WHAT  ARE  YOU  LOOKING  FOR?

SCRIPTURE:  LUKE  24:1-­12/MARK  16:3/JOHN  20:14-­16CONCEPT:  WE  MUST  LOOK  FOR  A  LIVING  AND  ALL  POWERFUL  CHRIST

IT  WAS  A  DAY  LIKE  TODAY.    EARLY  ON  A  SUNDAY  MORNING,  WHILE  THE  

DEW  WAS  STILL  UPON  THE  ROSES.    IT  WAS  LIKE  TODAY,  WITH  THE  SUN  

BEARLY  PEAKING  ABOVE  THE  MORNING  HORIZON.    JESUS  THE  CHRIST  

HAD  BEEN  CRUCIFIED,  JUST  A  COUPLE  OF  DAYS  AGO  AND  LAID  IN  A  

BORROWED  TOMB.  AND  HIS  DISCIPLES  WERE  IN  HIDING  AND  IN  GRIEF.

THE  ONE  THEY  HAD  FOLLOWED  AND  BELIEVED  IN  WAS  DEAD  AND  

THEY  WERE  IN  GREAT  FEAR  OVER  WHAT  WOULD  HAPPEN  TO  THEM.    

SOMEWHERE  DURING  SATURDAY  EVENING,  THE  WOMEN  DECIDED  

THAT  THEY  WOULD  GO  AND  PROPERLY  PREPARE  JESUS’  BODY.    IT  WAS  

CUSTOM  TO  ANOINT  THE  BODY  WITH  HERBS  AND  SPICES.    AS  THEY  

PREPARED  TO  GO  TO  JESUS’  TOMB,  MARK  16  TELLS  US  THAT  THEY  

WORRIED  ABOUT  HOW  THEY  WOULD  BE  ABLE  TO  GET  INTO  THE  TOMB.    

THERE  WAS  A  LARGE  STONE  THAT  HAD  BEEN  ROLLED  IN  FRONT  OF  

THE  TOMB  TO  COVER  AND  SEAL  IT.    AS  THEY  WENT  TO  THE  TOMB,  

THERE  FOCUS  WAS  NOT  UPON  WHAT  THEY  WENT  TO  DO,  BUT  ON  

WHAT  WOULD  PREVENT  THEM  FROM  DOING  IT.

SO  MANY  TIMES  IN  LIFE,  WE  TEND  TO  HINDER  OURSELVES  BY  LOOKING  

AT  THINGS  THAT  PREVENT  US  FROM  DOING  WHAT  WE  BELIEVE  WE  

NEED  TO  DO.    THEY  WORRIED  ABOUT  A  STONE.    THIS  STONE  

REPRESENTED  A  STUMBLINGBLOCK.    IT  WAS  A  HINDERANCE.    

SOMETHING  THAT  WOULD  KEEP  THEM  FROM  BEING  ABLE  TO  DO  WHAT  

THEY  BELIEVED  THEY  NEEDED  TO  DO.

SO  MANY  TIMES  IN  LIFE,  WHEN  WE  FIND  OURSELVES  NEEDING  TO  DO  

SOMETHING.    WE  ALLOW  OURSELVES  TO  BECOME  FOCUSED  UPON  WHY  

WE  CAN’T  OR  WHAT  WE  ARE  UNABLE  TO  DO,  OR  WHAT  WILL  HINDER  

US  FROM  ACHIEVING  SUCCESS.    THEY  WERE  LOOKING  FOR  A  PROBLEM.    

BUT  WHEN  THEY  GOT  THERE,  THEY  DISCOVERED  THAT  GOD  HAD  

ALREADY  TAKEN  CARE  OF  WHAT  THEY  WERE  WORRYING  ABOUT.    GOD  

SENT  ANGELS  TO  ROLL  AWAY  THE  STONE.  

