“I know Not Where They Have Laid Him” (John 20:13)

“And they say unto her, Woman, why weep you? She said unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him”. (vs13)

Unbelief is the crime we commit against God, and we hurt ourselves thereby too. We don’t believe what He says, cannot see by our cursed eyes, and must be spiritually taught by God as children. We are as weak as these disciples, because this natural man is like that man Peter, John, Mary, and all the disciples who BELIEVED NOT the resurrection. Had they believed, they’d have expectant joy. But, unbelief brought fear (John 20:20).

Yet, Christ appears to us, as He did them (John 20:14-16). We have missed Him for so long, but now He is back to shine unto us His glory and reveal Himself again. We may have the Christ that we lost before, to be the honor and treasure of life. We may have meaning in our lives, help from God, and the miraculous power of Christ, if we only BELIEVE God. If we do, if we see Jesus Christ in His glory, loving us after our sinfulness and alive after glorifying God in obedience to death, if we behold Him here to help and keep us, then we lean on and look to Him for everything, taking God at His word as children (Gal 4:6). This joy of Christ is for those who see Him as He is now, and when joy is gone, we must see anew our treasures in Christ, that He who damns people has SAVED us SINNERS by His own blood and sacrifice, by Himself, without help, contribution, or dependence upon us at all (Is 63:1). He is an Independent and Successful Savior, with grace for me from His heart ETERNALLY. It is covenant mercy that can’t fall down because of me, but makes me and you serve God in repentance and honesty.

We bless God for Christ, and then joy happens (Rom 15:13). We JOY in Christ, and enjoy things PROPERLY and wisely, using them for God‘s glory in thankfulness to Christ. We thank God for Christ only AFTER He’s revealed Himself to us, or we‘d stay blind, so we LOVE with what we see, rather than beat everyone or impress people. As He said, we “minister” and feed His sheep with knowledge of the greatness of Christ and God thereby (Matt 20:28).

Don’t be discouraged. Believe the gospel and know that your seeing Christ is of God and for you to love others (John 20:17).