Episode 48 — The Grave Robber | John 20 | #Faith4TodayPodcast
In John 20, we witness Jesus as the ultimate Grave Robber — not stealing from death, but stripping death of its power. From the darkness of the early morning to the personal encounter with Mary, John shows us a new creation dawning. Jesus rests on the seventh day and rises on the first, echoing Genesis. Darkness doesn’t win. Light breaks in.
When Mary looks into the tomb expecting desolation, she finds resurrection. The hard place becomes a holy place — the stone slab like the mercy seat, flanked by two heavenly beings, pointing to the true Lamb of God whose blood establishes a new covenant. What felt like the end becomes the beginning of life.
Three Key Observations from John 20:
1. The Darkness of Night
In the moments when we can’t see clearly — when tears blur our vision like Mary — Jesus meets us through community, connection, and resurrection hope. You aren’t meant to carry the night alone.
2. Inconceivable… Until You See It
Mary mistakes Him for a gardener. Peter sees evidence he can’t interpret. Thomas needs to touch the scars. Resurrection often doesn’t fit our mental categories until Jesus meets us personally. He restores us through presence, not distance.
3. “Who Is It You Seek?”
In every major moment across John’s Gospel, Jesus asks a woman this question — at the wedding, the well, the courtroom, the cross, and now the empty tomb. John is showing us the renewal of creation, covenant, identity, and belonging. We often seek safety, significance, or success — and end up crushed. Jesus brings peace by breathing His Spirit into our fractured places.
Bonus Insights Included in This Episode:
• How the ark of the covenant imagery appears inside the tomb
• Why scars are not signs of shame but proof of healing
• How Jesus turns the hard places into holy places
• Why isolation steals encounters (Thomas) while presence restores faith
• What Jesus meant by “Don’t cling to Me”
• Why the resurrection is about union, not just survival
• How the breath of Jesus fulfills Genesis 2 and Ezekiel 37
• The difference between clinging and communing, fear and faithfulness
• Why starting your week on Sunday reorders your spiritual life
Listener Questions We Tackle:
• Did Thomas regret isolating himself from the disciples?
• Why do believers hesitate to speak truth to each other in dark moments?
• Why does John mention Thomas “the twin”?
• Why couldn’t Mary cling to Jesus?
• How do we recognize when we’re chasing things that can’t resurrect us?
• What’s the one practice every believer should do this week to stay centered on Jesus?
Key Takeaway:
The risen Christ doesn’t just bring hope — He breathes life into the crushed, confused, and conflicted places of our hearts. In the hands of the Grave Robber, even what looks dead in you can rise again.