WHEN  THEY  GOT  TO  THE  TOMB  AND  SAW  THAT  THE  STONE  HAD  BEEN  

ROLLED  AWAY.    LUKE  24  TELLS  US  THAT  THEY  WENT  INTO  THE  TOMB  

AND  DIDN’T  FIND  THE  BODY  OF  JESUS.    AS  THEY  STOOD  THERE  

PUZZLED,  TWO  ANGELS  APPEARED  IN  DAZZLING  ROBES  AND  THE  

WOMEN  WERE  TERRIFIED.    THEN  THE  MEN  ASKED  THEM,  WHY  ARE  

YOU  LOOKING  AMONGST  THE  DEAD  FOR  SOMEONE  WHO  IS  ALIVE.    HE  

ISN’T  HERE.    HE  IS  RISEN  FROM  THE  DEAD.    REMEMBER  WHAT  HE  TOLD  

YOU.    THAT  THE  SON  OF  MAN  WOULD  BE  BETRAYED  INTO  THE  HANDS  

OF  SINFUL  MEN  AND  BE  CRUCIFIED  AND  THAT  ON  THE  THIRD  DAY  HE  

WOULD  ARISE.    AND  THE    BIBLE  SAYS,  THEY  REMEMBER  HIS  WORDS.    

THEY  REMEMBERED  THAT  JESUS  HAD  SAID  IT.

THERE  PROBLEM  WAS  THAT  THEY  DIDN’T  COME  LOOKING  FOR  A  

LIVING,  RESURRECTED  CHRIST.    THERE  FEAR  WOULDN’T  ALLOW  THEM  

TO  REMEMBER  HIS  WORDS.    THERE  GRIEF,  PREVENTED  THEM  FROM  

REMEMBERING  HIS  WORDS.    THEY  DIDN’T  COME  LOOKING  FOR  A  

LIVING  SAVIOR.    SO  OFTEN  IN  LIFE  WE  FIND  OURSELVES  LOOKING  FOR  

A  LIVING  CHRIST,  AMONGST  DEAD  THINGS.

WHAT’S  DEAD  REV?    DOUBT  IS  DEAD.    WORRY  IS  DEAD.    FEELINGS  OF  

DEFEAT  AND  FAILURE  ARE  DEAD.    WE  CAN’T  LOOK  FOR  JESUS  IN  THE  

MIDST  OF  WORRY  AND  DOUBT.    NO  WE  CAN’T  FIND  OUR  GOD  WHEN  WE  

DON’T  BELIEVE  THAT  HE  IS.    THE  ANGEL  HAD  TO  REMIND  THEM  OF  

WHAT  HE  HAD  SAID.    SOMETIMES  WE  FORGET  THE  WORD  OF  GOD  AND  

WHAT  GOD  HAS  PROMISED  BECAUSE  OF  HOW  WE  SEE  THINGS  IN  OUR  

LIVES.    AS  BELIEVER,  WE  HAVE  TO  REMEMBER,  THAT  AS  A  MAN  

THINKETH  SO  IS  HE.    YOU  GOING  TO  ONLY  BE  ABLE  TO  SEE  WHAT  

YOU’RE  LOOKING  FOR.    THEY  WEREN’T  LOOKING  FOR  A  JESUS  WHO  

KEPT  HIS  PROMISES  AND  ROSE  FROM  THE  DEAD.    THEY  WEREN’T  

LOOKING  FOR  A  CHRIST  WHO  HAD  ALL  POWER  IN  HIS  HANDS  AND  WAS  

ABLE  TO  MAKE  A  WAY  OUT  OF  NO  WAY.    THEY  WERE  LOOKING  FOR  A  

CORPSE.    A  DEAD  CHRIST.    A  CHRIST  WHO  WASN’T  ABLE  TO  SAVE  AND  

DELIVER.    A  CHRIST  WHO  COULD  NO  LONGER  HEAL  THE  SICK  AND  CAST  

OUT  DEMONS.  

SO  OFTEN  WE  ALLOW  OUR  FEELINGS  AND  OUR  CIRCUMSTANCES  TO  CAUSE  US  TO  LOOK  FOR  A  HELPLESS  AND  DEFEATED  CHRIST.    WE  WORRY  AND  ALLOW  DOUBT  TO  CAUSE  US  TO  NOT  LOOK  FOR  THE  TRUE  AND  LIVING  GOD.    LOOK  AT  JOHN  20:11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are

you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, 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,[a] “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

