on that's right come on pray come on pray Jesus I believe in you I believe in you I believe in you you are the Risen Savior and you are here right now Jesus in me oh come on that's right turns come on bless the name of the Lord bless the name of the Lord come on go find somebody pray with them go find somebody pray with them come on pray one for another Jesus blessed today in this house till this place Lord breathe into this room Holy Spirit oh come on that's right Church Hallelujah the world is the name of the Lord eyes everything by the mercy of God oh that's right that's right come on go find somebody get up next room pray for them stay with him pray with him now healing is in this place salvation is in this room the glory of the Lord is in this place oh come on that's right you are still where is Jesus he is here today yes he is oh that's right that's right that's right to the Lord God bless you baby December come on pray right there Jesus name God you can do great things you can do great things Jesus holy is the Lamb of God in the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus holy is your name sweet Jesus come to worship you we come to bless you Jesus thank you come on there is restoration here today oh come on that's right yes yes yes yes yes I Believe In You Lord I Believe In You Lord worthy Worthy is your name hallelujah hallelujah get up close to somebody right now we're gonna pray one for another Jesus we believe that you have the power over death hell and the grave you have demonstrated Lord multiple times that you can change lives you can forgive sins you can wash and make us clean Jesus today in this place we know where you are you are demonstrating yourself in this room you are moving Lord all across the world on every continent in every country God you are breathing and moving Lord in the lives of people that are searching for you and hungry for you I pray right now Lord you would reveal yourself in a majestic way Lord in the hearts and lives church we love you we celebrate a risen savior today Jesus you are alive and well and we love you today have your way Lord have your way Jesus keep us o God close to you lead us in the playing path Lord I pray make the Crooked way straight for us I pray the rough roads God hewn them down smooth I pray today God we would discover your will Lord and your purpose for us the name of Jesus oh come on are you glad you're in the house of the Lord today lift your voice one more time Worship the Lord together