WE  SEE  IN  THIS  TEXT  MARY  AT  THE  TOMB  OVER  WHELMED  WITH  

GRIEF  AND  ANXIETY.    FEAR  HAD  BLINDED  HER  AND  HER  TEARS  

PREVENTED  HER  FROM  SEEING  CLEARLY.    AS  SHE  CRIED  OUT  TO  THE  

MEN  OR  THE  ANGELS  WHO  WERE  IN  THE  TOMB,  SHE  ASKED  THEM  

WHERE  WAS  JESUS  AND  WHAT  HAD  THEY  DONE  WITH  HIM.    WHEN  SHE  

HAD  SAID  THIS,  SHE  TURNED  AROUND  AND  LOOKED  RIGHT  AT  JESUS,  

WHO    ASKED  HER,  WHY  ARE  YOU  CRYING  AND  WHO  ARE  YOU  LOOKING  

FOR.      AND  THINKING  THAT  HE  WAS  A  GARDENER  ASKED  HIM,  SIR,  IT  

YOU  HAVE  CARRIED  HIM  AWAY,  TELL  ME  WHRE  YOU  LAID  HIM  AND  I’LL  

TAKE  HIM  A  WAY.

THIS  NARRATIVE  MAKES  THE  POINT  I  BELIEVE  I’M  TRYING  TO  MAKE.    

BECAUSE  SHE  WASN’T  LOOKING  FOR  A  RESURRECTED  JESUS,  A  LIVING,  

RISEN  CHRIST,  WITH  CHRIST  RIGHT  IN  FRONT  OF  HER.  SHE  COULDN’T  

SEE  HIM.    HE  WAS  THERE,  BUT  NOT  SEEN.    AVAILABLE,  BUT  UNAWARE  

OF  HIS  PRESENSE.    ALL  BECAUSE  SHE  WASN’T  LOOKING  FOR  HIM.    

WHAT  ARE  YOU  LOOKING  FOR  BELOVED.    I  KNOW  YOU  HAVE  HAD  MORE  

THAN  YOUR  SHARE  OF  DISAPPOINTMENT  AND  DISCOURAGEMENT.    I  

KNOW  THAT  LIFE  HASN’T  BEEN  A  CRYSTAL  BALL  AND  FLOWERY  BED  

OF  EASE.      BUT  DON’T  GO  LOOKING  FOR  JESUS  AMONGST  THE  DEAD.    

YOU  WON’T  FIND  HIM  AMONGST  WORRY  AND  DEFEAT.    YOU  WON’T  

FIND  HIM  WHERE  YOU  FAITH  CAN’T  GO  OR  WHERE  THE  WORD  OF  GOD  

IS  NOT  SEEN.    

WHAT  ARE  YOU  LOOKING  FOR?    WHEN  YOU  FIND  YOURSELF  UP  

AGAINST  THE  WALL  AND  CAN’T  SEE  YOUR  WAY  THRU.    WHAT  ARE  YOU  

LOOKING  FOR  WHEN  LIFE  GETS  HARD  AND  THINGS  DON’T  SEEM  TO  BE  

WORKING  OUT.    WHAT  ARE  YOU  LOOKING  FOR  WHEN  EVERYTHING  

SEEMS  TO  BE  FALLING  APART  AND  DOESN’T  SEEM  TO  MAKE  SENSE.    

LET  ME  TELL  YOU  WHO  TO  LOOK  FOR.    

OFTEN  LIFE  HAS  A  WAY  OF  NOT  MAKING  SENSE  OR  BEING  FAIR.    

SOMETIMES  LIFE  CAN  MAKE  YOU  FEEL  LIKE  GOD  CAN’T  HEAR  YOU  OR  

DOESN’T  CARE.    SOMETIMES  WE  CAN  HURT  SO  BAD  AND  HURT  SO  LONG  

THAT  WE  STOP  LOOKING  FOR  A  LIVING  CHRIST.    AN  ALL  POWERFUL  

LORD,  AND  SETTLE  FOR  ONE  WE  HOPE  WILL  COME.    A  GOD  WE  WISH  

WOULD  MAKE  A  WAY.    OFTEN  IN  THE  MIDST  OF  OUR  FEAR  AND  

FEELINGS  WE  MISS  CHRIST  STANDING  RIGHT  THERE.    

GOD  IS  RIGHT  THERE  SAINTS.    RIGHT  THERE  TO  HELP  YOU,  RIGHT  

THERE  TO  BLESS  YOU.    RIGHT  THERE  TO  GIVE  YOU  THE  PEACE  YOU  

NEED,  THE  COMFORT  YOU’RE  SEEKING  THE  HEALING  YOU  ARE  

WAITING  FOR.    HE’S  RIGHT  THERE.    BUT  YOU’VE  GOT  TO  LOOK  FOR  HIM.    

LOOK  FOR  HIM  IN  THE  MIDST  OF  YOUR  DEEPEST  PAIN.    LOOK  FOR  HIM  

WHEN  NOTHING  IS  GOING  THE  WAY  IT  OUGHT  TO.    LOOK  FOR  HIM.    

GOD  SHOWED  US  BY  THE  CRUCIFIXION  AND  DEATH  OF  CHRIST  THAT  

HE’S  GOT  ALL  POWER  IN  HIS  HANDS.    HE  SHOWED  US  THRU  THE  DEATH  

OF  JESUS  THAT  NO  MATTER  WHAT  HAPPENS  TO  US.    NO  MATTER  HOW  

BAD  IT  GETS  OR  DARK  THINGS  MIGHT  SEEM.    GOD  WILL  REACH  WAY  

DOWN  TO  PICK  US  UP.    THEY  CRUCIFIED  HIM.    NAILED  HIM  TO  AN  OLD  

RUGGED  CROSS  AND  PLACED  HIM  IN  A  TOMB.      THEY  DID  TO  HIM  THE  

WORSE  THINGS  IMAGINABLE.    THEY  TOOK  FROM  HIM  WHAT  THEY  

THOUGHT  WAS  THE  LAST  THING  HE  HAD.  AFTER  THEY  TOOK  HIS  

CLOTHES  AND  TOOK  AWAY  HIS  DIGNITY,  AND  TOOK  AWAY  HIS  

DISCIPLES  AND  TOOK  AWAY  HIS  MINISTRY  AND  TOOK  AWAY  HIS  

FREEDOM.    THEN  THEY  TOOK  AWAY  THE  LAST  THING  HE  HAD  LEFT.    

THEY  TOOK  HIS  LIFE.    AND  HAVING  TAKEN  HIS  LIFE,  IT  SEEMED  AS  

THOUGH  THEY  HAD  TOOK  EVERYTHING  AWAY  FROM  HIM.    BUT  LET  ME  

TELL  YOU  SOMETHING.  PEOPLE  CAN  TAKE  YOU  THRU  HELL  AND  HIGH  

WATER.    THEY  CAN  DESTROY  YOU  AND  DISCOURAGE  YOU.    THEY  CAN  

EVEN  KILL  YOU.  BUT  ONE  THING  THEY  CAN  NOT  DO.    IF  YOU’VE  GOT  

JESUS,  THEY  CAN’T  EVER  TAKE  AWAY  YOUR  SALVATION.    GOD  SHOWED  

US  THRU  JESUS.  THEY  AFTER  THEY  HAVE  DONE  THE  WORSE  TO  YOU  

THAT  CAN  BE  DONE.    NOTHING  CAN  SEPARATE  US  FROM  THE  LOVE  OF  

GOD  THAT  IS  IN  CHRIST  JESUS.

AFTER  THEY  HAD  DONE  THE  WORSE  THAT  COULD  BE  DONE,  GOD  

SHOWED  THE  WORLD,  THAT  NOTHING  COULD  KEEP  HIM  DOWN.    HE  

ROSE.    HE  LIVES.    HE  IS  LORD.

DON’T  EVER  STOP  LOOKING  FOR  GOD  TO  MAKE  A  WAY.  DON’T  EVER  

STOP  BELIEVEING  THAT  HE’S  GOT  YOUR  BACK.    DON’T  EVER  GIVE  UP  ON  

GOD.    LOOK  FOR  HIM  TO  FIX  IT.  LOOK  FOR  HIM  TO  GET  YOU  THROUGH  

YOUR  PAIN,  THRU  YOUR  SICKNESS,  THRU  YOUR  DARKEST  MOMENTS.  

LOOK  FOR  HIM.    HE’S  THERE.    LOOK  FOR  HIM,  HE’S  THERE.